Port Kent, New York & Lake Champlain Ferries

 

Port Kent, New York is just south of Plattsburgh, and is the point of departure for ferries across Lake Champlain to Burlington, Vermont.

 

 

 

The Lake Champlain Ferries between Port Kent and Burlington carry full-sized tour buses, recreational vehicles and many cars on each trip, and they run frequently. The crossing takes about an hour.

 

 

 

 

 

Amtrak's Adirondack trains between New York and Montreal stop at a shelter just above the Port Kent ferry landing. I saw about a dozen people get off the train with baggage and backpacks and walk down the hill to board a ferry to Burlington.

 

 

 

 

When I crossed the lake on the ferry Valcour, the sun was bright and the sky was blue with wispy white clouds. A brisk wind made the lake choppy, and sometimes waves would slam into the bow sending sheets of spray flying across the forward part of the deck. The sightseers there soon headed for the stern or for the lounge and gift shop below.

 

The wind was whipping a flag on a pole near where I was standing, and the rolling motion of the ferry was enough to make the air suspension on the tour bus parked behind me to pant and sigh rhythmically as it tried to keep the coach level.

 

Burlington, Vermont

 

 

University of Vermont

 

 

Congregational Church

 

Church Street is pedestrian-only for about three blocks, lined with shops and restaurants and sidewalk cafes. The crowd is mixed; a lot of college students, but a fair number of middle-aged folks and seniors and, of course, tourists, too. There are mainstream retailers among the specialty shops.

 

 

 

 

 

North Beach Campground was one of the best campgrounds I visited. It's run by the city of Burlington, and overlooks Lake Champlain. A path leads directly to the beach and connects with Burlington's bike path. It's a no-hills, no-traffic 2.5 mile cruise to downtown.

 

North Beach Campground has a good beach, with shallows going 'way out.

 

Winooski River, north of Burlington

 

 

Burlington's bike path reaches about 14 miles along former Rutland and Canda Railroad right of way, including the causeway across Mallett's Bay. The pathis well maintained and well utilized.

 

In 2000, trail users crossed the Winooski River via bike ferry ($1.00). In 2004, a new bridge closed this gap in the trail.

 

Lake Champlain beach north of the Winooski River

 

 

 

 

The causeway across Mallett's Bay, built at the beginning of the 20th century by the Rutland and Canada Railroad, was in use until 1960. It was built by Italian laborers with huge marble blocks, some measuring six feet on a side.

 

A gap about three miles out on the causeway remains to be closed by a bike ferry; demonstration ferries have operated on selected weekends as recently as August 2007. Trail promoters hope eventually to open the trail all the way to Canada.

 

The black road bike is mine; despite the advice of the "experts" it is possible to ride skinny tires on gravel. You just have to pay attention.

 

 

The sailboarder was really moving until he came into a dead spot in the lee of the causeway.

Stunning.

I have always had a desire to visit Vermont. Now you have only exaggerated that desire, given that I am an avid cyclist.

 

I'm surprised that the pedestrian thoroughfare is that popular. I've noted over a dozen such projects that have failed in the Mid-Atlantic alone.

I have always had a desire to visit Vermont. Now you have only exaggerated that desire, given that I am an avid cyclist.

 

I'm surprised that the pedestrian thoroughfare is that popular. I've noted over a dozen such projects that have failed in the Mid-Atlantic alone.

 

I saw several people get off Amtrak trains with bicycles at Port Kent and board the ferry to Burlington.

 

I think Church Street does well because of an abundance of college students and a steady turnover of tourists. It was a bit slow during the day, but in the evenings it really came to life.

 

I'm trying to think of any pedestrian malls in the midwest that survived, and I can't come up with any. The three that I can think of, Kalamazoo MI, Richmond, IN, and Huntington, IN, all went belly up. Midwesterners won't patronize any business more than fifty feet from a parking space (unless it's in a mall), and if they want green space, they've got their 2-acre fenced back yard and pool in the 'burbs. Night life? Who needs it when you've got a home theater setup that cost as much as a late-model used car?

Ahh, Burlington; great town right next to a huge scenic lake. Whenever I see this

 

 

I think of how badly we screwed up.

 

 

There are two colleges just north of here with over 30,000 students and no one thinks there's money to be made?

 

Edit: 10/12/2008 by rob_1412 - fixed broken img link

Wonderful pics! UV looks interesting.

 

I'm trying to think of any pedestrian malls in the midwest that survived, and I can't come up with any. The three that I can think of, Kalamazoo MI, Richmond, IN, and Huntington, IN, all went belly up. Midwesterners won't patronize any business more than fifty feet from a parking space (unless it's in a mall), and if they want green space, they've got their 2-acre fenced back yard and pool in the 'burbs. Night life? Who needs it when you've got a home theater setup that cost as much as a late-model used car?

 

I think Youngstown had gone pedestrian as well on Federal. Cuyahoga Falls still has pedestrian blocks, which doesn't seem to be thriving.

I think Youngstown had gone pedestrian as well on Federal. Cuyahoga Falls still has pedestrian blocks, which doesn't seem to be thriving.

 

Oh, that's right. I remember the one in Youngstown. After visiting the industry & labor center (Michael Graves building), I walked down there before calling a cab to go back to my motel in interstate hell. It was the middle of a weekday, and I saw not a soul there. It was dreary and depressing and badly maintained, and when the cabbie picked me up, he asked, "Man, don't you know how dangerous it is to be here alone?"

 

That was in 2000.

Youngstown has a great historic downtown from what I've seen. I have a friend from there that went to visit and he said downtown wasn't dangerous like people perceive; it's just dead. Although he said there's a nice coffeeshop there that's still in business, so hopefully it'll come around, it just needs a little loving and people living there.

We are going to Vermont in August.  At the moment, our plans are quite fluid.  I have a notion that I would like to visit Stowe or other towns that have great XC skiing because we would like to vacation in the winter there.  Vermont is on our list of places to retire to.

 

Can you recommend any great hiking trails?  I expect that we will do mostly hiking.

... Can you recommend any great hiking trails?  I expect that we will do mostly hiking.

 

I was only there for a few days as part of a longer driving tour through several states in the Northeast, so I don't have an intimate knowledge of the area's hiking opportunities. I know that the area is dense with outdoor experiences, though.

 

You might want to check out the Road Trip 2000 section on my web site for some of the other nearby interesting places; I know there are trails on Mount Washington in New Hampshire, site of the cog railway, and in New York State's Adirondack Park.

Thanks Rob.  We were in NH eight years ago.  It was cloudy on Mt.Washington.

 

I understand that there is a long (rail) trail for cycling in NW Vermont.  Might rent bikes there.  I really don't want to lug my bike along just for one day, though.

very relaxing rob. i was thisclose to going to suny plattsburgh for grad school, so thanks for showing me my alternate world life  :laugh: !

... i was thisclose to going to suny plattsburgh for grad school ...

 

I visited SUNY Plattsburgh on that trip. I was on a quest to see three exhibits of work by artist Rockwell Kent, and one was a permanent exhibit in a gallery in the library there.

 

In addition to the paintings and illustrations for which he was best known, Kent designed dinnerware, textiles and jewelry. The SUNY campus feels rather austere to me despite the sculpture garden, but I did enjoy the Rockwell Kent gallery.

We are going to Vermont in August. At the moment, our plans are quite fluid. I have a notion that I would like to visit Stowe or other towns that have great XC skiing because we would like to vacation in the winter there. Vermont is on our list of places to retire to.

 

Can you recommend any great hiking trails? I expect that we will do mostly hiking.

 

Oooh...don't visit Stowe. It's the only Vermont town that couldn't be trying harder to be a small Vermont town. It's like Disney.

 

Hike any portion of the Long Trail. My favorite parts of the long trail are in the Northeast Kingdom. Lamoille County is also amazing for hiking.

 

And if you end up in the Northeast Kingdom, something quirky to see: the town of Derby Line. It's built right on the Canadian border in the Northeast Kingdom. Half their library is in the states -- half in canada. There's a line on the floor inside. And there's a street called Canusa Avenue. Half the street in the states, half in Canada. Lots of flags. Pretty cool to see.

 

This may be incredibly tacky since I don't know you, but if you have any room in your traveling device for a six pack of Trout River beer, I'd gladly give you some cash plus a courier fee. It's the hardest-to-get beer outside of Green Mountain state lines.

BTW: If you (or anyone) need more detailed information on trails, let me know. I lived there for 2.5 years. And anything I don't know, I have a friend I can give you the e-mail address of who is an avid outdoorsman -- fishing, hunting, hiking, birding, everything. He's a real Vermonter, not just an enthusiastic flatlander like myself.

What I would really like to do is to camp out somewhere in or near Green Mountain National Forest near Rutland or Middlebury and drive to trailheads for several day.  We can only fit in about five days of hiking, which is not a lot.

 

Alternatively, we could camp out in the Northeast Kingdom and hit trailheads there.  I hear that the Northeast Kingdom is quite remote.  We would enjoy that.  As for the Trout River beer, I will do what I can, but the beer will be exposed to some thirsty Appalachians at the family reunion in the next days...I will have to hide it good.

What I would really like to do is to camp out somewhere in or near Green Mountain National Forest near Rutland or Middlebury and drive to trailheads for several day. We can only fit in about five days of hiking, which is not a lot.

 

Alternatively, we could camp out in the Northeast Kingdom and hit trailheads there. I hear that the Northeast Kingdom is quite remote. We would enjoy that. As for the Trout River beer, I will do what I can, but the beer will be exposed to some thirsty Appalachians at the family reunion in the next days...I will have to hide it good.

 

The whole state is kind of remote. The largest town in the state is Burlington, and it only has 39,000. The capital, Montpelier, is the only one in the country without a McDonalds. (Though there is one in Barre, the next town over, but Vermonters are proud of that stat.)

 

The Northeast Kingdom is more remote than other parts of the state. The Rutland/Middlebury area has more amenities. Rutland is ugly but near some pretty towns. If you want to see ski areas near Rutland, go to Killington and Sugar Bush. In the NEK, go to Jay Peak. Burke also has some killer ski trails.

 

Vermont is really small, so you may be able to hike a little bit here, and a little bit there, depending on your desires. Rutland is two hours max from St. Johnsbury, the biggest town in the Northeast Kingdom.

 

Another thing to think about in August will be swimming holes. There are some really good ones around the Killington area. These are typically just a little off the trails, and you'll see a little pool that develops by the way the river flows. Vermont has a bunch, some of which are popular, the best of which are relatively unknown. It's a nice break while hiking to cool off there. And as a bonus: For whatever reason, mosquitoes seem less populous in Vermont, which makes hiking even better there.

 

Man...I need to schedule a Vermont vacation next year.

As for the Trout River beer, I will do what I can, but the beer will be exposed to some thirsty Appalachians at the family reunion in the next days...I will have to hide it good.

 

If you happen to see it and purchase it, and somehow fend off the relatives, I would be much appreciative. Is it wrong to crave beer at 11:13 a.m. on a week day?

We have the North Beach campground in Burlington reserved for the first weekend in August.  We will drive to Vermont on Saturday and cycle the lakefront railtrail on Sunday.  On Monday, we will drive through the famous Smuggler's Notch and take the gondola ride up Mt. Mansfield for a day of hiking on the ridgeline. 

 

Following that, I want to see Stowe, because it's a boffo xc ski town--yes, I am going to the Trapp Family lodge for a look around, maybe dinner.  Then we ddrive down to Branbury State Park to camp and hike for four days.  There's a 2500 foot climb up Mt. Abraham featuring a view of the Adirondacks, Killington Mountain, and the White Mountains of New Hampshire. 

 

One of the towns near there has an entire downtown that is an architectural district.  Looking at the pictures of the state, I get this vibe that I can see that the New England architecture has been reproduced throughout Northeast Ohio.  More later.

Sounds like a beautiful trip. Take photos!

beautiful photos of a beautiful part of the country