Button Bay State Park provides RV and tent camping options near Lake Champlain, with sites spread across sunny meadows and wooded areas. Located 7 miles from Vergennes, Vermont, the park features spacious, grassy campsites with fire pits and picnic tables at each location. The campground operates from Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day weekend, with varying levels of privacy among sites depending on tree coverage and location within the park.
What to do
Swimming options: The park has a swimming pool with lifeguards on duty. According to one camper, "This state park is so fun to camp at! It has a great playground for kids and a nice swimming pool! You can hike on the trail and Lake Champlain is right there!"
Water recreation: Lake Placid/Whiteface Mountain KOA Holiday offers various water activities. "We had a great holiday weekend in this campground of Adirondack. It's nice to close to the river, also you can rent boats from the registration," notes a visitor.
Hiking trails: Mount Philo State Park Campground provides multiple hiking options with rewarding views. A camper shared, "Great little park, apparently this is the first state park in Vermont. Only 8 campsites so try to book early. Nice trails that lead to scenic views of Lake Champlain."
Cycling opportunities: The area offers excellent biking routes. One visitor to Button Bay noted it's a "Nice, clean, friendly park. Not a lot of trees for privacy, or for that wilderness feel, but the sites are spacious and the park has swimming pool with life guard. Nice park for cycling the Lake Champlain Byway."
What campers like
Waterfront access: North Beach Campground provides direct access to Lake Champlain. "Burlington is my favorite city by far, and this campground is right on the beach! You get the best of both worlds at this location. Biking into Burlington takes 5-10 minutes and you're also right on the beach of Lake Champlain," a visitor reports.
Private wooded sites: Smugglers Notch State Park Campground offers more secluded camping. "This campground is great. Nice and quiet. Campsites are well spaced. Some of the campsites on the outside ring you need to walk into (a very short distance), but it makes it feel very secluded and less like car camping," explains a regular visitor.
Year-round options: For glamping near Vergennes, Vermont beyond the summer season, Shelburne Camping Area provides extended availability. "Love that it's open year round!" notes one camper, providing options for luxury camping experiences throughout the seasons.
Sunrise and sunset views: Button Bay offers spectacular sky views. One visitor shared, "Wonderful state park, the waterfront sites are fantastic, they are wide so smaller units can be parked parallel to the lake. Easy access to the lake. Book early for the best sites."
What you should know
Reservation timing: Many campgrounds fill quickly during peak season. At Mount Philo, a visitor advises, "Only 8 campsites, dispersed in the trees. $23/night. Picnic table and fire pit. Moderate cell service. Nice hikes and cool views of the area!"
Site selection considerations: Choose sites based on privacy needs. At Button Bay, "Great campground. Everything from sunny meadow sites to more wooded private sites. Nice pool. No hookups but have a dump station."
Shower facilities: Most state parks have coin-operated showers. "Bathrooms and shower rooms are individual rooms, but the doors are not labeled so it's a game of 'what's behind door number 1?' The bathrooms were clean and had soap, paper towels, a garbage receptacle, and a mirror in each."
Weather preparedness: Vermont's climate can change quickly. "Sites 1, 6 and 8 and the best if you're only camping with those at your site as they're the most secluded and private. Sites 2 and 3 are more open, to both each other, and to those en route to the bathrooms."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Little River State Park Campground offers family-friendly amenities. "We visited here with our 5 kiddos for 2 nights late July 2016. The facilities were clean, the small playground was great, and the small boat launch and beach kept us in the water."
Family-friendly sites: Look for campsites away from main roads. "This is a good campground for families that are not too rowdy. There is a pool for swimming, paved roads are good for bikes & scooters, pavilion for activities, lake for swimming & fishing and hiking trails."
Educational opportunities: Explore history with children through park programs. "The hiking trails are really good--the actually pretty steep. There are lots of old foundations hidden on the trails that are fun to discover."
Beach activities: Schedule beach time for family bonding. "We tend to hang at the site more than the beaches as the beaches are very small and full of children. This is a great park to just relax."
Tips from RVers
Hookup options: RV sites vary significantly between parks. At Smugglers Notch, "good flat sites. a little small but comfortable. rangers are very helpful. wood is a little hard to gather, but rangers have plenty for sale."
Road conditions: Some campground roads present challenges. "The road through the campground is dirt and rutted but the speed limit is 5 mph, so it wasn't that bad, but it would be a mess if it was raining."
Site leveling: Bring leveling equipment for certain campgrounds. "We reserved a full hook up 50a pull through for 3 nights as we toured the northeast. Check in was a little tricky, as we missed the 'REGISTRATION' sign at the Lodge and had to drive around again."
Satellite and cell service: Connectivity varies by location. "Working was a breeze. The campgrounds wifi worked really well and we were finally able to do some website work. We had no issues with our 9-5 jobs. Connecting and taking calls on Verizon and AT&T worked well."
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