Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Vermont Burlington Burled Forest
Burled Forest is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

Burled Forest

A forest wonderland caused by Burlington, Vermont's aggressive southwestern winds.

Burlington, Vermont

Added By
Kevin Dann
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The Path In…   Dr. Dann
  User Submitted
  User Submitted
  User Submitted
  User Submitted
  User Submitted
Tree on the right at entrance   dorothyjoyperez / Atlas Obscura User
Tree on the left at entrance   dorothyjoyperez / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Perched on a sandy bluff above Burlington's North Beach is a little patch of woods that looks like it was designed by Disney illustrators for a haunted forest scene.

Each tree sports multiple "burls" – enlarged growth areas – along its trunk. The trees are box elders, fast-growing members of the Maple Family whose branches are easily snapped off by the strong prevailing southwest winds coming up the Champlain Valley – particularly fierce here as they come off the lake. The wind prunes the trees into some wonderfully fanciful and grotesque forms.

Walk around a bit, and you'll find on just about every tree, places where new branches are sprouting. These give a partial picture of how the burls were formed. The multiple sprouts enlarge the trunk slightly, then, when the pliant green sprouts begin to get woody after a couple of years, they are heavy and brittle enough to be susceptible to breaking off in heavy wind. A glance at the ground will reveal not just loads of broken grey branches, but bare sandy soil dotted with bits of brick, old china, and other artifacts suggesting a former dump – of the old St. Joseph's Seminary, which can be seen due east. Box elders love to grow anywhere that light sandy soils are frequently disturbed – by wind, fire, floods, or human activity.

The Abenaki Indians of the region called box elder pilkimizi – literally "new land tree." The indigenous name takes note of the tree's propensity to colonize "new land" – such as appears on point bars of rivers. Each summer the fecund box elder drops a prodigious load of seed in the form of winged samaras, just like other maple trees; in riparian areas, the scores of sprouting samaras look like they are creating new land, as the river level sinks through the summer. 

Update: The forest has unfortunately been pillaged. You'll find just 3 trees with burls, but mostly just very young trees sparsely spaced. You'll find two trees at the entrance with burls- one with heavy growth on the left and one with medium growth at the right. Further down the path, you'll see a tree with very young burls starting. Aside from that, it was actually a sad sight.

Related Tags

Plants Natural Wonders Nature

Know Before You Go

Walk or bicycle north on the bike path about a mile from the Burlington Boathouse at the foot of Main Street. Just before you come to Lakeview Cemetery on your right, you will see a steep footpath, following the edge of a ravine, on your right. Follow this footpath to the top of the bluff, and continue another 100 yards, past the open field to your left. 

Community Contributors

Added By

drdann

Edited By

dorothyjoyperez

  • dorothyjoyperez

Published

September 11, 2012

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Burled Forest
Island Line Trail
Burlington, Vermont, 05401
United States
44.489953, -73.232148
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Flying Monkey Sculptures

Burlington, Vermont

miles away

Lake Champlain Monster Monument

Burlington, Vermont

miles away

Stopping Stones Memorial

Burlington, Vermont

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Burlington

Burlington

Vermont

Places 6
Stories 1

Nearby Places

Flying Monkey Sculptures

Burlington, Vermont

miles away

Lake Champlain Monster Monument

Burlington, Vermont

miles away

Stopping Stones Memorial

Burlington, Vermont

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Burlington

Burlington

Vermont

Places 6
Stories 1

Related Places

  • Cape Flattery

    Neah Bay, Washington

    Cape Flattery

    At the most northwestern point of the contiguous United States lies a trail leading through an ancient forest to stunning cliff-side vistas and massive oceanside caves.

  • The Enchanted Forest

    Whitethorn, California

    Enchanted Forest

    A grove of "candelabra redwoods" deep in California's Lost Coast.

  • Gryteskogen Troll Trees

    Lund NO, Sweden

    Gryteskogen Troll Trees

    This collection of Dwarf beech trees were once believed to be enchanted trolls in disguise.

  • The ghost forest in the fog.

    Neskowin, Oregon

    Neskowin Ghost Forest

    The eerie remnants of an ancient forest were hidden under the sand for centuries.

  • Trail at Craggy.

    Black Mountain, North Carolina

    Craggy Gardens Rhododendron Tunnels

    Gnarled canopies of pink and purple wildflowers arch over the trail to the summit.

  • A tree with exposed roots.

    Soest, Netherlands

    Lange Duinen

    This large sand dune in the Netherlands is home to wind-whipped trees with "floating" roots.

  • Râpa Roșie.

    Municipiul Sebeș, Romania

    Râpa Roșie

    Romania's "Red Ravine" is a little-known natural wonder that bears a resemblance to the Grand Canyon.

  • The Tambopata Research Center

    Tambopata, Peru

    Tambopata Research Center

    One of the most remote lodges in the Amazon offers rare wildlife encounters and undisturbed views of the Peruvian rainforest.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.