Quechee State Park Campground

Just finishing up a week in Quechee State Park campground and have to say the place is really really nice. The sites are nicely spaced and seem to accommodate big rigs rather well. We have seen all shapes and sizes come and go, as well as tent campers, and they offer lean to’s as well. The bathrooms are immaculate with coin (quarters)operated showers. There are plenty of fresh water spigots and a spacious dump site if needed. There is a “campers only” access trail to Quechee Gorge that we took advantage of, which then gave us access to the Dewey Pond trail. The town of Woodstock is a short drive west, and Killington Resort is a bit west of that. Killington offers summer mountain biking, zip lines, adventure climbs and roller coasters, as well as the K1 Gondola to the peak. Stores are within biking and walking distance of the campground entrance. Biggest Pro- Everyone respects the quietness. Biggest Con- It looks like the state has spread out RCA on the sites, which probably could have spread out better and made more level. Also tough to drive a stake into. No Electric or hookups. They also sell ice and firewood at the check in station. Recommend site 11 or the BIRCH lean to as the 2 most spacious and/or secluded sites, as the campground is not too far off route 4 and you may hear cars/trucks

You really can't go wrong with a Vermont State Park. They are meticulously maintained and the folx that work there are super helpful. There was an active bear around and park staff went around in their cart letting folx know it had chased some hikers earlier in the day. Additionally, the staff were always available and willing to help with ice, firewood and quarters for showers!

Speaking of which, there are two bath houses with coin operated showers. One of the bathhouses is new and the other is an older facility. Both are quite nice and you get 5 minutes for 50 cents. Bargain!

The Lean-tos are well kept and spaces are super shaded and well spaced from one another. There's plenty of room between most sites. There were only a handful of sites that I wouldn't want to camp at. There were also some cabins that looked like they were finishing up, so that will be a great option as well. 

The state park is conveniently located to a great little snack bar, perfect for ice cream on a hot day. There is a short hiking trail down to the Quechee Gorge and a few other small hike options from the picnic area.

This is a nice state park located near the Quechee Gorge, a lovely place to explore and play. Vermont State parks often offer lean-to options and Quechee is no exception. If you don't have a tent, you still have a dry structure; if you do have a smaller tent, you can even pitch it in the lean-to. It give you some security for those wet camping trips that inevitably hit at some point in the summer!

The sites are broken up into several smaller loops; sites are large and private. A few of them are Y sites that make a nice setting for families and friends camping together. Sites are back-in, generally level with lots of space to pitch a tent. No hookups, but a dump station is available. There's a large field that a few of the sites back up to. Bathrooms were clean, showers are coin-operated, so bring your quarters. Firewood available for sale. Groceries are available nearby.

Take time to walk down into the gorge and explore the river. It's a great place to cool off. You'll need to walk back toward the visitor's center (there's a trail that will take you over to the parking lot) for the descent. At the top, check out the visitors' center. Farther afield you can visit the Billings Farm and Museum, explore trails at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller NHP, enjoy scenic Woodstock. There's an annual balloon festival and even if the balloons don't fly due to weather, there's music and other entertainment. Lots of small shops and markets in the area. In Quechee, VINS has a canopy walk and raptors; check out their calendar for events. Traffic can be a beast during

Q!uechee State Park is in a beautiful part of the state. The main attraction in the park is the lovely Quechee Gorge, which is super beautiful, but also a bit of a tourist trap. Hundreds of visitors park their car at the Quechee Gorge visitor center to photograph the gorge from the bridge high above. There is a short trail from the visitor center to the bottom of the gorge, and on fall weekends it's super crowded. The park is close to good shopping, and also the Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park in Woodstock, which is an awesome destination for families.

Camping was fairly quiet, except for the noise from the road, which is very close to the park. I think the best part was waking up early to explore the gorge without the crowds. It really is beautiful, but that beauty can be hard to experience on a Saturday afternoon in the fall. Aside from the campground and the trail to the gorge, there's a nice field for kids to play in, and clean washrooms. The campsites are all wooded. Some are private, while others are a little crowded together. The park is dog-friendly, which we always appreciate.

We had met a Norwegian X-Country skier, named Marty at Backpacker Shop/Ohio Canoe in NE Ohio when buying some nordic skis. Marty regaled Quechee Gorge as the mecca of X-Country skiing in the east and painted flowery pictures making a trip there in the dead of winter. Marty soon moved there...and with that, an invitation to check it out.

Throwing caution to the wind, we embarked on a 10 hour car ride...skiis strapped to the roof, backpacks stuff with food, stoves, fuel, winter clothing, our North Face bags and VE-24. We were not faint of heart...we would camp and ski.

As fate would deal the final hand...we rolled through beautiful snow covered mountains...but upon arrival...the air was thick with a wet fog. And that dense fog turned into a drizzle for our entire trip.

As luck would have it...the Quechee Gorge State Park had lean-tos...within which we set up the tent. We pulled the picnic table inside the lean-tos so we could cook and have a "dry" place to sit. Winter camping offers a different perspective, unseen and unavailable during other seasons.

Ski wax selection was out the window because of the rain and "warmer" temperatures...so we used mohair to give us the kick and glide in those conditions.

We did see much of the park...it was still buried in snow...but we skied the trails...and yes, some of the mountains as well.

It was a memorable and enjoyable trip...and worthy of a future summer or shoulder season visit. But if you've never tried winter camping, you owe it to yourself to give it a shot...no bugs, no reptiles, no people...and you don't have to zip up your bug screen every time you jump in or out of your tent. Just prepare properly.