Lake Champlain
A lake 190 kilometres long between Vermont and New York, briefly declared a Great Lake in 1998 before the designation was withdrawn.
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The lake runs about a hundred and ninety kilometres between the Green Mountains and the Adirondacks and drains north into the Richelieu and the St Lawrence, not south. In March 1998 a Senate provision quietly designated it a Great Lake, making Vermont eligible for certain research funding; the resulting derision led to the designation being reversed within weeks, though the research eligibility was retained. Its strategic position made it a corridor for four wars - Fort Ticonderoga on the New York shore covers that. Ferries cross at several points. Blue-green algae blooms close beaches in some summers, and the lake has a persistent local monster legend called Champ.
What you actually see
- A lake 190 kilometres long - draining north, not south.
- Fort Ticonderoga - on the New York shore, covering four wars.
- Cross-lake ferries - at several points between the states.
- A brief Great Lake designation - granted and withdrawn in 1998.
When to go
June to September. A full day.
Honest expectations
Algae blooms close beaches in some summers - check advisories. The lake freezes and ferries reduce in winter. Public shoreline access is patchy. Weather can turn the water rough quickly.
Nearby
Burlington is on the eastern shore; the Adirondacks rise west.
What to pack for Lake Champlain
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
