CABOT, Vt. (WCAX) – High schoolers are blazing a trail toward tourism in Cabot.
Eager to ramp up foot traffic in Cabot, town officials turned to young writers to pen a new path.
On a sun-dappled trail in Cabot, ninth grader River Maxfield reads a poem he wrote about growing up on his grandpa’s farm.
“Nostalgic, I guess. In and out of my grandma’s house and walking in the barn. Playing with cows and hanging out,” read Maxfield.
Maxfield is one of eight Cabot High School students whose poetry is featured along the Old Town Center Trail, the newest addition to the Cabot trail network. Sixteen poems dot the milelong path with QR codes on each wooden stand for all hikers to enjoy.
“It feels good because it’s like we made a trail something, we gave it a good purpose,” said Maxfield.
Cabot Trails Committee Chair Dana Glazier says a similar poetry trail in Hardwick sparked the idea.
“I thought that’d be great for here,” said Glazier.
The trail was made possible by a VOREC community grant.
At a recent grand opening, the Cabot Historical Society praised students for resurrecting interest in the town’s oldest cemetery, which sits adjacent to the trail.
“They’re there waiting for someone to come walk by and read their stones. It gives you a wonderful sense of community to see how many familiar names there are in those cemeteries because many of these families have been here for multiple generations,” said Ruth Goodrich of the Cabot Historical Society.
As the closest trailhead to downtown, Cabot also hopes the trail attracts more foot traffic.
“Hopefully they’ll go across to the Den, tonight they’re having pizza. You know, utilize some of our businesses and our retail here in town,” said Glazier.
Maxfield says he’s proud to help write Cabot’s next chapter.
“I feel like more people are going to be in and out of this trail and in and out of Cabot. Just brings more attention,” he said.
Students say they hope their poems inspire hikers to take in the history and beauty of Cabot.