Mad River Path – Austin Walk

A short walk in the riparian zone of the Mad River along with access to the Lareau Swimming Hole. Austin Walk starts at the north end of the parking lot and travels through a forested area, loops around a former pasture (where a floodplain forest is being reestablished), and reaches the banks of the Mad River before returning. It is an easy and wide path.

The walk also provides access to the long beloved Lareau Swim Hole, which was developed as a Town park in 2002 following conservation spearheaded by the Town of Waitsfield, MRV Planning District, MRV Rotary Club, and Friends of the Mad River. Home to a State salt storage shed since the 1940s, the site experienced significant flood damage in 1998. The Vermont Agency of Transportation re-filled much of the lost land and gave the parcel to the Town of Waitsfield. Local groups have restored this riparian area with native vegetation to create today’s community park.