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Cliffs Closed to Protect Peregrine Falcons

peregrine nestingBiologists and community scientists are just now identifying which cliffs are occupied by peregrines, and not all sites have been visited to-date. Currently, thirteen cliff areas are closed to protect nesting peregrine falcons. Peregrines are vulnerable to human disturbance on or above a nesting cliff and the cliffs are closed to improve the odds for successful nesting.

We close the portions of the cliffs where the birds are nesting and the trails leading to those cliff areas. These sites will remain closed until August 1 or until the department determines the risk to nesting falcons has passed.  If nesting falcons choose new sites, additional sites may be added to the closed list 

Thank you for your support in protecting peregrine nesting sites. You are helping to ensure that peregrines are part of Vermont’s landscape.

  • Bolton Notch (Bolton) – UUW cliff – cliff access and climbing closed
  • Bone Mountain (Bolton) – portions closed to climbing
  • Deer Leap (Bristol) – cliff-top and climbing closed
  • Eagle Ledge (Vershire) – closed to hiking and climbing
  • Dummerston Quarry (Dummerston) – upper quarry closed  
  • Fairlee Palisades (Fairlee) – cliff-top closed
  • Marshfield Mt (Marshfield) - portions closed to climbing
  • Mt Horrid (Rochester) – Great Cliff overlook closed
  • Nichols Ledge (Woodbury) – cliff-top and climbing closed
  • Prospect Rock (Johnson) – cliff-top overlook and climbing closed
  • Red Rocks Park (S. Burlington) – southern cliff access closed
  • Rattlesnake Point (Salisbury) – southern overlook closed
  • Snake Mountain  (Addison) – entire western trail closed