This review is for the South Beach area and hiking trail as of July 2026. The area includes two…read morebeaches. One is the tiny South Beach which is visible from Route 5A. The second beach is hidden (about a 0.3 mile walk away) in the Southwest Cove, but is considered a nudist beach (off-peak hours). Parking is limited in the small lot (perhaps 15 spaces available). On weekends, you'll probably need to park up the hill (400 yards away) at the overflow lot. The hiking trail itself was peaceful with the sound of birds, a few babbling brooks, and tree-shaded canopy that made a pleasant afternoon hike (about 1 hour for a round-trip loop walk). If your time is limited for a full hike in the area, I would strongly recommend this South Shore Loop trail for a satisfying walk!

This place is like visiting heaven for a day - truly. The crystal clear water, serene atmosphere,…read moreover all vibes and sandy beach will have you falling in love with this place instantly. My husband and I were Flight Attendants for over a decade and saw many places in the world and one visit to this place and it was quickly our favorite. Absolutely stunning and a must visit. Now as for us, we'll be dreaming up a way to move here so we can visit all the time!

an amazing exp that's been in our family for years! a pristine lake, an amazing nighttime sky, an…read moreoff grid gift and wonderful ranger group led by Tom with his staff! Facilities for bathing and life are always clean and nicely improved. Get back to nature with great trails, kayaking, fishing, family and the way things were meant to be. Camping at its best personal time you deserve!

I've only been camping a few times, but when a Vermont friend invited us to spend 3 nights at…read moreMaidstone State Park we couldn't turn down her offer. I'm so glad I went. My wife and I and small dog arrived in the afternoon but you can check on until 9pm. The park offers 34 tent/trailer sites and 25 lean-to shelters. We stayed in the lean-to shelter "Yew" (pictured). The limit is 6-8 people per camp site. We had an amazing time camping. Parking was easy (each site can accommodate 2-3 cars) and the lean-to was large and could sleep 3-4 people easily. Showers were warm and cost $0.50 each and lasted 5 minutes. The bathrooms were clean. We also had private lake access (see photos) which was amazing and we were not far from the spigot/restrooms. Firewood, Ice, and Ice Cream Sandwiches are available for purchase at the gate. Fishing and Kayaking were available but we did not take advantage this time. Mostly loved getting away from the city for a few days (although the drive to VT was long) and soaking up the nature while reading magazines and snacking. We didn't feel like we were wedged in with tons of other people but also didn't feel so remote that we got too creeped out. Friendly park ranger (gave our dog lots of treats) and perfect weather. Only complaint is the bugs! Bring lots of citronella candles and bug spray. There is a Dollar General store 20-25 minutes away that has this stuff. Have fun!

Stunning water and mountain views in the middle of nowhere Vermont. Plenty of space for grilling,…read morechilling, or avoiding crowds. Shaded space set back from the beach available (under trees). Relieved that the entry fee was not too steep.

Just like Lake Willoughby...crystal clear water. I guess it's appropriate it's called Crystal Lake…read more $4 to get in (it's a state park). Lovely beach and there are picnic areas with grills, though those were not in use due to COVID. They have a bath house where you can change and use the restroom. Such a nice place to enjoy a swim and relaxing in the sun.

This review is for the Southwest Cove and South Shore Loop hiking trail as of July 2026. The…read morehidden beach (about a 0.3 mile walk away from Route 5A) is considered a nudist beach (off-peak hours). Photos cannot do justice to the magnificent view of the mountains and light blue color of the water. Parking is limited in the small lot (perhaps 15 spaces available). The hiking trail itself was peaceful with the sound of birds, a few babbling brooks, and tree-shaded canopy that made a pleasant afternoon hike (about 1 hour for a round-trip loop walk). If your time is limited for a full hike in the area, I would strongly recommend this South Shore Loop trail for a satisfying walk!

Amazing little beach area along the Southern end of Lake Willoughby. During the warmer months it is…read moreclothing optional, however when we visited (October)it was a bit too chilly for that . Crystal clear water, great views, and secluded just enough to be away from the more popular areas of the lake.

One of the most beautiful places I've ever seen nestled in between two mountains. It's a beautiful…read morelake with beach sand. Lots of people- but nothing too crazy. You can bring balls and beach toys. The view is spectacular! Lots of ducks/wildlife around!

We stumbled upon this and found it to be a great spot for a toddler to swim. Regret we did not…read morebring sand/beach toys. Parking was easy across the street. And while the other end of the lake is a little snugger and more scenic, this afforded plenty of space for social distancing.

We stayed here with two other groups of people for a long weekend…read more We booked a leanto and tent site. The biggest thing talked about his past weekend was how not a one out of the 7 of us would be coming back. We've always booked state parks throughout the summer in VT but this one was new to all of us. We all, separately, had extremely rude interactions with the staff and were not happy with the way we were treated or how unhelpful they were. It was ridiculous the rudeness we were met with during simple interactions such as passing by a staff, getting wood, going to the bathroom, and just sitting at our site. Bathrooms: The water faucets don't shut off in either of the men or women's bathrooms so they are running constantly, leaving their water pump on constantly which was quite noisy They would close the bathrooms down between 7:30 and 8:30 every morning. Just as soon as the park was waking up and there were many people waiting to use them. They were always covered in mud on the floor and the sinks full of hair even when they left from cleaning and we were finally allowed in. They wouldn't put new toilet paper on the rack, just placed the rolls on top of empty ones. Road: the park was not very booked and we had lots of empty sites around us but the road was considerably busy due to the park staff constantly circling the park in trucks, personal vehicles and on UTVs. Wood: We were given a hard time getting wood. Which shouldn't be a problem, I'm giving you money for the item you're selling. We had two sites, and we wanted 12 bundles for 4 day stay. After playing 20 questions with the staff woman, she finally allowed me to pay for the wood. "How many people?, how many days?, what site are you on? you know it's supposed to rain tomorrow right you won't be having a fire tomorrow.. Are you sure you need that much? How many people do you have there? If you don't use it you have to bring it back to us... I'm going to have to call someone now if you think you need that much.. ugh, you're paying cash...". # of people: we were asked and stopped multiple times by staff asking how many people were on our site. We had two sites and 7 people. The max PER site is 8 people. Pets: There is no area that dogs are allowed to be in the water and there were signs at the one small beach that said no pets. We respected this but one day we left the dogs behind and went down, there was a group of staff there who had their pets with them! So the rules didn't apply to them apparently. Dogs: One of the staff followed behind us when we first checked in to our site as we were arriving. We got out of the car, opened the back door to let our dog out and she immediately came running over screaming that the dog needed to be tied up. The dog was less than a foot from my car and had just gotten out. Cleanliness: many of the sites I saw had not been cleaned properly including a fire pit that was full of trash someone partially burned and staff left. The one small "beach" area was very dirty and not maintained. The "trails" were not maintained or trimmed back. Anytime we were driving through the park to leave, explore, get wood etc we were stopped by staff and asked "can we help you?" No... just exploring. It felt like we weren't able to enjoy ourselves nor leave our sites. Sites: another lean was so close and facing towards ours. You could see directly into their lean to and they could into ours. The upsides: The leantos inside were nice, had a coat rack in them which was a cool add on we utilized, and it was a very quiet park at night. Had the staff been nicer, or even willing to be personable, we all would have had a better time and been writing a different review. Unfortunately, this park was not one we will return to, nor recommend to others. It's one thing to have one person have a rude interaction with a staff ranger but it's a whole different thing when all 7 of us had separate conversations with staff during various times of our stay and each been shocked at how we were talked to and treated.

One of the BEST experiences I've ever had in a state park! The sites are beautiful. Our lean-tos…read morewere swept out, clean fire pits, they even raked the site! What other state park does that?! And don't even get me started on the restrooms. The shiniest I've ever seen! Every where we went, the staff was so friendly. They would ask if we needed help, like they genuinely wanted to help us. I love that so much! The park was really busy because it was a holiday weekend, but you wouldn't know. It was so quiet and peaceful. The loons calling at night lulled us to sleep. They have 2 really nice beaches. A smaller one, inside of the campground and a larger one that's just outside on another lake. The only issue we had was somebody brought their dog down to the beach inside of the park and it was running everywhere. The staff came down about 15 minutes later and talked to the owner and they left. There were 2 signs that said pets prohibited. I don't understand why people think they can do what they want, anyway. Some things I took note of: $9 for a bundle of wood/decent size $5 for 5lbs cubed ice (it's $3.50 in town for same size) $6 for 10lb block ice (blocks are hard to come by, glad they had them) .50 cents for 4 minutes in a clean, hot shower They don't sell bait, but the grocery store in town does for $3.50 They don't have a camp store, but town is 2 miles away and you can get groceries or pick up supplies at the outdoor store. Trails are for hiking only. You can ride bikes on the road in the campground, but honestly, how much fun is that? I did find out that popular mountain bike trails are about 20 minutes away. You can rent kayaks, canoes, etc on the lake that's inside the park, only. Prices seemed reasonable. There's a nature center that's great for rainy day activities. We had 13 people in our group and all of us had a great time! Our first time, here and we are looking forward to coming back. Plenty for everybody to do and if you love races, the town has a canoe race and a marathon on labor day weekend. Concerts, too! Great little place with a great little vibe!

So 12 of my closest friend and I spent the day with Collin and his team. What an amazing…read moreexperience. From the trail knowledge to the level of safety they not only met but way exceeded our expectations. If you are looking for a world class experience as well as exposure to some of the best mtb trails on the east coast (and perhaps the US) if you want to make the most of your time book it with Collin....as a critical NYer you will not be disappointed.

What?!? No rave reviews for Kingdom Experiences yet?? I am thrilled to be the first!…read more This past Memorial Day weekend was our second time using Kingdom Experiences for our guides Kingdom Trails. We went back to them because our first experience was so great, and we'll be back with them again later this season! Our guide Ian was outstanding. He talked to us about the type of riding we were looking to do, and perfectly matched our skills and time frame to our ride. He checked in frequently during the ride to make sure the pace and trails were a fit for us. I would recommend Kingdom Experiences highly. Both email and phone conversations with Caitlin were easy and pleasant. Get out and RIDE!

I love the VT- Canada border and when I heard of this bike path, I made a special trip north to…read morecheck it out. 11.2 miles, round trip., the path starts in downtown Newport at the waterfront - State building. Trail markers point the way north to Beebe. The path starts in town, through the waterfront park, past the Prouty Beach and to the North County Hospital, where it leads onto an old gravel train rail bed. The trail is for beginners. Its all flat and look a little over 1 hour to complete the round trip. Hybrid bikes will work fine. Some locals call this trail the Beebe Spur 'n spin. Beautiful scenery that travels along Lake Memphremagog, and the backyards of the locals that have lake access. In Beebe, the path turns off the lake, and travels through some local farms for a few more miles, until it ends at a local road at the US- Canada Border. A sign will warn you to check in with customs if you wish to continue to ride. We did not have our passports so we turned around. Next time we may venture further.

This (along with two other trails over the border) make for a great (and relatively easy) 1/2 day…read moretrip. Here is a description of the 30-mile ride I took this week - PASSPORT REQUIRED: Park at North County Hospital on Prouty Rd. (Newport). Trail starts 200 feet east. Pick up the gravel trail heading north by Lake Mephremagog. Good conditions for Hybrid and trail bike tires. At the end of the trail, take a right onto the paved road (North Derby Rd.) Approx. 2 miles to the end, then left. Pass through Canadian customs. Take a quick, few-hundred feet detour, east from the Customs house for a photo of Canusa St. dividing the US/Canada. Then back to the customs station and a right following Rt. 247 north for about 3/4 mile, past a large "Rediker" stone and a couple of banks, until you see the Tomifobia Nature Trail heading off to the right. The first mile of this 19-km trail isn't too scenic but it gets better very quickly. I went about 5 miles down the trail, then turned around and came back to the marked road barrier at "Ch. de Stanstead" (Stanstead Rd.?). There's a pond to your right at this crossing. Left /southeast on Ch. de Stanstead for about 2 miles to its end, then left (east) on Rue Maple. (This Stanstead/Maple roads part is seriously uphill for a total of about 2.5 miles). At the end of Rue Maple, you're in downtown Stanstead. Take a right (south) onto Rt. 143/Rue Dufferin heading back towards the US border. Just before the border, make a left on Boulevard Notre Dame, then a quick right on Baxter. A couple of blocks take you to the Haskell Library and Opera house, straddling the border. Park the bike on the Canadian side and walk around to the front door of the library which is on the US side. Make sure to take a tour for 5 bucks to see the opera house and the stripes on the floors that mark the border running through the building. From the library, go back north on Rue Church, 1/4 mile to Blvd. Notre Dame (Rt. 247) and take a left (west). Cross Rt. 143 (large stone fountain will be on your left). After a quick down-hill (1/4 mile), bear to the right on Rue Passenger, following black on white signs for "Piste Cyclable de Stanstead" bike trail . It's a little hard to find, so best to look at a Google Map before leaving the library to get familiar. Basically it's up a short hill on Rue Passenger than downhill left. You'll see the trail to the right at a power substation. It's less than 5 minutes from Library to this trail by bike. Follow this bike trail about 2 miles until it crosses Rt. 247, about a 1/4 mile from the border station you where you entered Canada. Go left (south) on Rt. 247, through US customs, then a quick right at the post office to follow your way back on N. Derby Rd. to the Newport Trail and the start of the ride. The Tomifobia and Newport trails are both loaded with beautiful sites. The final trail (Piste Cyclable Stanstead) is more functional than beautiful, but was in excellent condition (hard-packed dirt) and kept me off the main road (Rt. 247) just to the south of the trail. Enjoy!