“Is it time to go yet?” My six year old asked early one morning, excited for our annual end of school camping trip. Each June, my family and I pick a new area in New England to camp and explore. Last June we picked Kampersville Campground on Lake Dunmore, located on the western edge of the Green Mountains in Vermont. Kampersville is a beautiful privately owned campground with a general store, deli, ice cream, laundry, three pools, playground, game room, activities and private beach with boat rentals. The campsites were in a wood area, well maintained and provided plenty of space for some privacy from our neighbors.
We spent the first afternoon hanging out by the pools. There were plenty of kids my daughters age to play with, providing my husband and I some relaxing time.
The next morning we checked out a local hike I had found in my “Outdoors with Kids” book by Ethan Hipple and Yemaya St. Clair. The Silver Lake Trail is located about five minutes from Kampersville. This is a great place to spend the day as there are various outdoor activities for all skill levels. We hiked to Silver Lake, about a two mile hike up a tote road. Once at the top there were a few campsites, if you chose to spend the night. There was an optional trail to walk around the pond. We chose to take a dip in the cool mountain lake. While enjoying the water, two loons swam close to us looking for their mid morning snack. My daughter enjoyed watching the numerous tadpoles sunning themselves in the shallow water.
On the way back down the trail, we saw an old sluice way draining into the lake as evidence of an old hotel that was there in the early 1900s. About halfway down the trail are side trails to other ridge lines, a picnic area, a mountain stream with pools to swim in, a large waterfall and a beautiful scenic overlook of Lake Dunmore and the Adirondack Mountains in New York.
Across the street from the trailhead is Branbury State Park, also located on the shores of Lake Dunmore. A beautiful state park with camping, a long sandy beach, spacious fields, picnic area, canoe and kayak rentals, a new playground and more beautiful views of the area.
The second day we explored Lake Dunmore, I rented a paddle board and my husband and daughter paddled our kayak. But of course my daughter had to try the paddle board.
We would have done this sooner, but the lake was closed when we arrived due to it being treated for aquatic vegetation. If you plan on visiting the area, I would recommend checking the Vermont Department of Conservation Website to make sure the lake is not closed for use. Once on the lake, the water was crystal clear with views of the fish swimming below. As we paddled we were surrounded by the beautiful Green Mountains.
Overall, my family and I agree that we would love to visit the area and camp at Kampersville again. There were plenty of outdoor activities to keep our daughter entertained, while providing a relaxing atmosphere. A year later my daughter still talks about this campground. Website
