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EXPLORE BY:
Attraction: CULTURE | RECREATION | HISTORY | NATURE | SCENERY | ACCESSIBILITY
Region: GRAND ISLE COUNTY | CHITTENDEN COUNTY | MIDDLEBURY & VERGENNES
Mode of Travel: BOAT | BICYCLE | FOOT | CAR OR MOTORCYCLE
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Lake Champlain Byway
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CHITTENDEN COUNTY
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MIDDLEBURY & VERGENNES
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By Bicycle
GRAND ISLE COUNTY
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CHITTENDEN COUNTY
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Island Line Rail Trail (Trailhead) |
MIDDLEBURY & VERGENNES
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more information
Lake Champlain Bikeways, an on-road series of biking routes, continues its network throughout the Champlain Islands, linking to other bike routes across the lake in New York, or South into Chittenden County.
The Champlain Islands Bikeways map features five theme loops, offering users a choice of routes on main roads and off the beaten path. Riders can pass by historic miniature stone buildings, orchards and farms, campgrounds and parks. The causeway linking South Hero with Colchester, by means of a summer bike ferry, takes riders out into the lake on the old train causeway. www.champlainbikeways.org; www.localmotion.org ; www.islandsandfarmsvt.com.
By Boat
GRAND ISLE COUNTY
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Alburg Dunes State Park |
CHITTENDEN COUNTY
MIDDLEBURY & VERGENNES
More boating Information
Along the shores of Lake Champlain, boaters in canoes, kayaks, sail, and motor craft have the opportunity to combine recreation on one of North America’s largest and most beautiful lakes with exploration of the region's rich history and culture. Lake Champlain’s diverse shoreline includes natural and man-made public access points for boaters at numerous villages. Facilities include marinas and car-top and ramp boat launching sites, as well as shore and beach access in campgrounds, fishing and wildlife sites, andstate and local parks.
Stewardship
Lake Champlain’s ecology is fragile. Boaters should respect the lake, its shoreline, plants, and wildlife, and others who are enjoying it. Care should be taken along shorelines to avoid eroding the banks and crushing the vegetation. Much of the shoreline is private property. Respect landowners’ rights. Don’t pick plants and flowers. Place trash in proper receptacles or carry it with you and use only designated toilet facilities or follow standard primitive disposal guidelines. Boaters should use pump-out stations. If you find trash others have left behind, take it with you. Build fires only in designated areas.
Boaters’ Responsibilities
Lake Champlain weather can change very rapidly. Get charts, follow navigation rules and safety regulations required by the U.S. Coast Guard (http://www.uscg.mil/), Vermont State Police (http://www.dps.state.vt.us/btsp/), New York State Troopers (http://www.troopers.state.ny.us/), and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/). Be sure to check customs and immigration regulations in advance to ensure easy border crossing.
Village and City Excursions
The Islands
North Hero and its neighbor South Hero are named in honor of Revolutionary War heroes Ethan and Ira Allen. Visitors to the quaint lakeside village of North Hero will enjoy the scenery, food and lodging choices available. The town serves a major crossroads for two waterway trails. A Northern Forest Canoe Trail (http://www.northernforestcanoetrail.org/) kiosk at the Lake Champlain Islands Chamber of Commerce (http://www.champlainislands.com/) provides water-borne travelers with information on the trail. Just outside City Bay is Knight Island State Park (http://www.vtstateparks.com/htm/knightisland.cfm), a stop along the Lake Champlain Paddlers Trail (http://www.lakechamplaincommittee.org/lake/paddlers.html).
Isle La Motte
Boaters disembarking at St. Anne’s Shrine (http://www.saintannesshrine.org/) on Isle La Motte will be following in the footsteps of Samuel de Champlain. The French explorer landed here, the site of an ancient Indian campsite, on July 3, 1609. A nearby granite statue marks the occasion. All of Lake Champlain was part of New France until 1759. A fort erected in 1666 was the site of the first catholic mass to be held in Vermont. Today, mass is held regularly at the shrine in the summer. Visit the website for more information: http://www.saintannesshrine.org/.
Vergennes
Vergennes (http://www.vergennes.org/), one of the country’s smallest cities, has many buildings dating from the 19th century when the Otter Creek falls fueled local industry. The city was an important shipbuilding center during the War of 1812. Take a short walk up the hill to the historic downtown and be sure to visit the beautiful Bixby Memorial Library.
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington flourished in the early 1800s with the opening of the Champlain and the Chambly canals. By the 1870s, Burlington was one of the largest lumber ports in the United States. The wealth produced by the lumber industry is evident in the mansions that line the streets of the Hill Section, which overlooks the lake.
Today, only a few mill buildings remain from the lumber heyday. As that era declined, the waterfront was used as a “tank farm” with giant fuel silos dominating the landscape. In the 1980s, the tanks were removed and the area was landscaped for public access. Some of the nearby attractions include the ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center (http://www.echovermont.org/), Lake Champlain Maritime Museum (http://www.lcmm.org/index.htm), Lake Champlain Sailing Center, Lake Champlain Navy Memorial (http://www.lonesailor.org/statues_vermont.php), Church Street Market Place (http://www.churchstmarketplace.com/), the Lake Champlain Transportation Company’s ferry to Port Kent, NY, and Battery Park (http://www.enjoyburlington.com/Parks/BatteryPark.cfm).
For more details, visit: http://www.enjoyburlington.com/waterfront.cfm
Lake Champlain Underwater Historic Preserve System
Lake Champlain’s history can be told by the many shipwrecks on the lake bottom. Eight of these shipwrecks are part of an underwater preserve system. Dive sites near the Byway include the canal schooners O.J. Walker and the General Butler; the Burlington Bay Horse Ferry, the world’s only known surviving horse-powered ferry; and the coal barge A.R. Noyes.
Non-divers can visit the shipwrecks in a new and exciting way: the Shipwrecks! program. Using a remotely controlled robot (ROV), the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum (LCMM) gives boat tours of underwater sites in Burlington Harbor. Offered seasonally. Contact LCMM for more details: 802-475-2022
For information about the Lake Champlain Underwater Historic Preserve System website: http://www.lcmm.org/shipwrecks_history/uhp/uhp.htm
Canals
The Chambly Canal, running from Saint-Jean-sur- Richelieu to Chambly, allows boats to bypass the rapids of the Richelieu River. For lock information call (450) 658-6525, or go to http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/qc/chambly/visit/visit2_E.asp
The Champlain Canal links Lake Champlain at Whitehall, New York with the Hudson River at Waterford. For information call (518) 747-4613, or go to http://www.canals.state.ny.us/.
Ferries Along the Byway
Lake Champlain Transportation Company:
• Grand Isle, Vermont to Plattsburgh, New York Crossing time 12 minutes; year-round.
• Burlington, Vermont to Port Kent, New York Crossing time one hour; seasonal.
• Charlotte, Vermont to Essex, New York Crossing time 20 minutes; seasonal.For schedules and fees contact the Lake Champlain Transportation Company, (802) 864-9804 or go to http://www.ferries.com.
State Park Ferries:
The Vermont Department of Forest, Parks and Recreation runs a ferry to Burton, Woods, and Knight Islands state parks from Kamp Kill Kare State Park in St. Albans. Contact Vermont Department of Forest, Parks and Recreation at (802) 241-3655 or go to http://www.vtstateparks.com for more information.
Island Line Bike Ferry
Cyclists riding from Burlington to the Lake Champlain Islands and to points north can take the Island Line Bike Ferry (http://www.localmotionvt.org/islandline/ferry.htm), which crosses a 200-foot open water gap in the Colchester/South Hero Causeway.
Rentals and Excursions
Tour operators offer excursions and special-interest cruises; a variety of crafts are available for rental or charter from outfitters and marinas. See the Burlington Area Yellow Pages.
Some of Vermont’s state parks have boats available for rental. Contact them at (802) 241-3655, or go to http://www.vtstateparks.com.
Water Trails
Lake Champlain Paddlers Trail
The Lake Champlain Paddlers’ Trail (LCPT) is a formal designation of nearly 18 public sites accessible by paddlers in New York and Vermont. The LCPT encourages safe and responsible boating, stewardship of the Lake’s resources, and active volunteer involvement. Several of the state parks described in this publication are designated Paddlers’ Trail sites. For more information and to purchase a copy of a guidebook, contact the Lake Champlain Committee at
(802) 658-1414 or go to www.lakechamplaincommittee.org/lake/paddlers.html.
Interpretive Water Trails
Paddlers using the Explore Shelburne Bay: An Interpretive Water Trail guide can learn about the natural and cultural treasures of the lake’s most diverse bay. The unique geologic features, including the Champlain Thrust Fault and magma dikes draw scientists and students alike. When its clear, you can even see a steamboat shipwreck from your boat! Check out the guide online: http://www.lcbp.org/PDFs/ShelburneBayBrochure.pdf, or call the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission at 802-846-4490 ext. 29 for a copy.
Northern Forest Canoe Trail
The 740-mile Northern Forest Canoe Trail (http://www.northernforestcanoetrail.org/) enters Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, New York and crosses over to Grand Isle, Vermont. The trail travels north along the Lake Champlain Islands to the mouth of the Missisquoi River where it heads east.
Boating to State Parks
State Parks in Vermont give boaters special opportunities to enjoy, the Lake’s distinctive natural and scenic attractions. Parks can be accessed by a variety of watercraft. Some parks have moorings or ramps for docking; in others, boaters can land on a sandy beach or rocky ledge. Facilities vary and range from primitive to developed areas that offer picnic sites, campgrounds, hiking trails, and nature centers.
Vermont State Parks and Campgrounds Along the Byway
Vermont State Parks along the byway are generally open mid-May through mid-October. Contact specific parks for specific dates. To make reservations, call the individual parks directly. To make reservations prior to opening call 1-800-VERMONT or (802) 241-3655. The Vermont State Parks web site address is: www.vtstateparks.com.
Alburg Dunes State Park, Alburg. Sand dunes create one of the longest beaches on Lake Champlain at this park. Call: (802) 796-4170.
Knight Island State Park, once an island farm, the island offers scenic vistas across the Lake to the Green and Adirondack mountains. Boat access only. Call Burton Island State Park at (802) 524-6353.
Knight Point, North Hero, features expansive lawns on the lakeshore and a reconstruction of Knight Tavern, built in 1790. (802) 372-8389.
Woods Island State Park, St. Albans, is a quiet spot to study the natural habitat or walk along the unique gravel and shale shoreline. (802) 524-6353.
Burton Island State Park, St. Albans, highlights the remains of an early 20th century farm and other reminders of the agricultural past. Access is by boat or ferry from Kamp Kill Kare. (802) 524-6353.
Kamp Kill Kare State Park, St. Albans, is a late 19thcentury railroad resort hotel that now houses historic displays. A small ferry links this mainland park to Burton, Woods and Knight Island state parks. Wonderful views of the Lake and Adirondack Mountains are a major attraction.
(802) 524-6021.
North Hero State Park, North Hero, is a large, peaceful park with trails through varied wildlife habitats, where farmland is slowly returning to forest. (802) 372-8727.
Sand Bar State Park, Milton, in the marshland of the Lamoille River delta, is an expansive shallow warm beach which makes it a favorite of wind surfers and paddlers. More than 150 nesting boxes scatter this area as part of an extensive wood duck nesting program underway since 1948. There are many species of waterfowl and marsh birds and other viewable wildlife. (802) 893-2825.
Grand Isle State Park, Grand Isle, has an original summer resort building still used for park activities including interpretive programs. As the second largest campground in the state park system, the park offers sweeping views of the Green Mountains. Boat access is limited to registered campers only. (802) 372-4300.
By Foot
GRAND ISLE COUNTY
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CHITTENDEN COUNTY
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MIDDLEBURY & VERGENNES
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Photo: "Heritage Kayak Tours," used by permission.
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