Dorset Peak, at 3,770 feet, is the high point of Dorset Mountain in Vermont's Taconic Range, on the border of Rutland and Bennington counties with the true summit falling just inside Danby. The mountain carries a striking industrial legacy: its flanks contain the world's largest underground marble quarry, still active today, and the surrounding area hosted some of America's earliest commercial marble extraction beginning in the 1780s. Marble from these quarries reached the New York Public Library, the Jefferson Memorial, and the United Nations building.
The standard approach covers roughly 6.6 miles round trip with around 2,300 feet of gain, beginning with a mellow mile of road walking before the grade steepens. The route follows an old logging road that deteriorates as it climbs, crossing a small brook before pushing up to a saddle between the mountain's two summits. A short detour leads to the west summit and the remains of an old fire tower, where a partial northern view opens up; the true high point lies beyond — a wooded crown of lush greenery with no views.
The trail is unmaintained and requires care: the route blends logging roads, ATV tracks, and herd paths, and wet conditions make upper sections muddy and slippery. Most hikers will have the mountain to themselves. Late spring through fall offers the best footing, and the appeal here is quiet forest, deep history, and the satisfaction of a seldom-visited Taconic summit.
