Vermont State Parks

Periodically Vermont State Parks has the need to adjust fees and visitor policies. This is done by a process called the Administrative Procedures Act (APA) and the Office of the Secretary of State . The proposed rule changes are vetted by a cross-agency committee (ICAR) and a legislative committee (LCAR).  An important aspect of the rule change process is soliciting public feedback on the proposed changes.  We invite you to share your comments via email to craig.whipple@vermont.gov and/or attend a public hearing scheduled for 5:30 PM July 26, 2019 at the Dewey Conference Room at the National Life campus in Montpelier . Proposed rule changes include: Fee adjustments needed to help recover increasing costs of state park system operation and maintenance.  Tent sites to increase by $1/night. Lean-to's to increase by $3/per night. Adjusting minimum and maximum stays in certain camping circumstances: Campers traveling as touring groups intending to stay at ...

The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation invites you to a public open house about  Bingham Falls, the popular waterfall in Stowe, Vermont. The open house will be held on Wednesday, June 19, 2019 at the Stowe Akeley Memorial Building from 6:30 – 9:00pm. Bingham Falls has become one of the popular destinations in Stowe for visitors to the area and is also loved by locals. The primary attraction at Bingham Falls is a series of stunning cascades, gorges, and pools collectively referred to as Bingham Falls. The West Branch of the Little River flows through the center of the property and is surrounded by steep forested hillsides to the east and west making this a unique natural place to visit. The consultant team of SE Group, Timber & Stone, LLC and Grenier Engineering has completed a site assessment of the Bingham Falls parcel, which is part of Smugglers’ Notch State Park and Mt. Mansfield State Forest. We are looking for community feedback on what featur...

Vermont State Parks is happy to invite you to join a free celebration of music at Kingsland Bay State Park on the first day of summer, Friday, June 21. Park entry is free to attend these performances and no pre-registration is required. Presented in partnership with Big Heavy World, Make Music Vermont is an international day of music-making that will take place in more than 120 countries and 1000 cities worldwide. Vermont is the first US state to coordinate a state-wide event, with performances at public places, including libraries, sidewalks, and state parks. Kingsland Bay State Park will be hosting a special Make Music Vermont event celebrating the music and 100 th anniversary of Pete Seeger’s birth . With a career spanning over eight decades, Seeger created music that celebrated the natural world and aimed to bring together people from all walks of life. A champion of the natural world and advocate for human compassion, Seeger often led communal singing to uplift those ...

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 ...

On Saturday, May 31, 2019 a landslide occurred in Mt. Mansfield State Forest in the area of the Foster trail, which connects the Cotton Brook Access Area to Little River State Park. As a result, the following sections of trail will be closed until further notice: Fosters Trail Cotton Brook Road from the hay shed to Kelty Corners (see map). Trail from Cotton Brook Road gate to the hay shed is still open. Little River State Park is open as usual and park trails are not affected. However, through hiking  or biking from Little River to Stowe/Cotton Brook is not possible at this time. Waterbury Center Day Use area is open as usual and is not affected. Remote Campsites on Waterbury Reservoir R16, R20, & R21 are currently closed. Signs are posted in closed areas. This is an active landslide. For your safety, do not enter closed areas. We are assessing the situation and more information will be posted here as it becomes available.

Do you dream of spending warm summer days on the water with a fishing rod in hand? A young girl catches a fish and her mother smiles. Ready to tell the tale of the biggest fish you’ve ever caught? Are you excited, but not quite sure where to start? Vermont State Parks and the REEL FUN Gear Loaner Program have you covered. We have an opportunity for anyone to try fishing for free! Vermont State Parks has partnered with Vermont Fish & Wildlife to offer the REEL FUN Gear Loaner Program. This program provides loaner fishing equipment kits available at 19 different state parks. Included in the kits are rods, reels, fishing line and an assortment of lures or baits that can be signed out by park visitors to provide instant access to the sport of fishing. While typically only anglers under 15 can fish without a license, Vermont's annual, statewide Free Fishing Day (June 8 th ) allows both resident and non-resident anglers a day to fish in Vermont without a license. ...

It’s time to get out of the kitchen and out to the grill! We rounded up delicious recipes to help fuel your Memorial Day Weekend adventures. To maximum your summer play, these recipes were chosen for their ease of preparation, minimal clean up, and crowd-pleasing taste. Grab your skillet and let’s get started! Pro tip: Preparing ingredients before you leave home saves time outdoors for fun and minimizes the amount of trash you need to pack out. Cooking tools needed: Filet knife Skewers (if using wood, make sure to soak in water for at least 30 mins before placing over fire) Heavy-Duty Aluminum foil Large bowl or Ziplock bag Campfire Potatoes From Cupcakes and Kale Chips Cooked potatoes in an aluminum packet. Ingredients: 2 lb. red or white potatoes sliced about 1/2 in. thick. 1 medium onion diced. Salt & pepper to taste. 1/4 c unsalted butter. 1/4 c water. Paprika and/or chopped chives or scallions for garnish optional. Start your camp...