Alpine Tundra

The summit of Camel's Hump supports one of the Green Mountains' two significant communities of Arctic-alpine vegetation. (The other is on Mt. Mansfield.) Several of the plants growing above treeline are on Vermont's endangered species list.

Hiker traffic on the summit threatens this fragile community, already subjected to shallow soils and harsh growing conditions. Hikers should be aware that when a piece of alpine tundra is destroyed, the wind rapidly scours holes in the damaged turf and the soil erodes. Removal of rocks is equally detrimental. Travel only on marked trails and rock outcrops.

The Green Mountain Club works cooperatively with Vermont's Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation to protect the vegetation on Camel's Hump and to provide ranger-naturalists during months of highest use for hiker assistance.

Wildlife Habitat

There are a wide range of habitats here: rocky ledges provide bear, porcupine and bobcat dens. Bear also feed on the nuts of large beech trees by climbing the trees and breaking the laden branches.

Deer utilize pine, hemlock and spruce clumps for winter cover and browse nettles, hawthorn, blackberries, raspberries, and old orchard apples.

Moose munch on striped maple and hobble bush. Other mammals residing here include red fox, raccoon, squirrel, chipmunk, coyote, mink, beaver, skunk, fisher, weasel, and otters.

Serviceberry and hophornbeam are wildlife favorites. Aspen buds nourish many animals including grouse. Scattered oak and other seeds promote wild turkey. The myriad songbirds (veery, hermit thrush, chickadee, white-throated sparrow, red-eyed vireo, warblers and others) stake out territory in early summer and sing throughout the season.

The many streams are ideal habitat for brook, rainbow, and brown trout.

Forest Vegetation

Factors that have affected the current age and condition of Camel's Hump's forests include logging and farming in the 1800's and 1900's, an extensive fire in 1903, and various diseases and insect attacks. Many of the lands bought by the State of Vermont for the park were logged intensively before acquisition.

The Park's most abundant tree is sugar maple. This species and its cousin red maple provide brilliant fall colors. Beech, and white, yellow, and gray birches are also common. Conifers, red oak, black cherry, mountain maple, white and mountain ash, and some hickories are rarer components.

Near the highest summits are the sub-alpine forests. This nearly-impenetrable vegetation is composed of balsam fir and red spruce that have been stunted and deformed by harsh climate. It may take 80 years for trees at this elevation to reach 2" in diameter.