Vermont State Parks

Erin and Evan live in Berlin, VT with two cats and two dogs.  Erin works and teaches at the Community College of Vermont and likes to spend her weekends gardening, going on walks, and checking out Vermont State Parks!  Evan works as a prosecutor in the Criminal Division of the Vermont Attorney General's Office.  In his spare time, he likes to work around the house, go swimming, cook, and check out new movies.  This summer, they will be touring our Vermont State Parks and making delectable picnics with local food. So check out this ongoing series for tips on where to get great food and places to enjoy it! Picnic in the Parks: Silver Lake State Park   This summer we’ll be checking out some of the great picnic spots in the Vermont State Parks: A true Vermont culinary adventure. For our inaugural outing, we visited Silver Lake State Park in Barnard, VT on Memorial Day (opening) weekend.  As part of this project we are hoping to feat...

On Saturday June 1 st , members of the Orleans County Border Livestock Plus 4-H Club made their way to Brighton State Park , for a morning filled with volunteering, hiking, raking, litter patrol and history. Beginning at the interpretive trail, 8 youths and 4 adults made their way up and around the trail loops grooming them, while at the same time learning about the natural and cultural history of the park and its lands.  The park’s interpretive trail booklet helped in educating them about the trail’s  biodiversity; however, Rangers Eric and Vela spoke to them about some of the interesting aspects of the park. Brighton's Native American History The rangers began by explaining how Don Eagle (for whom the park museum is named) gave the land to the  state.  They also explained that  Native Americans still utilize the park in the fall for annual get-togethers. They also entertained the group by telling them that i t has been said that the land is...

The infamous 1962 Button Bay Buttons In 1962 the International Girl Scout Roundup took place in what is now Button Bay State Park in Vergennes.  That event celebrated the 50 th anniversary of the Girl Scout organization.  Over 10,000 girl scouts from around the world camped together on the beautiful point overlooking Lake Champlain. Of course you know that state park rules forbid the removal of any item from the park, including the Button Bay buttons, clay deposits formed over time on the floor of the lake.  The Girl Scout Roundup in 1962 preceded the formation of the park, so the collecting did not break any rules.  However, a box full of buttons arrived recently at State Park headquarters from a Girl Scout in Ohio who has been feeling guilty about the buttons in her possession.  We asked for some stories about that event, and this is what she said: "Going to the water to swim was planned for us, obviously to accommodate the 10,000 campers, and my ...