Solid spot to see small waterfalls. Very peaceful and not a lot of rushing water…read more Parking is available on the shoulder at the lower and middle falls, located further up the road, and also at the upper falls at the end of the road. No restrooms available here

This is a kid-friendly swimming hole that is only a few miles away from Ludlow, VT. Our family…read morestopped by for a visit with our dog in July 2026. Here are 3 tips for newbies. First, it can get very crowded along the road (there is no official parking lot). Be sure to pack your patience. If you arrive mid-afternoon, more spaces near the entrance may open. Second, no public restrooms are available. So, plan accordingly. Third, the middle falls are easiest to access if you're here for a short time. Overall, it was a nice place for a quick visit. However, Buttermilks Falls are not as impressive as other Vermont locations with swimming holes such as Bartlett Falls or Warren Falls. The latter is particularly scenic with a high cliff jump that is for brave teenagers and adults only. The state of Vermont is blessed to have so many natural swimming areas!

Really quite a lovely park with a small paved path and some benches in the shade. A number of…read morecaptions explain the purpose of this park and what it does for the environment as a buffer for the nearby river. Really cool to learn this interesting information, as well the details about it being dedicated to Veterans. There is some metered street parking nearby.

Very easy! Follow the path all around~ trail is easy with a slight escalation but not strenuous…read more The state park welcome center had one gentleman who was very rude and passive aggressive to our questions. I will not hold it against him, but the welcome center should be more welcoming~

Rating: 4.5 Came to…read morethe quechee gorge trail. We started our trail at the visitor center and when up stream towards the dam and the fall first and then made it down back down toward down stream. We also stopped at the bridge and looked at the gorge as well from both sides. It was a comfortable hike about 1.5 mile or so. The trail was mostly gravel and some leaves and twigs here and there. There is a pond upstream which was beautiful. Downstream there is a area where you can go down to the water and look and feel the streams coming from the gorge. Lots of flowers, mushrooms and trees. It's cool to see the sediments that water curved over the years at the downstream. Overall a cool hike. Must see if you are in quechee area or passing by. Took about 1.5 hours or so.

This is a gorgeous waterfall and swimming hole about a 45 minute drive from Burlington, VT! My…read morewife, two teenage sons, mini-poodle, and I came here in July 2024 on a hot summer day to cool off for an hour. Lots of pluses. First, it has a wide receiving pool area that is conducive to large groups and is more kid-friendly than other swimming holes (such as Warren Falls). Second, parking is generally available on the side of the road above the falls. You can descend along the second pathway down which is less steep than the first pathway. Third, dogs with a leash are allowed in the area. Would strongly recommend bringing water shoes (river shoes) if you don't like the pain of multiple rocks on your bare feet. Also, it tends to be a bit more quiet from 3pm-4pm, but got crowded when we departed at 5pm. Overall, this is a great place to experience a swimming hole in Vermont - especially if you are staying nearby in Burlington, VT.

I am into cold plunging for health and wellness. It was a cold rainy Aug. day and we headed to…read moreBristol for food and falls. Bartlett falls are amazing. Very accessible and pristine. We had a lovely swim. We parked on the side of the road and walked down..easy peasy.

I wish we lived closer to this institute because we would probably visit every weekend! The Vermont…read moreInstitute of Natural Science does praiseworthy work by rescuing aviaries and raptors from the side of highways, etc. These once injured birds are now thriving and the staff working here really care for the inhabitants. It is wonderful to see. It is worth the money to come visit! Kids love it and adults do too. Besides the beautiful rescue stories and gorgeous creatures living here, the nature walk and look out tower is another fun experience! There is a netted trampoline that is many feet up towards the back of the nature walk. It gives kids cool views of down below and is fun to prance on top of! The look out tower walk up is a great work out for the adults and the promising view up top is worth it. The gift store has some lovely treasures as well. I hope we can visit again soon!

A must-visit for all ages! Highly recommend! Wish we had left more time for this. We were 6 adults…read morein our early 30's and 60's. The birds here are all unable to survive in the wild. Mostly outdoor exhibits with well maintained paths. Lots of shade. Enjoyed the very well done Raptor presentation appropriate for all ages. Plenty of room for families with younger kids to "frolic in nature" as one of the VINS inspirational signs shared. Beautiful grounds including a Canopy walk with optional Tower! Pleasant friendly staff. Picnic tables to bring your own food. Would love to go back next time we're in VT. Very reasonably priced Adoption program if looking for a gift. Nice souvenir shop. For a $2 off per ticket, pick up a VINS 5x9 card in racks showing local attractions.

This was sooo much fun! We spent almost 2 hours here and loved reading the educational facts along…read morethe boardwalk and exploring the caves! There were so many beautiful areas along the boardwalk. The lemon squeezer and dungeon were the most difficult but also the most fun! We got a bit muddy and wet but that's all part of the adventure! We also loved the huge birds nest at the end and got a huge laugh out of pretending to be baby birds. I would definitely come back here again!

Stumbled across Lost River when planning a trip to NH to see the fall foliage. I absolutely love…read morethe Flume Gorge trail & this one wasnt too far away. I had heard there were gorges & caves to explore different from other trails nearby along with beautiful pines and waterfalls. It exceeded all my expectations! It says this is a 1 mile loop hike but be prepared- I walk a 5k daily & this trail kicked my butt in a good way. It was moderately challenging- I went in the rain so it was a bit cooler too. The best advice I could offer is to take a backpack with snacks, another jacket just in case (although i layered up), pack rain pants to help keep me warm in the rain, and shoes with good traction. And plenty of water. Beanies may also be a good option to keep your head warm from the cold. And a portable battery. Also, if you haven't traveled with a car like me..then the Shuttle Connection is a life saver to travel in town. Way cheaper than Uber and fairly quick to transport you wherever you want to go. Also for travelers go back and forth to other states travel by bus is the perfect and most affordable way to travel. This trail offered amazing views, great photo ops, and plenty of additional trails to explore. They also make sure to keep everything maintained and safe for hikers exploring. Everything is well labeled and easy to follow. They do say and I can attest- travelers who have difficulty walking or have walkers etc..this may not be an ideal trail. Also, for younger children this may not be an kdela hike because of how extensive the elevation is. You are climbing a mountain and waterfall elevation. Make sure to look up details on their trail before you plan a trip. But well worth the hike :)

New Hampshire is full of wonderful natural surprises. For a state of small geographic size, it has…read morean immense variety of geography and related attractions. Coastline, beaches, lakes, mountains and rivers. And one of them is Sculptured Rocks Natural Area. This beautiful, out of the way location is a State Park that spans 272 acres, is of glacier origin and was formed by the action the Cockermouth River, which carved a narrow canyon on the granite bedrock on its way to Newfound Lake. The grains of sand suspended in the river current, carved the walls of the canyon throughout the years, creating a multitude of shapes, potholes and other rock formations. The lore has it billed as the "Grand Canyon of New Hampshire which is a stretch. But it is worth visiting. The lower part of the park is the most nature-intensive and features a bridge with amazing views. The upper part of the park is shallows and you can relax, cool off, allow your pup to be in the water and enjoy the scene. Getting here is a beautiful drive through forests and lakeside cabins. Then you go to the parking lot, cross the highway and things get nicer. You can do several nice hikes through the woods and up the river canyon, admiring what nature has carved. Yes, bring your pet but they must be on a leash because a) it's the park regulations and b) your dog can get seriously hurt if he/she wonders off and falls in the ravine. If you like to do yoga or meditation, it is indeed an amazing place early, before the folks show up. The sound of the falling water is about the most soothing sound ever.

We went here on a whim while visiting Schroon Lake. What a nice surprise! We had a great time…read moreexploring and hiking through the bridges and caves. I think there's potential to expand the trails but we had a great time. Overall about 1.5-2 hrs to take your time and explore all the trails

Just had an amazing time at the only Caves in the Adirondacks! We had a blast walking down and…read moreexploring the caves. All the caves are outdoors and can be self guided! Perfect for families but be careful to wear sneakers as some areas are slippery! We brought our newborn and it wasn't too bad! Just go slow if you're also with elderly parents. Fun place!

This place was not at all on my radar when I planned our trip. We had driven up to Windsor to see…read moreanother museum, and the lady who sold the tickets there talked to us about our plans and recommended this place as very worthwhile. So, after lunch, we crossed a semi-narrow wooden bridge and drove a mile or two to this site. You park in a small lot (there was a sign for overflow parking too) and either pay there (if a ranger is on duty) or proceed to the visitors' center (where you can also pay). Augustus Saint-Gaudens was an American sculptor in the late 1800s and into the very early 1900s. I was not specifically familiar with him, but his work and that of those who trained with him was featured on a lot of U.S. coins at the time. It seems like a lot of the older coinage (before the models used now) was related to him. He also designed the Shaw Memorial on Boston Commons (related to the 54th Massacusetts regiment of black troops - see the film 'Glory' for background). From the visitors' center, there are several other areas to see. The ground slopes down towards the Connecticut River in the distance. Facing that, there is a small gallery and courtyard featuring some sculptures to your right. There is also a large sculpture of Lincoln. As you proceed towards the river, there are some works housed in spaces bordered by high hedges (including a copy of the Shaw Memorial). These end at the border to Saint-Gauden's original house, which is sometimes open for tours. When we visited, the sign just said 'wait for docent to open the door'. We later learned that this only happens between 2 - 4 p.m., which would be helpful to add to the sign. A bit below that is the studio building, which has examples of the sculptor's work and exhibits on the process of creating some. Maybe 300 yards further down is a memorial (sort of a small Greek temple) where the Saint-Gaudens' ashes (and those of several family members) are buried. It was a pretty site especially if the weather is nice. The sculptures, especially those which are outdoors, make for good photos. They also offer periodic ranger-led tours. We tagged along for part of one, but had already seen some of the areas, so we broke off and continued on our own. If you are in this area and have any interest in sculpture, this is very worthwhile.

This was a pleasant visit that I took on my way back down from visiting the White Mountains. This…read morehistorical home was the home of and don't laugh at my explanation, a French guy who grew up in NYC. Augustus Saint-Gaudens died in 1907 and lived here for 7 years til he died. He was a sculpter and he created the gold coin called the Saint-Gaudens double eagle, a twenty-dollar gold coin, or double eagle. This is the only way I knew who he was because I have seen this coin referenced in books and online when I was young. The house is a nice pleasant stroll in the late 1800s early 1900!

Saw lots of eagles, herons, beaver huts, turtles while kayaking. Bear had been present per park…read morevolunteer. Peaceful, uncrowded on a Friday am. Did not reach a dead-end after 2 hrs of going upriver. Favorite spot of 10 trips this summer.

North Hartland Lake & Park is a VT State Park which is very well maintained and a beautiful place…read moreto come and recreate. The lake has a beach, picnic area with grills available, vast open areas to run and play, wooded land to hike and explore. IN the summer there is a small entrance fee to enter - but its free in the off season.