Facilities

The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department maintains more than 200 developed fishing access areas, providing public access for shore fishing opportunities and launching of water craft. Access areas are provided for anglers, boaters, hunters, and trappers. Department Access Area Rules (PDF) help guide users on what activities are allowed.

Authorized Activities

• Angling, ice fishing and the launching of any vessel to be used for fishing and parking of vehicles and trailers necessary for and contemporaneous with these purposes.
• The launching of inboard and outboard motorboats engaging in any activity and parking of vehicles and trailers necessary for and contemporaneous with that purpose.
• Trapping, hunting and parking of vehicles and boat trailers necessary for and contemporaneous with that purpose.
• Launching of all non-motorized vessels not used for commercial purposes and parking of vehicles and boat trailers necessary for and contemporaneous with that purpose. Users shall launch from the designated non-motorized launch site, when such a site is identified.
• ATV’s and snowmobiles when being used solely for the purposes of ice fishing.
  
  

Prohibited Activities

• Discarding of bottles, glass, cans, paper, junk, litter, food, or any other  garbage or trash.
• Discarding of dead fish, wildlife or portions thereof.
• Washing or cleaning of vehicles and equipment other than for the purpose of removing aquatic plants and organisms.
• Washing or cleaning of fish or wildlife.
• Camping
• Picnicking
• Making or maintaining fire of any kind
• Water skiing
• Swimming
• Use of snowmobiles and ATV’s, except for those being utilized solely for the purpose of ice fishing.
• Parking of vehicles and/or trailers while the vehicle owner or user is not present at the access area or on the adjacent public waters except as otherwise permitted by the commissioner.
• Storage of vehicles and/or trailers or placing of vehicles or trailers for sale.
• Withdrawal of water except as authorized under paragraph 6.0.
• Parking in excess of 72 consecutive hours except that the commissioner may issue permits for longer parking when the commissioner determines that there will be no adverse impact on authorized uses found in 4.0 above.
• Commercial activity except as authorized by paragraph 7.0 and 8.2 below.
• Activity that interferes with a priority use, such as, but not limited to the mooring or beaching of boats, using the ramp to rig a boat or boats thus obstructing use of the ramp, and the storing of boats or trailers at an access area.
• Group use not specifically authorized by the Commissioner.
• Launching and recovery of sailboards, rafts, snow kites, and the parking of vehicles and trailers supporting these activities.
• All other activity that is not specifically permitted by this rule unless specifically authorized by the commissioner.