Vermont State Parks

The view from Owl's Head Overlook This guest blog is by Matt Parsons, longtime photography intern, writer and avid parks explorer. Check out more of his adventures at his blog The Adventurers . I was 5 or 6 years old when our family bought our first camper. My first State Park memory is from Ricker Pond in Groton, Vermont. It was a spontaneous trip without reservations. As I recall, we could have site 8, provided that we could get the camper into the rather awkward place. Site #8 is a prime site by the pond and pavilion. My dad cork screwed our 23’ camper on to the site by going around the small camping loop in the opposite direction, thus setting himself up for a somewhat straight, but perfect landing. My dad was a hero! Two kids and a dog in a paddleboat To me, the whole world was in our backyard to explore. Behind us was a marsh that I could catch salamanders by day   and fall asleep to frogs by night. The beach was just steps away and I played there until I was water logged...

Writing in a nature journal is a great way to spend time. Here is a little secret: things you enjoyed as a child are still super fun now. My daughter and I live right in town and have a postage stamp sized front lawn, but that doesn’t stop us from having wonderful, revitalizing outdoor adventures together just as I enjoyed with my siblings when I was eight. My daughter and I started writing and drawing in our nature journal daily. The last entry   before this was in December, and now we are packing our journal full of wonderful observations, illustrations, and descriptive words each day. We are looking closely at nearby nature, and watching the seasons change from winter to spring in our yard. This is an exciting time as spring is an awakening and rebirth of life in our yards and neighborhoods. Crocuses springing out in a front yard. You do not need to go far to find signs of spring. We had crocuses pop up out of the dried grass and winter weeds in our flower beds ...

Spring Crafts in Full Bloom The sun is shining, critters are coming out of hibernation, and the birds are migrating back for the summer. Longer days mean one thing: more time outside in the sun! Inspired by spring, but not quite sure what to do? Here’s a few crafts to connect your inner artist with nature.  Remember: For crafts involving natural materials, only use materials that are already on the ground and no longer living. Tempted by the beauty of a beautiful bloom? Snap a picture to cherish later and leave it for others to enjoy.  Source: myplumpudding Nature Sculpture A great nature keepsake or gift! 1.       Separate clay into golf ball sized pieces. 2.      Find leaves or twigs on the ground to press into the clay.  3.      Let pieces air dry and turn them into fridge magnets or paperweights. Note: Homemade clay is cheap and easy to make.  Growing A Jeweled Ro...

A bright day for a winter hike Vermont State Parks  is excited to be hosting nine guided hikes on New Year's Day. Start off your New Year's resolutions on the right foot by getting outdoors and being active on the first day of 2012! We hope you'll join our experienced guides for a free family hike in one of our state parks. Remember to dress for the weather, bring snowshoes (if there’s snow), and bring your own beverages/snacks. Dogs are welcome on a leash, and most importantly, have fun! No registration is required. For status of a hike or other updates, please call 802-241-3663 on 12/31 and 1/1. See details for each hike below. Little River State Park  (morning & afternoon hikes) Morning Hike Leader: Sherry Winnie, Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation ( www.vtstateparks.com/ ) Meet: 10:00 am at Little River State Park's Contact Station Hike Details: 1 hr +/-, easy to moderate terrain on park roads and trails  A fresh...

By:Judith Ensor I’m at the top of Jay Peak. It took just about an hour and 15 minutes to climb up this time. I’ve already been rewarded for my effort as the weather has cleared and I am enjoying a beautiful view. This morning, I really struggled with whether to make the trip over from St. Albans Bay. The paper called for “partly cloudy” skies and a chance of afternoon thunderstorms but tomorrow didn’t look any more promising. So, I decided to take a chance. For a good part of the trek up, I had to remind myself that the hike itself is part of the fun. Every once in a while, as I made my way along the trail, the sun would peek out and I’d feel rushed to get to the top before the storms came. Then, I’d make myself slow down and just enjoy the walk. “Put one foot in front of the other. Let your mind wander,” I told myself. “Get into a steady rhythm. Breathe. Relax. This is vacation, not a race.” I wondered how many times have I made this climb? I’ve probably been coming here for over 30 y...