How to: Ski the Greensboro Trails

Vistas of a quieter side of the NEK’s working landscape await you in Greensboro.

Check conditions

Generally the grooming team gets over to Greensboro about twice a week: one mid-week day and a day in advance of the weekend. All trails are groomed for classic and skate skiing at this time, just like the main COC campus - though Greensboro Trails are generally narrower.

Exact days of the week can fluctuate somewhat, depending on staffing, weather/storms and what all is going on at campus, but generally 2x/week is the pattern. Especially if you’re going on a longer loop, it’s helpful to know what has been groomed, and when. Finding yourself out at an ungroomed corner of the trail system that you are really hoping to skate ski can be a major bummer. To say nothing of other trail info like logging or trail changes to be aware of.

The Greensboro Trails are listed in the broader Craftsbury snow report, just scroll down.

Buy day-pass or annual membership

Head over to craftsbury.com/dashboard to snag your day-pass or annual membership.

(December 2021 Update) If you are a Greensboro resident, you now qualify for a complimentary annual membership! We do ask you complete the resident membership form so we can keep in touch with you as well as get waiver acceptance.

Where to park

Click on the heading to see a map of services at Craftsbury and in Greensboro - including parking. Generally, parking for the Greensboro Trails proceeds as follows:

Highland Lodge - The two lots on the road are available for day skier parking. Parking behind the lodge is for Highland Lodge guests ONLY. Around 30 cars can fit here between the two lots, depending on the plow banks. Trails start at ski hut behind the Lodge.

Greensboro Town Hall - During Town Hall business hours (Monday-Friday, 9:00-4:00pm): Park behind, by the Transfer Station.

Saturday Morning: do NOT park at the Transfer Station before noon. All other locations acceptable.
Remainder of weekend: all locations acceptable at Town Hall.

Between 11 and 25 cars can fit at the Town Hall, depending on the day’s restrictions. Access the Town Loop trailhead by Craftsbury Road.

Caspian Beach - While highly infrequent, should the options above be full, parking at the beach is an option and not too long of a walk.

At this point, we haven’t finalized any understandings with any of the other locations in town for parking. Like all Vermont’s historic village centers, parking is at a premium. Don’t park in prime locations for shoppers downtown or at other locations we don’t have arrangements with.

Bring a map

Greensboro is a bit further out than Craftsbury and also has some private trails that intersect the trail system. It can be easy to get turned around. As such, taking a map is an especially wonderful idea. All the more so now that you can do so on your phone and see your position in real time - without cellular data. Read how here.

Be prepared

Nordic skiers are like the runners or cyclists of the winter world in that they travel super super light. Given that the Greensboro Trails have less traffic, are around fewer houses and are groomed less frequently it seems especially prudent to consider another layer, some food and water, and perhaps a spare hat or gloves at a minimum. Self-sufficiency is always a good way to carry one’s self, but especially in a scenario where it’s cold, there’s no staffed ski shop and no rescuers standing by a few kilometers away.

Can my dog come?

Dogs are welcome only on the Town Hall Loop in Greensboro (the section unsurprisingly closest to the Town Hall). We’re going to be publishing a how-to with dogs soon that goes into greater detail.

Come ski the quieter side of Craftsbury!