The Most Beautiful Islands In Vermont

Vermont is a landlocked state in the northeastern United States. Despite lacking a coastline, it straddles Lake Champlain, which contains roughly 80 islands. Many of them are claimed by Vermont. They range from a multi-mile mass with thousands of residents to a water-bound state park spanning hundreds of acres to a private paradise with a historic lighthouse to a legendary rock that protrudes just a few feet above the lake. Though vastly different, all are beautiful in their own ways. Here are six of the prettiest islands in The Green Mountain State.

South Hero Island

With a land area of approximately 30 square miles, South Hero is the largest island in Lake Champlain. Appropriately, it is also known as Grand Isle and hosts a town called Grand Isle, which is the most populous island community in Grand Isle County. Over 2,000 people live in town and have access to such spectacular sites as The Island Hub, Ellison Estate Vineyard, Hyde Log Cabin & Schoolhouse, and Grand Isle State Park, the last of which encompasses 226 acres and 4,150 feet of shoreline.

But that is not the only sizeable, scenic settlement on Grand Isle. South Hero is a town with around 1,700 residents and attractions like the Blue Paddle Bistro and the Allenholm Farm. Although it does not have a state park, South Hero has a massive RV park called Apple Island Resort. Yes, you can drive (and walk and peddle) to South Hero Island, but we will expand on that later.

North Hero Island

Another heroic Vermont island, North Hero, sits north of South Hero and is comprised of a town called North Hero. The island/town has a land area of over 13 square miles and a population of just under 1,000. Residents and tourists look across lovely Lake Champlain while dining at the Bravo Zulu Lakeside Bar and shopping at Hero's Welcome. Those wanting a little more adventure head to one or both of North Hero's state parks. North Hero State Park covers roughly 400 acres at the northern tip of the island, while Knight Point State Park covers 54 acres at the southern point of the island. Visitors to the parks can hike, swim, boat, fish, picnic, and watch wildlife. Deer, turtles, and migratory waterfowl can all be seen on North Hero.

Isle La Motte

Isle La Motte is the third-largest in the chain of Grand Isle County islands. Spanning about 8 square miles of land, it is located west of both North Hero Island and the Alburgh Tongue peninsula, which extends from Canada. Like North Hero, Isle La Motte shares its name with its only town, which has around 500 residents and commercial attractions such as the Isle La Motte Country Store, Isle La Motte Vineyard, and Ruthcliffe Lodge. It also has an array of historical and natural attractions, including the Chazy Fossil Reef, which, at roughly 450 million years old, is the world's oldest known diverse fossil reef.

You can reach all of those sites by vehicle, bike, and/or feet, and then continue using your preferred mode of transport to get onto North Hero Island and then all the way to the southern tip of South Hero Island. Roads and bike paths, like Vermont Route 2 and the Champlain Bikeway, rise above Lake Champlain and connect all three of Grand Isle County's grand islands and its peninsula with mainland Vermont. There is even a bike ferry that takes cyclists and their gear across a pesky 200-foot stretch of water between South Hero Island and landlocked Colchester.

Burton Island

Now, we transition from extremely accessible and populated isles to those that have no permanent residents and can be accessed only by boat (or a significant swim). Behold Burton Island. It is the largest of three Vermont islands that are entirely state parks. All 253 of its acres are managed as Burton Island State Park and feature breathtaking scenery coupled with breath-conserving amenities. These include campsites, cabins, hiking trails, bike rentals, a marina, a museum, a disc golf course, and even a restaurant/store called the Burton Island Bistro. Most notably, Burton is the only one of Vermont's "state park islands" serviced by a ferry. It takes foot passengers to and from St. Albans on the mainland. If you have your own boat, you can explore Burton Island State Park, Knight Island State Park, and Woods Island State Park during a wonderful weekend.

Juniper Island

Even if you have your own vessel, you cannot visit Juniper Island unless you get permission from its owner. This 13-acre Lake Champlain oasis has been private since 1956 when it was bought from the federal government for a reported $7,000. Before its era of private ownership, Juniper Island served the Juniper Island Light, which was built circa 1846 but ceased operations in 1954. The 30-foot relic is said to be America's oldest surviving cast iron lighthouse. An automated light tower and the restored keeper's quarters stand near it.

Although you cannot land on Juniper, you can certainly sail around it. Tours are offered along the island's outskirts, where you can hopefully glimpse the historic lighthouse and keeper's quarters through thick trees. If you would rather have a closer look, try to get on the guest list for a notoriously epic Fourth of July party.

Rock Dunder

You might have to squint to see this pebbly protrusion. Situated between Juniper Island and Shelburne Point, Rock Dunder is so small that it is often mistaken for a boat. In reality, Rock Dunder is a genuine island that sticks just a few feet out of the water and is considered the smallest isle in Lake Champlain. But its size is disproportionate to its legend. Certain Abenaki people believe it to be the resting form of Oodzee-hozo, a godlike being who created much of the Vermont landscape and then transformed into Rock Dunder to admire his work. Huron and Iroquois supposedly met at the island to make their treaties. And, returning to the case of mistaken identity, Rock Dunder was apparently named during the Revolutionary War when the British fired on the island, thinking it an American ship. "It's a rock, by Dunder!" the captain allegedly exclaimed after realizing his error. Whether any of that is true, Rock Dunder is a pretty legendary photo op. Just do not slip, by Dunder.

Vermont, though the only landlocked state in New England, has a massive lake full of ravishing islands. Take a trip to Lake Champlain and bike the causeway of South Hero Island, hike the state parks of North Hero Island, tour the vineyards of Isle La Motte, ferry around Burton Island, glimpse the lighthouse of Juniper Island, and spot sacred Rock Dunder. That is a range of island beauty unprecedented in a landlocked northeastern state.