Best Tent Camping near North Hero, VT
Lake Champlain's islands near North Hero, Vermont offer several tent camping opportunities that require boat access or hiking to reach. Burton Island State Park, Knight Island State Park, and Woods Island State Park provide remote tent camping experiences in Lake Champlain's "inland sea." These island campgrounds feature primitive tent sites that can only be accessed by private boat, canoe, kayak, or in Burton Island's case, a passenger ferry from St. Albans.
Most tent sites on these islands provide minimal amenities with basic composting toilets and no potable water sources. Burton Island offers more services than the other islands, including showers, drinking water, and a small store with food options. Knight Island and Woods Island are true remote camping experiences with only primitive facilities. A visitor commented that Knight Island "doesn't host a ton of amenities other than outdoor toilets, but it doesn't need to because every remote campsite is waterside." Campers must pack in all necessary supplies and be prepared for self-sufficient camping, especially on the more remote islands.
Tent camping on these islands provides exceptional privacy and natural beauty. Sites are typically situated along shorelines with views of Lake Champlain and surrounding mountains. Island camping allows tent campers to experience unique isolation while having direct water access for swimming, fishing, and paddling. Many sites include fire rings where fires are permitted in designated areas only. The camping season for most island parks runs from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. One review noted that "Knight Island is a summer camping oasis but you can obtain a permit from the Vermont State Parks to winter camp." Inland options include Indian Brook Reservoir, which features tent platforms accessible by foot or boat, and Black Creek Maple's Nature Escape with more basic tent sites that include access to drinking water and outhouses.
