Vermont State Parks

Colin McCaffrey There seems to always be something fun to do and see at Little River State Park in August. Park Interpreter, Brian Aust, has been working hard to line up nature programs, special guests, performances, and other fun happenings during this summer month. Check out all the upcoming events by clicking here . Dave Keller Each Wednesday night in August at 7:00PM at the B-side playground, you'll hear great music. See the schedule below: August 3 - Dave Keller August 10 - Colin McCaffrey August 17 - The Cold Country Bluegrass Band The Cold Country Bluegrass Band More are in the works, so stay tuned. Call the park for more details, 802-244-7103.

Wading off of Burton Island This week I explored the state parks on Lake Champlain which was great for cooling down in the hot summer heat. There was a big difference between these parks and the woodland parks I've been visiting over the past few weeks. Kingsland Bay has a great day use area with historic buildings that house events throughout the season. It is popular for weddings although I didn't see anyone getting hitched while I was there. I next went to nearby DAR State Park where I walked down to the water, a perfect spot for fishing. While there, I bumped into an interesting fisherman. This guy was great at fishing. He kept reeling fish in, naming them, and then throwing them back. I bet he knows every fish in the lake. Onto the most unusual state park I went to: Burton Island . After a short ferry ride, I stepped off onto a beautiful island. Everywhere you look is a beach where every rock on the beach is a perfect skipping rock. I can’t seem to skip a singl...

A northern pike Concessions Manager, DJ Collise, couldn't think of many things he'd rather be doing than fishing on Silver Lake . He took some time to give us the inside scoop on this sport and a little more about the man behind the fish. First, where are you from and when did you first pick up a rod? I was actually born in Cuba. Both my parents were in the navy, but I was raised in Claremont, New Hampshire. My Dad taught me to fish when I was about eight years old and I've been fishing ever since. I used to do fly fishing, but I really like catching bigger fish, so now I do spinner fishing. How long have you been fishing on Silver Lake? Hmmmm, about 5 years. What types of fish are in these photos? The long ones are northern pike the shorter ones are large-mouth bass. Silver Lake also has many catfish and perch.  They are huge! Is this a fluke or do you normally see these large fish in Silver Lake? Well, I do lots of tournaments, all over the state, so I ...

At Allis State Park I met an employee Frank, who restores structures at the state parks by replacing damaged places, such as rotting wood, while keeping the original structure as authentic as possible, resembling how it would have looked up to 80 years ago! Many structures in the state parks were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the late 1930s. Allis State Park has a large historic pavilion with a magnificent fireplace Frank was working to restore. He explained various techniques and styles of the CCC construction. I’m not using the right vocabulary, but some are notched together by the logs themselves while others are pushed together to make it look like the logs were notched together when in fact they are actually stabilized using large nails. You can see these different styles in the historic lean-tos and shelters that are in state parks like Gifford Woods and Coolidge . A cool CCC structure can be found on the top of Owl’s Head Mountain near Stillwater and B...

A loon with a snack Maidstone State Park is hosting a loon packed weekend. Activites begin with an interpretive walk on Friday (starting at the B-loop bathhouse at 8:00 PM) and slide show. The next morning, get ready to head out on the lake, via canoe or kayak (both available for rent), and observe these unique creatures in their natural habitat. Other activities include: a sand castle contest, a sack race, a movie at dusk, fishing and hiking opportunities, and more! Programs are free with paid park entry, but if you want to camp, make your reservations by calling the park directly, 802-676-3930. A pair of loons on Spectacle Pond in Brighton State Park In addition, you can help contribute to the Annual Statewide Loon Count. On Saturday, July 16th visit some beatiful ponds and record your findings for the Vermont Center for Ecostudies. "Many of the unassigned lakes are small and will likely not have loons, but it is still important to check them occasionally. However, the...