Located in the Taconic Mountains on the shores of Lake Bomoseen. The park has a beach for swimming, a picnic area, and a pavilion-type picnic shelter that can be reserved for large gatherings. A snack bar concession and boat rentals are available at the beach. There is boating and fishing in Lake Bomoseen as well as in nearby Glen Lake. Flush toilets, hot showers, and a dump station are provided. There are several hiking trails, including one to Half Moon State Park. Open late May to early September.

Branbury State Park
3570 Lake Dunmore Road (Route 53)
Salisbury, VT
Phone: 802-247-5925

Season: Memorial Day-Labor Day

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Branbury is located on the eastern shore of Lake Dunmore at the base of Mount Moosalamoo, with the Green Mountain National Forest to the east. The 1,000-foot natural sandy beach on Lake Dunmore and the large open grassy areas make the area popular for swimming, sunning, or picnicking. Flush toilets, hot showers, and a dump station are provided. There is fishing and boating (rowboats, canoes, paddle boat rentals) on Lake Dunmore. Open late May to early October.

Camp Plymouth State Park
2008 Scout Camp Road
Ludlow, VT
Phone: 802-228-2025

Season: Memorial Day-Labor Day

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There is a group camping area on the south side of Buffalo Brook consisting of six lean-tos, tent sites, pit toilets, and a large field for activities. On the north side of the brook there are a large picnic area, play area, sandy beach, horseshoe pits, concession, and boat rentals. Four rental cottages are fully furnished rental units. There is a large enclosed picnic shelter including a kitchen for larger groups as well as two smaller open pavilion-style picnic shelters. Day use hours: 10 A.M.-9 P.M.

D.A.R. State Park
6750 VT Route 17 West
Addison, VT 05491
Phone: 802-759-2354

Season: Memorial Day-Labor Day

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With its picturesque setting on the shores of Lake Champlain, the park provides an ideal setting for anyone seeking a relaxing day visit or an overnight respite. A quiet park, it is popular for its large, open campground, grassy picnic areas and stone pavilion. It is a favorite spot for birdwatchers. DAR is conveniently located near boat access to Lake Champlain.
There are 70 sites including 24 lean-tos located in an open grassy area, as well as under a mature stand of hickory trees. There are flush toilets, hot showers ($), and a dump station provided. There is a small picnic area located on a bluff above the lake, as well as a nice stone pavilion/picnic shelter for group gatherings. Boating, fishing, sailing, and swimming are popular in Lake Champlain. Day use hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

Half Moon Pond State Park in Bomoseen State Park
1621 Black Pond Road
Hubbardton, VT
Phone: 802-273-2848

Season: Memorial Day-Columbus Day

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This is a camping only park and there are no day-use opportunities. The campground offers camping for all tastes with its waterfront campsites and lean-tos and five furnished cabins. For those seeking more creature comforts, Tall Timbers Cottage, with its waterfront location and private boat dock, offers all the amenities of home. Hikers are likely to see a variety of wildlife. Rowboats, kayaks, canoes and pedal boats are available for rent from the park office, and two small, sandy beaches provide locations for sunbathing and swimming. The pond also has excellent fishing.

Lake St. Catherine State Park
3034 VT Route 30 South
Poultney, VT
Phone: 802-287-9158

Season: Memorial Day-Labor Day

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The park has well-developed picnic, play, and swimming areas. There is a snack bar concession with rowboats and paddle boat rentals. Boating and fishing are popular on the lake. Flush toilets, hot showers, and a dump station are provided. Open late May to early September.

Silver Lake State Park
214 North Road
Bethel, VT
Phone: 802-234-9451

Season: Memorial Day Weekend - Labor Day Weekend

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The beach has a large grassy area, food concession, rest rooms, changing rooms, and boat and canoe rentals. There is a large picnic shelter for group gatherings and a play area. Open late May to early September

Swimming Holes

Swimming holes can be found in or near rock quarries, streams, gorges, and waterfalls. Most are pristine, uncrowded, and surrounded by beautiful woods and forests. For details, see the web site www.SwimmingHoles.info

Waterbury Center State Park
177 Reservoir Road
Waterbury Center, VT 05677
Phone: 802-244-1226

Season: Memorial Day Weekend - Labor Day Weekend

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The park is located on a 90-acre peninsula with 22 picnic sites, tables, hibachis, swimming beach, nature trail, trailer boat ramp, boat rentals, concession area and restrooms. Day use hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

NORTHERN top of listings

Alburg Dunes State Park
151 Coon Point Road
Alburg, VT 05440
Phone: 802-796-4170

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This 625-acre park is named for the sand dunes near the center and western end of the south-facing sand beach, one of the longest beaches on Lake Champlain. There is no public drinking water at the park, and fires are allowed only in grills in the picnic area. Sanitary facilities, 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. Day use hours are from 10 a.m. to sunset. Open late May to early September.

Boulder Beach State Park
2278 Boulder Beach Road
Groton, VT 05046
Phone: 802-584-3823

Season: Memorial Day Weekend - Labor Day Weekend

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The day use area has 200 feet of beach and swimming area, small boat launch area, play area, shelter with group facilities, three large parking lots, a concession stand, and 75 shaded picnic sites with tables and hibachis. All rest rooms have flush toilets. Open late May to early September.

Brighton State Park
102 State Park Road
Island Pond, VT 05846
Phone: 802-723-4360

Season: Memorial Day Weekend - Columbus Day Weekend

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The campground sits on the mostly undeveloped Spectacle Pond where it is common to hear loons calling at night. At the nearby day use area there is a long sandy beach at the southern end of Island Pond, a bathhouse with restrooms, and rental boats. Open late May to early October.

Burton Island State Park
Box 123
St. Albans Bay, VT 05481
Phone: 802-524-6353 802-524-6353

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This island is located off the southwestern tip of St. Albans Point in Lake Champlain’s “inland sea.” Kill Kare State Park, a former boys camp, offers three miles of shoreline, hiking trails, a nature center/museum, park store and food service, rowboat and canoe rentals, and places to swim and picnic. Rest rooms have running water and hot showers. Also, the park has parking lots, a boat ramp, and a breakwater to protect the dock for the state ferry, which carries non-boating visitors to the island. No vehicles are allowed on the island. A three-story building, formerly a summer resort hotel, offers modern rest room and changing facilities for day visitors to Kill Kare. Open late May to early September.

Crystal Lake State Park
96 Bellwater Ave.
Barton, VT
Phone: 802-525-6205

Season: May 26 - September 4

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Crystal Lake is three miles long and about one mile in width. The beach area has almost a mile of sandy shoreline with a marked swimming area. The large historic granite bathhouse has rest rooms, changing areas, and a concession stand. There are approximately 40 free standing charcoal grills, nearly 80 picnic tables, play areas, rental boats and canoes, and parking space. Open late May to early September.

Elmore State Park
856 VT Route 12
Lake Elmore, VT
Phone: 802-888-2982

Season: Memorial Day-Columbus Day

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Lake Elmore, northwest of the town of Elmore, has a sandy beach, historic bathhouse, concession stand, restrooms and a rental pavilion, a picnic shelter, many tables and grills, and row boat, canoe and kayak rentals. There is convenient access to several hiking trails to Elmore Mountain. Open late May to early October.

Grand Isle State Park
36 East Shore South
Grand Isle, VT
Phone: 802-372-4300

Season: Mid-May-Columbus Day

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Grand Isle State Park is located on the largest island in Lake Champlain. The Grand Isle is also known as South Hero. Lakeshore areas permit water access for swimming and shore fishing. There is a boat launching ramp for registered campers and kayaks and rowboats for rent through the park office. Campers are also allowed free entry to the sand beach at Knight Point State Park seven miles north and Alburg Dunes State Park 19 miles north. Rest rooms have running water and hot showers. Open mid-May to early October.

Kill Kare State Park
Box 123
St. Albans Bay, VT
Phone: 802-534-6021

Season: Memorial Day-Labor Day

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Picnic tables and cooking grills are located throughout the park in open or shaded lawn areas. The 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. Rowboats are available for rent, or you can ride the Burton Island ferry. Day use hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

Knight Point State Park
44 Knight Point Road
North Hero, VT
Phone: 802-372-8389

Season: Memorial Day-Labor Day

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Knight Point on North Hero Island offers facilities that include a sandy swimming beach and boat rentals. Shaded and open picnic areas include cooking grills. Expansive lawns are the center of this 54-acre day-use park. The cobbled shoreline, west of the swimming beach and extending around the point, is a state natural area. Open late May to early September.

Lake Carmi State Park
460 Marsh Farm Road (Route 236)
Enosberg Falls, VT 05450
Phone: 802-933-8383

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This state park includes more than two miles of lake frontage on the south and east shore of Lake Carmi. There are swimming beaches in the two campgrounds and a day-use beach with concession area, rest rooms, and rental boats. Rest rooms have running water and hot showers. Open mid-May to early September.

Maidstone State Park
Maidstone Lake Road
Guildhall, VT
Phone: 802-676-3930

Season: Memorial Day-Labor Day

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Maidstone is the most remote of Vermont’s state parks and still retains much of the wilderness character associated with the Northeast Kingdom. Its campground has a play area, hiking trails, and a swimming beach. A picnic shelter, swimming beach, and two rest rooms are also available at the day use area. Open from late May to early September.

North Hero State Park
3803 Lakeview Drive
North Hero, VT 05474
Phone: 802-372-8727

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North Hero State Park is named for North Hero Island in Lake Champlain. There are lakeside picnic grounds, a nongraded swimming beach, boat rentals, and a boat launch. Group camping is accommodated. Open late May to early September.

Ricker Pond State Park
18 Ricker Pond Camp Ground Road (Route 232)
Groton, VT 05046
Phone: 802-584-3821

Season: Memorial Day-Columbus Day

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The campground has 27 tent/trailer sites, 23 lean-tos, 5 cabins and a waterfront rental cottage that comfortably sleeps up to 5 and comes with a canoe. Two of the three rest rooms include hot showers ($). A sanitary dump station is available, but no hookups. There is a swimming beach, boat launch, shelter, and access to miles of hiking trails.

Sand Bar State Park
1215 U.S. Route 2
Milton, VT
Phone: 802-893-2825

Season: Memorial Day Weekend - Labor Day Weekend

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Two-thousand-foot sand beach, swimming, canoe and kayak rentals, food concession, picnic grounds with tables and grills, and a play area. The smooth, sandy lake bottom remains shallow well out from shore, making this an ideal swimming spot for children. The uninterrupted length of sandy beach, high-quality water, and well-kept facilities make Sand Bar the most-visited day park in the state. Day use only. Park takes its name from a natural sandbar between South Hero Island in Grand Isle County and the town of Milton on the mainland. The park is on the eastern end of that sandbar. Open late May to early September.

Stillwater Recreation Area of Groton State Forest
44 Stillwater Road
Groton, VT 05046
Phone: 802-584-3822

Season: Mid-May - Labor Day Weekend

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The campground has 62 tent/trailer sites and 17 lean-tos. All rest rooms include hot showers. A sanitary dump station is available, but no hookups. There is a swimming beach, boat launch/dock facility, play area, shelter, and access to miles of hiking trails. The Groton Nature Center is within walking distance. Day use hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

Swimming Holes

SOUTHERN top of listings

Emerald Lake State Park
65 Emerald Lake Lane
East Dorset, VT 05253
Phone: 802-362-1655

Season: Memorial Day Weekend - Columbus Day Weekend

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The 430-acre park is located along the side of Dorset Mountain with Emerald Lake, the head waters of Otter Creek, at its base. There is a small beach with snack bar and boat rental facilities. A hillside picnic area and lakeside picnic tables are available. An open picnic shelter pavilion can be reserved for gatherings. Trails throughout the park and nearby provide great hiking opportunities. Swimming, fishing, and boating (no motors) are popular in the lake. Open late May to early October

Lake Shaftsbury State Park
262 Shaftsbury State Park Road (Route 7A)
Shaftsbury, VT 05262
Phone: 802-375-9978

Season: Memorial Day Weekend - Labor Day Weekend

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This state park is on an 84-acre parcel surrounding the small but picturesque Lake Shaftsbury. There is a developed beach, play area, and picnic area. An open picnic shelter/pavilion is available for gatherings. The snack bar concession has rental rowboats, paddle boats, and canoes. Open late May to early September.

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