Mount Abraham, known locally as "Mount Abe," is the fifth highest peak in Vermont and the tallest summit in Addison County. Standing at 4,006 feet in the Green Mountain National Forest near Lincoln, it is one of only three summits along the entire Long Trail that supports an above-treeline alpine tundra community. The fragile summit plants, including rare alpine flowers and krummholz scrub, have adapted to harsh, windswept conditions; staying on the marked trail is essential to protect them.
The most direct route departs from Lincoln Gap Road, where the Long Trail heads north 2.6 miles to the summit, gaining roughly 1,700 feet through boreal forest before breaking into the open. The Battell Trail offers an alternate approach from Lincoln village, meeting the Long Trail near the Battell Shelter, a lean-to 0.9 miles below the summit. A longer traverse continuing north to Mount Ellen adds 3.7 miles and requires a car spot at the far trailhead. Route options are on AllTrails.
The open summit delivers one of the most expansive panoramas on the Long Trail, taking in Lake Champlain and the Adirondack High Peaks to the west, Killington some 40 miles to the south, and the White Mountains nearly 80 miles to the east. Winter conditions arrive early; ice and strong winds above treeline are common from October through May. A 1973 Cessna crash site lies on the north ridge, and scattered wreckage remains visible to passing hikers.
