Camping
Day use
THINGS TO DO
Camping
Hiking
Swimming
Boating
Fishing
Biking
Park Events & Programs
Venture Vermont
Winter Activities
Other Activities
Family Fun
Enjoying Nature
Fee Area: Day Use/Camping fees apply
Group/ Remote Camping: 26 lean-to sites for group camping, 7 remote lean-to's, 1 remote tent site. Reservations can be made through New Discovery State Park or the Reservation Call Center.
Pets are not permitted on the beach but are allowed elsewhere throughout the park. Please clean up after your pets.
Park Updates & Alerts
- Due to road closures from heavy rains and flooding, access to parks in Groton State Forest is limited. Check out our park flood status updates page for more information.
- The road to Owls Head in Groton is closed due to washouts until further notice.
- 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.
Go 2 miles west on U.S. 302, then 7.5 miles NW on VT 232.
Group/ Remote Camping: There are 26 lean-to's arranged into five separate groups. There are also 7 remote lean-to's and 1 remote tent site.
Hiking: In addition to the Kettle Pond Trail, Groton State Forest offers over 17 miles of hiking trails.
Swimming: : There is a camper’s beach at Kettle Pond with excellent swimming. Additionally, campers and day users can swim at Boulder Beach State Park.
Boating: Boats are welcome at the park. There are also 4 canoes available to rent at New Discovery State Park.
Fishing: Rainbow trout, perch and small mouth bass can be found in Kettle Pond.
Mountain Biking: Groton State Forest has over 20 miles of multi-use trails great for mountain biking.
Nature Programs: The Groton Nature Center is a short drive away.
This park is one of seven parks in the Groton State Forest. These parks are all within close proximity to one another (some within walking distance) and entry to one provides free entry to all. Combined, the parks offer a range of activities and attractions.
Welcome
As early as 1704 Native Americans and the French were using routes through Groton to reach Canada and Massachusetts. Colonists settled this area of Vermont slightly earlier than the rest of the state due to the accessibility the network of waterways provided.
The rocky, tree-covered hillsides were originally covered by white pine, spruce, hemlock, beech, maple and birch. They were logged by local farmers for lumber, fuel and potash. The logging industry was large scale for almost 100 years while the railroad was operating. Today, logging is still a vital industry in the area, but has lost some of its dominance in favor of modern society's leisure time movement: private cottages and seasonal homes, park development and a variety of outdoor recreation activities.
Facilities / Amenities
The campground is located on the shores of Kettle Pond, an undeveloped pond. There are 26 lean-to's arranged into five separate groups designed to accommodate a variety of different groups and organizations such as scouts, churches, clubs or other social institutions. There are three composting toilets and two double pit toilets. There is no potable water at this site, but you can get water at nearby New Discovery State Park. There is a campers' beach and miles of hiking and multiple use trails in Groton State Forest. 7 remote lean-to’s and one remote campsite are also available.
Additionally, the Groton Nature Center is nearby and serves all the state parks in the Groton State Forest.
Day use parking: Day use parking for hiking and boating is separate from the campground and is located adjacent to VT Route 232. The hiking trail and boat portage trail is located in the northwest corner of the parking near the kiosk.