08/23/2024: It has been a challenging summer for our parks with flooding in July, continued heavy rain events, and several windstorms. WVPD crew is working hard to clear trails of down trees and repair damage from flooding and heavy rain events.
Please help us out by:
- Following Mud Season etiquette – mud season conditions can happen anytime of year! Some trails will be extra muddy or have sections of standing water after any rain event, as soils are saturated. Please remember to walk through puddles, not around, to avoid widening muddy areas and damaging surrounding vegetation. If a trail is too muddy or wet, when in doubt, turn around and find a more durable trail to enjoy.
- Use caution along river banks and streams. Please do not use any flooded trails or trails with standing water, especially along rivers or streams. Erosion and bank undercutting can still be occurring, conditions can change quickly, rivers and streams are still running high and fast, and flood water can hide hazards and debris.
- Respect all trail closure notices and signs.
Reach out to [email protected] with any questions or to report any trail issues – we will do our best to respond quickly. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram (@wvpdoutreach) for more up to date information and park conditions.
Respect all trail closure notices and signs. Woodside Loop is CLOSED due to damage to the bridges from the July 2024 flooding event. Access to the river along the wide path from the gate directly to the river is open. To Fern Loop is open until the bridge – the bridge is closed.
Woodside Natural Area
Accessible from Route 15, across from Fort Ethan Allen, Woodside Natural Area supports a diverse assortment of habitats and natural communities.
In the middle is a large beaver-impacted wetland that is a hot spot for bird activity. Visitors may be able to spot the eastern wood –peewee, wood duck, pileated woodpecker or Baltimore Oriole here. The Natural Area abounds with red and white oak, white and pitch pines, as well as red maple, witch hazel, white ash, basswood and black cherry.
Beginning of the Woodside trail.
This habitat supports a dense herb layer where the rare round-leaved tick trefoil, handsome sedge, and Minnesota sedge can be found. With its diverse flora and fauna, this park is an ideal place to observe animal tracks in winter.
