Jay Peak, VT, Trades Mowers for Goats and Sheep to Help with Fall Trail Maintenance

Jay Peak Resort has added some unusual employees to its fall operations team. This September, the mountain isn’t just relying on seasonal workers with gas trimmers—it’s bringing in goats and sheep to chew their way through overgrown trails to prepare for the ski season.

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The animals will cover about 130 acres of ski and Nordic terrain, handling part of the resort’s annual mowing operation. Normally, Jay Peak clears roughly 340 acres each fall with a 10-person crew and plenty of gas-powered tools. This time, some of that work is going to four-legged contractors who don’t complain about long hours or steep pitches.

Each goat and sheep will wear a GPS collar tied to a geofencing system, which keeps them rotating through two-acre sections every couple of days. Their mission will be to eat everything down to a six-inch height. To keep them safe, a trained guard dog will stay with the animals overnight—think of it as ski patrol with sharper teeth.

If you’re wondering why goats, it’s simple: goatscaping has been around for centuries. Goats eat just about anything leafy or green, including poison ivy and invasive brush that most animals won’t touch. It’s all-natural, chemical-free, and a lot quieter than a two-stroke engine buzzing up the hill.

Andy Stenger, Jay Peak’s director of mountain and base area operations, summed it up to the Burlington Free Press: “If the goats and sheep can do the work without heavy fuel use—and without us needing to haul crews up the hill every day—that’s a win for us and the mountain.”

Like any experiment, there are unknowns. If the animals can’t keep up with the growth, the usual mowing crew will step in this October. But if it works, Jay Peak hopes to expand the program in future years. Either way, trails will be ready when the snow starts flying.

The approach has plenty of upside: fewer emissions, less noise during fall prep, and direct support for a local Vermont farmer. Guests might catch a glimpse of the herd from certain trails in September, though the animals will stay safely behind geofenced areas.

By experimenting with goats and sheep as part of its fall trail prep, Jay Peak is showing innovation and exploring a method that blends tradition with forward-thinking sustainability. If the pilot proves successful, it could cut fuel use, lower emissions, and set an example for how ski areas can rethink maintenance in more environmentally conscious ways. It’s a creative solution that feels right at home in Vermont’s farming culture, and it hints at a future where preparing for powder days might also mean leaving a lighter footprint on the mountain.