Camping
Day use
THINGS TO DO
Camping
Hiking
Swimming
Boating
Fishing
Park Events & Programs
Venture Vermont
Winter Activities
Other Activities
Family Fun
Enjoying Nature
Camping: 115 tent/RV sites, 36 lean-to sites
Cabins/ Cottages: 4 cabins available to rent
Pets are not permitted in the designated swimming area or in most cabins. They are allowed elsewhere throughout the park. Please pick up after your pets. At this time, only the Mansfield cabin is pet-friendly
Park Updates & Alerts
- Check for beach closures and latest swimwater test results for this location.
- Firewood is not to be brought to parks from out of state UNLESS the wood is packaged, labeled as having been heat treated, and certified by USDA or the appropriate state department of agriculture. For more info, click here.
Take I-89 to Exit 17; Travel west on US Route 2 through the towns of South Hero and Keeler Bay. Continue straight through the flashing light at the junction of US Route 2 and VT Route 314. The park entrance road is exactly 2 miles past the light on the right side of the road; Follow road to park entrance, approximately 1 mile.
Travel East on US Route 2 through the Champlain Islands. Drive through the towns of Alburgh, North Hero and Grand Isle. The park entrance is approximately 2.5 miles on the left after the flashing light, just past the Grand Isle Elementary School.
Camping: This is the second-largest campground in the state. There are 115 tent/RV sites and 36 lean-to sites. There are also 4 cabins available to rent.
Hiking: There is an easy nature trail in the park.
Swimming: Great swimming in Lake Champlain.
Boating: There is a boat launch available to campers and kayaks can be rented from the park office.
Fishing: Lake Champlain is home to a variety of species of fish.
Nature Programs: This park offers nature programs. Please call the park directly for more information.
Biking: Bicycles are available to rent.
Horseshoes: There is a horseshoe pit at the park.
Volleyball: There is a volleyball net in the day use field.
Welcome
Welcome to Grand Isle State Park, located on South Hero Island in Lake Champlain. The Island, also known as Grand Isle, is 14 miles long and over 3 miles wide, making it the largest in Lake Champlain. It contains the towns of Grand Isle (on the northern half) and South Hero (on the southern half). The North and South Hero Islands are named in honor of early pioneering Vermonters who served in the American Revolution.
Grand Isle State Park was opened in 1959 when 54 acres of land was purchased from Birchcliff, a private summer resort. The original acquisition included a hotel-like building, cabins and a recreation hall. Today's nature center is the last remaining Birchcliff building. Three additional property acquisitions brought the park to its current 226-acre size. Park development during the 1960's was spurred by a successful effort to attract visitors to the area by providing quality camping opportunities.
Today, the result of that effort is apparent. Grand Isle State Park is the most-visited campground in the state park system. With 4,150 feet of Lake Champlain shoreline, Grand Isle is popular with many destination campers who spend their entire vacation here. At the same time, the park location on US Route 2 attracts a high number of one-night campers, while proximity to population centers in Burlington, Vermont and Montreal, Quebec make it an easy destination for the weekend or spur-of-the-moment camper. Park property extends all the way west to Route 2, where part of the land is being kept open by agricultural lease, and some of what was pasture thirty years ago has reverted to woodland.
Facilities / Amenities
The campground is open to overnight visitors only. Campers will be assigned a PIN number to pass through the electronic, security gate.
Normal office hours are 9am - 9pm. Campers should attempt to arrive during these hours.
There are 115 tent/RV sites, 36 lean-to sites, and 4 cabin sites, making the campground Vermont's second-largest. Restrooms have running water and coin-operated hot showers. There is an RV sanitary station but there are no hookups. Fifty percent of the sites are large enough to accommodate self-contained RVs.
Lakeshore areas permit water access for swimming and shore fishing. There is a boat launching ramp for registered campers and kayaks for rent through the park office. Check the nature center for nature programs, games, or entertainment. There is sand-court volleyball, horseshoes, a play area, bike rentals, and a nature walk, all within the park. Campers are also allowed free entry to the beaches at Knight Point State Park seven miles north and Alburgh Dunes State Park nineteen miles north.
Park Interpreter
This park has a park interpreter offering fun, hands-on activities. Interpreters are park staff solely dedicated to helping you learn more about the natural and cultural history of the park. Some popular activities include night hikes, nature crafts and games, campfire programs and amphibian explorations.
Check out the of current events to see some of the programs planned during your visit.