Pride Hikes: Shelburne Farms

LGBTQIA++ hikers are gathering again in person to explore the trails of Shelburne Farms. With more than 10 miles of trails winding through bucolic fields and bountiful forests we will have plenty of options for the length, direction, and difficulty of our adventure. There is a 4-mile round-trip gravel-paved trail option that runs from the welcome center to Lake Champlain for a wheelchair-accessible option.

Audubon Vermont’s Birdathon is also happening on May 22, so this will be a very birdy Pride Hike. Learn more about how to join Birdathon as a birder or a donor: click here. 

Pride Hikes are a collaboration between Audubon Vermont, the Pride Center of Vermont, and Outright Vermont.  Pride Hikes have been happening every month since June of 2018 and go beyond being “welcoming to everyone” to creating a safe, affirming space for LGBTQIA++ community members. All ages, allies, and families welcome! Youth under 18 years should be accompanied by a parent/guardian.

Your Pride Hikes co-hosts this month:

• Anne Moyerbrailean (she/her) – Pride Center of Vermont, Lead SafeSpace Advocate

• Gwendolyn Causer (she/her) – Audubon Vermont, Teacher/Naturalist and Communications Manager.

To sign up to be one of the ten lucky Pride Hikers this month, email Anne Moyerbrailean at the Pride Center to save your space: anne@pridecentervt.org. They will confirm your spot for the hike.

Trail/accessibility information: Our walk will be at a slow pace and will cover no more than 4 miles, but we are very flexible about the trails we choose based upon the needs of our group. There is a 4-mile round-trip gravel-paved trail option that runs from the welcome center to Lake Champlain. Wheelchair-accessible bathroom facilities are located in the welcome center and the farm barn. A detailed trail map is available here: https://shelburnefarms.org/visit/walking-trails. If you require accommodations or have questions about accessibility, please contact Audubon Vermont at gcauser@audubon.org.

COVID-19 Safety: We are committed to our community’s health & safety.

• Please do not attend if you are sick or symptomatic (with fever, cough, and/or shortness of breath), if you are unvaccinated and have traveled outside of Vermont within the last 14 days, if you have received a positive COVID-19 test result within the last 14 days, or if you have had contact with any other person who is diagnosed with COVID-19 within the last 14 days.
• We ask you to take your temperature on the morning before attending the Pride Hike.
• Complete the Pride Center’s COVID-19 Questionnaire less than 24 hours before the Pride Hike.
• NO carpooling with people whom you do not live with.
• When attending the Pride Hike we ask everyone to please:
  • Wear a cloth mask or covering (if you do not have one, please reach out to staff and we will provide one for you).
  • Observe physical distancing of 6 feet or more with people who you do not live with.
  • Use frequent hand-washing or hand sanitizing.
  • Avoid surfaces that are touched often, such as handrails.
  • Do NOT share binoculars, field guides, food, water, or phones.
• We will be collecting COVID-19 contact tracing information from everyone when you arrive at the Pride Hike. This information will be kept confidential and used only for COVID-19 tracing.
• For more information on COVID-19 prevention, please go to: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/index.html

Photo: Shelburne Farms. Credit: Gwendolyn Causer/Audubon Vermont