Pets allowed
Not Allowed
Guided tours
No
Backcountry camping
No
Lodging
No
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

Lake Shaftsbury State Park is a small park in Southern Vermont. It is well-loved by locals as a picnic and swimming spot, especially for families with kids. There is no lifeguard on duty, but there is a roped-off swimming area, a sandy beach, and picnic tables with grills. Visitors can rent canoes, kayaks, and paddleboats for touring the lake. 

There is a nature trail around the perimeter of the lake, part of which travels through a lovely wetland that is full of birds in the morning hours. The trail then climbs a ridge on the western shore, offering great views of the lake and the swimming area. Lake Shaftsbury is stocked each spring with rainbow and brown trout, and anglers frequent the shores until about June. 

Birds that frequent the area include bald eagles, osprey, blue and green herons, mergansers, Canada geese, mallards, black ducks, and wood ducks, redwing blackbirds, and lots of warblers and other songbirds. 

The park is officially open between Memorial Day and Labor Day, but visitors are welcome to park outside the gate in the off season to hike the trail. Dogs aren't permitted when the park is officially open.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

Moderate

Parking Pass

State Park Fee

Pros

Great birdwatching in the spring. Quiet trail around the lake. Good fishing. Kayak and canoe rentals.

Cons

Can be busy on summer weekends. Shallow swimming area.

Features

ADA accessible
Flushing toilets
Potable water
Picnic tables
Covered picnic areas
Volleyball
Horseshoes
Bird watching
Wildlife

Location

Nearby Adventures

Nearby Lodging + Camping

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