One of three neighboring island parks in Lake Champlain’s “inland sea”, Woods Island became Vermont's forty-fifth state park in 1985. (Burton and Knight Islands are the other two) A mile long by a quarter-mile wide, 125-acre Woods Island is unique as habitat for a rich variety of plant life including many species rare or threatened in Vermont. A portion of the island was once farmed; traces of drainage ditches remain today. Still visible also is the farm house foundation and weathered remains of old farm machinery. A later attempt by a private developer saw the beginnings of an airstrip constructed down the center of the island; the earth berms you climb over on the cross-island trail are the runway edges.
The Vermont Division of State Parks intends to preserve the primitive character of the island and asks your cooperation in observing its guidelines for island use.
There is no ferry service to island and visitors must make their own arrangements. There are no docks, so you’ll have to either beach your boat or anchor off. The beach tends to be fairly rocky, except for a point along the east shore, from which the walk to campsites is between one quarter and three quarters of a mile.
Woods Island is a “remote area” campground. Remote Area campsites, while beautiful, are not for everybody. Sanitary facilities are minimal, and there is no potable water supply. Each campsite does have a fire ring and nearby privy. The island’s five campsites are situated approximately equidistant around the two-mile shoreline, and are connected by a trail system. This gives you great privacy, but it also means you’re going to have to walk and carry your own gear from wherever you come ashore. You shouldn’t bring anything you ’re not prepared to carry in and carry out.
