Vermont State Parks

The Japanese Garden at Taconic Mountains  Ramble State Park in Winter - Rebecca Roy When the weather isn’t sunny and 75, it’s easy to hunker down indoors. For those who brave the chill, bundling up and getting outdoors can benefit body, mind, and spirit! The Vermont State Parks are a great place to find some much-needed natural beauty and solitude during these darker months. Need some recommendations on where to start? Check out selected favorite hikes from parks staff, foresters, and recreation specialists around the state with varying levels of difficulty and length. 

“Can I still go into a park that’s closed for the season?”  This is the most common question we get during the fall and winter months. The short answer is “yes!” Staff have gone home, and parks are officially closed for the year, but late fall has a start beauty all its' own, and the off season is a great time to visit - for hiking, skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing, or even a late season picnic. 

  First Day Hikers stand in front of Butler Lodge in 2023. Start the new year on the right foot with a hike in the great outdoors. On January 1, 2024, everyone is once again invited to join a free, guided, family-friendly hike taking place at many state parks, state forests, and other public lands across Vermont. Hikes are 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.  First Day Hikers warm up at the CCC shelter at Owl's Head. Please pre-register by contacting hike leaders ahead of time. On hike day dress for the weather and bring snowshoes if the snow is deep, and micro-spikes or traction aids in case of ice. Please also bring beverages and snacks. In the ...

Start 2022 on the right foot with a beautiful hike. On January 1, 2022, 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 traction aids and/or snowshoes depending on conditions. Please bring beverages and snacks. Contact hike leaders to pre-register. Hike leaders will contact you with more details and information about your hike. Check out our Facebook and Twitter feeds for more information and more hikes as they are added. Guided Hikes to Join Allis State Park Hike Guide: Rebec...

Looking for beautiful scenery, plenty of hiking, and a taste of Vermont’s history?  Coolidge State Park is the perfect spot for your next fall foliage escape. Coolidge State Park is located in Plymouth, Vermont and just a short drive away from Ludlow, Killington, Quechee, and Woodstock.

A hiker crosses a mountain stream using one of the newly built bridges on the Norcross Trail. Photos provided by ATA.   Windsor, VT - The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (FPR) in partnership with Ascutney Trails Association (ATA) announced the completion and opening of a new multi-use trail on Mt. Ascutney.  The 8-mile Norcross Trail provides a link for mountain bikers and hikers between the Ascutney Outdoors Center and Mount Ascutney State Park . Conceived in 2010, ATA members and FPR staff have spent the last 11 years working through a comprehensive environmental review to develop an ecologically sound trail, laying the trail out on the ground, and constructing this hand-built single-track recreational destination. Between 2016 and 2021, FPR-funded crews from the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps spent nine weeks clearing and constructing trail.  Ascutney Trails Association funded and built three bridges and contributed both paid and volunteer tra...

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 .

Trail signs at Mt. Philo - Krista Cheney Vermont – The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (FPR) and its partners  remind hikers of mud season at this time of year and ask for the public’s help protecting Vermont’s trails. And this year, COVID-19 is still a dominant concern, even with more people vaccinated. FPR and partners are asking for the public’s assistance with making smart choices to protect both public health and trails during this vulnerable time. Vermonters should be aware that mud season conditions have begun and will persist in many places until Memorial Day or later: trail closures may be in effect for several weeks. The Green Mountain Club and other trail organizations are working hard to get the trails ready and opened in time for the traditional kick-off of the season on Memorial Day weekend. Please exercise patience and help in stewarding the trails. While mud season conditions persist, here are some tips to keep you and our trails healthy. ...

Please don't travel until it's safe to do so! Our travel posts are great for making future plans or dreaming about your next escape. Learn more about  Vermont State Parks and COVID-19 . For many outdoor lovers, the beginning of fall means the end of the camping season, but don’t pack away your gear just yet! Fall camping in New England is one of life’s greatest experiences! Today we’re taking a virtual journey up to the town of Island Pond in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. This little village was once a thriving railroad and logging hub. Today, Island Pond is home to vast tracts of forest, a huge moose population, and the little slice of paradise that is Brighton State Park .   Checking out the view from my campsite at Brighton State Park. While plenty of visitors flock to Brighton State Park for its quiet camping and spectacular swimming and paddling in the summer, fall is when the magic really happens at Brighton. The air becomes crisp and the smell of balsam surroun...

Please don't travel until it's safe to do so! Our travel posts are great for making future plans or dreaming about your next escape. Learn more about  Vermont State Parks and COVID-19 .  If you are looking for a hiking hub in Vermont with an abundance of trails, swimming, camping, waterfalls, and amazing views, you really can’t beat the Killington area in central Vermont. At 4,229 feet Killington Peak is the second-highest summit in Vermont and one of the 48 peaks above 4,000 feet in New England. If hiking to the top of Killington isn’t on your bucket list, it’s time to add it, along with the rest of these beautiful Killington hikes nearby.

Please don't travel until it's safe to do so! Our travel posts are great for making future plans or dreaming about your next escape. Learn more about  Vermont State Parks and COVID-19 . Is your favorite outdoor space too busy with people for your comfort right now? Then take a hike back in time by visiting Amity Pond State Park in Pomfret, Vermont. Amity Pond is a park you may not know, and neither have all those other people crowding your favorite trailhead.  Rolling hills in Pomfret, Vermont Part of the enjoyment of visiting this park is your journey of arrival. This out of the way place is nestled in the rolling pastural hills of picturesque Pomfret. Vermont’s most photographed homestead, Sleepy Hollow Farm , brings hundreds of photographers to Pomfret in every beautiful Vermont season.  Pomfret is the quintessential rolling agricultural hills and historic homes that make up what we call the very best in Vermont. I was lucky enough to live in Pomfret on Galaxy Hill Ro...

Please don't travel until it's safe to do so! Our travel posts are great for making future plans or dreaming about your next escape. Learn more about  Vermont State Parks and COVID-19 . Breathtaking mountain views, hidden swimming holes, a meandering rail trail, and one of the prettiest waterfalls in the whole state. Welcome to Jamaica State Park in Vermont! This gem of a park is tucked away next to a rustic mountain village of the same name. It’s not the Caribbean, but it’s as welcoming a place as you’ll ever find in the Green Mountains. 

Contact: Jessica Savage, Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation 802-249-1230, jessica.savage@vermont.gov Keegan Tierney, Green Mountain Club 802-241-8320, ktierney@greenmountainclub.org Ethan Ready, Green Mountain National Forest Ethan.ready@usda.gov Vermont – The holiday weekend is traditionally the start of the hiking season in Vermont. From its rocky summits to its gentle valleys, Vermont is home to hundreds of miles of hiking opportunities. This year, with COVID-19 as a dominant concern, we are asking hikers to take a few extra precautions to both protect public health and protect the public value of our beautiful trails. Hiking is the ideal outdoor recreational activity for these times since you can get outside for exercise and fresh air while still adhering to social distancing and hygiene guidelines, if we’re all smart and courteous about getting outside. New COVID-19 Trail Etiquette Out-of-state visitors are still being asked to self-quarantine for at least 14 days after...