MAP RESOURCES
Scenic
Poultney & Wells
Pawlet & Rupert
Dorset & Manchester

Natural
Poultney & Wells 1
Poultney & Wells 2
Pawlet & Rupert 1
Pawlet & Rupert 2
Dorset & Manchester 1
Dorset & Manchester 2

The Stone Valley Scenic Byway corridor is rich in intrinsic resources. The valley has the largest variety of colored slate anywhere and the evidence of its extensive marble resources can be seen in historic roadside and hillside mines. The only mottled and unfading green and purple slate in the United States can be found in the area and approximately 35 slate quarries are still in active use. While the marble industry is no longer active along the Byway, the neighborhoods and businesses that grew up around the quarries and mills in Manchester and Dorset serve as reminders of the importance of this enterprise to the area's history and culture.

The Mettawee Valley, which occupies much of the Byway corridor in the towns of Dorset, Rupert, and Pawlet, contains very productive agricultural soils and one of the largest concentrations of active farms in the state. Scenic qualities of this rural working landscape are another important aspect of this resource. The Batten Kill Valley begins in Dorset and meanders into the bustling town of Manchester. The Batten Kill is an important water resource and a renowned trout fishery.

In the corridor, Route 30 lies in a valley between ranges of the Taconic Mountains. The Taconic Mountains were formed during the uplift of the Green Mountains when a cap of the mountain slid off and was pushed far to the west. The northern side of the Taconic Mountains has oddly shaped mountains and extreme slopes, which are ideal for some wildlife habitats. Kennedy Brood Ridge in Poultney has a several interesting natural communities including a small stand of unusual red pine. Pawlet and Wells also contain mountains that support unique biological sites due to their extreme slopes. The entire town of Manchester sits between the Taconic Mountains, dominated by Mount Equinox, and the long high plateau of the Green Mountains. There are a number of distinctive and interesting mountain peaks, including Mother Myrick Mountain, Green Peak, and Owl's Head in Dorset, and Woodlawn, and Bald and Haystack Mountains in Pawlet. Unique forest communities are associated with these, such as of sycamore, dry elfin oak, and hickory-hop hornbeam.

The Champlain Lowlands extends through the northern part of the byway corridor and include parts of Poultney. This area also is characterized by a relatively mild climate and a long growing season. The dry hills with oak-hickory forests allow many rare plants and rare reptiles to inhabit the more remote sections.

Many important water resources are located in the Byway corridor. These rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, and wetlands provide numerous benefits from fish and wildlife habitat to recreational activities. Lake St. Catherine is a major water body found along the Byway. The Batten Kill, Mettawee River, Poultney River, and Wells Brook flow through the valleys, farmlands, and community centers, and are fed by cascading mountain streams. Wetlands are another common feature of the valley, including the Dorset Marsh, recognized as one of Vermont's outstanding water resources. These wetlands are a part of the Atlantic Flyway, a major route taken by migratory birds in the spring and fall. Wetlands are critical resting and feeding areas for Canada and snow geese, numerous species of ducks, and a wide variety of other waterfowl such as herons, egrets, rails, bitterns, marsh and sedge wrens and other song birds.