Vermont’s 55 state parks are noted for their incredible natural beauty.
Providing limitless opportunities to enjoy outdoor recreational activities like swimming, fishing, boating and camping, they showcase everything from comely green fields and picturesque forests, to shimmering lakes and spectacular mountain views.
If you live near the city of Rutland, plenty of these parks are located within close proximity to you. Which means you can visit them whenever you want!
So next time you feel like heading out and about in nature, why not visit any of these 5 state parks near Rutland?
Map of State Parks Near Rutland VT
Below is a map of the state parks in Vermont covered in this post:
List of State Parks Near Rutland
All five of the state parks near Rutland outlined below lie within about 23 miles of the city in a straight line, spread out in all directions.
Not only does this make them perfect places to visit on a day trip, should you want to stay for an extended length of time at any of them, they all have a range of overnight camping options available too.
1. Gifford Woods State Park
Location: 34 Gifford Woods Rd, Killington, VT 05751
Gifford Woods State Park lies about 10 miles northeast of Rutland in a straight line, roughly 13 miles by road.
Established in 1931, this 285 acre park features one of the few old-growth hardwood tree stands remaining in Vermont. With native wildflowers in the understory and beech, yellow birch, sugar maple, hemlock and white ash overhead, this area is an excellent place to walk and photograph. To protect it, the seven-acre Gifford Woods Natural Area has no trails or development.
The park sits at the base of Killington and Pico peaks, close to both the Appalachian Trail and the Long Trail, and the Kent Brook Trail is a 1.1 mile loop. Kent Pond, across the road from the park, offers fishing.
For overnight stays, the park has 22 tent and RV sites and 19 lean-to sites in two loops, plus 4 cabins and 4 sites reserved for Appalachian Trail hikers.
Each loop has a restroom with flush toilets, hot and cold running water and token-operated hot showers. While there are no hookups, there is a trailer sanitary station.
2. Bomoseen State Park
Location: 22 Cedar Mountain Rd, Castleton, VT 05743
Bomoseen State Park lies about 12 miles west of Rutland in a straight line. From Hydeville, the park’s directions run 4 miles north on West Shore Road, along the western shore of the lake.
Vermont State Parks puts the park at 3,576 acres in the Taconic Mountains, on the shores of Lake Bomoseen, the largest lake located entirely within Vermont. It opened to the public in 1960.
There is a sandy beach with a snack bar, and kayaks, canoes, pedal boats and row boats are available to rent. Trout, perch and bass are among the species in the lake, and a picnic pavilion can be rented for groups.
Old quarry holes and colorful slate rubble piles remain from the area’s slate industry, and the self-guided Slate History Trail passes several historic quarry sites. Another trail connects to Half Moon Pond State Park.
The campground has 55 tent and RV sites and 10 lean-to sites, with flush toilets, hot and cold running water, token-operated hot showers and an RV dump station.
3. Emerald Lake State Park
Location: 65 Emerald Lake Ln, East Dorset, VT 05253
Emerald Lake State Park lies about 23 miles south of Rutland in a straight line, and the park’s directions run 23.5 miles down Route 7.
Surrounding the stunning 20-acre lake that gives the park its name, this is an ideal spot for swimming, paddling, canoeing, kayaking and SUP. Anglers also enjoy the opportunity to fish for small mouth bass, yellow perch and northern pike.
Given its proximity to both the Appalachian Trail and the Long Trail, as well as Dorset Mountain, the park is also an excellent spot for hiking, as it showcases wonderful flora, fauna and views.
Located on a dense, wooded ridge, the campground here offers 66 campsites, as well as 37 lean-tos. Facilities and amenities include token-operated hot showers, flush toilets and a dump station.
There is also a small beach that has a snack bar, while lakeside picnic tables, a hillside picnic area and picnic pavilion that can seat up to 100 people are also available.
4. Coolidge State Park
Location: 855 Coolidge State Park Rd, Plymouth, VT 05056
Coolidge State Park lies about 14 miles east of Rutland in a straight line, roughly 27 miles by road.
Radiating a distinctly timeless feel, the park has changed little since it was first developed in the 1930s.
Set within the 21,500 acre Calvin Coolidge State Forest, the park is a noted spot for hiking. Several trails take you through forest habitat and past small mountain streams.
The park is also located near the charming village of Plymouth Notch, which is the birthplace of former president Calvin Coolidge, and is a lovely place to explore.
Said to afford some of the best views in Vermont, the hillside campground here offers wonderful scenic vistas of the mountains.
With 36 lean-to sites and 26 tent and RV sites available, the accommodation is provided in two loops. Overall there are 4 restrooms with flush toilets, two of them with token-operated hot showers. There is also a play area for kids too.
5. Camp Plymouth State Park
Location: 2008 Scout Camp Rd, Ludlow, VT 05149
Camp Plymouth’s history reaches back to 1759, when the Crown Point Military Road was built through the area. Gold followed in 1850, when a fisherman found it in Buffalo Brook, and gold panning in the brook is still part of a visit.
The park lies about 17 miles southeast of Rutland in a straight line, roughly 28 miles by road, on the east shore of Echo Lake. It has a sandy beach with a swimming area, a car-top boat launch, and boat and SUP rentals. Echo Lake holds trout, perch, pickerel, bass and bullhead.
The Vista Trail is a 1-mile round trip of moderate difficulty through a white pine forest. Picnic areas, rentable pavilions, horseshoe pits and volleyball nets fill the day-use area.
Overnight options are 6 group lean-tos and 4 rentable cottages.
