New Vermonters
Hiking and Outdoors

Hiking and Outdoors

Burlington Bike Path
The Burlington Bike Path is the most beautiful and well-used creation of the Burlington parks system. The path runs parallel to Lake Champlain for eight miles, beginning just south of Oakledge Park and ending at the Winooski River. The path connects bike riders and foot travelers to several residential neighborhoods and commercial centers. For a virtual tour of our bike path, visit http://enjoyburlington.com/venue/burlington-bike-path/.


Airport Park and Colchester Causeway
This expansive park in Colchester includes a playground, soccer fields, tennis and basketball courts, a baseball diamond and a skating rink. It connects to the Colchester Causeway, a stunning 2.5 mile path that spans Lake Champlain to reach South Hero, Vermont. Visitors walk, bike or run across the Causeway to reach the “cut”, taking a brief ferry ride across the 200-foot gap to complete the journey.

Address: 488 Colchester Point Road, Colchester, VT 05446
Phone: (802) 264-5642
Website: http://www.colchestervt.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Airport-Park-1
Bus Route: No bus route available, but the Causeway is accessible via the Burlington Bike Path. 

Ferry to Port Kent, NY
Lake Champlain Ferries offers a scenic, one-hour ferry ride from the Burlington Waterfront to Port Kent, New York. Passengers arrive by car, bike, and foot, and may choose to explore Port Kent or take the ferry back to Burlington. Affordable bicycles may be supplied by Bike Recycle Vermont, listed on the Transportation section of this site.

Address: 1 King Street Dock, Burlington
Phone: (802) 864-9804
Website: http://ferries.com/vt-ny-ferry-routes/burlington-vt-port-kent-ny/
Ferry Schedule: http://ferries.com/vt-ny-ferry-routes/burlington-vt-port-kent-ny/burlington-vt-port-kent-ny/
Bus Route: FREE College Street Shuttle (11) 

Ethan Allen Homestead
The Ethan Allen Homestead offers a view into the history of Vermont, as well as miles of beautiful hiking trails right within Burlington. Admission to the historic museum is $7 for Vermont residents and $5 for children. The Homestead encompasses over 3 miles of hiking trails, where visitors can experience forest walks, cattail marshes and the beautiful Winooski River.

Address: 1 Ethan Allen Homestead, Burlington
Phone: (802) 865-4556
Website: http://www.ethanallenhomestead.org
Bus Route: No bus route available 

Ethan Allen Park and Tower
Ethan Allen Park is a public space where visitors can escape to the woods right off of North Avenue. It includes 2.6 miles of trail suitable for hiking and mountain biking, a playground at the entrance to the park, and a view of Lake Champlain from the top of Ethan Allen Tower. For visitors riding bicycles, the park is a short ride from the Ethan Allen Homestead. The park also hosts a weekly farmer’s market during summer months.

Address: 1006 North Avenue
Website: http://enjoyburlington.com/venue/ethan-allen-park/
Bus Route: North Avenue (7)

Vermont African American Heritage Trail
Beginning in the Church Street Marketplace (a quick walk from the Cherry Street Transit Station), the Vermont African American Heritage Trail takes visitors to museums and cultural sites with personal and historical relevance to African American Vermonters. To view the entire trail on a map, visit https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?dg=feature&msa=0&mid=1aHV7s0Rc06brP8EY7B8A0TJVSTk. For even more information, visit http://historicsites.vermont.gov/vt_history/african_americans.

Additional trail maps and outdoor opportunities may be found on the Parks and Recreation websites of the various Vermont districts (located in the “Parks and Recreation” section of the “Recreation” menu).