Vermont State Parks

Coolidge State Park in fall from the Bradley Hill Shelter  Top 10 reasons we love fall camping: Warm days and cool nights (perfect for sleeping) Less crowds than at midsummer Opportunity to try a new park. Maybe your favorite closes after Labor Day- about half of our parks are open later, so this is a good chance to try someplace new Prime leaf-peeping opportunities. Take a drive, go for a walk in the woods or get out on the water for a fall paddle Ideal hiking weather (but do bring a jacket for the higher elevations!) Good excuse to stay in a cabin or cottage No fewer bugs! Fun way to go through all your clothes in one weekend- start off the morning in a sweatshirt, track pants, socks & hat, by mid-day down to t-shirt Fall is one of the best times of year to spot migrating birds   A chance to see a different side of a park you may think you know well. Many of us are familiar with camping in July and August, and it’s inter...

View of Elmore in fall Mt. Philo State Park in Charlotte Summit Trail Campground Trail This park is one of the most popular hikes in the Champlain Valley, with easy access to Burlington, and stellar views of Lake Champlain from the top in any season. A good spot to take your friends from out of town! Camel’s Hump State Park, Duxbury VT Burrows Trail Probably the most iconic mountain in Vermont. Several trails lead to the top from moderate to strenuous. If you want a less difficult hike, the Camel’s Hump View Trail is .08 miles along a wide, flat path, universally accessible, and with pretty views of the summit.  Camel's Hump trail map:  https://vtstateparks.com/assets/pdf/camels_hump_trails.pdf Brighton State Park, Island Pond VT Northeast Kingdom Nature Trail For those looking for a short hike that is a good choice for families, try the nature trail at Brighton State Park. This is an easy hike and also a good way to learn about the surr...

The fall bird migration has begun, giving us a great opportunity to see some cool birds that we might not see every day. My favorites are the raptors, or hawks. The big bad boys of the bird world.   Mount Philo  State Park is home to hawk watching enthusiasts that perch on the summit with binoculars and spotting scopes and keep tally of the number and species of raptors passing by. Early fall, mid September through the first part of October, is the perfect time to watch for migrating hawks. For example, here is what was seen at  Mt. Philo State Park  yesterday, September 16th:  9  Osprey 12 Bald Eagle 3 Northern Harrier 8 Sharp-shinned Hawk 2  Cooper's Hawk 706 Broad-winged Hawk 5  Red-tailed Hawk 8 American Kestrel 1 Peregrine Falcon 4 Unidentified raptor 2 Common Nighthawk Jane Stein, on the VTBIRDlist provides these hawk watching tips: The best chance to catch sight of the raptor migration ...

Fall kayak at Kettle Pond State Park  Days are getting shorter, nights are chilly and some stray trees have started to turn red, orange and gold. Summer may be over, but about half of our parks are open through Columbus Day, and a select few are open even later. So stop by for a visit- fall is a great time for camping, hiking, paddling, or getting in one final picnic before the earmuffs come on. Below is our late season operating list: Parks Open Through Columbus Day Weekend (October 9) Brighton Branbury Button Bay Coolidge Emerald Lake Green River Reservoir Half Moon Pond Jamaica Kettle Pond Kingsland Bay Lake Carmi Molly Stark Mt. Philo New Discovery Niquette Bay Ricker Pond Waterbury Center Wilgus Woodford   Parks Open Until October 15 Smugglers' Notch Elmore  (no camping, beach house is open to reserve only) Parks Open Until October 16  Gifford Woods Grand Isle Mt. Ascutney Quechee Underhill P...

The stone pavilion at D.A.R. overlooks Lake Champlain  Plan your weekend at D.A.R. State Park in Addison, VT- here's a sample itinerary to help get ready for your trip. FRIDAY EVENING: Arrive at the park & set up camp. Dinner and of course s’mores for dessert. Play on the playground or take a walk down by the water to watch the sun set over Lake Champlain. SATURDAY  MORNING: Breakfast. Relax at your site, or walk down to the “beach” to spend time by the water. It’s a rocky and rugged stretch of waterfront, not sandy by any means, but still a great spot to walk along the water, fish, skip rocks, or just watch the boats go by. If you have water shoes, it’s also a good place for wading. SATURDAY AFTERNOON: Trip to Button Bay State Park. This is free to get in for the day since you are camping at D.A.R., just show the car tag you received when you checked in.  Button Bay is a lovely park overlooking a different stretch of Lake Champlain. Ha...

The picnic pavilion at Allis  Everyone is invited to the fist annual Allis State Park Community Pot-Luck on September 3rd, 2017. More information below.  What: Community pot-luck & get together When: Sunday, September 3rd, 12 noon- 3:00 pm Where: Allis State Park, Brookfield VT Details:   Please bring a dish to share, and your eating utensils and beverages. Water and ice provided.  Climb the fire tower, hike the nature trail, kids can ride bikes on the park loop road! Rain or shine.  Day-use area for parking and pot-luck, rain location, picnic shelter.  Feel free to bring games, or musical instruments for jamming. Feeling lucky at horseshoes? We have the game ready to go! A little badminton?  The net is up and waiting for you. Cost: Park entry to Allis is FREE! Directions to the park: Detailed directions from north and south available here.

Kayaking on the Adams Reservoir at Woodford State Park  In addition to our Green Mountains, Vermont is well-known for an abundance of clear lakes, rivers and ponds ideal for all manner of water-based activities. Lake Champlain is sometimes considered the sixth great lake, and there are countless smaller lakes and ponds that are ideal for a day out. The boating page on Vermont State Parks’ website offers detailed information on size of the water body, location, if there is a boat launch, and whether that park offers boat rentals (most on a lake do). There is also additional information on rentals, including types of boats available for rent, and pricing. Canoes, kayaks and tandem kayaks, pedal boats, row boats, and stand-up paddleboards are all available at certain parks. Many lakes also offer fishing access/ boat launch areas that allow you to get your boat out on the water. On the Vermont Fish and Wildlife website, y ou can search for access areas or view a map of ...