Button Bay State Park

A favorite place for a stroll along Lake Champlain is Button Bay State Park (5 Button Bay Rd., Ferrisburgh, 802/475-2377, www.vtstateparks.com/htm/buttonbay.cfm, $3 adults, $2 children 4–13, free for children under 3), about four miles west of Vergennes.

Located on the site of a tropical coral reef that remains from the time when Lake Champlain was attached to the ocean, the 1.5-mile walk passes by limestone deposits embedded with sea snail fossils. The bay gets its name from the “buttons” or smooth clay deposits strewn around the beaches. The park also has a campground, with more than 70 tent and lean-to sites ($16–25 nightly base rate) on a grassy area overlooking the lake.

Biking

The Lake Champlain area is a cyclist’s dream, with miles of flat terrain studded with farm stands, country stores, and stunning views of the lake and Adirondack Mountains on the western shore. The Lake Champlain Bikeways (802/652-2453, www.champlainbikeways.org) trail system stretches for 1,300 miles on both sides of the lake. Wind from the wider sections of the lake can make for tough going at points, but the ride is worth it for the sparkling views of the water.

The Rebel’s Retreat Trail is a 42-mile loop through the rolling farmlands around Vergennes. Parking is available at the trail’s start downtown. Another trail starting from the same point, called Otter Creek Wandering, follows the river along mostly flat terrain for the 30 miles between Vergennes and Middlebury.

© Michael Blanding and Alexandra Hall from Moon New England, 2nd Edition