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Emerald Lake
Overview
Emerald Lake State Park offers a quintessentially Vermont experience centered around its 20-acre spring-fed lake. Known for its **distinct green hue**, the lake provides a peaceful focal point for a park that prioritizes **natural preservation** and quiet recreation. Visitors are greeted by a dense canopy of trees and a landscape that feels secluded despite its easy accessibility from the main highway. This destination serves as a lush sanctuary where the pace of life slows down significantly, allowing travelers to reconnect with the environment through simple pleasures like morning paddles or quiet forest walks.
Location & Surroundings
Situated in East Dorset, the park is nestled in the narrow valley between the **Green Mountains** and the Taconic Range. This unique geography provides dramatic ridgeline views and a sheltered, cozy feel. The surrounding area is characterized by rolling hills, historic marble quarries, and charming New England villages. Just a short drive away, the town of **Manchester** offers a blend of upscale shopping and historic architecture, making the park an ideal base for exploring both the rugged wilderness and the refined culture of Southern Vermont.
Amenities & Park Features
The park provides a rustic camping experience with **wooded campsites** that accommodate small to mid-sized RVs. While utility hookups are not available, the facilities are well-maintained to support a comfortable stay. Park features include:
- Clean restrooms with **hot showers** and a convenient dumping station.
- A sandy swimming beach with a seasonal snack bar for treats.
- **Non-motorized boat rentals** including canoes and kayaks for exploring the water.
Several miles of hiking trails wind through the property, offering diverse terrain for all skill levels and plenty of opportunities to spot local wildlife.
Nearby Attractions & Things to Do
Adventure seekers will appreciate the proximity to the **Long Trail and Appalachian Trail**, which offer world-class hiking opportunities. For a more leisurely outing, the Manchester Designer Outlets provide premium shopping, while the Southern Vermont Arts Center showcases regional creativity. History buffs can visit **Hildene**, the Lincoln Family Home, or explore the nearby Dorset Marble Quarry, which is a popular local swimming hole. The region is also famous for its fly-fishing heritage on the Battenkill River, providing endless outdoor pursuits within a twenty-minute radius of your campsite.
Who This Park Is Best For
This park is ideal for RVers who prefer a **primitive camping style** and value privacy over resort-style amenities. It is a fantastic choice for families looking for a safe, **water-centric environment** where children can swim and play in calm waters. Nature photographers and birdwatchers will find the varied ecosystems highly rewarding. If you enjoy falling asleep to the sounds of the forest and waking up to a misty lake view, this park fits your travel style. It is best suited for those in smaller rigs or camper vans who are comfortable without electrical connections.
Amenities
- Recreational Facilities
- Policies
- Other Amenities & Services
- Facility
- On-Site Rentals
- Sites
User Reviews
sean lemkey
Overall great campground: Clean facilities, great location and beautiful scenery, but lots of ambient noise and sites don’t have a lot of privacy. We camped here during the early foliage peak and it was gorgeous! Our site (Sumac) had a lean to and was rated a “prime site.” It did have a fantastic view, but ended up being quite noisy as the road (route 7) is only about 100 yards away through the trees and down the hill. There’s also a train track, which we were reminded of at least twice during the weekend. My other complaint is that the sites really aren’t very private - you can see directly into your neighbors’ sites at almost all of the sites I walked by (including ours). Otherwise, the campground is very clean and well managed. There’s life and firewood available for purchase and very nice / eco friendly trash facilities. Nearby there’s great access to hiking, orchards and restaurants/ diners, and the lake is also very pretty and made for a nice place to cool off after our hike! Overall would recommend, but do your research when picking a site.
Ben Reyes
Great Lake with clear waters and incredibly fast / great cell service from the beach / lake. Some campsites get spotty reception. So if you’re looking for a place to be in nature but also get a little bit of work done, this is one of the best locations to do this in! On Verizon speed test I was getting 915 down and 64 mbps up! T-Mobile also has equally good service.
Danielle
Absolutely stunning lake that I wish we had more time at. Stumbled upon Emerald Lake on our way back home to Rhode Island and we were disappointed we hadn't found it earlier during our weekend getaway. It's $5/person (adult) for entry, and no dogs allowed (in the "day use" areas, which includes the beach.) Decent amount of parking for beach area with a short, pretty walk. Several walking trails, which we didn't have time to check out but no doubt they were enjoyable. Amenities include paddle boat & kayak rental, several picnic tables, and a sparkling clean restroom. The lake itself is fairly shallow, with beautifully clean, warm water and no typical lake "ickies" at the bottom. The Green Mountains serve as a gorgeous backdrop to the sparkling water. Can't wait to go back and spend lots of time!
Shaun Epstein
We had an amazing visit. The views of the lake from the trail were absolutely stunning and made the hike so worth it. We took the Lake Trail starting from the parking lot, which was beautiful and peaceful. One word of caution: the trail shows as ending on the map, and it’s tempting to make a left turn to continue around the lake and follow the railroad tracks back. While you can walk along the tracks and eventually make it back, it is an active railroad and not really a safe or official route. We tried it and it was a bit scary at times. I’d strongly recommend turning back and returning the way you came rather than attempting to loop around. Overall, a gorgeous park and a wonderful spot to hike, just keep that trail ending in mind!
Kathryn Carter
Fantastic camping experience, extremely family friendly. Accessible sites, bathrooms, beach access, and saw all bodies of different abilities use the park! So many sweet dogs, not allowed on beach but other areas, and several hiking trails available. The best part is the clear, shallow water that makes you feel safe enough to walk out to the island. Perfect for paddle boarding and kayaking! Fishing was popular, snack bar takes Apple Pay, plenty of parking. Can’t recommend enough, we will be back for our third girls trip next year!🛶🌲🏕️🎣