Welcome to Green River Reservoir State Park. Green River Reservoir became a state park in March 1999 when 5,503 acres were purchased from the Morrisville Water and Light Department. This is not your typical Vermont State Park – Green River Reservoir provides camping and paddling experiences in a remote setting. All campsites can only be reached by paddling to them - some are a 1 to 2-mile paddle from the launch site.

The park will remain in its wild and undeveloped condition, with low-impact, compatible recreational use allowed on and around the Reservoir. Management activities will be only those necessary to maintain the property’s character, protect the environment and critical resources, demonstrate sustainable forest and wildlife management, control excessive recreational use, and ensure high-quality outdoor experiences for visitors.

The 653-acre Reservoir includes about 19 miles of shoreline, one of the longest stretches of undeveloped shorelines in Vermont. Access to the park is in the southern part of the Reservoir off of Green River Dam Road. The Reservoir is designated as a “quiet” lake under Vermont “Use of Public Waters Rules.” Boats powered by electric motors up to 5 mph and human-powered watercraft (canoes, kayaks, etc.) are allowed.

There are 27 remote campsites at various locations around the Reservoir. Camping is allowed only at designated campsites and can only be reached by boat. Each remote site has a maximum site occupancy based on the characteristics of the site. There are two designated group campsites that can accommodate up to 12 people each. Some campsites are closed each season and rehabilitated due to overuse through the years. There is also an ADA accessible boardwalk that leads from the parking area to an accessible boat launch. The best way to protect all sites is by using a portable stove instead of a campfire for cooking. Please carry out what you carry in and leave no trace of your visit.

Day use is allowed on the reservoir in limited numbers. Please do not use campsites for day use activities. There are designated day use sites where fires are permitted. Please build fires only at these sites and in the provided fire rings. Respect the areas of the shoreline that are closed to use for re-vegetation of the sites.

Group Use: In order to provide a primitive camping/paddling experience, only two groups of 8 to 12 (maximum) people are allowed for either camping or day use at one time. Group permits are required for day and camping uses during the season. A license or special use permit may be needed for group activities during the off-season. Please contact the park directly to reserve group sites.

Parking: Parking is extremely limited and is available on a first come, first serve basis. Once the parking areas are full, visitors will not be allowed to enter the park.

Green River Reservoir State Park Campground

We try and make our way north to Green River Reservoir every summer. It’s a primitive park, perfect for paddling, wild camping, swimming, and watching wildlife. The reservoir is 653 acres with 19 miles of shoreline. There are 27 campsites and two group camspites. Most sites are within a mile of the boat launch, a few require closer to a 2-mile paddle. Each campsite includes a fire pit and access to an outhouse. Usually the outhouse is shared between 2 to 3 campsites, but there is plenty of space between each site. A few sites have makeshift tables or benches, but often we use our flipped canoe for food prep.

We have camped is several different sites - most recently, #12\. This was definitely not our favorite. It was difficult to find a flat tent spot, and the site seemed very overused. Our favorite spots are # 13, 24, and 30, and the earlier in the year you reserve, the more choices you will have. Be sure to paddle out to the Beaver Meadow - we have seen moose there several times.

Despite the fact that Green River Reservoir is only open to paddlers for primitive camping and limited day-use activities, it can still get pretty busy on the weekends. Definitely recommend trying to reserve for a weekday, or in the off season. Did I mention that the swimming and fishing are awesome here too?

Wild Camping and Good Wildlife Viewing

I love this location because you have to paddle out to a site for camping. It‘s private, quiet, and really gives you that “forest bathing” escape. There is a lot of beautiful wildlife, and they do an amazing job at preserving the sites. If you want a campsite to really get away and enjoy beautiful surroundings, this is it. I hope to get back here sometime soon!  

wild and free camping

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