Vermont State Parks

An intrepid group of First Day Hikers ready to start the new year with adventure. Start the new year on the right foot with a hike in a Vermont state park. On January 1, 2020, everyone is invited to join a free, guided, family-friendly hike taking place at many state parks and forests across Vermont. Hikes will be led by professional guides and outdoor educators eager to share their knowledge and love of Vermont’s outdoors.  Don’t need a guide? No matter where you live in Vermont, a state park or state forest is always close by, and you can still get outside to enjoy it. State park entry is free on New Year’s Day (and all winter long). You’ll discover a whole new world in winter. Please dress for the weather and bring snowshoes if the snow is deep. Please also bring beverages and snacks. Dogs are welcome (on leash) unless otherwise noted. You don’t need to pre-register, just show up! To check the status of the hikes, call our First Day Hikes “Hotline” at 802-249-1230. Upda...

Hikers resting on the Peacham Bog Trail. This weekend (June 8 th & 9 th ) is Vermont Days , a celebration of summer. To help get you in the sunny summer mindset, day entry to any Vermont State Park is free! Whether you’re a local or just visiting for the weekend, we invite you to get outside and explore. No matter your ability, taking to the trails is a great way to enjoy the outdoors. To highlight trails in state parks and state lands, we've compiled a list of trail adventures you might like to try this summer. This list only scratched the surface, and we've decided to leave out Camel's Hump and Mt. Mansfield in favor of lesser-known options.  Find a trail that suits your mood! A man walks on the trail bridge at Lake Shaftsbury.  I want...   An easy trail with good views The trail to Button Point at  Button Bay State Park  is flat and leads to lovely views of Lake Champlain. Or walk the shoreline ...

Paddling through the Past is a multi-disciplinary archaeological project designed to investigate the role of waterways in the French colonial period. Their mission is to document the landscape archaeology of the Champlain valley and raise awareness of the need for heritage stewardship of the Lake Champlain/Richelieu Corridor. Here are a few excerpts from Andrew Beaupre's journey paddling Lake Champlain and for more information check out his blog!  http://paddlingthroughthepast.blogspot.com/   Day one:  Aug 7  Finally, the trip has begun.  Given the expected weather, we decided to truncate the first day travel and begin at the   Chimney Point State Historic Site and make the short one mile  paddle to DAR State Park .  I had never been to the park before and was very pleasantly surprised. They put us up in the paddlers campsite a mere 1000 feet from the lake shore.   The trail to the site takes one past ...

Ever wonder about landscape archaeology and how landscape played a role in people’s lives in the past along Lake Champlain? Follow doctorate student Andrew Beaupre through his journey where he and his crew will be paddling through the past. Paddling through the Past is a multi-disciplinary archaeological project designed to investigate the role of waterways in the French colonial period. Their mission is to document the landscape archaeology of the Champlain valley and raise awareness of the need for heritage stewardship of the Lake Champlain/Richelieu River Corridor. The culmination of the project will be a 10 day canoe expedition from the shadow of Fort Ticonderoga in New York, north to the forts of the Richelieu River in Southern Quebec.  This will be the first expedition of its kind in the Champlain Valley, and is being undertaken as a portion of a larger multi-disciplinary archaeological project to better understand the history and heritage of the northern borderl...

A Vermont State Park cabin at night Rumors have gone round of haunted buildings in Kingsland Bay State Park . Last May, the Champlain Valley Vermont Ghost Hunters offered up their services to investigate if there actually is paranormal activity or if it's just people's imaginations running wild. The ghost hunters stayed for two nights in the park and conducted experiments in several park buildings including the main dining hall, the Hawley House and the staff quarters, and they did find some interesting evidence. Arriving in tricked out vans looking like command central, these four professionals use high tech equipment to scientifically determine if something else lurks beyond what we can see and hear. An Electrical Voice Phenomena reader (EVP), infrared cameras, motion cameras, laser devices, and other equipment help to document and measure images, noises, and the presence of 'others'. The investigators have been somewhat hush-hush about their findings pending of...

As my internship comes to an end, I can absolutely say that it was a great way to spend the summer. I was finally able to use summer as I think it is meant to be used, exploring different places and doing outdoor activities that are impossible other times of year like swimming in the many lakes of the state parks. This summer has kept me active and able to stay outdoors all the time, which was a big change from my technical institute where much of my time is spent indoors doing homework or projects. Vermont in the summer is a haven for doing the physical work for my internship, removing invasive species. I was glad to have cooler summer weather than southern New York and a surplus of beautiful scenery. I expanded my nature portfolio and took some great wildlife shots while learning. I especially learned a lot when it came to camping, since I had never really done any solo camping before. What made my first real camping experience especially memorable, were all the friendly peopl...

Many of the flowers you see in the northwestern state parks are the product of a surprising source, the flower program at the Northwest State Correctional Facility. This women-only facility operates a flower program as part of their rehabilitation, which supplies some of Vermont State Parks with beautiful blooms. John Cross, the automotive teacher at the Community High School located in the prison, has helped to run the program for six years, though it was his son, Paul, who first thought of the idea. Paul, on staff at Grand Isle State Park , put his father's gardening program and the park's need for low-budget plants together, essentially creating the program that exists today. The parks appreciate the local flower supply and cost savings, and the women in the program learn about and enjoy growing plants from seed. Plus, they get to do gardening before the snow has fully melted! John believes that in order for the participants to succeed in their rehabilitation, ...

Southern Vermont and the Lake Champlain area are peaking with prime foliage. Check out the five best parks for leaf peeping this week and see what events and attractions are going on in and around each one. Woodford State Park , Woodford, VT: Marvel at the iconic works of art at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Rutland; Take part in one of the many programs offered at the Bennington Museum , such as Punch Needle Rug Hooking, Bennington; Pick up some hand-crafted souvenirs or gifts at the Bennington Potters , Bennington; Relax with a glass of local beer from the Northshire Brewery , Bennington; Pick your own apples and enjoy lots of apple treats at the Apple Barn and Country Bakeshop , Bennington; History buffs won't want to miss visiting the Historic Park-McCullough where one can spend hours wandering the estate, North Bennington Quechee State Park , White River Jct., VT: Learn fascinating facts at the Montshire Museum of Science , Norwich; Savor tasty warm breads and other treats a...

Are you interested in taking a group of students on a field trip this year, but funding is tight? You should apply for a field trip grant from Target: Are you wondering where you can take students for an interesting, interactive, and dynamic field trip? Look no further than Vermont State Parks ! Field trips are available on all sorts of topics from Native American studies to tree identification (and more)! Fall field trips are available at: Jamaica State Park , in Jamaica, Vermont Button Bay State Park , in Vergennes, Vermont Little River State Park , in Waterbury, Vermont Groton State Forest , in Groton, Vermont Contact Rebecca Phelps for additional information about these field trip opportunities at the contact information below. Rebecca Phelps Conservation Education Coordinator VT Dept of Forests, Parks & Recreation 103 South Main St, 10 South Waterbury, VT 05671 802.241.3651 rebecca.phelps@state.vt.us

New at Button Bay State Park this summer will be two new log cabins constructed in the second camping loop overlooking the bay and a beautiful southerly view of Lake Champlain. These cabins will be available to rent by the week beginning at park opening. These cabins are cozy one-room units that sleep four people comfortably. Amenities include bunk beds and a futon or sleeper couch (linens and towels not included) a table and two chairs, an electric outlet, a covered front porch and a fire ring with cooking grate. Cooking is done outside (bring your own cookware.) Bathrooms and showers are located within easy walking distance. Get a glimpse of these cabins being built.