Kittell House was a private residence on the lower slopes of Mount Mansfield that offered accommodation to hikers traveling the Forestry Trail approach from Underhill Center. It was one of several private establishments that made the Mansfield summit accessible to early Long Trail hikers during the 1920s. Situated at the end of the motor road from Underhill Center, the house served as the last stopping point before hikers left their automobiles and began the 3.2-mile climb to the Summit House on the mountaintop. Kittell House does not appear in the GMC sources after the 7th edition of the Long Trail Guide Book (1928); the house has since been demolished and is no longer standing.
Setting: The Forestry Trail Approach to Mount Mansfield
In the early 1920s, the principal routes to the summit of Mount Mansfield followed valley approaches before climbing the mountain’s flanks. The Forestry Trail, built by the Vermont State Forestry Department, was the main approach from the east — from the village of Underhill Center, which lay about 20 miles from Burlington via the Central Vermont Railway.
Hikers arriving at Underhill Center had the option of continuing by automobile up the Forestry Trail road toward the mountain. The road passed first through the village itself, where J.B. Shannon offered "excellent meals and rooms" at his establishment near the post office. The road continued from Shannon’s up toward the mountain, ending at Kittell House, where the drivable surface gave out and the foot trail to the summit began.
From Kittell House, the Forestry Trail continued on foot, climbing to reach the Long Trail proper at a point half a mile south of Needle’s Eye — a named rock feature on Mansfield’s forehead ridge. From there, a further 1½ miles along the Long Trail brought hikers to the Summit House, the major hotel and accommodation at the mountain’s summit. The total distance from the end of the road at Kittell House to the Summit House was 3.2 miles.
Trail maps of the era labeled the property "KITTELLS," placing it clearly along the Forestry Trail approach between Shannon’s and Needle’s Eye — a visible waypoint on the standard regional map of Mount Mansfield and its surrounding trail network.
Kittell House as Hiker Accommodation
The Long Trail Guide Books do not describe Kittell House in detail — they mention it only as a destination for automobiles, the end of the road rather than a shelter per se. The house appears alongside Shannon’s as one of two stopping points available to hikers at the lower end of the Forestry Trail approach, with Shannon’s offering the amenity of "excellent meals and rooms" and Kittell House serving as the practical terminus of motor access.
The phrasing of the guide books — that autos "can go to J.B. Shannon’s … or further to Kittell House" — implies that Kittell House was a viable stopping point for travelers, offering at minimum a place to leave an automobile and begin the climb. Whether the house itself offered overnight lodging or meals to hikers is not specified in surviving sources. Its presence on the regional trail map and its consistent mention across three editions of the guide book suggest it was a known and dependable waypoint, the last private residence before the mountain’s open terrain.
Appearances in the Long Trail Guide Book, 1922–1928
The 4th edition of the Long Trail Guide Book (1922) described the Forestry Trail under the heading "Side Trails, Mt. Mansfield Region":
"3. Forestry Trail. Built by State Forestry Dept. Autos can go to J. B. Shannon’s, P.O. Underhill Ctr. (excellent meals and rooms) or further to Kittell House. Reaches Long Trail half a mile south of Needle’s Eye thence 1½ miles to Summit House. Kittell House to Summit House, 3.2 miles."
The 5th edition (1924) repeated this description without material change, preserving the same distances and the same pairing of Shannon’s and Kittell House as the two available stopping points at the trail’s lower end.
The 7th edition (1928) retained Kittell House in the listing but introduced a subtle shift in language. Where earlier editions had measured "Kittell House to Summit House," the 7th edition measured from the "End of highway to Mt. Mansfield Hotel, 3.2 miles." The distance remained identical, but the landmark had changed: the named private residence gave way to a description of the road’s physical terminus. Whether this reflects an extension of the road past the Kittell property, a change of ownership or name, or simply an editorial revision is not known from surviving sources.
Later History and Demolition
After the 7th edition (1928), Kittell House disappears from Long Trail Guide Book listings. The GMC shelter database records no end year for the property, leaving the precise date of its closure or demolition unknown. The house has since been demolished and is no longer standing.
The Forestry Trail itself continued to serve hikers throughout the twentieth century and remains an active route to the Mansfield summit. The Underhill Center approach — once involving a progression from Shannon’s to Kittell House to the foot trail — was absorbed into the modern trail network as the lower road improved and private accommodations along the route gave way to public parking areas and trailheads.
Sources
Green Mountain Club (GMC). GMC Shelter Database, Shelter ID 000299: Kittell House.
Green Mountain Club (GMC). GMC Shelter Database: Downloaded History, Shelter ID 000299.
Green Mountain Club. Long Trail Guide Book, 4th edition. Green Mountain Club, 1922. p. 11 (Side Trails, Mt. Mansfield Region, item 3).
Green Mountain Club. Long Trail Guide Book, 5th edition. Green Mountain Club, 1924. p. 14 (Side Trails, Mt. Mansfield Region, item 3).
Green Mountain Club. Long Trail Guide Book, 7th edition. Green Mountain Club, 1928. p. 20 (Side Trails, Mt. Mansfield Region, item 3).
