Round Pond State Park
Round Pond State Park’s rich natural beauty can be enjoyed throughout the
year. Public access is allowed on the property and provides a fantastic resource for low-impact recreation, education, and hunting. A public walking and horseback riding trail leads from East Shore Road, through the woods and fields of the State Park, to the wetland and lakeshore.
Hours: Dawn to Dusk
Map:
No Facilities: While the trail and park are open to the public, there are no facilities at Round Pond State Park.
Directions to the Trailhead: The Round Pond Trailhead is on East Shore Road in South Hero.
From the South: Drive north on Route 2 across the causeway to South Hero. Less than one mile from the beginning of the island, turn left on Landon Road. Drive approximately one mile, and turn left on East Shore Road. Drive down a hill. At the bottom of the hill look for an orange gate on the left side. This is the trail. There is space for a few cars to pull off on the left side of the road. Walk through the gate, and you will be on the trail.
From the North: Drive south on Route 2 out of the village of South Hero. About one mile south of the village, turn right on Landon Road. Drive approximately one mile, and turn left on East Shore Road. Drive down a hill. At the bottom of the hill look for an orange gate on the left side. This is the trail. There is space for a few cars to pull off on the left side of the road. Walk through the gate, and you will be on the trail.
More About Round Pond State Park: Round Pond State Park’s diverse mix of natural communities provides critical wildlife habitat for numerous
animals, including deer, mink, wild turkey, and a variety of amphibians. Several rare natural communities exist on the property- Lake Shale Beach, Lakeshore Grassland, and Lakeside Floodplain Forest are examples of community types that are found in few places in Vermont. The Round Pond Wetland is considered one of the most important wetland complexes on Lake Champlain. Beaver, nesting marshland birds, migrating neo-tropical songbirds, and an uncommon stand of native Phragmites all play a role in the wetland’s diverse and ever-changing ecosystem.