South Ridge Trail
(formerly Bear Brook Trail)
Champlain Mountain
Length: 1.6 miles from the Bowl to the Summit
Difficulty Rating: Moderate with occasional steep sections and boulder scrambles
The South Ridge trail up Champlain is the longest trail to the summit of Champlain, but the views make the hike well worth it. To access the beginning of the trail at the Bowl, begin at the Loop Road at the Bowl trail head (almost directly across from the Sand Beach parking area entrance). The Bowl trail moves over small boulders and can be particularly wet after significant amounts of rainfall.
The trail passes the intersection with the Beehive trail to the right at .2 of a mile from the trail head and continues through a thick stand of birch trees until it ends at the Bowl. The South Ridge trail begins by skirting the Bowl and following bog bridges until it begins a more deliberate ascent up the ridge. The trail has few trees, primarily pitch pines, and due to its openness offers unencumbered views of Frenchman Bay to the east and Dorr Mountain to the west. The difficulty of the trail varies from moderate incline to more strenuous climbing and steeper sections which are located sporadically.
