Vermont State Parks

 The former Will Monroe house On a recent blog post, "A Question Asked and Answered: Some Really Interesting Camel's Hump History", we shared a question asked by a park visitor about the history of Camel's Hump , and a really interesting answer from Stewardship Forester, Gary Sawyer. Well, Doug, our park visitor, came back with a few more questions for Gary, and here's how it went: Doug: My sister recently found a hand-written journal kept by our father when he and two other lads from Montpelier hiked the Long Trail from Duxbury to Rutland in August of 1921. Here is an excerpt of his first day account: "Brock, Lindsay and Jones left Montpelier at 3:00 P.M. Sunday with every expectation of rain. Arrived the Callahans 4:00 P.M. Packs weighed about 35 lbs. each. The first half mile was somewhat of a torture to our untrained muscles. Stopped about 6:30 at the Boy Scout camp for supper. The rest of the way to the top was so steep that our noses ...

A few from the park of the surrounding mountains A new show, "Park Secrets", airing this summer on the Travel Channel brought Lusid Media including Jillian Cohen, the producer for the show, and her crew to Smugglers' Notch State Park on February 1st. The show uncovers "Park Secrets" and showcases a handful of hidden parks across the country and explores why they are so special. Regional Park Manager, Susan Bulmer, spent the morning with Jillian, discussing one of Vermont's hidden gems tucked in the green mountains near Stowe and what folks enjoy most about the park. Susan speaks to the film crew Smugglers’ Notch State Park is a little more 'hidden' in the winter months as part of the mountain road closes until the snow is gone, but that doesn't seem to stop many people from seeking it out and enjoying what the park has to offer. Ice climbing, skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing are popular sports in and around the park. In fact, two i...

The bike on ice race begins! (Frozen Regatta scheduled for Feb. 18) The only time of year when skiing, walking, skating, and sledding can be done on Lake Champlain is now! As part of the Great Ice in Grand Isle celebration, Vermont State Parks is encouraging folks to get out on the ice by hosting a 'Trek to Knight Island' on Sunday, Feb. 19th from 11:00AM - 4:00PM. Grab your skates, skis, snowshoes or sleds and make the trek to Knight Island State Park – which is only accessible by boat during the summer. The hike to Knight Island is about 4 miles round trip leaving from North Hero’s welcome dock. Once there, you can also explore the island's trails before warming up at the rustic ranger station where you can enjoy hot beverages and island lore, compliments of Park Ranger Jim Putnam. A family trekking across the ice to Knight Island State Park (scheduled for Feb. 19) Knight Island, acquired by the state in 1990, is one of three neighboring island parks in...