Vermont State Parks

Wading off of Burton Island This week I explored the state parks on Lake Champlain which was great for cooling down in the hot summer heat. There was a big difference between these parks and the woodland parks I've been visiting over the past few weeks. Kingsland Bay has a great day use area with historic buildings that house events throughout the season. It is popular for weddings although I didn't see anyone getting hitched while I was there. I next went to nearby DAR State Park where I walked down to the water, a perfect spot for fishing. While there, I bumped into an interesting fisherman. This guy was great at fishing. He kept reeling fish in, naming them, and then throwing them back. I bet he knows every fish in the lake. Onto the most unusual state park I went to: Burton Island . After a short ferry ride, I stepped off onto a beautiful island. Everywhere you look is a beach where every rock on the beach is a perfect skipping rock. I can’t seem to skip a singl...

At Allis State Park I met an employee Frank, who restores structures at the state parks by replacing damaged places, such as rotting wood, while keeping the original structure as authentic as possible, resembling how it would have looked up to 80 years ago! Many structures in the state parks were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the late 1930s. Allis State Park has a large historic pavilion with a magnificent fireplace Frank was working to restore. He explained various techniques and styles of the CCC construction. I’m not using the right vocabulary, but some are notched together by the logs themselves while others are pushed together to make it look like the logs were notched together when in fact they are actually stabilized using large nails. You can see these different styles in the historic lean-tos and shelters that are in state parks like Gifford Woods and Coolidge . A cool CCC structure can be found on the top of Owl’s Head Mountain near Stillwater and B...

Jerry helps direct the large group of volunteers Jerry Prevost, sophomore dean at St. Johnsbury Academy, challenges his students to do more for the community and the outdoors. As freshman, students at the academy perform community service in the St. Johnsbury area. Once they became sophmores, Jerry wanted their experience to be further from home. "We wanted students to think more about stewardship of the Earth and Groton came to mind". Jerry continues that many of his students live near and use Vermont State Parks and with summer just around the corner, it seemed a timely opportunity for the students to help an organization that in turn protects undeveloped land and educates on some of Vermont's greatest natural resources. Special touches by the volunteers helped to make the parks even better On April 29th, Jerry along with over 175 students and faculty traveled the short distance to Groton State Forest where the group helped out Kettle Pond , Ricker Pond , Bou...

Grand Isle : High and dry, this popular park on Lake Champlain is open for business! What’s to love about Grand Isle State Park ? • Located on the shores of Lake Champlain • 150 campsites including tent/RV sites and leantos • 4 cabins • Nature center, volleyball, horseshoes, a nature walk, lake access, boat rentals • Nature programs, events and entertainment • Boating, fishing, biking, hiking, and swimming • New this year: construction of another cabin and a renovated bath house • Nearby: Burlington, St. Albans, Champlain Islands, restaurants, theaters, and museums For more information: http://www.vtstateparks.com/htm/grandisle.htm Little River : A park rich in history, water, and wildlife What’s to Love About Little River State Park ? • Located along the shores of the Waterbury Reservoir – great views on top of the dam • Historic remnants – old sawmills, cemeteries, town roads, bridges, and cellar holes • Self guided history and nature trails along with other hiking...