From the Hanover area, into Norwich, Vermont, the most direct driving tour approximation of the hiker’s route is to follow US-4 west through Woodstock toward Killington. The hiking trail, however, runs further north, and passes through a series of pretty foothill villages that are well worth searching out on your way to the heart of the Green Mountains.
At Norwich, just uphill from where the Appalachian Trail crosses the Connecticut River along Route 10A on a broad low bridge from Hanover, you might want to while away a rainy afternoon at the interesting Montshire Museum of Science (daily; $7; 802/649-2200), which has more than 100 educational exhibits focusing on natural history, as well as aquariums showcasing fresh- and saltwater creatures. The next town the AT passes through is West Hartford, on the banks of the White River upstream from I-91 along Route 14.
From West Hartford, you can circle around (on unnumbered and rather rough-surfaced country roads) through North Pomfret, Pomfret, and South Pomfret, passing dairy farms, quaint barns, and one post office per town, coming in through the backdoor to upscale Woodstock, where this AT route links up with US-4. From South Pomfret, a quaint little hamlet that’s also home to the Suicide Six ski area, the hiker’s Appalachian Trail heads up into the mountains through a long, roadless stretch before crossing Route 100 at Sherburne Pass. The only real driving equivalent follows Route 12 south into Woodstock.
