White Rocks National Recreation Area, National recreation area and nature reserve in Vermont, US
White Rocks National Recreation Area is a protected nature area in Wallingford, Vermont, that includes portions of the Big Branch and Peru Peak Wilderness. Light-colored quartzite cliffs rise above the forests, with talus slopes below where ice can linger well into summer.
The land was used by Native peoples for hunting and tool-making long before European settlers cleared parts of it for farming and timber. During the 20th century it was set aside as protected land, eventually receiving its current status as a National Recreation Area.
The name of the area comes from the light-colored quartzite cliffs that stand out against the darker forest around them and are visible from far away. Native peoples once used these rocks as a source of raw material for making tools.
There are no restrooms or potable water on site, so visitors should bring enough water and plan ahead before arriving. The area is open year-round, but mountain weather can change fast, and winter conditions call for appropriate gear like snowshoes or skis.
Ice can survive in the crevices of the talus slopes below the cliffs well into summer because air circulation there is very low and the water stays just above freezing. The Ice Beds Trail leads directly to these spots, where the cold rising from the ground is noticeable even on a warm day.
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