Vermont State Parks

  Montpelier, Vt. – The annual Vermont Days Weekend will be held this coming weekend, June 12-13, 2021, offering an opportunity to celebrate the arrival of summer and to explore Vermont’s fishing, state parks and historic culture.  As the state continues its push to 80% of eligible Vermonters receiving their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, walk-up clinics will be held at numerous State Parks across the state. All  Vermont State Park  day-use areas and all state-owned  Historic Sites  will be open at no charge. Saturday is  free fishing day , the one day of the summer when anyone can fish in Vermont without a license. It’s also a day for history: the  Vermont History Museum  in Montpelier will offer free admission on Saturday, June 12. “Vermont Days is a great opportunity to get out and explore the state, especially this year when we are all looking forward to spending time with friends and family again,” said Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing Commissioner Heather Pelham.

This guest blog is by Matt Parsons, longtime photography intern, writer and avid parks explorer. Check out more of his adventures at his blog  The Adventurers .

Vermont State Parks is excited to announce the return of the Words in the Woods  program. These programs allow Vermonters and visitors to enjoy our state’s natural beauty while listening to and reading literature in the outdoors. Words in the Woods events are made possible by Vermont Humanities , the Vermont Arts Council , and a sponsorship by a Northeast Kingdom donor in honor of poet Judy Chalmer.

A family paddles to their remote campsite at Waterbury Reservoir. Each year, more than 75,000 visitors enjoy the natural and recreational opportunities offered at Vermont’s 863-acre Waterbury Reservoir. Little River State Park, Waterbury Center State Park, and the surrounding Mt. Mansfield State Forest land offer access to boating, swimming, paddling, fishing, camping, hiking, and mountain biking. The recently improved boat launches at the Waterbury Dam, Blush Hill, and Moscow Paddlers’ access areas have allowed easier access for boaters and remote campers. The 27 popular remote campsites along the reservoir perimeter can be reserved in advance online at www.vtstateparks.com , or through the parks reservation call center at 1-888-409-7579. While there is no fee for the campsite itself this year, there will be an $8 reservation transaction fee to cover the costs of reservation processing.  Since 2012, Vermont State Parks has worked on managing use, developing remote campsites in appro

Hepatica at Niquette Bay - Lisa Liotta Spring is full of fresh starts (including the  Parks Operating Season ). As Park Staff prepared for the park season, Niquette Bay State Park began filling with spring wildflowers. Niquette Bay State Park houses many wildflower colonies that put on a beautiful show for just a few weeks this time of year. Learn what makes these short-lived beauties so special and what types of flowers you might find! What are Spring Ephemerals? These are unique early blooming wildflowers that grow, flower, and seed all in the very short 6-8 week window before the shade from leaf trees covers the forest floor.  By the time deciduous trees have leaves, these flowers will be gone. Where do they grow? The best location to find these is in a predominately hardwood, deciduous forest with large trees and little undergrowth.  They can grow very well on rocky ledges in less-than-ideal soil conditions. These plants are usually very small and begin growing under the cover of

MONTPELIER – Vermont State Parks is happy to announce that the 2021 Venture Vermont Outdoor Challenge is on! The Venture Vermont Outdoor Challenge is a statewide outdoor scavenger hunt where participants earn points by completing fun outdoor activities and earn free state park entry. To get started, go to the Venture Vermont Outdoor Challenge web page and download the 2021 score sheet.  Choose the activities from each section that you’d like to do, and take a photo of yourself (or have someone else take a photo) of you doing that activity. Once you reach 250 points, send us your score sheet, photos, and any accompanying materials, and we’ll send you a gold VIP pass good for free park entry for 2021 and 2022! Most of the activities can be done anywhere and include things like hiking to a waterfall, skipping stones or creating a nature journal. You can also earn bonus points by completing weekly bonus activities posted on Vermont State Park’s Facebook page or on the Venture Vermont