Outdoor Enthusiast: Vermont Wilderness camping and paddling with family and friends

Friday, July 18, 2014

Vermont Wilderness camping and paddling with family and friends

"Everyone must do something. I believe I will go outdoors with family and friends"

In early July I did two days of paddling and one night of tenting in the Green River Reservoir of northern Vermont. My companions were my adult son Tim; my two teenage grandchildren; my friend Dundee and his adult son Paul; and Paul’s two teenage boys and his ten year old daughter. Our transportation was three kayaks and three canoes.

The below 5 minute video is better than words, but here is a summary:

I used the Green River Reservoir web site to identify our preferred camp site and place to make reservations.
The nine of us in three cars had a two plus hour trip from Sunapee, NH
Access to the Green River Reservoir is only through the Park Ranger Station
All camp sites are only accessed via the water
We had a half hour paddle to our chosen camp site #25
We had intermittent rain throughout the first day, BUT rain in no way hindered our wonderful family and friends trip.
Paul was our top notch menu planner and Chef as he did on a prior trip (Paddling the Waters of Quetico Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada). Paul made a marvelous macaroni, cheese, and hot dog supper – and a great McNestler egg-cheese-bacon-English muffin breakfast.
We had three tents and a large camp tarp on site #25.
We decided to see if we could start a fire with flint and steel – and each of us took a turn at this task. You will see this teaching moment in the videos.
This is a magnificent lake to swim in clear and deep water. The surrounding cliffs leave no shore lines – so a person really must be a swimmer to swim here. All nine of us are experienced swimmers.
NEVER jump into water without first checking for rocks, depths and dangerous obstacles. See the video for our cliff jumping fun.
In the evening we went for a paddle around Big Island (we had stayed on site #33 in 2012 Peak Foliage Paddling and Camping in the Green River Reservoir of Northern Vermont)
Wildlife is prominent in this area. We saw nesting loons, herons, beaver signs, and even moose scat. We were told eagles were there, but we saw none.

No grandfather, father, or friend could have enjoyed a better time. Life is great!

For those interested in more details of our trip click here for our 25 minute video titled Wilderness camping and paddling with family and friends: Green River Reservoir

About Green River Reservoir

Green River Reservoir became a state park in March 1999 when 5110 acres were purchased from the Morrisville Water and Light Department. This is not your typical Vermont State Park – Green River Reservoir provides camping and paddling experiences in a remote setting. All campsites can only be reached by paddling to them - some are a 1 to 2-mile paddle from the launch site.

The park will remain in its wild and undeveloped condition, with low-impact, compatible recreational use allowed on and around the Reservoir. Management activities will be only those necessary to maintain the property’s character, protect the environment and critical resources, demonstrate sustainable forest and wildlife management, control excessive recreational use, and ensure high-quality outdoor experiences for visitors.

The 653-acre Reservoir includes about 19 miles of shoreline, one of the longest stretches of undeveloped shorelines in Vermont. Access to the park is in the southern part of the Reservoir off of Green River Dam Road. The Reservoir is designated as a “quiet” lake under Vermont “Use of Public Waters Rules.” Boats powered by electric motors up to 5 mph and human-powered watercraft (canoes, kayaks, etc.) are allowed.

There are 28 remote campsites at various locations around the Reservoir. Camping is allowed only at designated campsites and can only be reached by boat. Each remote site has a maximum site occupancy based on the characteristics of the site. There is one designated group campsite that can accommodate up to 12 people. Some campsites are closed each season and rehabilitated due to overuse through the years.