Otter Creek Forest

Property Description

Otter Creek Forest is a natural fit for the recreational buyer: a large, varied landscape for hunting, hiking, and wildlife watching, with ready sites for a private off-grid camp. Mild slopes, steep ravines, and sweeping bowls create constant variety underfoot, and many of the drainages wind south toward Otter Creek.

The property’s greatest appeal is its remarkable range of terrain and habitat. In the north, a scenic upland hardwood forest holds several species growing at the far northern edge of their range, including hickory and chestnut oak. To the south, the land descends to the banks of Otter Creek and a distinctive floodplain forest. Here, seasonal and occasional high water spills over the banks into the lower-lying areas, leaving a strikingly open understory over firm, loamy soil. Finding this kind of floodplain habitat alongside upland ground on a single property is uncommon.

Wildlife is abundant. Deer, bear, and turkey sign is found throughout, along with a variety of small mammals and non-game species. Because Otter Creek limits crossing, wildlife naturally funnels through the property, an appealing feature for hunters and nature enthusiasts alike.

The western boundary follows a railroad line served by Amtrak’s Vermonter, which passes roughly twice daily. To the east, the property adjoins a large block of land owned by the Otter Creek Unified School District, open to hiking and all non-motorized recreation except hunting, which extends the sense of open space well beyond the boundary lines.

Several sites stand ready for off-grid camp building. Near Old Brandon Road, a historic cemetery dating to 1776 borders the land, a quiet reminder of the area’s long history.