Vermont Guides
Vermont's car-free Lake Champlain island — reached by ferry from St. Albans Bay, with hiking trails, swimming, and a quiet that only comes from the absence of motor vehicles.
Burton Island is 253 acres of Lake Champlain, north of St. Albans Bay, accessible only by a 10-minute ferry crossing from Kill Kare State Park on the mainland. There is no bridge, no causeway, and no motor vehicles on the island. What you get instead is the particular quiet that belongs to a place where the only sounds come from the water, the wind, the birds, and the footsteps of other visitors — a quiet that is increasingly rare on a lake surrounded by development.
From Heart of the Village Inn in Shelburne, Kill Kare State Park (the ferry departure point) is approximately 40–45 minutes north via I-89 North to Exit 19 (St. Albans) and local roads to the St. Albans Bay shore. The ferry is seasonal, typically late May through Labor Day, with multiple daily crossings. Confirm the current schedule, fees, and capacity with Vermont State Parks before making the drive.
Burton Island has approximately 4.2 miles of trails covering the island's perimeter and crossing its interior. The perimeter trail gives continuous lake views — north toward the Quebec border, west toward the Champlain Islands, south toward St. Albans Bay — and passes through the island's mix of open shoreline, wooded interior, and meadow. The entire trail system can be walked comfortably in 2–3 hours; most day-trip visitors do the perimeter and then find a beach or picnic spot for the afternoon.
The island has sandy and gravelly beaches on its southern and western shores — sheltered enough for comfortable swimming on most summer days. The water temperature on Lake Champlain in summer averages in the low-to-mid 70s Fahrenheit by July and August; the swimming is genuinely warm by Vermont standards. There are no lifeguards; swim at your own assessment of conditions.
Burton Island's marina has transient slips for boaters arriving by water — a common mode of arrival for visitors with access to boats on St. Albans Bay or the broader lake. The marina has utilities and basic facilities; confirm current dock fees and availability with Vermont State Parks if arriving by boat.
Burton Island has tent sites and lean-to shelters available for overnight stays — all reservable through Vermont State Parks (vtstateparks.com). Camping at Burton Island is one of the more distinctive Vermont overnight experiences: waking up on a car-free island with lake views and a ferry as your only exit. Reservations fill well in advance for summer weekends; book early.
Kill Kare State Park — the mainland park from which the Burton Island ferry departs — is worth time on its own. It sits on a point of land extending into St. Albans Bay with picnic facilities, a swimming area on the bay, and wide views of the lake and the Champlain Islands to the west. Day-use fees apply to Kill Kare separately from the Burton Island ferry. Confirm current Kill Kare hours and fees with Vermont State Parks before visiting.
The combination — morning at Kill Kare, ferry to Burton Island for 3–4 hours, return ferry and an afternoon at Kill Kare's beach — makes a complete Lake Champlain day without needing to go anywhere else. St. Albans has dining options for the drive back south.
By ferry from Kill Kare State Park on the St. Albans Bay shore — approximately a 10-minute crossing. The ferry operates seasonally (typically late May through Labor Day). Confirm current schedule and fees with Vermont State Parks (vtstateparks.com) before visiting.
Yes — day-use is available alongside camping. Take the ferry over, hike the perimeter trail (4.2 miles), swim, and take a later ferry back. A comfortable half-day allows 3–4 hours on the island.
4.2 miles of hiking trails, swimming beaches, picnic facilities, and a marina. The car-free environment is the defining feature — uncommon on Lake Champlain.
Kill Kare State Park (ferry departure) is approximately 40–45 minutes north via I-89 North to Exit 19 (St. Albans) and local roads to the St. Albans Bay shore.
Heart of the Village Inn is Vermont's only adults-only (21+) B&B in Shelburne Village — 40–45 minutes from the Burton Island ferry at Kill Kare State Park. Made-from-scratch breakfast, free on-site parking, and a quiet Vermont inn to return to after a lake island day.
Book Now ↗Vermont's maple festival capital and the 1864 Confederate Raid — 10 minutes east of Kill Kare State Park.
Vermont's quietest Champlain island — the world's oldest coral reef and St. Anne's Shrine, 30 minutes west.
Private and shared sailing charters from Shelburne Bay — the same lake, from the water.