Colchester Causeway provided a great outing for six of our employee/dedicated walkers last week. Our narrator/walk coordinator, Sharon gives a wonderful recap of their experience. Read on!
The causeway juts 2.5 miles out into Lake Champlain, allowing for ample views of the Adirondacks, the Green Mountains, and several islands. It was hazy yet we could still see the outlines of the many surrounding peaks. There were fishing boats, sailboats, and canoes that also captured our interest.
We started at the closest parking lot on the Island Line Rail Trail and reached the causeway proper in just under a half-mile. I was surprised to see a few trees lining the causeway at the beginning – I had been expecting a barren expanse of stone. The trees quickly became scarcer and the views were expansive, but the trail was by no means barren.
Wildflowers lined the gravel footway, as did shrubs and occasional trees. Big blocks of marble could be seen alongside the causeway. It was a fairly popular place for a Tuesday evening with walkers, joggers, and bicyclists. People often climbed down amongst the blocks and vegetation to perches closer to the water and out of sight of the trail.
The variety of wildflowers was impressive and I learned several species that I hadn’t seen before, including those with such interesting names as umbrellawort (wild four-o-clock) and viper’s bugloss. There was also bedstraw (tiny, but abundant white four-petaled flowers), daisies, yellow sweet clover, crown vetch, cow vetch, wild roses, and many more.
Every step of the way was delightful with perfect temperatures and pleasant breezes. For those of you that have walked here before and wondered if the causeway ever ends, we can attest, that yes it really does finally end. Although, even as we approached, it looked like the trail kept going since the water cut was fairly small and the trail picked right up on the other side. There was a bench at the end, a dock on both sides of the cut for the bike ferry, and a sailboat traveling through the opening.
The return walk was also enjoyable as the setting sun cast the mountains and sky in pretty colors. This would be a neat place to walk on a clear night with only starlight illuminating the landscape.
