|
Vermont State Parks Northwest
Area
North Hero State Park
3803 Lakeview Drive North Hero, Vermont 05474
In-season information: 802-372-8727
Season: Mid-May to September (Labor Day)
The 399-acre park was purchased in 1963. Nearly one-third of
that land lies below 100 feet elevation. The forest type in these
floodplain areas is uncommon in Vermont, found only around Lake
Champlain. The thick woods around the campground, and the fact
that much of the property was farmed and pastured before becoming
a park, have led to conditions favorable for wildlife.There are
99 wooded tent/trailer sites and 18 lean-tos that are arranged
in three camp loops. Each loop has a rest room providing modern
plumbing and hot showers. There is a sanitary dump station for
RVs, but no hookups. Most sites are large enough to accommodate
self-contained RVs. There are lakeside picnic grounds, a nongraded
swimming beach, boat rentals, and a boat launch. Group camping
is accommodated.
Area Attractions: The sand beach at Knight Point State
Park (10 miles) is free to registered campers. The Hyde Log Cabin
in Grand Isle is the oldest in the United States. St. Anne's
Shrine in Isle LaMotte is the site of a 1665 French settlement.
The Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge in Swanton has a visitor
center and interpretive trails. Lake Champlain ferries are often
ridden just for the ride. The Grand Isle State Fish Culture Station,
near the LCT ferry dock in Grand Isle, is a state-of-the-art
hatchery with the visitor center open daily.
Directions: From Alburg: Go 6 mi SW on U.S. 2, then 3 mi NE on
Town Road
Alburg Dunes State Park
151 Coon Point Road Alburg, VT 05440
In Season Information: 802-796-4170
Season: Mid-May to September (Labor Day)
This beach is amongst the longest beaches on Lake Champlain.
Facilities and Management - Management strategies at Alburg Dunes
work to balance protection and preservation of the park’s
unique natural features while providing outdoor recreation opportunity
and access to Lake Champlain. Camping is not permitted. Day use
hours are from 10 a.m. to sunset. There is no public drinking
water supply at Alburg Dunes, and fires are allowed only in picnic
grills in the picnic area. Sanitary facilities, and the picnic
and parking areas, are at the west end of the beach. The "beach
road" (closed to motor vehicles) is a bicycle and pedestrian
path between the dunes and wetland. A recommended walk, a mile
and a quarter long, is to follow either the beach or "beach
road" to the east end, and return the opposite way.
Directions:From US Rt. 2 in South Alburg, take Rt. 129 West one
mile. Take left on Coon Point Rd and go about 1 1/2 miles to
park entrance.
Kill Kare State Park
c/o Burton Island State Park Box 123, St. Albans Bay, Vermont
05481
In Season Information: 802-524-6021
Season: Mid-May to September (Labor Day)
Call 800-252-2363 for pre-season shelter reservations.
Located on the southwestern tip of St. Albans Point, a three-mile
peninsula which defines St. Albans Bay, Kill Kare is surrounded
on three sides by the sparkling water of Lake Champlain. Picnic
tables and cooking grills are located throughout the park in
open or shaded lawn areas. The 26' x 40' open-air shelter has
group-sized cooking grills, available electricity, and may be
reserved for group functions. The south-facing swimming area
has a mostly sandy bottom. The shallower northwest shore is good
for wading. There are no lifeguards. The public boat launching
ramp gets your boat quickly into deep water. If you haven't got
a boat, rowboats may be rented, or you can ride the Burton Island
ferry.
Directions: From St. Albans Bay: Go W 4-1/2 mi on Vt. 36, then
3-1/2 mi on Town Road.
Knight Point State Park
44 Knight Point Rd North Hero, Vermont 05474
In Season Information: 802-372-8389
Season: Mid-May to September (Labor Day)
Call 800-252-2363 for pre-season reservatons.
Expansive lawns dominate the center of this 54-acre day use park.
The lawn becomes meadow to the west of the developed area, where
the forest along the lakeside is a substantial natural feature.
This facility includes a sandy beach, swimming, boat rentals,
shaded or open picnic grounds with cooking grills. The 20' x
40' open-air shelter may be reserved for group functions.
Directions: From North Hero Village: 3 mi S on U.S. 2, on Lake
Champlain.
Grand Isle State Park
36 East Shore South - Grand Isle, Vermont 05458
In-season information: 802-372-4300
Season: Mid-May to October 15
Grand Isle State Park is located on, and takes its name from,
the largest island in Lake Champlain. The Grand Isle, about fourteen
miles long by three miles wide, is also known as South Hero.There
are 120 tent/trailer sites, 36 lean-to sites, and one cabin site.
Rest rooms have running water and hot showers. There is a trailer
sanitary station. Fifty percent of the sites are large enough
to accommodate self-contained RVs. Lakeshore areas permit water
access for swimming and shore fishing. There are boat launching
ramps and rowboats for rent through the park office. There is
sand-court volleyball, horseshoes, a play area, fitness trail,
and a nature walk, all within the park. Campers are also allowed
free entry to the sand beach at Knight Point State Park seven
miles north.
Area Attractions: Shelburne Museum, Shelburne; St. Anne's
Shrine, Isle LaMotte; Hyde Log Cabin (nation's oldest), Grand
Isle State Fish Hatchery, and Lake Champlain Ferries, Grand Isle;
Knight Point State Park, North Hero; Sand Bar State Park, Milton.
Directions: From Grand Isle: Go 1 m S on U.S. 2.
Underhill State Park
PO Box 249 Underhill Center, Vermont 05490
In-season information: 802-899-3022
Season: Late May to 4th weekend of October
Underhill is within Vermont's 34,000-acre Mt. Mansfield State
Forest. On the headwaters of the Brown's River, at about 2,000
feet elevation, the park lies on the west slope of 4,300 feet
Mt. Mansfield, the state's highest peak. Just over the summit
ridge is the Stowe ski area, one of North America's original
ski resorts. There are four trails to the summit ridge of Mt.
Mansfield.
Area Attractions: Smuggler's Notch Ski Area with a summer water
slide; Smuggler's Notch pass; the Mt. Mansfield Ski Area with
its alpine slide, gondola, and auto toll road to the summit ridge.
There is also the village of Stowe, Burlington and Lake Champlain.
Directions: From Essex Jct.: Go 9 mi E on Vt. 15, 4 mi E on paved
Town Rd, 4 mi E on gravel Town Rd. (steep entrance, no trailers).
Lake Carmi State Park
460 Marsh Farm Rd. Enosburg Falls, Vermont 05450
In-season information: 802-933-8383
Season: Mid-May to September (Labor Day)
Lake Carmi, with a 1375-acre surface area, is the fourth largest
natural lake entirely within Vermont. It is 7.5 miles around,
averages about 20 feet deep, and is 33 feet at the deepest point.
The state park includes more than two miles of lake frontage
on the south and east shore of Lake Carmi. There are 140 tent/trailer
sites, 35 lean-to sites, and 2 cabins that make this the state's
largest campground. Rest rooms have running water and hot showers($).
There is a trailer dump station but no hookups. Most sites are
large enough to accommodate self-contained RVs. There are swimming
beaches in both camp areas. There is also a day use beach with
concession area, rest rooms, and rental boats.
Area Attractions: Franklin Town Museum, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Sundays; Franklin County Historical Society, St. Albans; Jay
Peak Ski Area; Smugglers' Notch and Stowe ski areas (gondola
and alpine slide); Missisquoi National Wildlife Rufuge, Swanton;
Granby Zoo, Granby, Quebec.
Directions: From Enosburg Falls: Go 3 mi W on Hwy 105, then 3
mi N on Vt. 236.
Knight Island State Park
c/o Burton Island State Park Box 123, St. Albans Bay, Vermont
05481
In-season information: 802-524-6353
Season: Mid-May to September (Labor Day)
The 185-acre island is a mile long and nearly a half mile wide.
The park includes all but 10+ acres of private land on the island's
southern tip. When on Knight Island, please respect the rights
of the park neighbor and keep off the southern end. Ferry Service:
Call Burton Island State Park (802) 524-6353 for information.
Camping is by permit only on designated sites. A permit may be
obtained at the caretaker's residence and is necessary before
setting up. Reservations (2-night minimum) are handled through
Burton Island State Park. Maximum eight (8) persons per site;
fourteen (14) night maximum stay. There are no sanitary facilities
or potable water. Fires are permitted in designated fire rings.
Directions: Knight Island is located in northern Lake Champlain
and can be reached only by boat. Ferry service varies according
to season and day of the week. Contact Burton Island for ferry
information.
Woods Island State Park
c/o Burton Island State Park
Box 123 St. Albans Bay, Vermont 05481
In-season information: 802-524-6353
Season: Mid-May to September (Labor Day)
A mile long by a quarter-mile wide, the 125-acre island is unique
as habitat for a rich variety of plant life including many species
rare or threatened in Vermont. The Vermont Division of State
Parks intends to preserve the primitive character of the island
and asks your cooperation in observing its guidelines for island
use. Ferry service: There is none, island visitors must make
their own arrangements. Camping: By permit only on designated
sites. Reservations (2-night minimum) are handled through Burton
Island State Park. Maximum eight (8) persons per site. Sites
numbered 1 - 5 on posts or leanto names are visible from the
island trail and from the water offshore. Setting up on a site
prior to getting a permit is not permitted. There are no sanitary
facilities or potable water on the island. Fires are permitted
in designated fire rings.
Directions: Woods Island is located a short distance from Burton
Island. No ferry service is scheduled.
Burton Island State Park
Box 123, St. Albans Bay,Vermont 05481
In-season information: 802-524-6353
Season: Mid-May to September (Labor Day)
Burton Island is a 253-acre island off the southwestern tip of
St. Albans Point in Lake Champlain's "inland sea."
Support facilities at Kill Kare include parking space, a boat
ramp, and a breakwater to protect the dock for the state ferry,
which carries non-boating visitors to the island. There are 17
tent sites and 26 lean-to sites plus 15 boat moorings and a 100-slip
marina with dockside electricity, fuel service, and a marine
holding-tank pumpout facility. This, with ferry service to the
island (no vehicles) from Kill Kare, makes Burton Island one
of the most unique parks in Vermont. Rest rooms have running
water and hot showers. There are 3 miles of shoreline, hiking
trails, a nature center/museum, park store and food service,
rowboat and canoe rentals, and places to swim and picnic.
Directions: From St. Albans Bay: Go 3-1/2 mi SW on Town Road,
Lake Road and Point Road to Kill Kare State Park. Passenger Ferry
to Burton Island which is accessible only by boat; no vehicles.
Ferry runs 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sand Bar State Park
1215 US Rt 2 Milton, Vermont 05468
In Season Information: 802-893-2825
Season: Mid-May to September (Labor Day)
Sand Bar State Park takes its name from a natural sandbar between
South Hero Island in Grand Isle County and the town of Milton
on the Vermont mainland. The park is on the mainland, or eastern
end, of that sandbar. Today at Sand Bar, the smooth, sandy lake
bottom remains shallow well out from shore, making this an ideal
swimming spot for children. That, and the uninterrupted length
of sandy beach, very high quality water in this section of the
lake, and well-kept facilities in an attractive setting combine
to make Sand Bar the most visited day park in the state. Day
use only. Two thousand foot (2000') sand beach, swimming, boat
and sailboard rentals/lessons, food concession, and shaded or
open picnic grounds with tables and cooking grills as well as
a play area.
Directions: From I-89, Exit #17 (Champlain Islands): Go 4 mi
N on U.S. 2.
Please visit http://www.vtstateparks.com
for additional information concerning Vermont's State Parks.
|
