Mendon & Shrewsbury, Rutland County
1,349 acres
General Description:
The recently acquired 1,349-acre Jim Jeffords State Forest connects Aitken State Forest, to the east, and Coolidge (west) State Forest, to the west, contributing to the conservation of an important wildlife corridor. Public access to Jim Jeffords State Forest is from Moonshine Lane and North Branch Roads off the Upper Cold River Road in Shrewsbury.
Unique Features:
The state forest is named in honor of the late Senator Jim Jeffords, a Shrewsbury resident with a legacy of environmental stewardship and land conservation. The state forest is noted for its extensive forests, wildlife habitat, nearly two miles of frontage on the North Branch of the Cold River, trout fishery, headwater stream protection and wetlands.
Recreation Overview:
Jim Jeffords State Forest is popular for a number of recreational activities including hiking along woods roads, hunting, fishing and trapping. Winter recreation is also popular with a designated snowmobile trail and opportunities for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. No roads are plowed in winter within the state forest.
- Using State Lands for Recreation
- FPR Recreation Activities
- Information on hunting, fishing and trapping in Vermont
Planning Overview:
An Interim Stewardship Plan was developed for the state forest in 2016. The Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) is currently in the beginning stages of developing a long-range management plan for this state forest. The planning process will begin with a number of natural resource inventories and assessments to gather data that will serve as the basis for plan development.