Ti-Haul Trail

Ti-Haul Trail

Shelburne, Vermont 05482

Shelburne Bay Park Hiking Guide map

Tips for Birding

Across the road from Shelburne Bay Park is a trail known locally as the Ti-Haul Trail. This mile-long pathway was once used as a roadbed to transport the steamer Ticonderoga to its current resting place at the Shelburne Museum. Reclaimed as a recreational path connecting Bay Road and Harbor road, the Ti-Haul Trail borders the LaPlatte River Marsh Natural Area. During the past year we recorded over 40 species along this trail, not an extraordinarily long list, but respectable enough. Also, White-tailed Deer regularly forage in the farmland adjacent to the trail, as an added treat.

Birds of Interest

Some of the more unusual birds spotted here included a Ruffed Grouse, a Barred Owl, a Red-bellied Woodpecker, a Northern Shrike, Cedar Waxwings, Yellow and Wilson’s Warblers, an American Kestrel, and a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Black Ducks, Mallards, Wood Ducks, Red-tailed Hawks, Wild Turkeys, Northern Cardinals, Tree Swallows, robins, Red-winged Blackbirds, American Crows, and Song Sparrows are birds that are considered “usuals” at this location.

About this Location

Nature and history enthusiasts will delight in the Ti-Haul Trail and Shelburne Bay Park Rec Path, two short but scenic trails linked by a pleasant 104-acre park in Shelburne. Forming an almost seamless connection near the southern tip of Shelburne Bay, the trails create a meandering and historic journey through woodsy terrain, offering glimpses of the wildlife and water for which Vermont is well known. Both trails are recommended for bird-watching, and locals say to specifically look for black-crowned herons, great blue herons, and several species of ducks.

The best place to begin your journey is at the Bay Road trailhead, located in Shelburne Bay Park on the north side of Bay Road between Harbor Road and Route 7. The Ti-Haul Trail, located just across Bay Road from Shelburne Park, is a quintessential rail trail: a flat, easy bike ride or a perfect stroll with glimpses of farms peeking between the trees. Though this trail also has a gravel surface, it has few hills and is wheelchair accessible.

Heading south, you’ll journey through mostly woodsy landscapes with a few marshy areas before ending in about a mile at Shelburne Dog Park on Harbor Road. The Ti-Haul Trail has an interesting history, having begun as a road specifically built to move the old steamboat Ticonderoga from Lake Champlain to its present home at the Shelburne Museum. The 2-mile trek took 65 days to complete at an average pace of 150 feet per day as the boat was carted along railroad tracks that were built literally as the journey progressed; workers pulled up the railroad tracks behind the boat and placed them ahead. You can learn more about the steamboat and her journey at the museum, located on Shelburne Road, about 1.4 miles from the trail’s southern trailhead.

Also nearby, at the intersection of Bay Road and Harbor Road, is Shelburne Farms, a working farm, and education center, dedicated to conservation and sustainability, built on an estate designed by Frederick Law Olmsted Sr. in the late 19th century.

From I-89, take Exit 13 for I-189 toward Route 7, Shelburne, and Burlington, and continue on I-189 West. In 1.4 miles, turn left onto Route 7 South (Shelburne Road), and go 2.9 miles. Turn right onto Bay Road, and go 1.2 miles. Turn right into the trailhead, just after crossing the LaPlatte River. Access the Shelburne Bay Park Recreation Path on the west side of the parking lot. The Ti-Haul Trail is accessible to the south, just across Bay Road.

Notable Trails

The TrailLink website has a description and map of a hike using the Ti-Haul Trail.

Features

  • Restrooms on site

  • Wheelchair accessible trail

  • Entrance fee

Content from Bruce MacPherson and Chip Wright, Green Mountain Audubon Society and Trail Link website

Last updated October 13, 2023