Bluff Mountain Hiking Trailhead Island Pond, Vermont This is a challenging hiking trail, a 4.7-mile loop trail that ascends1,505 feet in elevation gain. The trail winds through different types of forest, over switchbacks, and up stone steps, leading hikers to views of Island Pond, Burke Mountain, East Mountain, and a number of smaller mountains. It features a steady incline the entire way up, with a short steep section on the way up to the overlook, which has metal rungs fastened into the rock to help the climb. Fall is a great time to hike this area, as the views are stunning when the leaves start to change colors.