Vermont Treasure: State Parks
by
Elizabeth Bassett

June Riddle: What dots the state of Vermont, costs the same as a
jumbo creemee, and you own it? Where can you camp, paddle, hike, and
picnic? Name a lakeside or hilltop venue with spectacular views for a
party or wedding. Answer: Vermont State Parks.
Two hundred fifty-three-acre Burton Island floats in St. Albans Bay a
short distance from shore. How magical- Vermonters own an island park
in Lake Champlain! Far from the cares of home and office (leave that
cell phone home- I dare you), walk, swim, fry bacon over a wood fire,
watch the sun rise and set in ripples across the water, and sleep to a
lullaby of lapping waves. Five times each day a ferry delivers
passengers and baggage from Kill Kare State Park on the mainland. As
the park is only accessible by boat, fifteen moorings and a 100-slip
marina fill the harbor for those who can float or motor on their own.
Trails ring this jewel in the lake and stony beaches line its shores;
also a nature center, firewood, boat fuel, and hot showers. Don't show
up with your sleeping bag if you haven't called first for
reservations. The 26 lean-tos book early for summer weekends although
17 tent sites are more available.
Nestled between Lake Dunmore and Mt. Moosalamoo, Branbury State Park
in Salisbury serves as a launch for more serious hikes. Trails rise a
short distance to the Falls of Lana and farther to Rattlesnake Cliffs
and its spectacular panorama of Lake Dunmore, the Champlain Valley,
Lake Champlain, and the Adirondacks. Other destinations for the foot
traveler include Silver Lake, Leicester Hollow, and Chandler Ridge
trails. Back at the lake, camp sites line a grassy area along the
beach. Across the road another 22 camp sites and six lean-tos cluster
at the base of the hillside. Visitors have other choices: boat
rentals, 1000-foot sandy beach, nature trail, and nearby Salisbury
Fish Hatchery. If the heavens open, Middlebury is only ten miles
distant.
Just a half hour from home, Kingsland Bay State Park has doubled its
size and scope in recent years. The park now includes a sizable
natural area on a lakefront parcel donated by a local family. Park
Ranger Agnes Barsalow says, "It's quiet along those trails. They
aren't very well marked but that only adds to the adventure. There's a
spur to the shore- a tranquil spot by the water." Less quiet on a hot
summer day or evening are the lawn of historic Hawley House (c.1790),
swimming dock, and boat launch. The grass slopes gently to the west
for sunset picnics. To the north a trail follows the perimeter of
MacDonough Point with panoramic views including a profile of Mt.
Philo. "The eventual goal," Ranger Barsalow says, "is to interpret
both trails with signage about the park's natural and human history."
Paddlers 18 years or older may rent a canoe, rowboat, or a small fleet
of kayaks. Water craft rental at all state parks is $5 per hour, $15
for a half day and $30 for the full day.
Closer to home, Mt. Philo is Vermont's oldest state park with a view
that is a treasure. When the park is open, 10 am to dusk from mid-May
to mid-October, visitors must pay to walk or drive to the top. An
adult ticket is $2.50, $2.00 for children ages 4 to 12, and visitors 3
and under are free. An individual season pass to all parks costs $25
and a sticker for a carload is $75. A ten-visit punch card is $18.00.
For a $2.00 fee, Vermont seniors 62 and older may apply for a Green
Mountain Passport at any town clerk's office. The passport is good for
visits to state parks any time free of charge.
Mt. Philo Park Ranger Nikki Ward says the official dog policy for the
season is, "Dogs leashed at all times and clean up after them." A
total of ten camp and lean-to sites cluster at the summit and off the
northern access road. The shelter at the summit rents for $100 per day.
Not far from Basin Harbor and the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in
Ferrisburg, Button Bay State Park perches on a south-facing bluff over
Lake Champlain. Primarily a camping venue with 90 sites, Button Bay
also offers swimming in a life-guarded pool, a modest rental flotilla,
and nature center and trail on Button Point. A 500-million-year-old
snail-like fossil is clearly visible in the limestone bedrock along
the trail along with spectacular Adirondack and Green Mountain vistas.
To camp at Button Bay or elsewhere in the park system, call the
individual park for reservations within 14 days. There is a $5.00 fee
and a two-night minimum for advance reservations. Beyond 14 days,
bookings can be made at 1 (888) 409-7579 or at www.vtstateparks.com.
Up to four people may occupy a camp site for $16 or a lean-to for $23
per night. An additional per person charge of $4 per night applies, to
a maximum of eight campers per site. The parks accept VISA and
Mastercard for advance bookings.
Other lakefront real estate you can enjoy for $2.50: DAR State Park
near Chimney Point Bridge- small picnic area on a bluff and 70 camp
sites; Knight Point at the southern tip of North Hero- natural lands,
lake swimming, and vast lawn for games and picnics; Grand Isle on the
Inland Sea (eastern shore)- 157 camp sites; Sand Bar State Park-
eastern end of Rt. 2 causeway- swimming and windsurfing; and North
Hero- 117 camp sites, beach, and unusual flood plain forest where
northern pike spawn in spring. Little River State Park- dam
construction disrupts the reservoir at the state's largest campground
while miles of walking trails remain undisturbed. Check the website
www.vtstateparks.com for a calendar of special park events.
Spring for a punch card. (You can use it next year to spread out the
pleasure.) For $1.80 you can even afford to invite a friend.