The Canaan Community Forest is an important natural resource that reflects the town’s long tradition of land stewardship and connection to the working forest landscape of the Northeast Kingdom. Consisting of approximately 400 acres of working forest, the property was generously donated to the Town of Canaan by the Neil and Louise Tillotson Trust. The Tillotsons, a prominent family with deep ties to the region, wished for the land to remain a forest for the benefit of the community, ensuring that it would be preserved and enjoyed by future generations.
Today, the forest is managed in a way that balances responsible forest stewardship with public access and traditional uses of the land. As a working forest, it supports sustainable timber management and longstanding local activities such as maple sugaring, while also helping protect wildlife habitat and the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape.
The Canaan Community Forest is open to the public and provides opportunities for a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, hunting, and wildlife observation. Much like nearby Forest Hereford across the border in Quebec, the forest serves as a place where residents and visitors can enjoy the outdoors while maintaining the working forest traditions that have long been part of life in this region. Through careful stewardship, the Canaan Community Forest will continue to serve as a lasting gift to the community and a place for recreation, conservation, and connection to the land.
|
Thank you Chris Masson and the Diversified Agriculture and Natural Resources class for completing trail work and keeping our trails well kept.
|
The Canaan Community Forest trails are open for snowshoeing during the winter months and provide a great opportunity for residents and visitors to enjoy the outdoors while getting exercise during the colder season. All trails within the forest are clearly marked with yellow signs and diamond-shaped markers to help visitors navigate the trail system. The Town also looks forward to expanding recreational opportunities with the potential addition of cross-country ski trails in the near future.
There are three primary access points to the Community Forest trails:
Beecher Falls Access:
Parking is available just south of the finishing building within sight of the customs station. From there, follow the snowmobile trail into a clearing and look for the yellow Canaan Community Forest (CCF) sign, which marks the entrance to the trail system.
Railbed Access:
Visitors may also begin their hike at the railbed just north of town. From this point, the trail leads uphill to the sugarhouse and continues further into the Community Forest.
Greenhill Road Access:
Parking is available at the end of Greenhill Road. Please stay to the left when parking and be careful not to block the snowmobile trail. From this location, the trail begins just to the left of the sugarhouse and continues toward the Canadian border before descending toward Beecher Falls.
Please refer to the map below for additional details on trail routes and access points.
|
 |
| Click on image to enlarge |
|
|
 |
| Click on image to enlarge |
|
|
|
