Carriage Barn Visitor Center

The Carriage Barn was built on the foundation of an earlier stable in 1895 to house the Billings Family horses, carriages and sleighs. The building is currently used as the headquarters and visitor center for Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park. The building is open 10am-5pm, Memorial Day weekend until October 31. The building contains an exhibit on conservation stewardship, a bookstore, reading area, and restrooms.

• A tan colored building reminiscent of a carriage barn, with two benches on either side of the entrance. There is an iron gate leading up to the building followed by two yards of flat, stone steps. There is a lamp post and a short stone wall to the right of the entrance. The building is nestled in a hill, and the first floor/basement is partially in-ground. The front entrance is on the middle floor.

Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership

The Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership includes the interconnected waterways of Lake Champlain, Lake George, the Champlain Canal and portions of the Upper Hudson River in Vermont and New York. The region is the ancestral homeland of Algonquin and Iroquois peoples and, over the past 400 years, has played a vital role in the history of the United States and Canada.

Faulkner Park Trailhead

The Faulkner Trail is a popular hike featuring gentle switchbacks that build up to an incredible panoramic view of Woodstock from the South Peak of Mount Tom. Most of the hike gradually gains elevation, leading to a scenic overlook with a bench. The last 100 yards to the summit is strenuous. At this section of the trail, a handrail assists walkers with the uneven footing up the steep terrain to the peak. Ensure firmness before use. Please do not cut switchbacks.

• The Faulkner Park trailhead sits at the treeline in the back of Faulkner Park - a small park that sits a block away from downtown Woodstock, Vermont. The park has a short concrete path and trees throughout.

Forest Center

The Forest Center is a classroom and meeting space at Marsh-Billings-Rockefelelr National Historical Park. It is the first building in the National Park system constructed entirely with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood. A partnership project of the National Park Service and The Woodstock Foundation, the Forest Center has been awarded Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.

• A long, wood, one-story building with solar panels on the roof. The entrance is covered by the end of the roof and windows surround the building. Panels explaining the construction of the building attached under the covered porch. The building is adjacent to a spacious lawn.

Gardens at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller NHP

Today, the gardens at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park include an azalea and rhododendron garden, rock garden, cutting garden, a hemlock hedgerow, a dense stand of Norway spruce, and many other plantings, all expressing the many-layered design and development of the gardens and grounds through four generations of dedicated stewardship.

• Behind a large mansion sits a formal, four square garden with a small fountain in the center. Behind the formal garden, there is a cutting garden and pathway up towards an in-ground pool. A well cut, green lawn is on a sloping hill next to the formal garden.

Horse Shed at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park

The Horse Shed, designed by Theodor Muller and built in 1961, was originally constructed to house Mary Rockefeller's horses. This rehabilitated Rockefeller Horse Shed was designed by SAS Architects of Burlington, VT. The building is off the grid with a vertically integrated 230 watt solar photovoltaic system. The Horse Shed now acts as an Artist-in-Residence studio for Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park.

• Small barn with sliding white door and horse shaped weathervane on top. There is a small lawn with a picnic table with a wooden fence around the perimeter.

Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller Mansion

Originally built in 1805 by Charles Marsh Sr., father of George Perkins Marsh, the federal-style brick house was sold to Frederick Billings in 1869. Billings renovated the home into a Queen Anne style mansion. In 1954, Billings' granddaughter, Mary French Rockefeller, inherited the home and estate with her husband, Laurance Rockefeller. In 1992, the couple donated the property to the National Park Service. Interior tours are available May-October.

• A three-story red brick building with white lattice detailing. A porch wraps around two size of the building. In May-October the porch is decorated with wicker furniture and the exterior grounds hold lush, green shrubbery. In the winter months, the plants are protected with deer fencing.

Pogue Brook

Pogue Brook Trailhead

Prosper Road Trailhead at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park

The Prosper Road trailhead begins in a small parking lot on Prosper Road, on the western side of Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park.

• A parking lot with space for approximately 20 vehicles with two trailheads. One trailhead begins on a small wooden bridge. The second trailhead starts at a kiosk with park maps.

South Peak on Mount Tom

South Peak hosts a beautiful, panoramic view of the Village of Woodstock and beyond. South Peak is also home to the Woodstock town star, which is lit on winter nights and can be seen as far as Taftsville.

• A flat, grassy mountain summit about 1/8 of a mile in circumference, with rocky outcroppings and trees in every direction. There is a view of the Village of Woodstock, where you can spot familiar shops, attractions, rivers, and bridges.

Spring Lot

Spring Lot Bridge

The Belvedere

The Belvedere Complex consists of the Belvedere, the Bowling Alley, the Garden Workshop, the Greenhouse, and the outdoor swimming pool. It was designed in the 1870s by architect Detlef Lienau for the Billings family. In the 1950s, the Rockefellers hired architect Theodor Muller to renovate the Belvedere's interior including the Bowling Alley and soda fountain. A fallout shelter was added in the 1960s. Interior tours are available May-October.

• A long, white building with ornate detailing sits between the carriage road and formal gardens, about 30 yards behind the mansion. The building has a low-profile cruciform shape cross-gable roof with wide overhanging bracketed eaves, fanciful scrollwork detailing, and a second-story verandah reminiscent of a Swiss cottage. At the rear, there is an attached greenhouse and outdoor pool.

The Bungalow at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park

The Bungalow, located on the hill adjacent to the Mansion, is a Craftsman-style building constructed in 1916-17. It was designed as a secluded retreat by Harold Van Buren Magonigle for Mary Montague Billings French, daughter of Frederick Billings. The Bungalow remained unchanged until 1959 when the daughter of Mrs. French, Mary French Rockefeller, commissioned architect Theodor Muller of New York to renovate the building. The bungalow interior is closed to the public.

• A large wooden building sits in the middle of the forest slightly off trail. The building has a large covered porch with built in benches. There is a slanted roof with a small second story poking out the center.

The Pogue

During George Perkins Marsh's time on this land, the Pogue was a spring-fed fen. Frederick Billings dredged and dammed it in the 1880s to provide water for his estate. The Pogue provides a diversity of habitats for wildlife, including fish, turtles, frogs, ducks, herons.

• A 14-acre pond, with a 0.5 mile trail circling the bank. Roughly ¾ of the trail is covered by woods. ¼ of the trail is exposed to the sun. The pond is often clear enough to see visible fish. Ducks and geese enjoy bathing in the waters.

Woodbarn at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park

The Woodbarn was built between 1875-1876 to accommodate Frederick Billings' forestry operations. Timber products were processed in the adjoining yard then stored in the Woodbarn. It was restored by the National Park Service in 2008 and adapted for storage of the park's historic carriage collection. The Woodbarn features an exhibit called, The Mount Tom Forest: A Legacy of Stewardship. The interior is open to the public 10am-4pm between Memorial Day weekend-October.

• The woodbarn is located a short walk up the trail from the Forest Center. Adjacent to the trail is the entrance sliding doors with a park map to the left. The exhibits contain information about the Mount Tom forest and historic woodworking. The building also contains historic carriages behind glass. If viewing the building from the Forest Center or lower trail, you can see a large amount of stacked wood.

Billings Farm & Museum Visitor Center

• Billings Farm & Museum Visitor Center
• This Visitor Center is not operated by the National Park Service. The Billings Farm & Museum is a park partner organization that shares the historic estate of Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park. Passport stamps are available at this location when the Carriage Barn Visitor Center is closed. For the most up to date and accurate information about the Billings Farm & Museum, visit http://www.billingsfarm.org.

Carriage Barn Visitor Center

• Carriage Barn Visitor Center
• Built on the foundation of an earlier stable in 1895 to house the Billings' horses and carriages, this building is currently used as the HQ and visitor center for Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller NHP. Explore the exhibit, "A Place in the Land", visit the bookstore, or sign up for programs (advanced reservations preferred). Junior Ranger books and passport stamps are available at this location. Open five days a week, Friday-Monday (closed Tues/Weds) from 10am to 5pm, Memorial Day weekend (late May) to Oct 31.

• Visit the Mansion
• The Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller Mansion exterior, gardens, and grounds are open year-round from dawn to dusk. Tours of the interior mansion are available from Memorial Day Weekend-October 31. Tours focus on the history of the conservation movement and the parts played by the generations of families that lived in the home. Tours sell out quickly and advanced reservations are recommended. See details for more opportunities to see inside the home.

• BARK Ranger Program at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
• As long as you both follow the BARK Ranger rules, you can take your leashed dog (or cat!) to any outdoor area in the park. How fun to share the trail or hiking in the backcountry with your companion critter! Stop by the Carriage Barn Visitor Center to get your BARK ranger certificate.

• Play in the Park at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller NHP
• Enjoy lawn games on the Mansion lawn and porch every weekend, all summer long (weather permitting). Play classic games like croquet, bochee ball, and checkers, or modern twists like Giant Jenga!  

• Valley Quests at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
• Valley Quests at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller NHP

• Become a Junior Ranger at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
• Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller Junior Ranger Program

Ecotone Trail: Where Habitat + Music Intersect

This tour features three original sound compositions and various listening practices. Created by artists Ellen Smith Ahern and Menghan Wang, the trail explores transitional habitats, or ecotones, where distinct soundscapes shift into one another. The artists draw inspiration from these liminal spaces, encouraging visitors to engage their senses and notice changes around them. Through field recordings of environmental sounds, the trail invites reflection on our relationship with “ecologies in tension".

Faulkner Trail (Starting at Faulkner Park)

The Faulkner Trail is a popular hike featuring gentle switchbacks that build up to an incredible panoramic view of Woodstock from the South Peak of Mount Tom. Most of the hike gradually gains elevation, leading to a scenic overlook with a bench. The last 100 yards to the summit is strenuous. At this section of the trail, a handrail assists walkers with the uneven footing up the steep terrain to the peak. Ensure firmness of handrails before use. Please remain on the trail, and don't cut the switchbacks.

Junior Ranger Loop (Starting from the park entrance)

The Junior Ranger Loop is a 1.25 mile hike that can be enjoyed by nature-lovers of all ages! If you wish to complete the Junior Ranger program, pick up a copy of the Junior Ranger Booklet at the Carriage Barn Visitor Center during open hours or download a copy on our website. During the open visitor season (late May to October 31), wooden Junior Ranger Loop signs will guide your way.

Pogue and South Peak Loop (starting from the Billings Farm & Museum)

One of the park's most popular hikes, this 4 mile round trip journey passes through the Billings' historic tree plantations. It crosses from the National Park into Billings Park, a Woodstock municipal park. In the winter months, this hike serves as the park's "multi-use trail", meaning it is free to hike year round and does not require a Woodstock Inn Nordic Center ski pass.