9 State Parks to Visit in Vermont This Summer
In 2024, Vermont State Parks celebrates a century of family firsts, big adventure, and memorable moments. Statewide, 55 parks make up a legacy of conservation and stewardship in Vermont, creating a haven for wildlife, families, and outdoor recreators to enjoy scenic landscapes and history while protecting and preserving them for future generations. These 9 parks are a great place to start as you plan your parks visit.
1. Mt. Philo State Park
Mt. Philo State Park in Charlotte has a lot to offer. Sitting atop 968’ Mt. Philo, the 237-acre park became the first Vermont State Park in 1924. With breathtaking views of the Lake Champlain Valley and New York’s Adirondack mountain range, the park is a haven for hikers and picnickers as well as campers. The original carriage road was built in 1903, allowing visitors to the Mount Philo Inn to reach the summit, and today, a summit access road allows visitors to drive to the top (a three-quarter-mile hiking trail also leads there.) On-site, a rustic lodge dating to the 1930s has seating for 60 people and includes a working fireplace and refrigerator and pavilion.
2. Elmore State Park
On the shores of Lake Elmore, dubbed “Vermont’s Beauty Spot,” this state park is ideal for families, with a sandy beach on a comparatively shallow lake, campsites, boats available for rent, and picnic facilities on-site. Trails on park property lead up Mount Elmore to its fire tower, affording sweeping views of the Lamoille Valley (spot Vermont’s highest peak from up there.) A new beach house offers changing areas, bathrooms, and a concession stand selling park souvenir merchandise and light food.
3. Brighton State Park
Those looking for a remote escape will find it at the sprawling Brighton State Park, located on the shores of Spectacle Pond. The closest town is rural Island Pond, a favorite base point for snowmobilers in winter and ATV riders in summer. Anglers, hunters, and campers looking to roam away from development will find an ideal mix of refuge and amenities at Brighton State Park, with campsites on the beach, a bathhouse with bathrooms, historic logging roads that lead further into the woods, and boats available to rent.
4. Groton Nature Center
Located within the Groton State Forest, which contains a total of seven state parks and eight lakes and ponds, the Groton Nature Center shares exhibits focusing on the area’s plants, wildlife, and natural landmarks. Constructed as part of a partnership with Vermont Parks Forever and the ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, the Groton Nature Center features interactive learning opportunities highlighting Groton’s geology and natural history. The nature center is within walking distance of Big Deer, Stillwater and Boulder Beach state parks. Kettle Pond, Molly’s Falls Pond, New Discovery, Ricker Pond, and Seyon Lodge state parks are all just a short drive away.
5. Kill Kare State Park
On the shores of Lake Champlain just outside the city of St. Albans, Kill Kare State Park unrolls like a painting on canvas. Named after the summer camp for boys that used the land from 1912 to 1966, the park offers lake life vibes for days. A museum and function area now occupies what was once a summer resort hotel before the boys’ camp moved in. Today, people love Kill Kare both for its own sake as a picnic, swimming, and boat launch, with boat rentals on site, and as access to Burton Island State Park, the original reason the state acquired the land in 1967. The Island Runner ferry accesses the remote island several times a day, taking travelers to cycling trails, beautiful views, and a small bistro serving lunch. Burton Island State Park can also be accessed by canoe or kayak.
6. Mount Ascutney State Park
Calling all adventurers: Mount Ascutney State Park’s stock-in-trade is adrenaline. The park offers camping and hiking trails, leading hikers to the sites of former quarries and homesteads, relics of past logging operations, and other historical curiosities, as well as grand views of the Connecticut River Valley. Perhaps its most unusual offering is racing. Whether you race in cars, on bikes, or on foot, the park has been the site of annual races to the summit each summer. With two launch points, hang gliders love Mount Ascutney, too.
7. Quechee State Park
Located near Vermont’s deepest gorge at 165 feet, Quechee State Park offers ADA-accessible trails, some paved, winding through a forest that lead to the gorge’s base and to spectacular views of the bridge crossing the Ottauquechee River. While not part of the park, the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, featuring live raptor encounters and an accessible boardwalk through the forest, abuts park trails and can be accessed directly from that network.
8. Fort Dummer State Park
With 217 acres of lush forest just outside Brattleboro, Fort Dummer State Park is a treasure trove of Indigenous and Revolutionary War history. The site of the first permanent European settlement in Vermont, the park overlooks what was Fort Dummer. Remnants of the fort, along with a swimming hole, can be found by hikers in the park today. The park also offers overnight camping in sites and lean-tos.
9. Emerald Lake State Park
On the shores of sparkling Emerald Lake, this state park is inviting for swimmers, boaters, anglers, and families, with a playground, a boat launch, paddling gear for rent, and a campground to extend the fun overnight or longer. Located in southern Vermont between Manchester and Rutland, the Dorset area was known for marble quarrying, and that history forged this park. With the largest state campground in southwestern Vermont, brand-new docks, and on-site nature programming in the summer, Emerald Lake State Park is a true jewel.
