Fairbanks Museum Nature Preserve at Matsinger Forest
The trail head is located at 3072 Thaddeus Stevens Road in Danville. The property
contains approximately five miles of easy to moderate trails.
The Fairbanks Museum Nature Preserve at Matsinger Forest is the Museum’s expansive outdoor classroom in Danville, Vermont. The 515-acre parcel located near Greenbanks Hollow
was given to the Fairbanks Museum by John and Barbara Matsinger in December 2022 to fulfil their vision for forest stewardship, environmental education, and community access to the natural world.
The creation of the Fairbanks Museum Nature Preserve at Matsinger Forest represents three decades of discussion and partnership between the Vermont Land Trust (VLT), the Fairbanks
Museum, and John and Barbara Matsinger. In 1992, the Matsingers protected a 180-acre parcel by conserving it with the Vermont Land Trust. Since then, they acquired adjacent parcels and partnered with VLT to conserve many of those as well for education and recreation. Today, nearly 390 acres are protected with VLT.
In 2023, Matsinger Forest was enrolled in the Reserve Forestland category of Vermont’s Use Value Appraisal system, which recognizes the inherent ecological values of managing forest for old growth conditions.
Funding for the upkeep of the property in perpetuity has been secured through the creation of a dedicated endowment fund at the Vermont Community Foundation by John and Barbara Matsinger.
Matsinger Forest was opened to the public for non-motorized recreational use in September 2024. The trail head is located at 3072 Thaddeus Stevens Road in Danville. The property contains approximately five miles of easy to moderate trails.
During the winter, snowshoes and/or micro spikes are recommended. The trails are not groomed for cross country skiing and were not designed with skiing in mind.
Matsinger Forest Rules
Please help us accommodate Matsinger Forest’s human users and natural inhabitants by following the rules below. All activities are undertaken at the risk of the participant.
Hours
8AM to 6PM or dusk (whichever is earlier)
Trailhead outhouse open May – October.
General Rules
No littering. Matsinger Forest is a pack-it-in, pack-it-out area.
No alcoholic beverages.
No fires.
No overnight parking or camping.
No fireworks.
No glass containers.
Pets must be on a leash, remove pet waste.
No motorized vehicles of any kind allowed on trails.
No mountain bikes.
No firearms, unless hunting (see below).
Do not disturb educational programs.
Horseback riding is only permitted on Chet Willey Road.
No metal detecting or gold panning.
No disturbance of archaeological sites including stone foundations and walls.
Stay on trails.
Hunting
Hunting only with permission of the Fairbanks Museum, contact matsingerforest@fairbanksmuseum.org. Hunters must have an appropriate license from Vermont Fish and Wildlife, and comply with all applicable laws and regulations. If permission is granted, hunting is only permitted east of Chet Willey Road, and not within 500 feet of any marked trail. No trapping under any
circumstances.
Foraging
No plant may be uprooted or cut without permission from the Fairbanks Museum. Wild berries, fruits, seeds, nuts, or mushrooms may be collected only for personal use at the risk of the collector. No foraging for commercial purposes.
Forest Roots
A new collaborative project features place-based artistic installations at the Fairbanks Museum Nature Preserve at Matsinger Forest and an exhibit of nature-based art at Catamount Arts. These installations will showcase the forms, elements, conditions, and systems that underpin a healthy, regenerative forest. Led by the Elizabeth C. Hadas Artist-in-the-Forest residency, the interconnected installations will guide visitors on a journey of artistic discovery, whether they are in the unspoiled woods of Matsinger Forest or the carefully curated Rankin Gallery at Catamount Arts.
Look for announcements about the Elizabeth C. Hadas Artist-in-the-Forest residency, arts camps, and public exhibits.
