Vermont State Parks

Crossett Brook Middle Schoolers pull out invasive honeysuckle This Sunday, September 25, we invite everyone to join us in helping wage the "War of the Weeds" as part of National Public Lands Day.   Come to Little River State Park at 10:00am. Park Interpreter Brian Aust will lead volunteers through the park removing invasive honeysuckle plants while teaching participants about invasives in Vermont. National Public Lands Day (NPLD) is the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the public lands Americans enjoy. On September 24, 2011, over 170,000 volunteers will plant trees, remove trash, and build trails at public lands across the nation. Last year, volunteers and community partners contributed an estimated $15 million of improvements to over 2,000 public land sites. You can join in the effort too by doing your own War on Weeds on your property! Read more about Brian's fight below: Brian's "War on Weeds" program caught the...

Elmore State Park is known as a fun and popular park. With swimming, hiking, a fire tower to climb, horseshoes, a park interpreter (who runs great programs and events), a newly renovated beachhouse, camping, and more, Elmore is not a park lacking in things to do. Well add one more thing to the list - a music festival on Sunday, September 25, 2011 from 12:00 PM - 6:30 PM! The staff at Elmore usually goes above and beyond the call of duty, and is continuing to do so by generously hosting a benefit music festival. Half the proceeds will go to the Vermont Food Bank and the other half will go to help the Lamoille County Conservation District’s work to protect and restore the water quality of Lake Elmore and the surrounding Lamoille River Watershed. Musical performances will be given by Vorzca , Eames Brothers Band , 7Lbs of Pork , and John Gailmor . The cost is $20.00, but kids under 12 are free! To add to the fun, the first 200 people get a free concert tee shirt, so make sure to ge...

Camp Plymouth Staff Each year four parks, representing each geographical region in  Vermont, are presented with the Park of the  Year Award. The purpose of the program is to acknowledge exemplary accomplishments of the parks field staff, as well as for the enhancement of public service – to make the parks a better, more enjoyable place to recreate. Competition is fierce and award recipients receive the right to display the coveted "Park of the Year" banner the following season. This year's winners are Camp Plymouth , Half Moon , Lake Carmi and Maidstone . Congrats to all for your fantastic work! Half Moon Staff      Lake Carmi Staff  Maidstone Staff

A shot of the course North Hero State Park now has a Dog Agility Course, an obstacle course where the dog must run on its own with minimal coaching from its owner. Some people do it on a competitive level, others do it just for a fun activity with their dog. The course has jumps, tunnels, weave poles, an A-frame, and a see-saw. North Hero also has a dog beach! The park is open seven days a week from 10:00 am until sunset. Admission into the park is $3 for ages 14 and up (no charge for dogs for day entry!) Interested in camping at North Hero? Remote camping is available at the park. The ranger station is open on a reduced-hours schedule, although there is resident staff in the park around the clock. The fee is $5 per person per night rather than the usual cost per campsite. We hope you enjoy North Hero !

A mouth watering array of treats to try Okie Dokie Baking is now serving delicious treats at Jamaica State Park ! If you have a sweet tooth or just need some refueling after going for a hike or taking a swim, be sure to follow your nose to the baked goods table. We're glad the owner John Kurland decided to take up a place in Jamaica. John creates mouthwatering combinations of the best quality freshest ingredients using local fruit and vegetables, real butter, real milk, and real eggs- ingredients that are simple and authentic. All the pies, muffins, cakes and cookies are made by hand one at a time. John has a long history with baking, see a short description from his website of how he got his start below. A sample of their menu John started baking with the apples from his own front yard. They were the perfect apples for baking, staying crisp and flavorful. He combined the flavors of apples, sour cream, and walnuts and created an awesome crust. At first, he baked fo...

Lake Champlain International and Vermont State Parks offers chance to win EarthSmart compostable meal kits by sharing photos of fun on Lake Champlain. Lake Champlain International (LCI), with their partner EarthSmart, has joined with Vermont State Parks to help you gear up for your next Lake Champlain outing! Beginning on September 1, 2011, go to either LCI’s Facebook page ( facebook.com/LakeChamplain ) or Vermont State Parks’ Facebook page ( facebook.com/VTStateParks ) and post your favorite photo of you or your family enjoying Lake Champlain at one of the many state parks. It can be a picture of fishing, camping, swimming, or anything else involving the lake. Be creative and show us how you use your lake and parks! A t the end of each day for a week we will select up to five entrants to receive a 68-piece EarthSmart meal kit! EarthSmart products are compostable plates, cups, cutlery, etc. that are recycled, made from sugarcane, are 100% sustainable and completely compostable. You ...

A Sparassis crispa fungus or califlower mushroom decorates this tree Throughout the state of Vermont, thousands of different species of fungi co-exist amongst us. Ranging in size from microscopic to very large, these organisms serve a multitude of purposes that, without their presence, would change the face of the world as we know it. As many of us know these unique life forms can be found in many of the items we encounter daily, from foods to medicines. Though, many forms of fungi can be harmful, even deadly, their presence is essential to maintain life on earth. Breaking down organic life forms, to become a part of the earth and soil, allows ecosystems to both grow and thrive, maintaining the beautiful places we all enjoy escaping to for recreation and general enjoyment. A Polyporus spp. fungus or shelf mushroom taken in Maidstone State Park Though fungi can be found on the forest floor when snow no longer blankets it, it is after a steady rain, suc...