Stratton View Shelter 1st

Stratton View Shelter 1st was a log structure with bunk space for 6 to 8, built in 1938 by the Worcester Section of the Green Mountain Club.

Located on the shore of Stratton Pond near its west end, the shelter occupied an Adirondack-style design and faced the pond, offering the scenic outlook its name implied.

The shelter stood at the junction of the North Shore Trail and the main Long Trail, accessible by a short 0.1-mile spur.

Its water supply came from a brook crossing the North Shore Trail approximately 50 feet beyond the shelter.

The Worcester Section maintained the shelter and the surrounding trails throughout its operational decades, including periodic work parties that brushed out the area and replaced its roof.

The shelter became a popular stopover at Stratton Pond, which earned recognition as one of the most heavily used locations on the Long Trail.
Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the shelter was regularly occupied, with caretakers stationed at the pond to manage its use and educate hikers about low-impact practices.

In 1979, plans were approved for relocating the shelter to higher ground approximately 100 yards farther from the shoreline to address erosion and improve site sustainability.

By the 1980s, the structure had deteriorated significantly and was in poor condition, prompting long-term management planning for its replacement. After nearly half a century of service, the original Stratton View Shelter 1st was decommissioned.

A new Stratton View Shelter was eventually constructed at a different location, begun in 2021 and completed in 2023, designed to increase overnight capacity at this busiest of overnight sites in Vermont.

Sources

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