Lake Carmi State Park is located about as far north as you can get in Vermont. This out-of-the-way gem is rarely crowded, but the large Lake Carmi is a great place to relax, take in the scenery and enjoy the best of what rural Vermont has to offer.
Lake Carmi State Park is known mainly for its great beach area, and is the perfect place to get away from it all for a day. If you are up for camping, then Lake Carmi has a variety of camping options and activities nearby to make this a terrific home base for a few days.
This guide should help you as you plan your visit to Lake Carmi State Park, which you are sure to enjoy! We’ll cover a bit about the park history, great things to do in the park, how to get here, fees and much more!
LAKE CARMI STATE PARK HISTORY
This part of Vermont has largely been used for agriculture, with some business centers popping up since the 1800’s, such as Enosburg Falls. This land was purchased by the State of Vermont in 1959, after which they established Lake Carmi State Park.
While you may have never heard of Lake Carmi, it’s actually quite a large lake. Located in Enosburg Falls, VT, Lake Carmi is actually one of the largest lakes in Vermont (#4 to be exact!). It’s about 3.5 miles long and its widest point is just over a mile. The entire perimeter of the lake is about 7.5 miles, so if you are paddling you will be able to stay busy all day!
THINGS TO DO IN LAKE CARMI STATE PARK
Lake Carmi State Park map, courtesy of Vermont State Parks
If you are coming to Lake Carmi State Park, there are a few things you’ll want to consider doing. While the park doesn’t have as much to do as some of the other state parks (particularly if you want to go hiking), there is enough to do to keep you busy for a day or two, especially if you want to spend most of your time relaxing!
When visiting Lake Carmi State Park, our recommendations on what to do include:
Swimming
Located on the north side of the state park, the day-use beachfront is quite large. There are great views of the lake, and good facilities around (including an interpretive center as well as restrooms). You can also play horseshoes or use the boat launch (which includes a large parking area for tow vehicles and trailers). If you are camping, there are two swimming areas accessible only by campers near each camping loop. These are smaller beaches, but perfect if you just want to spend a bit of time in the water. There are no facilities at the camping beaches.
Watching the Sunset
The northern day-use area is a great place to go to watch the sunset. Just put your chair on the beach and relax as you watch the sunset as you look west over Lake Carmi.
Picnicking
The day use area has great picnicking opportunities. Be sure to bring your food and pack what you need, as there are no food services in the park.
Hiking
While there aren’t a plethora of hiking opportunities in Lake Carmi State Park, there are a couple of short trails that are worth checking out. If you are camping in the park, just walking around the two camping areas is a great way to get some exercise. But if you are looking for trails, there are a couple of options that we’ll cover in detail in the next section.
Boating and Fishing
You’ll need to be sure you have a Vermont fishing license, but Lake Carmi is known for having northern pike and walleye in particular. The lake is also great for boating, with plenty of room to find your own place on the lake and relax.
HIKING TRAILS IN LAKE CARMI STATE PARK
Carmi Nature Trail
- Difficulty: Easy
- Distance (round-trip): 0.9 miles
- Elevation gain: Minimal
- Hiking time (approximate): 20 to 30 minutes
- Trail type: Lollipop loop
- Potential hazards: Bugs
- Restrooms: Toilets located at the trailhead.
- Recommended footwear: Comfortable shoes
- Pets: Allowed, but must be kept on a leash at all times.
Trail Description
The trail starts out by heading to the north for about 0.2 miles before reaching a fork (you can choose right or left, as the trail ends up right back at this point after the loop). The trail goes through nice grassland, but there aren’t amazing views that you can expect. This is a great way to stretch your legs if you are camping or hanging out at the beach.
Trailhead Directions
The Carmi Nature Trail trailhead begins on the north side of the day-use area.
Bog Walk Trail
- Difficulty: Easy
- Distance (round-trip): 200 feet
- Elevation gain: Minimal
- Hiking time (approximate): 10 minutes
- Trail type: Out-and-back
- Potential hazards: Bugs
- Restrooms:
- Recommended footwear: Comfortable shoes
- Pets: Allowed, but must be kept on a leash at all times.
Trail Description
This is a short trail that heads south into the bog on a boardwalk. At the end of the boardwalk is a viewing area with signs that talk about the bog. While this won’t take you long, it really is worth doing in combination with taking a walk through the campground.
Trailhead Directions
The Bog Walk trailhead is located in the campground area along the road that connects loop A to loop B. It is only accessible if you are a registered camper.
THINGS TO DO NEAR LAKE CARMI STATE PARK
Though Lake Carmi State Park is located in the far north of the state, there is still plenty to do here without having to drive to far or cross over into Canada. A few of our recommendations include:
- Head over to the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge. Here there are several hiking trails to take that allow you to explore the area which is here to protect migratory birds. Most of the migration happens between April and August.
- About 30 minutes to the west is Grand Isle State Park. This state park, located on an island in the middle of Lake Champlain, has a beach that’s great for swimming. The island is also great for biking.
- If it’s raining and you need something to do indoors, head about 25 minutes to the southwest to Albans, Vermont, or head about an hour away to Burlington, VT. Both towns are great to walk around. Burlington in particular has some great walking trails along Lake Champlain, or you can also go check out the shopping in the downtown area that’s closed off to traffic.
HOW TO GET TO LAKE CARMI STATE PARK AND OTHER TRAVEL INFORMATION
Lake Carmi is out of the way, for sure. It’s located close to Enosburg Falls, VT and just southeast of Franklin, VT. Essentially, you just need to head north in the state and you’ll be headed in the right direction!
- Directions from Burlington, VT to Lake Carmi State Park. This will take about an hour, and after you leave Burlington you won’t run into much in the way of traffic.
- Directions from West Lebanon, NH to Lake Carmi State Park. This will take you just over 2 hours from the VT / NH border.
Wherever you are coming from, once you get past Burlington or off Interstate 89, the drive is through 2-lane, rural roads and is quite beautiful.
ENTRANCE FEES AND REQUIRED PASSES FOR LAKE CARMI STATE PARK
There are day-use and camping fees in Lake Carmi State Park. You can find up-to-date information on the Vermont State Park fees here.
WHERE TO STAY IN LAKE CARMI STATE PARK
Lake Carmi State Park Lodging: There are lodges inside of Lake Carmi State Park.
Lake Carmi State Park Camping: Lake Carmi is a fantastic place to camp, and the park service does a great job of catering to campers. The campground is quiet, and has plenty of spots available for camping. You can rent a cabin, lean-to, pitch a tent or bring a camper of pretty much any size and find a spot for you. There are 173 sites at the campground, so it’s likely you can find a spot here last minute if needed. You can learn more about camping in the park in our blog on Camping in Lake Carmi State Park.
BEST TIME TO VISIT LAKE CARMI STATE PARK
There is no question that visiting Lake Carmi State Park in the summer or fall is your best bet. The late spring can bring plenty of relentless black flies (they bite!) and the weather in the evenings can be a bit cold. The summertime is great if you plan on swimming, and the fall is a beautiful time to explore the area and see the amazing colors.
ARE PETS ALLOWED IN LAKE CARMI STATE PARK?
Pets are welcome in the park, but must be kept on leash at all times. They are not permitted on or near the swimming areas.
RELATED INFORMATION ON LAKE CARMI STATE PARK AND THE SURROUNDING AREA FROM JUST GO TRAVEL STUDIOS
- If you are planning on staying in the park, see our article on Camping in Lake Carmi State Park.
- When planning a trip to Vermont, be sure to also check out our other articles on Vermont, including Things to Do in Groton State Forest, Quechee State Park and Little River State Park.
- When you return from your trip in Vermont, check out our custom, vintage travel poster, where we take a photo that you send to us and turn it into an amazing travel memory!
