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Lake Champlain Land Trust

The Lake Champlain Land Trust is a member-supported land conservation organization. Since 1978, we have protected the lakeshore, islands, wetlands, water quality and natural areas of Lake Champlain.

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  • ABOUT US
    • Our Mission
    • Where We Work
    • About The Lake
    • Accreditation
    • Staff
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  • WHAT WE DO
    • Protecting Land for Public Use
    • Combatting Climate Change
    • Conserving Key Habitats
    • Conserving Wildlife Corridors
    • Partnering with Communities
    • Stewarding the Land
    • Improving Water Quality
    • Connecting Kids and Adults to the Land
  • PROTECT YOUR LAND
    • Conservation Options
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  • HIKE & PADDLE
    • Places to Hike and Paddle
    • A Paddler’s Journal
  • WAYS TO GIVE
    • Support Our Work
    • Make a Monthly Donation
    • Honorarium and Memorial Gifts
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Places to Hike and Paddle

We’ve helped communities conserve family-friendly hiking trails across the Champlain Valley. Almost all of our public lands are open year-round without a fee.

Short Hikes

  • Alburgh Lakeshore Park (Alburgh)
  • Derway Cove (Burlington)
  • Fisk Quarry Fossil Preserve (Isle La Motte)
  • Goodsell Fossil Preserve (Isle La Motte)
  • Landon Community Trail (South Hero)
  • Mayes Landing (Burlington)
  • Mill River Falls (Georgia)
  • Niquette Bay State Park (Colchester)*
  • Porter Natural Area (Colchester)
  • Rock Point Natural Area (Burlington)**
  • Rossetti Beach Natural Area (Colchester)
  • Round Pond (South Hero)
  • Tracy Woods Community Trail (South Hero)

Medium Hikes

  • Butternut Hill (North Hero)
  • Eagle Mountain (Milton)
  • Shelburne Farms (Shelburne)*
  • Upper La Platte River (Shelburne)

Long Hikes

  • Bald Mountain Preserve (West Haven)
  • Eagle Mountain Wilderness Preserve (Chesterfield, NY)
  • Split Rock Mountain (Essex & Westport, NY)

* Niquette Bay State Park & Shelburne Farms both require an admission fee during the warm months.
** Rock Point is owned by the Episcopal Church in Vermont. Please respect all property rules and trail closures.

Are you looking for hiking in Vermont and New York? You’ve come to the right place. Our natural areas feature some of the best Lake Champlain hikes. Got a question about one of our hiking trails? Email us at: . Happy trails!

(Before you get outside, be sure to sign up for our Lake Champlain Land Trust E-newsletter!)

Paddle

We’ve conserved over 25 miles of shoreline, providing great access spots and beautiful paddling destinations. Click below for guides and directions.

Short Paddle Trips

  • Rock Island (Panton)

Long Paddle Trips

  • Knight Island State Park (N. Hero)**
  • Law Island State Park (Colchester)
  • Woods Island State Park (St. Albans)

** Knight Island State Park requires reservations and an overnight fee from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

A Paddler’s Journal

The Lake Champlain Land Trust is proud to have long hosted “A Paddler’s Journal” exclusively on our website. Cathy Frank and Margy Holden, long-time advocates and friends of Lake Champlain, wrote the premier kayaker’s guide for Lake Champlain. Their complete journey can be found in the recently revised “A Kayaker’s Guide to Lake Champlain. Exploring the New York, Vermont and Quebec Shores” (Black Dome Press, 2020).

In 2015, Cathy and Margy published another must-have book for those looking to explore the Lake — “A Paddler’s Guide to the Champlain Valley: Exploring the Rivers, Creeks, Wetlands and Ponds” (Black Dome Press, 2015).

Click here to view 10 entries of the Paddler’s Journal

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Lake Champlain Land Trust
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Lake Champlain Land Trust
One Main Street, Suite 205
Burlington, VT 05401

(802) 862-4150

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(802) 862-4150