Cloudland Shelter

Cloudland Shelter was constructed by the Dartmouth Outing Club (D.O.C.) as part of their expanding cabin system in Vermont. According to the February 1931 edition of Dartmouth Alumni Magazine, Cloudland was described as "the latest of the cabins," indicating it was newly built around the late 1920s or early 1930s. The shelter was situated in Vermont near the Green Mountain Trail, approximately twenty-five miles west of Hanover, New Hampshire, in what is now Woodstock, Vermont.

Design and Capacity

Cloudland was purpose-built to accommodate hikers and skiers traversing this section of the Long Trail and Appalachian Trail. The cabin was designed to hold "a score of men"—approximately twenty people—and was strategically located in "probably the best skiing country available to Hanover." The shelter took advantage of the excellent terrain and natural features of the region.

Memorial Dedication

The shelter was later dedicated to the memory of Eugene P. Clark ’01, the former secretary of Dartmouth and a longtime devoted friend of the Outing Club. This memorial dedication reflected the D.O.C.’s tradition of honoring significant figures in the college’s history through its cabin system.

Period of Active Use

Cloudland remained an active waypoint on the Long Trail throughout the mid-twentieth century. The shelter is documented in the Long Trail Guide Book, 23rd Edition (1985) and subsequent editions, confirming its continued recognition as an established shelter on the trail system.

Iconic Features

By the late twentieth century, Cloudland had become known for distinctive features, particularly its outstanding hexagonal oak outhouse with a 360-degree screen window. This unique structure gained national recognition when it was featured in a February 1987 National Geographic article on the Appalachian Trail, bringing Cloudland to the attention of outdoor enthusiasts throughout the country.
Decline and Closure
According to the January 1961 Dartmouth Alumni Magazine article "The D.O.C. and Its Cabin Chain," the D.O.C. faced a period of consolidation in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The article specifically notes:

"This past year Cloudland reverted to its original owners because of lack of use and instances of vandalism."

This statement indicates that while the D.O.C. had operated and maintained Cloudland, the shelter reverted to its "original owners"—likely private landowners—around 1960-1961 due to declining use and vandalism issues.

Relocation of Trail Corridor

By 1997, the D.O.C.’s management of the Vermont Appalachian Trail had changed significantly. As reported in the May 1997 Dartmouth Alumni Magazine article "Dartmouth Out O’ Doors," the D.O.C. had recently relocated its section of the Vermont Appalachian Trail into a government-protected corridor that no longer passed through the Cloudland site in Woodstock. Rather than allowing the famous privy to be abandoned, Bob Averill ’72, the privy’s original builder and designer, coordinated an effort to relocate the hexagonal oak structure to the nearby DOC Thistle Hill Shelter on October 12, 1997, where it continued to serve hikers.

Current Ownership: Cloudland Farm and Market

The Cloudland Shelter is now owned and maintained by Cloudland Farm, a diversified working farm located at 1101 Cloudland Road in North Pomfret, Vermont (near Woodstock). The farm has been in the Emmons family since 1908 and currently spans over 1,000 acres of pastoral hillside property.

The Shelter and the Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian Trail runs through the farm property and is open to hikers every day of the year. The shelter sits directly along the AT corridor, making it a convenient waypoint for northbound and southbound thru-hikers traversing the Vermont section of the trail. Greateruppervalley

Cloudland Farm Market

To serve AT hikers and other visitors, Cloudland Farm operates the Cloudland Farm Market, a farm store that offers supplies to trail users. The Cloudland Farm Country Market offers for sale Cloudland’s delicious natural Angus beef steaks, ground beef, roasts, beef sausages, beef jerky, and pickles. The Country Market also offers jams, maple syrup, bread boards, and hand-turned wooden bowls. Agritourism World
In past years, those hikers often stopped at Cloudland’s farm store to fill their backpacks. However, access and hours have fluctuated based on farm operations and seasonal schedules. Seven Days

Farm-to-Table Restaurant

In 2010, the Emmons family expanded operations by opening a farm-to-table restaurant at Cloudland. Bill and Cathy Emmons raise Angus cattle, pigs, chickens and turkeys. They also grow some produce and tend the apple trees. The restaurant features seasonal menus and uses products directly from the farm. Seven Days

Modern Status

Unlike many other shelter properties along the Appalachian Trail that are maintained by nonprofit organizations or government agencies, this shelter used to be maintained by AT volunteers but was now on private land. Hikers can still stay there and it is owned by the owners of Cloudland Market. Virginia Trail Guide
The shelter’s transition from Dartmouth Outing Club ownership to private farm ownership represents a broader trend in trail management, where private landowners have become stewards of important hiking infrastructure. Cloudland remains operational as a free shelter for AT hikers, supported by the Emmons family’s commitment to maintaining outdoor access on their property.

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