Im planning a trip to Vermont and need help

My girlfriend and I are planning a trip to Vermont this summer 2005 for two weeks. We will mostly be day hiking and camping in campgrounds. I was wondering if anyone recomended any campgrounds that are quiet and beautiful. Also if anyone has any day hikes that we shouldnt miss or any personnel favorites, i am very open to suggesstions. thankyou all your info will be greatly valued!

THanks, Donny

If you want water views, DAR campgound south of Burlington is perched on the edge of Lake Champlain. You'd need to drive east to the Greens for hikes. Half Moon Pond down near Rutland is "quiet" in the sense that no motor boats are allowed on that pond. You can get to some nice hiking in the Taconics (Lake George area, NY state) easily from there. Underhill State Park on the west side of Mansfield (no water views) gives you very fast access (right from your campsite) to lots of dayhikes to Mansfield. There are leantos at all these locations but you will need to book early to get good sites. Contact VT state parks. I've also stayed at the VT state park on the east side of Mansfield (Stowe?), which I really liked. Again no water views. Reserve early especially if you're going at peak times. The quietness of any campgound is largely determined by when in the season you go. Try to find ones that don't accomodate RVs if you want quiet. Camel's Hump is my favorite hike. It's one of VT's few areas above treeline. You could access it readily from either Stowe or Underhill. There are good Green Mountain Club hiking guides (both to Long Trail and day hikes associated with the Long Trail, which runs the entire length of the Green Mtn spine). Check the Green Mountain Club website. Make sure to take the car ferry across Champlain and back at some point. And don't miss dinner in Burlington.

Like Waumbek said, Half Moon is very nice w/ nice water (the good sites are right on the pond). Good hikes west and east of there and a nice walk right off the campground itself to Lake Bomaseen (spelling), about a 7-8 mile out and back. My family stayed there this summer for a couple nights. Another idea is Calvin Coolidge State Park (might be called Plymouth State Park). They have some nice sites overlooking a valley and up toward the Green Mountains. No water views. From there very easy drive to Killington/Pico areas or on Rt 103, access to a Long-Trail trailhead. One more is, I think, called Gifford Woods State Park. Its just east of Killington and the AT runs right through. There's also a pretty good park near Warren VT (name forgotten at the moment). I think a river runs near the campground and you'd have pretty easy access to all things Stowe/Camel's Hump/Mad River.

A good book for you. "The Best in Tent Camping, New England". Forget the author's name. Lots of great ideas for various, non-RV campling.

thanks

thanks for the info it will help with my trip planning it was very greatly appreciated

thanks, donny

two different places, but both are nice

Bushwacked said:

. Another idea is Calvin Coolidge State Park (might be called Plymouth State Park). They have some nice sites overlooking a valley and up toward the Green Mountains. No water views. From there very easy drive to Killington/Pico areas or on Rt 103, access to a Long-Trail trailhead. One more is, I think, called Gifford Woods State Park. Its just east of Killington and the AT runs right through.

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Those are two different state parks a few miles apart. Calvin Coolidge is on Rt 100A north from Plymouth beyond the homestead site. Plymouth State Park is on Echo Lake near Rt 100. It used to be the Boy Scout camp. Both places are nice, but I think Echo Lake might be less quiet in the summer.

If you go there, another good trail to try is the Healdville trail which runs up the "back side" of Okemo. It's about 3 miles long, not terribly difficult and seems to be virtually unknown. I lived in that general area most of my life and only heard about it and climbed about 3 years ago.