Camel’s Hump

Camel’s Hump is a beautiful mountain in the Green Mountains of Vermont. The Winooski River, which has cut its way through the Green Mountains for millennia, runs along the mountain’s north slope. It is Vermont’s third-highest peak, standing at 4,083 feet. The peak, which is surrounded by ten acres of alpine tundra, is the most prominent landmark in Camel’s Hump State Park. It is possibly the state’s most well-known mountain, having been featured on the state quarter due to its striking profile.

Joseph Battell, a bookseller and philanthropist, donated 1,200 acres of virgin forest to the state of Vermont in 1905, including the peak of Camel’s Hump. The donation was meant to create a state park that would be kept in a “primitive state,” and the territory was entrusted to the state forester in 1911, who managed the site according to Battell’s wishes. Since then, Vermont has enacted new legislation to protect its natural regions, including the creation of a Forest Reserve around the peak in 1969. Since the original donation, Camel’s Hump State Park has grown to over 20,000 acres in 1991. Camel’s Hump specifically was declared a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service in 1968, identifying the peak as “an extraordinary representation of the intricate anticlinal deformation that developed the Green Mountains.”

Camel’s Hump Trail is the most popular trail to the peak. This 6 mile out and back trek is a popular hike and is classed as challenging. The hike gains 2,588 feet in height and takes around 3-4 hours to finish. On a clear day, the summit offers panoramic views of the tallest peaks in the following states: New York’s Mount Marcy, New Hampshire’s Mount Washington, and Vermont’s Mount Mansfield. Dogs are allowed to hike Camel’s Hump but must be leashed.

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Specs

• Type: Summit
• Elevation: 4,083 ft
• Prominence: 1,860 ft
• Parent mountain: Camel’s Hump

Location

• Address: Camel’s Hump Rd
• Town: Huntington
• State: Vermont
• GPS: Lat 44.31968 Lng -72.88609
• Parking notes: There are two parking lots at Camel’s Hump Trailhead. In total, they hold around 75 cars. Parking is free, but the lots do fill up on nice days.
• Parking directions: HERE
• Location directions: HERE