New Discovery Campground Nature Trail

The New Discovery Campground Nature Trail in Groton State Forest loops through a section of mature boreal forest and skirts the edge of a black spruce–Sphagnum moss bog that represents one of the most ecologically significant wetland types in Vermont's northeast kingdom. Spruce bogs in Groton State Forest are among the southernmost examples of this near-arctic ecosystem, maintained by the region's cold climate, poor drainage, and acidic soils that acidic Sphagnum moss further reinforces through its own decomposition chemistry. The bog is a prime moose habitat; the animals wade into the open water and floating mats to feed on aquatic vegetation and to escape summer biting insects, and tracks and wallows are reliably found along the bog margins throughout the trail. Common nighthawks, great blue herons, and Lincoln's sparrows use the bog and adjacent forest. The mature red and black spruce forest along the trail features moss-draped understory, downed logs in various stages of decomposition hosting wood frogs, red-backed salamanders, and a rich diversity of bracket fungi. Interpretive posts along the trail explain the ecological relationships of the boreal forest ecosystem in terms appropriate for families and casual naturalists. This trail is an excellent family outing combining the developed amenities of the campground with genuine ecological richness accessible without strenuous effort.