The Best Hiking and Paddling in the Lake Champlain Region, including Burlington VT, the Lake Champlain Islands, and Essex County New York

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

Medium Hikes

Long Hikes

* 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 23 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 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

Places to Hike and Paddle