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Participants of a CVT sponsored bike ride take a break at Rickers. Digital photograph by Kenyon F. Karl on Sept. 25, 1999.
The trail continues through the woods from Lakeside Station, passes through the Rickers Pond Campground, and then along the shore of the pond. It then cuts off a corner of the pond on a short causeway as it approaches Rickers Station at the southeast corner of the pond. Note that the reference marks in the historic railroad station listing suggests that Rickers was nothing more than a rural train stop!
The southeast boundary of Groton State Forest marks the official end of the Groton State Forest Section of the Cross Vermont Trail!
Looking northwest along the railroad causeway just north of Rickers. Digital photograph by Kenyon F. Karl on Sept. 25, 1999
Looking northwest along the shore of the pond near Rickers. Digital photograph by Kenyon F. Karl on Sept. 25, 1999.
The Cross Vermont Trail is proposed to generally follow the available sections of the Montpelier & Wells River Railroad east of Rickers. However, the precise route of the trail has not been determined at this time!
The CVT sponsored bike ride held on Sept. 25, 1999 followed the railroad grade south from Rickers to the snowmobile crossing near the south end of Route 232, across from the back end of a mini-storage building that is under construction. Bikers were instructed to note the steep descent to Route 232 as well as the lack of shoulders along the highway to the intersection of Route 302. Bikers were then instructed to turn east on the breakdown lane of Route 302 past the Upper Valley Grill, traveling a short distance past the snowmobile bridge (hazardous for bikers) to Coal Kiln Road. Bikers then crossed the Wells River on that town road to return to the old railroad grade for the trip to Groton Depot.
Snowmobile trail exit just north of the intersection of Routes 302 & 232. Digital photograph by Kenyon F. Karl on Sept. 25, 1999.
Participants of a CVT sponsored bike ride pass the Upper Valley Grill on Route 302. Digital photograph by Kenyon F. Karl on Sept. 25, 1999.
Lean-to and campsites are available at Ricker Pond
Campground on the shore of Ricker Pond near Ricker. Although
the trail passes through the Campground, the various campground facilities are
not available to passing trail users!
Limited parking is available at Rickers Station near the southeast end
of Ricker's Pond.
Groton State
Forest Web Site has more information about the State Forest and
its component State Parks.
The Upper Valley Grill on Route 302 offers food service and limited
groceries. Toilets and water are presumably available inside the store. A couple of
picnic tables are located beside the store. A tourist information kisok is
also located outside the store, near to the picnic table.
Sign images are from the Manual of Traffic Signs by Richard C. Moeur.
Updated on May 25, 2002 by Kenyon F.
Karl <Webmaster@new-england-rail-trails.org>.
Unintentional errors are likely!
