Little River State Park
Waterbury, Vermont · on Stevenson Brook
Verified · 2 independent sources
- WATER
- reservoir
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $5 per adult
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Little River State Park
Little River State Park is a Vermont state park and campground on the 850-acre Waterbury Reservoir in Waterbury, VT, within Mount Mansfield State Forest. It has two designated swimming beaches inside the campground (the 'A' beach and the sandy-bottomed 'B' beach near where Stevenson Brook enters the reservoir), plus a named 'Rocky Beach' swim area referenced by the state parks system. Day-use (non-camping) swimmers are directed by the park itself to the adjacent Waterbury Center State Park instead.
The park sits on the shoreline of Waterbury Reservoir, a CCC-built impoundment surrounded by the forested hills of Mount Mansfield State Forest. The reservoir's north end is largely undeveloped and non-motorized, giving campers calm-water paddling and swimming close to their sites, with mountain views from the more open 'A' beach and a grassier, tree-shaded stretch at 'B' beach near the Stevenson Brook inlet.
Swimming at Little River State Park
Swimming happens directly off two beaches inside the campground on Waterbury Reservoir rather than in a river or true swimming hole: the gravel, open 'A' beach with mountain panoramas, and the grassy, sandy-bottomed 'B' beach near the mouth of Stevenson Brook. There are no lifeguards (lifeguards in the VT system are stationed only at Button Bay State Park), water is tested weekly in-season for E. coli and cyanobacteria, and campers describe the reservoir water as cold (one reviewer measured ~55°F). It suits campers and families staying at the park; casual day-trip swimmers are directed by the park to nearby Waterbury Center State Park instead.
How to get to this swimming hole
About 30 miles south of Burlington off I-89. From the junction of VT Route 100 and US Route 2, head west on US-2 then north on Little River Road for roughly 3.5 miles to the park entrance at 3444 Little River Road, Waterbury, VT.
Parking: Camper reviews describe the access road into the park as 'a bit rough but navigable by all vehicles'; both swim beaches are reachable on foot or by bike from every campsite. No day-use parking lot details beyond the campground/contact-station area were found.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. No hike is needed to reach either swim beach; both the gravel/open 'A' beach and the grassy, sandy-bottomed 'B' beach (near the Stevenson Brook inlet) sit inside the campground and are reachable by a short walk or bike ride from any campsite. Day-use (non-camping) visitors are directed by the park to swim at adjacent Waterbury Center State Park rather than hiking in to these beaches.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
No lifeguards are stationed at Little River (VT's system only staffs lifeguards at Button Bay State Park), and reservoir water runs cold (~55°F reported by one camper). That said, the grassy, sandy-bottomed 'B' beach near the Stevenson Brook inlet gives a gentle, gradual entry, and a camper review called this 'by far, our favorite park to bring young kids to,' citing ranger-led programs (mushroom hunts, guided paddles) that add supervised family activities.
Parking
Available
No dedicated day-use beach parking lot was documented; the two campground swim beaches ('A' and 'B') are described as within easy walking or biking distance of every campsite, so most visitors reach them on foot/bike from wherever they're camped rather than a separate lot. The park entrance/contact station is at 3444 Little River Road. Note the park's own materials direct casual day-use (non-camping) swimmers to nearby Waterbury Center State Park instead, which has its own separate parking and access.
Restrooms
Yes
Per the official park page, restrooms across the campground have flush toilets and hot/cold running water, and three of the four restroom buildings also have token-operated hot showers. A camper review described one bathhouse as 'a bit dated and dingy, but clean,' another as having an 'average' bathhouse with hot showers.
Water clarity
Clear
One first-hand visitor account describes the reservoir water at the beaches as 'cool and clear.' No visitor reports of murkiness or algae were found, though the park does test weekly in-season for E. coli and cyanobacteria as a standard precaution.
Hours
Park operates seasonally, third weekend in May through the third weekend in October; no separate daily gate hours were found.
On the water
Restrictions: No motorboats in the reservoir's north end near the park; a no-wake zone applies reservoir-wide. Camper reviews confirm the northern end stays quiet/non-motorized, making it well suited to paddling from camp.
Canoes, kayaks, and rowboats are available to rent on-site at Little River's campground (for campers); a camper review also mentions 'paddle only' campsites. Day-use (non-camping) boaters/renters are directed to adjacent Waterbury Center State Park on the same reservoir.
Rentals nearby
Canoe and kayak rentals for use on Waterbury Reservoir, arranged through the adjacent Waterbury Center State Park (the day-use access point on the same reservoir as Little River); Waterbury Center State Park itself also offers stand-up paddleboards directly.
Serves Waterbury Center State Park, Waterbury Center, VT (across the reservoir from Little River State Park's campground beaches)
What regulars say
Camper reviews describe the campground bathhouses as functional but dated ('a bit dated and dingy, but clean'; another 'average' with hot showers), note the park fills up fast in peak season ('plan your stay well in advance'), and flag that not every campsite has easy walk-down access to the water ('most sites up on hill looking over lake, not easily accessible from campsite'). Families rate it highly for young kids, citing ranger-led programs like guided paddles and mushroom hunts.
Backstory
The Ricker Basin and Cotton Brook area was settled by roughly 50 farming families beginning in the early 1800s. A major flood on November 3-4, 1927 devastated the community, and between 1935 and 1938 the Civilian Conservation Corps (at times over 2,000 men) built the dam that created Waterbury Reservoir. A self-guided history trail from the campground passes remaining stone walls, cellar holes, old town roads, bridges, and cemeteries from the pre-flood settlement.
Little River State Park: FAQ
Does Little River State Park charge a fee?
Day-use admission $5 per adult (14+), $2 per child (4-13), free for children 0-3; cabins run $60/night (VT resident) or $85/night (non-resident), plus $8/extra person and $3/pet per night where pets are allowed.
Is Little River State Park kid friendly?
No lifeguards are stationed at Little River (VT's system only staffs lifeguards at Button Bay State Park), and reservoir water runs cold (~55°F reported by one camper). That said, the grassy, sandy-bottomed 'B' beach near the Stevenson Brook inlet gives a gentle, gradual entry, and a camper review called this 'by far, our favorite park to bring young kids to,' citing ranger-led programs (mushroom hunts, guided paddles) that add supervised family activities.
Do I need to hike to reach Little River State Park?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Little River State Park?
No dedicated day-use beach parking lot was documented; the two campground swim beaches ('A' and 'B') are described as within easy walking or biking distance of every campsite, so most visitors reach them on foot/bike from wherever they're camped rather than a separate lot. The park entrance/contact station is at 3444 Little River Road. Note the park's own materials direct casual day-use (non-camping) swimmers to nearby Waterbury Center State Park instead, which has its own separate parking and access.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Little River State Park?
Canoes, kayaks, and rowboats are available to rent on-site at Little River's campground (for campers); a camper review also mentions 'paddle only' campsites. Day-use (non-camping) boaters/renters are directed to adjacent Waterbury Center State Park on the same reservoir.
When is the best time to visit Little River State Park?
Park operates from the third weekend in May through the third weekend in October; camper reports describe reservoir water as still quite cold even in summer.
What are the rules at Little River State Park?
Pets are prohibited on the designated swim beaches and swim areas but may swim at the boat launch area in section A. Water is tested weekly during the operating season (through no later than Sept. 30) for E. coli and cyanobacteria. No lifeguards are on duty. Only USDA-certified heat-treated firewood may be brought in. Maximum stay at prime campsites is 14 days.
What water body is Little River State Park on?
Little River State Park is on Stevenson Brook, a natural reservoir verified in USGS hydrography data.
