More Volunteer Park Cleanup Days Added!

Help get our beautiful state parks ready to open!

We've added more Volunteer Park Cleanup Days in addition to Saturday, April 24th at Emerald Lake State Park (which could still use volunteers too!). Now, five other dates and parks are looking for help, and for your help you'll also get rewarded!

• Saturday, May 1st at Lake St. Catherine State Park (10am - 4pm) *Green-Up Day!



• Sunday, May 2nd at Bomoseen State Park (12pm - 4pm)



• Saturday, May 8th at Half Moon State Park (10am - 4pm)



• Sunday, May 9th - Mother's Day - Bring Mom! at Branbury State Park (12pm - 4pm)



• Saturday, May 15th at Woodford State Park (10am - 4pm) **We REALLY need some folks for this day!

For giving your time and energy to the parks, all volunteers will receive a punch card or a FREE night of camping! Bring friends and family to help rake leaves, pick up brush and trash, and other outdoor tasks that help get the parks ready for the busy season. Bring water, lunch, and sturdy shoes. All other supplies needed, such as work gloves, rakes, trash bags, etc., will be provided.

If you are interested in participating in a Volunteer Day or have questions, please contact Lesley Porter via email, lesley.porter@state.vt.us, or phone, 802-417-7630 to sign up.

**You can come and go as you please during the cleanup hours. Just let Lesley know you are coming. To receive your free night of camping or punch card, we ask a commitment of at least 4 volunteer hours. **

For more information on volunteering in Vermont State Parks, visit us online http://www.vtstateparks.com/htm/volunteering.htm.

We hope to see you and thank you for your support!

Mud Season Hiking in Vermont State Parks

Please help protect state lands and trails by avoiding muddy trails! You may not know it, but trails and vegetation are super vulnerable during mud season and hiking on them during this time can cause irreversible damage by compacting soils and surrounding vegetation which accelerates erosion and the need for maintenance.


High elevation trails are especially vulnerable during this time and take considerably longer to dry than lower elevation trails, so the state closes high elevation trails from April 15 – Memorial Day Weekend.

So, if you’re looking to get out and go hiking in the early spring, these trails make for some great options:

Southeast Vermont
Mt. Ascutney State Park Parkway after mid April (after the ice melts off)

Southwest Vermont
D & H Rail Trail
Emerald Lake State Parks roads
Button Bay State Parks roads

Northwest Vermont
Niquette Bay State Park (check at trail head for closures)
North Hero State Park roads
Grand Isle State Park roads and trails
Alburg Dunes Beach road
Underhill State Park: CCC Trail only

Northeast Vermont
Brighton State Park – NEK Nature Trail (short)
Smugglers' Notch VT Route 108 only thru May 15; other trails open May 16
Waterbury Center State Park Nature Trail
Little River State Park roadways and forest access roads
Cotton Brook Trails in Mount Mansfield State Forest
Groton State Forest- Owl’s head, Montpelier-Wells River Rail Trail, Little Deer Mt. Trail, Big Deer Mt. Trail

Additional Mud Season Guidelines:

• See GMC guidelines at https://www.greenmountainclub.org/news.php?id=1
• Green Mountain National Forest at http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/greenmountain/htm/greenmountain/links/recreation/hiking/docs/south_pdf/spring_hiking_guidelines.pdf
  

Check out the Parks on VPT's Outdoor Journal

Get ready for the park season by exploring some great state parks on Vermont Public Television's Outdoor Journal program Tuesday nights at 7:30 PM starting April 6th. The first show takes you to Alburg Dunes State Park, a little gem on Lake Champlain. Also fish for brook trout in some Northeast Kingdom Beaver Ponds and learn about Vermont's Fish & Wildlife Department's northern pike management program.

On April 13th visit Emerald Lake State Park to do some bass fishing. Also explore some lesser-traveled waters by canoe and meet a couple of "trout bums" who fish for a living and live to fish.

April 20th will take you to Elmore State Park. Also enjoy a trip to Camp Kehoe on Lake Bomoseen where the Conservation Leaders for Tomorrow program introduces wildlife management students to the culture and concepts of hunting.

April 27th explore Brighton State Park and Northeast Kingdom lakes in search of burbot, a fresh water codfish also known as cusk. These strange looking fish are popular with old timers in Maine and are catching on with a handful of Vermonters.

If you miss a show, you can catch them again beginning in May.

Call for Volunteers

Give Some of Your Time to Vermont State Parks and Get Rewarded!
Come volunteer at a beautiful State Park on -
• Saturday, April 24th in Emerald Lake State Park (Dorset)
-or -
• Sunday, April 25th in Shaftsbury State Park (Shaftsbury)
and Vermont State Parks will sweeten the deal for you by giving all volunteers a punch card or a FREE night of camping! Bring friends and family to help rake leaves, pick up brush and trash, and other outdoor tasks that help get the parks ready for the busy season. Bring water, lunch, and sturdy shoes. All other supplies needed, such as work gloves, rakes, trash bags, etc., will be provided.
Contact Lesley Porter via email or phone (802) 417-7630 to sign up.
We hope to see you and thank you for your support!


Want to give a bit more?
Would you like to spend your summer living in one of seven beautiful Vermont State Parks? Get to know one of these parks intimately and enjoy living there for FREE! Meet adventuresome people and make lasting friendships while volunteering at one of the most highly regarded state park systems in America. Campground volunteer positions are available at Coolidge, Branbury, Woodford, Fort Dummer, Lake Carmi, Brighton, and Maidstone for the upcoming park season. All locations have hookups for water, sewer, and electric, and most can accommodate RV’s 30’ or more in length. For more information, visit the volunteer section of the Vermont State Parks’ website or contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Ethan Phelps via email or phone (802) 885-8827.