This is a kid-friendly swimming hole that is only a few miles away from Ludlow, VT. Our family…read morestopped by for a visit with our dog in July 2026. Here are 3 tips for newbies. First, it can get very crowded along the road (there is no official parking lot). Be sure to pack your patience. If you arrive mid-afternoon, more spaces near the entrance may open. Second, no public restrooms are available. So, plan accordingly. Third, the middle falls are easiest to access if you're here for a short time. Overall, it was a nice place for a quick visit. However, Buttermilks Falls are not as impressive as other Vermont locations with swimming holes such as Bartlett Falls or Warren Falls. The latter is particularly scenic with a high cliff jump that is for brave teenagers and adults only. The state of Vermont is blessed to have so many natural swimming areas!

Wow ! What a hidden gem ! We were visiting Ludlow VT and saw this fall . Kids wanted to enjoy…read morewater and this was a perfect choice for us . The water was colddddddddddd though. Ufff . Very cold . The first dip was tough ! Later once you get use of it , it felt a bit better . Pathway was a bit crazy , in some places .it is about a 2 mile walk but we just went not too far : .. the lower and middle falls is also accessible from car parking lots outside . Parking is outside and sometimes you have to park 5-8 mins away from the falls . Not much of restrooms around . Lots of dogs in the water :) It was an amazing tint though ! Loved it . 5 stars !

A great hike of moderate difficulty. The summit is lovely, with beautiful views of Lake George and…read morethe surrounding mountains. Some areas of the trail are fairly eroded, but there were crews there working to protect the trail and divert water. Even with a full parking lot, the hike was long enough that we didn't see people very often along the way. We saw some families with little ones, but none near the top, so I'm not sure how far they made it. This wouldn't be an easy hike carrying kids, and I don't think most kids under 10 would stick it through to the end. A few portions are pretty steep, so it'd be tough on little legs. The one downside is that apparently Dacy Clearing Road isn't always fully open to vehicles, so rather than parking closer to the trailhead, you may have a few extra miles to walk on a gravel road. This takes your roundtrip from approximately 5 miles to roughly 8.

One of the most beautiful places I've hiked in. The view from the summit is spectacular on a sunny…read moresummer day, and probably even better in the fall. The hike to the top can be long or short, depending on your skill level, and how you want it to be. If you choose to do a longer hike, you can park at the Hogtown parking lot at the bottom. If you choose the shorter path ( 1.8 mi) to the summit, you must drive further down a dirt path (if the gate to go further is open) for another mile or so and park at the Dacy clearing. The hike itself is not bad. It can be a little rocky and steep, but if you're in average shape, you should be okay. It is for the average to moderate hikers. There were a lot of families with smaller children and dogs when I went. It's definitely something a family can enjoy. If you go on a nice day, I would recommend bringing lunch or snacks with you. It was really nice to eat with a view of the Adirondacks, and Lake George.

The nicest park around. Gardens, toys, tunnels, picnic tables with gazebos. This is where you…read moreneed to take your dog. They even have bathrooms! My dog has met many friends there and so have I.

From the owner: The Fur Haven dog park is volunteer-managed and donation funded. There are 2 areas...one for large…read moredogs and one for small dogs. Both areas have a picnic table with shade canopy and play structures. Access to water right outside the park and a pavilion with picnic tables and bathrooms close by.

We went here on a whim while visiting Schroon Lake. What a nice surprise! We had a great time…read moreexploring and hiking through the bridges and caves. I think there's potential to expand the trails but we had a great time. Overall about 1.5-2 hrs to take your time and explore all the trails

Just had an amazing time at the only Caves in the Adirondacks! We had a blast walking down and…read moreexploring the caves. All the caves are outdoors and can be self guided! Perfect for families but be careful to wear sneakers as some areas are slippery! We brought our newborn and it wasn't too bad! Just go slow if you're also with elderly parents. Fun place!

If you find yourself in Saratoga for any reason at all (horses, golf, family, passing through,…read moreetc.), do yourself a favor and spend some time in the park. I've actually been to Saratoga several times before, and this was my first visit to the park, and it is BY FAR my favorite thing in Saratoga. The grounds are beautiful, and surprisingly large. The large buildings that house the Roosevelt Spas and more are well-kept, with the areas around them landscaped and looking like a beautiful college campus. There are also miles of hiking trails, equestrian trails, fishing, biking, disc golf, boating, and more. We weren't quite prepared, but walking around the park was enough. The tall trees, the running water...I just needed a little nature in my life. There is a reason that the Saratoga Springs are known far and wide, and the weirdly salty, effervescent water purportedly has a ton of beneficial properties. It also creates strange and wonderful rock formations, and you'll come across a few spigots where you can taste the water, and see how it affects the rock around it. I highly recommend doing a bit of exploring.

What an incredibly beautiful Park. Has something for everybody! Even a beautiful golf course that I…read moredid not get to take advantage of. But the park itself with the mineral Springs and the mineral spring River running through it and stops all along the way where you can taste the different Springs and the pet friendliness! This is a gorgeous amazing spot and I will be coming back here over and over

We wanted a day out but something manageable after other activities and so visited Crandall Park…read more We took a quick turn along the Peace Walk which was very pleasant. The trail is clear and of packed earth. Even with an unsteady gait, it was very manageable. We took some pretty photos of the trail and the light through the trees.

This park is gorgeous. In the middle of town and quite big, it was in use early in the day by…read morewalkers, runners, dog walkers and coffee drinkers. There is a pond with ducks and bridges etc. lovely. There is a fountain in the pond to keep the water moving and healthy. There is shade and sun. Benches in both. Paths all around. Parking all around. Tennis courts and I think baseball diamonds at one end.

This is a small state park off US 7 about 10 miles north of Manchester Center VT. It's a 5-10…read moreminute walk from parking lot to the lake. The lake is fairly shallow, it's very clean, not a large beach area and very picturesque. It's not Lake Tahoe by any means but it's very pleasant and refreshing.

This is a beautiful park with a Great Lake for swimming. Parking is plentiful and close to the…read moreswimming area. The bathrooms and changing areas are clean.

Easy walk to the falls with kids and adults on a walkway surrounded by wildflowers. Tougher but…read moremanageable hike to the top if you want to go for it! We saw a couple who took lunch and sat on a rock right next to the falls - fabulous idea for next time!

I was looking for a short and easy hike with views and this place popped up after searching the…read moreinternet. There's a dirt road that leads to the parking area for this trail. The parking lot was packed when we went but some people were parking on the side of the road. There's a sign at the beginning of the trail which is a boardwalk. The boardwalk was nicely maintained and easy to walk on. The whole trail is 0.5 miles and it's out and back. Once we got to the dirt trail, there were a couple of other trail entrances which connects to the larger Appalachian Trail; we decided to head to the waterfall. There was a viewing platform and the waterfall was majestic! We climbed up to near the top of the waterfall and it was steep but worth it. If you're looking for an easy and kid-friendly hike, this is the one you can't miss if you're in the area. I also think it's stroller friendly.

A must-visit for all ages! Highly recommend! Wish we had left more time for this. We were 6 adults…read morein our early 30's and 60's. The birds here are all unable to survive in the wild. Mostly outdoor exhibits with well maintained paths. Lots of shade. Enjoyed the very well done Raptor presentation appropriate for all ages. Plenty of room for families with younger kids to "frolic in nature" as one of the VINS inspirational signs shared. Beautiful grounds including a Canopy walk with optional Tower! Pleasant friendly staff. Picnic tables to bring your own food. Would love to go back next time we're in VT. Very reasonably priced Adoption program if looking for a gift. Nice souvenir shop. For a $2 off per ticket, pick up a VINS 5x9 card in racks showing local attractions.

I wish we lived closer to this institute because we would probably visit every weekend! The Vermont…read moreInstitute of Natural Science does praiseworthy work by rescuing aviaries and raptors from the side of highways, etc. These once injured birds are now thriving and the staff working here really care for the inhabitants. It is wonderful to see. It is worth the money to come visit! Kids love it and adults do too. Besides the beautiful rescue stories and gorgeous creatures living here, the nature walk and look out tower is another fun experience! There is a netted trampoline that is many feet up towards the back of the nature walk. It gives kids cool views of down below and is fun to prance on top of! The look out tower walk up is a great work out for the adults and the promising view up top is worth it. The gift store has some lovely treasures as well. I hope we can visit again soon!

Super cool and beautiful place to hike there are an abundance of trails a few picnic areas and for…read morethose of you who don't wanna hike you can drive up to the top! Currently it's free to drive up as when I passed the toll booth it stated so! This one will be short and sweet as it's just beautiful here in the trees overlooking the lake! Overall this was an awesome find and the view the breeze blowing through my hair was satisfying beyond any means as this chill relaxing spot was much needed!

This is an excellent autumn hike with amazing views. Although short at only two miles from…read moretrailhead to summit, you'll need proper shoes for this hike and you will warm up due to the steep grade and moderate rock scrambling. We took the red trail all the way to the top and we took the blue trail on the way down (it merges with the red trail). I'm giving four stars because the trail marking are really good, except where they aren't and just disappear for a while or entirely. The red trail is mostly well marked, though there were still times when we just had to keep heading up the mountain because we couldn't find the next marker. On our way down, the blue trail was really, really well marked until it just stopped and we could not find another marker. I'm not a fan of going off trail because I know it can be dangerous and it can be damaging to local ecosystems, but without a clear trail to follow and nearly a mile into the woods, we did the best we could (kept heading downhill and to the right hoping to find the red trail, but eventually finding the road anyway). If you start at the trailhead, you will walk up metal stairs and onto a walkway over the highway. From there, you'll follow the trail about a mile up where you will find a road. Beware of traffic, cross the road, and you'll have another mile to go to reach the summit (you can take red or blue trail) where there is a parking lot and great viewing.