While we adjust to life as a family of 5, a few local bloggers kindly agreed to keep MiniBury readers entertained with tales and adventures from their own lives. Today Julie Barry shares the forth installment of her series”Little Explorers,” reports on her hiking adventures with her husband and her two and four-year old. Take it away Julie! 

Trail: Silent Cliffs

Distance: .8 miles one-way (30 minutes at our 4 year-old’s pace)

Level of Difficulty: moderate, then easy

Baby Jogger Access: no

Bikes Permitted: no, it’s in the Breadloaf Wilderness where bikes aren’t permitted

Of Interest to the Kids:  views of the Snowbowl,  the Adirondacks

How to get there:  from the Middlebury Gap trailhead on Route 125 (just east of the Snowbowl) head north on the Long Trail

More Info: Look here. 

Our Experience: Even though it’s still technically mud season this trail was quite dry since it’s south facing.  And because the tree leaves haven’t filled in yet at this elevation the ground was covered in greenery and wildflowers: Trout Lily, Carolina Spring Beauty, and a maroon flower I’m not familiar with, maybe Red Trillium?  Beautiful! 

This trail starts with a climb of 15 or 20 minutes.  It then levels out and forks at a marked sign; we followed the route and the blue blazes to the Silent Cliffs. From the sign it was only another 15 minutes or so to the cliff, though terrain that sloped gently down.  The last 100 feet or so of the trail parallel the cliff ledge only a few feet away so our 4 year-old received a warning and I was glad our 2 year-old was on Ben’s back.  The end of the trail is really just a small little area where we sat (and snacked, of course) and admired the view, though the viewing area was pretty small, perhaps a 10 foot-wide space in the trees.  Even so, there are views of the Snowbowl trails to the south and the Adirondacks to the west.   And really, after only 30 minutes of hiking I can hardly complain!  Once again, our son loved figuring out which now-grassy ski-run was which.  (I guess any season can be about skiing if you love it enough!) Near the trail’s end there are also several large boulders leaning on each other and perched on the side of the mountain, creating a cave-like space that apparently is called Silent Cave.  

Anyone know where the cliffs and cave get their name?