Burton Island State Park
St Albans City, Vermont · Burton Island State Park
Verified · 5 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $16 per person
- SEASON
- Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, matching the park's ferry and camping season.
About Burton Island State Park
Burton Island State Park is a 253-acre, car-free island state park in Lake Champlain near St. Albans, Vermont, reachable only by a short passenger ferry from Kamp Kill Kare State Park on the mainland. As a swimming hole it works differently than most places to swim: you enter directly off the rocky, shale-lined shoreline at multiple points, with camping, a marina, and hiking trails alongside.
The park occupies an entire island in Lake Champlain close to the Canadian border, with about 3 miles of shoreline mixing rocky/shale beaches, some muddy-pebbly stretches, and wooded and open areas around the campground and marina.
Swimming at Burton Island State Park
Swimming happens directly off the island's shoreline rather than at a single formal beach; campers report water access within about 300 feet of most sites. The south end of the island is more exposed to wind and waves, which reviewers noted their kids enjoyed for swimming, while the northern shore has shale and some pebbly/mucky beach sections. The rocky coast means water shoes are recommended; it suits casual lake swimming and cooling off rather than a sandy-beach experience.
How to get to this swimming hole
Drive to Kamp Kill Kare State Park in St. Albans, Vermont, then board the Island Runner passenger ferry (about a 10-minute crossing) to Burton Island; no vehicles are permitted on the island itself.
Parking: Parking is at Kamp Kill Kare State Park on the mainland, the ferry departure point; the island itself has no vehicle access.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. No hike is required to swim, after the ferry lands, swimming spots are reached by a short walk from the dock/campground loop (within ~300 feet of most campsites per camper reviews). The island does have its own network of short hiking trails (Wikipedia, official site) described by campers as 'short enough to explore in one day,' but these are for general island exploration, not a required approach to any swim spot; no trail names or exact mileages to specific swim points were found in available sources.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
No single sandy beach, kids wade in from a rocky/shale shoreline with several access points within about 300 feet of most campsites, so water shoes are strongly recommended. The south tip of the island is windier and waves are noticeably choppier (campers say kids enjoy this for wave play but it's rougher footing), while northern shale/pebbly-muck coves are calmer and better for small children. No lifeguards are mentioned anywhere in official Vermont State Parks materials or camper reviews, so swimming is unsupervised as at most VT state parks; parents should also watch for boat traffic near the 100-slip marina.
Parking
Lot
There is no vehicle access to Burton Island itself (no cars/boats carried on the ferry, only passengers and bikes for +$2 each way). Visitors park at Kamp Kill Kare State Park on the mainland and take the Island Runner passenger ferry, a roughly 10-minute crossing; one-way ferry fares reported by visitors run about $7-8 per person, consistent with the ~$16 round-trip figure noted previously, and exact current fares are on a fee-schedule PDF on vtstateparks.com. As of the most recent official update found, the main Island Runner vessel was undergoing mechanical repairs with smaller boats/an alternate ferry (Spring Beach Ferry) covering some trips, so visitors should call the Kill Kare Contact Station (802-524-6021) ahead of a visit to confirm current ferry status.
Restrooms
Yes
Vermont State Parks lists 3 restrooms on the island with flush toilets, running water, and token-operated hot showers ($0.50 per 5 minutes, tokens sold at the contact station); camper reviews note water pressure in the showers is weak and that some restrooms require 'a further walk' from certain campsites.
Water clarity
Varies with season and flow
No source gave a direct clarity rating for the water right off Burton Island specifically. Lake Champlain's 'Inland Sea' region (where the island sits) is subject to the lake-wide algae/cyanobacteria advisories and post-flood turbidity that affect Champlain broadly (e.g., regional reporting notes the lake can 'look murky' after high-water events), so clarity likely varies by season, wind, and recent weather rather than being reliably clear or murky. Marked variable rather than guessed.
Hours
Ferry/park access runs 7 days a week from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, then reduced to Friday noon through Monday 11:30am during September (per vtstateparks.com).
On the water
Restrictions: The Island Runner passenger ferry itself carries only people and bikes, no vehicles or boats. Visitors arriving with their own kayak/canoe/paddleboard/motorboat can dock at Burton Island's own 100-slip marina or use moorings; the marina notes it 'reserves the right to change slip assignments' and recommends calling ahead since weekend slips fill up. No no-wake or electric-only restriction specific to Burton Island was found in sources checked.
The park's marina/camp store rents canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, and rowboats on-island (Wikipedia; vtstateparks.com; thedyrt.com camper reviews). One source also describes a complimentary ranger-led paddle tour (~3 miles around the island, ~2 hours, departs ~9:10am from the Manager's Office, reserve a boat in advance) as a recurring program, separate from standard hourly/daily rentals.
Rentals nearby
On-site rental of canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, and rowboats for use around the island; also a free ranger-guided paddle tour (~3 mi loop, ~2 hrs) with advance reservation
On Burton Island itself, at the marina/camp store near the main dock · Seasonal, Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend (reduced Sept hours)
Kayak, canoe, and stand-up paddleboard rentals (half-day, full-day, multi-day) from their City Bay launch in North Hero, with paid delivery available within Grand Isle County
3537 US Route 2, North Hero, VT, about 3.4 miles from Burton Island per nearby-town distances, closest dedicated outfitter in the Lake Champlain Islands/Inland Sea area · Store: Mon-Tue 7am-6pm, Wed-Sat 7am-8pm, Sun 8am-6pm (rentals booked online via Booqable, advance reservation required, walk-ins not typically accommodated)
Kayak and paddleboard rentals, lessons, and guided tours on Lake Champlain
505 Institute Rd, Burlington, VT, roughly 25 miles south of Burton Island, on the broader lake rather than the Inland Sea/St. Albans Bay area
What regulars say
Campers describe swimming directly off the island's own shoreline rather than at one formal beach, with water access within about 300 feet of most campsites; the south end catches more wind and waves (kids reportedly enjoyed this), the north shore has shale and some muddy-pebbly beach stretches, and water shoes are recommended given the rocky coast. The same visitors flag noticeably weak shower water pressure and note some restrooms require a longer walk from certain sites, plus a heavy mosquito/bug presence typical of the lake-island camp season. One visitor specifically warned that 'there very much are raccoons on the island' getting into campsites overnight. Locals also treat Burton Island as a day-trip destination, ferry over, swim, relax, ferry back, not just a place to camp.
Backstory
The park was established in 1964 and is managed by the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation as a water-access-only island park.
Burton Island State Park: FAQ
Does Burton Island State Park charge a fee?
Island Runner ferry round trip reported at $16 per person, with an additional $2 each way to bring a bike; hot showers on the island use tokens at $0.50 for 5 minutes.
Is Burton Island State Park kid friendly?
No single sandy beach, kids wade in from a rocky/shale shoreline with several access points within about 300 feet of most campsites, so water shoes are strongly recommended. The south tip of the island is windier and waves are noticeably choppier (campers say kids enjoy this for wave play but it's rougher footing), while northern shale/pebbly-muck coves are calmer and better for small children. No lifeguards are mentioned anywhere in official Vermont State Parks materials or camper reviews, so swimming is unsupervised as at most VT state parks; parents should also watch for boat traffic near the 100-slip marina.
Do I need to hike to reach Burton Island State Park?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Burton Island State Park?
There is no vehicle access to Burton Island itself (no cars/boats carried on the ferry, only passengers and bikes for +$2 each way). Visitors park at Kamp Kill Kare State Park on the mainland and take the Island Runner passenger ferry, a roughly 10-minute crossing; one-way ferry fares reported by visitors run about $7-8 per person, consistent with the ~$16 round-trip figure noted previously, and exact current fares are on a fee-schedule PDF on vtstateparks.com. As of the most recent official update found, the main Island Runner vessel was undergoing mechanical repairs with smaller boats/an alternate ferry (Spring Beach Ferry) covering some trips, so visitors should call the Kill Kare Contact Station (802-524-6021) ahead of a visit to confirm current ferry status.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Burton Island State Park?
The park's marina/camp store rents canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, and rowboats on-island (Wikipedia; vtstateparks.com; thedyrt.com camper reviews). One source also describes a complimentary ranger-led paddle tour (~3 miles around the island, ~2 hours, departs ~9:10am from the Manager's Office, reserve a boat in advance) as a recurring program, separate from standard hourly/daily rentals.
When is the best time to visit Burton Island State Park?
Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, matching the park's ferry and camping season.
What are the rules at Burton Island State Park?
Burton Island is accessible only by boat/ferry (primarily the Island Runner from Kamp Kill Kare State Park); no vehicles are allowed on the island, and the park operates seasonally from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend (with limited September hours).
