Vermont State Parks

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. Have a picni

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 acce

Taking a closer look  When hiking, sometimes you want a tough steep climb that makes you breathless, and your legs burn. Other times you might be in the mood for a more reflective walk through forest or field. Here are 5 easy to moderate self-guided interpretive hikes through a variety of Vermont landscapes, that help you learn more about your natural surroundings.  Healing Springs Nature Trail Lake Shaftsbury State Park, Shaftsbury VT This mostly flat, mellow nature walk takes you past small but pretty Lake Shaftsbury, and through the woods of southern Vermont. Look for a variety of forest types including oak, which is unusual in Vermont. The walk also takes you past Warm Brook, which feeds Lake Shaftsbury, and the remains of an old ice house. Trail map & guide:  The nature trail at Allis https://vtstateparks.com/assets/pdf/shaftsbury_springs.pdf Little River History Hike Little River State Park, Waterbury VT Little River is packed with trails

Lake Champlain sunset over Sand Bar State Park by Kristen Jensen If you’ve ever spent time on the “inland sea” of Lake Champlain (or even looked at pictures) you’ll notice how rocky much of the shore is. (It’s also one reason  Button Bay State Park in Ferrisburgh has a pool!) This rocky shoreline is a result of thousands of years of glacial and geological activity in the Champlain Valley, and very noticeable in parks like Button Bay , D.A. R. State Park in Addison, and Kamp Kill Kare State Park in St. Albans. Luckily, there are always exceptions. Stumbling across Alburgh Dunes State Park for the first time can be like stepping into an alternate reality. That was my reaction, at least. On a day in early June, I was driving across the top of Vermont from Swanton and into New York State. This drive is flat and sometimes tedious, especially on a cloudy day. Luckily, in a world before GPS, I glanced at my road map and noticed a park symbol nearby. On a whim, decided to sto

Introducing pet-friendly cabins  Good news for folks who love camping with their furry companions. Starting in the 2018 season, one cabin at each park will be pet-friendly. Reservations for all parks (except Burton Island) can be made 11 months in advance on the first business day of the month, and cabins are always popular, so reserve as soon as you can. Reservations for Burton Island open up 11 months in advance on the 15th day of the month, or the first business day thereafter.  List of parks with pet-friendly cabins Brighton State Park : pets permitted in Raven Cabin starting 2018 Burton Island State Park : pets permitted in Savage Cabin starting 2018 Button Bay State Park : pets permitted in Sedge Cabin starting 2018 Gifford Woods State Park : pets permitted in Moose Cabin starting 2018 Grand Isle State Park : pets permitted in Mansfield Cabin starting 2018 Half Moon Pond State Park : pets permitted in Dragonfly Cabin starting 2018