Emerald Lake State Park - Vermont State Parks
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Emerald Lake State Park
VERMONT
North Dorset, Vermont
AGENCY OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Camping Area A
68
67
to beach
Parking
Campground
Picnic area
0
Prime campsite
Picnic shelter
0
Campsite
Concession
Prime lean-to
Swimming area
Lean-to
Public phone
Restrooms
Trailhead
Showers ($) Wheelchair accessible facility Drinking water
40
300
feet
Park Overview
North
A
B
C
Emerald Lake
Otter Creek Vt Railway
Park boundary
Trash/Recycling center
Steep bank
to Manchester
to Rutlan
Traffic direction
this map is intended for informational purposes only
d
7 Vista Trail
Horseshoe pit Volleyball
200
HAWTHORN SYCAMORE
0
Nature Center
RV Sanitary Station
Playground
100
HORNBEAM
31
69
LEGEND Park office
42
20
T NU ZEL HA C MA SU OD O GW DO D OO
66
29
21
SSW
feet
OAK HEMLOCK ASH LOCUST
V
22
BA
POPLAR SPRUCE
63
T NU UT RN
300
25
33
39
EST
MAPLE
LARCH
35
24
23
41
GINKGO
62
11
37 38
44
CH
10
61
46
JUNIPER
59
60
48
RRY
8 9
V
64
57
53
YEW
TTE
200
4
WILLOW
CEDAR BIRCH
55
50
LBE MU R PEA M PLU
100
5
6
1
13 12
58
52
26
34 32
36
43
45
PLE
BEECH 0
7
14
2
51
54
56
47
49
AP
15
FIR
28
BU
17 16
TAMARACK
Camping Area C
CHERRY Y OR E ASPEN K T R M IC PIN U E L LN LD E H WA A
18
19
Camping Area B
FORESTS, PARKS & RECREATION
0 ephelps- rev. 12/2015
200 feet
400
600
Emerald Lake State Park Welcome to 992-acre Emerald Lake State Park. Located conveniently between Manchester and Rutland, the park is popular for its wooded hillside campground, waterfront and nearby tourist destinations. The park surrounds 20-acre Emerald Lake, named for the emerald green color of its waters when viewed from above. Restricted to non-motorized watercraft, the lake is ideal for swimming and paddling. The lake also offers anglers an opportunity to catch yellow perch, smallmouth bass, northern pike and other warmwater species. The park is a favorite destination of hikers, with the Long Trail and Appalachian Trail nearby, and trails on Dorset Mountain. The Dorset area became well known for its marble quarries by the early 19th century. The first commercial marble quarry in the region, and likely the country, was opened in 1785 by Isaac Underhill on Mt Aeolus. The quarry age of Dorset spanned some 130 years. In the early years, marble was cut for uses like headstones and hearthstones. The Feedley and Sons Quarry, on the southern end of what is now the state park, opened in 1804. Huge blocks of stone were cut from the mountainsides at the Feedley quarry where they were placed on an inclined rail system and sent a mile down the mountain to a finishing mill. Finished stone was sent out on rail cars. During the quarry age peak, as many as 30 quarries harvested stone for many uses, including projects like the New York City library and many bank and public buildings across the country. Many local buildings and sidewalks are made from the local stone. By the beginning of the 20th century, however, quarrying marble in Dorset began to draw to a close. Quarries further north in West Rutland and Proctor proved to yield higher quality stone much easier than the rugged mountain quarries in Dorset. Between 1918 and 1921 Robert Alfred Shaw purchased more than 1,000 acres of land, establishing North Dorset Farms. His acquisitions
included the area surrounding Dorset Pond, which is now known as Emerald Lake. In 1957, following Mr. Shaw’s death, the State purchased approximately 1,000 acres from his estate. Approximately 500 acres, located adjacent to the park on the east side of US Route 7, is now Emerald Lake State Forest. The 430 acres on the west side of the highway comprises the park. In 1960 Emerald Lake State Park opened to the public. The original facilities included a small campground, beach and picnic area. Today, the remains of past quarry operations can still be seen. Stone remains of the Freedley and Sons finishing plant are located approximately 2 miles south of the park. Other former quarries remain as water-filled pits. Examples of these can be seen along US Route 30 in Dorset and on the mountainside along Route 7. One of the more unique features from this bygone era is the North Dorset Cemetery located on the hill overlooking the park’s contact station and parking lot. The cemetery has many headstones made of local marble. Emerald Lake State Park Amenities • 64 campsites • 37 lean-to shelters • Swimming and fishing on the lake • Picnicking & Group Events • Playground • Interpretive programs • Food concession • Boat rentals • Firewood for sale Recreating & Sightseeing in the Area Manchester Historic downtown, shopping and dining Southern Vermont Arts Center American Museum of Fly Fishing Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home Northshire Museum and History
Center Skyline Drive toll-road on Mt Equinox Hiking on Mt. Equinox Fishing on the historic Batten Kill River and other lakes and ponds Bennington Bennington Battle Monument Bennington Museum Lake Shaftsbury State Park Rutland Historic downtown, shopping and dining Green Mountain National Forest White Rocks National Recreation Area, Wallingford Manchester Ranger Station-forest information Many hiking trails throughout the area
Emerald Lake State Park Map & Guide
For more information, contact: Emerald Lake State Park 65 Emerald Lake Lane East Dorset, Vermont 05253 (802) 362-1655 (operating season) OR VT State Parks Reservation Center (888) 409-7579 Mon - Fri 9 a.m.-4 p.m. www.vtstateparks.com
To request this publication in Braille or alternate visual format, please contact [email protected] VT TDD Relay Dial 7-1-1 Printed on recycled paper. 12/2015 ERP
Memorial Day Weekend - Columbus Day Camping Swimming Picnicking Group Events Hiking Interpretive Programs
Emerald Lake State Park
VERMONT
North Dorset, Vermont
AGENCY OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Camping Area A
68
67
to beach
Parking
Campground
Picnic area
0
Prime campsite
Picnic shelter
0
Campsite
Concession
Prime lean-to
Swimming area
Lean-to
Public phone
Restrooms
Trailhead
Showers ($) Wheelchair accessible facility Drinking water
40
300
feet
Park Overview
North
A
B
C
Emerald Lake
Otter Creek Vt Railway
Park boundary
Trash/Recycling center
Steep bank
to Manchester
to Rutlan
Traffic direction
this map is intended for informational purposes only
d
7 Vista Trail
Horseshoe pit Volleyball
200
HAWTHORN SYCAMORE
0
Nature Center
RV Sanitary Station
Playground
100
HORNBEAM
31
69
LEGEND Park office
42
20
T NU ZEL HA C MA SU OD O GW DO D OO
66
29
21
SSW
feet
OAK HEMLOCK ASH LOCUST
V
22
BA
POPLAR SPRUCE
63
T NU UT RN
300
25
33
39
EST
MAPLE
LARCH
35
24
23
41
GINKGO
62
11
37 38
44
CH
10
61
46
JUNIPER
59
60
48
RRY
8 9
V
64
57
53
YEW
TTE
200
4
WILLOW
CEDAR BIRCH
55
50
LBE MU R PEA M PLU
100
5
6
1
13 12
58
52
26
34 32
36
43
45
PLE
BEECH 0
7
14
2
51
54
56
47
49
AP
15
FIR
28
BU
17 16
TAMARACK
Camping Area C
CHERRY Y OR E ASPEN K T R M IC PIN U E L LN LD E H WA A
18
19
Camping Area B
FORESTS, PARKS & RECREATION
0 ephelps- rev. 12/2015
200 feet
400
600
Emerald Lake State Park Welcome to 992-acre Emerald Lake State Park. Located conveniently between Manchester and Rutland, the park is popular for its wooded hillside campground, waterfront and nearby tourist destinations. The park surrounds 20-acre Emerald Lake, named for the emerald green color of its waters when viewed from above. Restricted to non-motorized watercraft, the lake is ideal for swimming and paddling. The lake also offers anglers an opportunity to catch yellow perch, smallmouth bass, northern pike and other warmwater species. The park is a favorite destination of hikers, with the Long Trail and Appalachian Trail nearby, and trails on Dorset Mountain. The Dorset area became well known for its marble quarries by the early 19th century. The first commercial marble quarry in the region, and likely the country, was opened in 1785 by Isaac Underhill on Mt Aeolus. The quarry age of Dorset spanned some 130 years. In the early years, marble was cut for uses like headstones and hearthstones. The Feedley and Sons Quarry, on the southern end of what is now the state park, opened in 1804. Huge blocks of stone were cut from the mountainsides at the Feedley quarry where they were placed on an inclined rail system and sent a mile down the mountain to a finishing mill. Finished stone was sent out on rail cars. During the quarry age peak, as many as 30 quarries harvested stone for many uses, including projects like the New York City library and many bank and public buildings across the country. Many local buildings and sidewalks are made from the local stone. By the beginning of the 20th century, however, quarrying marble in Dorset began to draw to a close. Quarries further north in West Rutland and Proctor proved to yield higher quality stone much easier than the rugged mountain quarries in Dorset. Between 1918 and 1921 Robert Alfred Shaw purchased more than 1,000 acres of land, establishing North Dorset Farms. His acquisitions
included the area surrounding Dorset Pond, which is now known as Emerald Lake. In 1957, following Mr. Shaw’s death, the State purchased approximately 1,000 acres from his estate. Approximately 500 acres, located adjacent to the park on the east side of US Route 7, is now Emerald Lake State Forest. The 430 acres on the west side of the highway comprises the park. In 1960 Emerald Lake State Park opened to the public. The original facilities included a small campground, beach and picnic area. Today, the remains of past quarry operations can still be seen. Stone remains of the Freedley and Sons finishing plant are located approximately 2 miles south of the park. Other former quarries remain as water-filled pits. Examples of these can be seen along US Route 30 in Dorset and on the mountainside along Route 7. One of the more unique features from this bygone era is the North Dorset Cemetery located on the hill overlooking the park’s contact station and parking lot. The cemetery has many headstones made of local marble. Emerald Lake State Park Amenities • 64 campsites • 37 lean-to shelters • Swimming and fishing on the lake • Picnicking & Group Events • Playground • Interpretive programs • Food concession • Boat rentals • Firewood for sale Recreating & Sightseeing in the Area Manchester Historic downtown, shopping and dining Southern Vermont Arts Center American Museum of Fly Fishing Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home Northshire Museum and History
Center Skyline Drive toll-road on Mt Equinox Hiking on Mt. Equinox Fishing on the historic Batten Kill River and other lakes and ponds Bennington Bennington Battle Monument Bennington Museum Lake Shaftsbury State Park Rutland Historic downtown, shopping and dining Green Mountain National Forest White Rocks National Recreation Area, Wallingford Manchester Ranger Station-forest information Many hiking trails throughout the area
Emerald Lake State Park Map & Guide
For more information, contact: Emerald Lake State Park 65 Emerald Lake Lane East Dorset, Vermont 05253 (802) 362-1655 (operating season) OR VT State Parks Reservation Center (888) 409-7579 Mon - Fri 9 a.m.-4 p.m. www.vtstateparks.com
To request this publication in Braille or alternate visual format, please contact [email protected] VT TDD Relay Dial 7-1-1 Printed on recycled paper. 12/2015 ERP
Memorial Day Weekend - Columbus Day Camping Swimming Picnicking Group Events Hiking Interpretive Programs
