Apple Fest - South Hero, Vermont
Apple Fest - South Hero, Vermont
At apple harvest time the apple growers of Lake Champlain Islands invite everyone to come and enjoy the bountiful harvest, the wonderful craft shows, antiques, flea market and all of the wonderful things that apples can be used for. Sip the wonderful cider, get sticky on your face with a fabulous caramel apple, try a cider donut or fresh pressed or hot mulled cider. The celebration is held each year over Columbus Day and Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend.
Local citizens began the celebration and now it has grown to a full grown fun celebration. There are programs including fun for kids, music, crafts, and a flea market and of course the wonderful apples and all they can be made into!
Knight Island State Park - St. Albans Bay, Vermont
Knight Island State Park - St. Albans Bay, Vermont
If you are looking for the opportunity to be totally isolated from modern conveniences, like to hike to your camping spot, don't mind not having a car to use and being totally dependent on how well you packed and what you can carry then this state park may be just the place for you. There are no roads, or cars, or bikes for that matter on the island that is situated in northern Lake Champlain. You can reach the location only by boat or hired ferry.
If you choose to come to the island by boat you will need to beach the boat on the rocky shoreline or anchor off. There are no docks on the island.
Abenaki Tribal Museum - Swanton, Vermont
Abenaki Tribal Museum - Swanton, Vermont
Come to Swanton and see the museum that shows the history of the Abenaki Tribe from centuries ago. The museum is located next to their tribal headquarters and welcomes visitors to learn about their culture and history.
The tribal home for the Abenaki for thousands of years has centered on the Masipskiwibi (Missisquoi, "Crooked River") River in Northwestern Vermont. The traditional homeland for the tribe is Wobanakik ("Place of the Dawn"), what is now called Northern New England and Southern Quebec.
Lake Carmi State Park - Enosburg Falls, Vermont
Lake Carmi State Park - Enosburg Falls, Vermont
Let's go fishing in Vermont! That's right; in this 1375 acre natural lake you can catch northern pike, walleyes and other warm water species. The lake is 7.5 miles around with an average depth of 20 feet. Perfect for fishing for those great fish to eat!
You may not know that Lake Carmi was once much larger. In the thousands of years since the last ice age cleaned it out, the southern end of the original lake has filled in with silt and vegetative matter to create wetland forests and the third largest peat bog in Vermont. Most of the 140-acre bog lies within Lake Carmi State Park and is a designated State Natural Area.
Burton Island State Park - St. Albans Bay, Vermont
Burton Island State Park - St. Albans Bay, Vermont
Open from Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day weekend this park is accessible only by boat but it is certainly worth the trip. Burton Island sits on 253 acres just off the southwestern tip of St. Albans Point in Lake Champlain's "Inland Sea". There is a state passenger ferry that makes the 10 minute trip from Kill Kare State Park for those that don't come on their own boat and use one of the islands marina and one of their 100 slips.
The islands use as a farming site can still be seen in the fence lines and stone piles, rusted farm implements and the foundation of the old barn left over from as early as the 1840's. It was used as pasture land for cows, pigs, sheep and pigs over its history.
Grand Isle State Park - Grand Isle, Vermont
Grand Isle State Park - Grand Isle, Vermont
Named after the largest island in Lake Champlain, Grand Isle is about 14 miles long and 3 miles wide. Known as the South Hero the island holds the Grand Isle state Park. Why the name Hero Island? Because it was named to commemorate early Vermonters who served in the American Revolution.
The park is located on the east shore of the island off Route 2. The Park began in 1959 when Birchcliff was purchased. Birchcliff had been a private summer resort. The original Birchfliff building is the Activity Center for today's park. When the purchase was made it consisted of 54 acres.
