Vermont State Parks COVID-19 Updates

We will be posting any updates to Vermont State Parks in relation to COVID-19 on this page.

Vermont State Park Status Updates as of 2/22/21:

Operating Vermont State Parks in 2021

Travel Guidelines

Due to raising COVID-19 case counts across the Northeast, effective on November 10, 2020, the State of Vermont has suspended its leisure travel map and implemented a mandatory quarantine for anyone returning or traveling to Vermont.

Beginning Feb. 23, 2021: If you have been vaccinated, you do not need to quarantine to travel to Vermont or return to Vermont, as long as at least 14 days have passed since you received your final vaccine dose.

For more information on Cross State Travel Information, check out the Agency of Commerce and Community Development page.

Looking ahead to 2021 operating season. 

Our plan is to offer as many services as possible. Currently, that includes:

• Day use
• Camping, cabin, and cottage rentals
• Boat rentals at select parks (please call ahead to confirm)
• Providing interpretive programming with prior visitor registration.
• Firewood and Ice sales at parks with campgrounds.
• Open-air pavilion rentals within the group gathering limits in place at the time (please call ahead to confirm limits).
• Playground apparatus are open (we encourage visitors to frequently hand sanitize and schedule visits around less crowded times).

Park staff and visitors must continue to partner to minimize risk for everyone in parks by strict adherence to behavior guidelines. If either partner fails to uphold their commitment to safety, parks may be required to close the facilities to public use.

Your Part

To help keep Vermont State Parks safe and open to the public, we ask visitors to:

• Ensure they meet all current out-of-state travel restrictions according to CDC and VDH guidelines in Vermont prior to entering the park.
• Reschedule your visit to the park if you are or have recently been ill, tested positive or been exposed to someone who has tested positive
• Maintain at least 6 feet physical distance between from anyone who is not in your household, including with staff except when necessary for transactions. 
• Plan ahead to combine trips to the contact station to reduce staff-visitor interactions.
• Do not exceed the posted maximum number of people in bathhouses
• Bring picnic blankets/folding chairs as well as water bottles for comfortable lounging and staying hydrated. 

Masks are required whenever you will encounter other visitors or staff outside your immediate household. This includes in bathhouses, at contact stations, or generally anytime you are with people outside your immediate household on your campsite. For more mask tips, visit HealthVermont.gov/MasksOnVT.

Visitors are strongly advised to assume responsibility for protecting themselves from transmission via touch points, including packing and making regular use of hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes.   

Our Part 

To provide opportunities for swimming, picnicking, fishing, hiking, camping and outdoor recreation in a safe way, Vermont State Parks is committed to:

Maintaining physical distance between unrelated park visitors, and between staff and visitors including:

• Staff wearing appropriate PPE and hand sanitizing between transactions.
• Limiting day use entries to ensure room for social distancing. This is done on a park-by-park basis and we encourage people to call ahead before driving to a park. 
• Limiting the number of staff present inside contact stations and the placement of protective shields where possible.
• Listing the allowable maximum occupancy for bathrooms on signs and asking the visiting public to adhere to the limitation.
• Only allowing group gatherings, group camping, and use of picnic shelters if consistent with the restrictions in place at the time. 
• The swimming pool at Button Bay State Park will not be operated.
• Indoor pavilions will not be available.

Managing, reducing, and eliminating common touch points including:

• Limiting non-essential services or transactions such as:
• Not operating food concessions
• Not lending play equipment, camping and fishing gear
• Minimizing the use of paper maps, guides, and interpretive information. 
• Only accepting cash if there is no alternative.
• Disconnecting water fountains due to the risk of transmission from shared use.
• Propping open doors where feasible, removing trash receptacle lids, and eliminating other unnecessary touch points wherever possible.

Maintaining a regular cleaning routine as consistent with CDC guidelines:

• Soap dispensers and paper towel dispensers are installed throughout both day use and camping bathrooms. 
• High touch points are disinfected regularly throughout the day according to protocols consistent with CDC guidelines. 
• Bathrooms and showers will be cleaned and disinfected consistent with CDC guidelines.
• Picnic grill handles and water spigot handles will be disinfected once per day.
• Tables, and lean-to handrails and other obvious touch points will be cleaned, and grill handles disinfected between visitors. 
• Boats and equipment will be cleaned and disinfected between uses.
• Adding port-o-lets at some parks to reduce traffic volume in restrooms. The following parks will have port-o-lets this year: Camp Plymouth, Silver Lake, Woodford, Lake Shaftsbury, Lake St. Catherine, Branbury, Mt. Philo, Sand Bar, Alburgh Dunes, Kill Kare, Elmore and Waterbury Center.
• Allowing for a 24-hour rest period for cottages between occupants.
• Adding HEPA-quality air filters in cabins. Check-in time is shifted to 4pm and check out to 10am to allow extra time for staff cleaning between guests.

Additional Information

For the Dept. of Forests, Parks, and Recreations recommendations for Outdoor Recreation and COVID-19, visit the following: https://fpr.vermont.gov/recreation/outdoor-recreation-and-covid-19

For the latest information on COVID-19 in Vermont, visit the following:

Vermont Department of Health 

Vermont Emergency Management

Governor Phil Scott

Vermont Economic Development