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
Island Pond, VT 05846
Fee Area: Day Use/Camping fees apply
Camping: 54 tent/RV sites, 23 lean-to sites
Cabins/ Cottages: 5 cabins available to rent
Pets are not permitted in the day use areas, on beaches, in designated swimming areas or in most cabins. At this time, only the Raven cabin is pet-friendly. Pets are allowed elsewhere throughout the park. Please clean up after your pets.
Park Updates & Alerts
- Brighton State Park is full open as of 8/7/24. Check out our park flood status updates page for more information.
- 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.
- There are no pedal boat rentals available in the early season. We intend to have rentals later in the season.
- Check for beach closures and latest swimwater test results for this location.
Go 2 mi. E on Hwy 105, then 3/4 mi. S on local road.
Camping: The park has 54 tent/RV sites and 23 lean-to sites. There are also 5 cabins available to rent.
Hiking: Brighton offers mostly flat, easy walking around Spectacle Pond. There is also a self-guided nature trail.
Playground: There is a playground onsite.
Swimming: There are two swimming areas at the park.
Boating: You are welcome to bring your boats to the park, though there is no boat launch. Kayaks, canoes, row boats, and pedal boats are available to rent.
Stand-up Paddle Boarding: SUP's are available to rent through the park.
Fishing: Spectacle Pond and Island Pond both have great fishing. Brown trout, pickerel and large mouth bass are among some of the species you can find.
Nature Programs: This park offers nature programs. Please call the park for more details.
Mountain Biking: There are mountain biking opportunities at the nearby Kingdom Trails.
Horseshoes: There are two horseshoe pits at the park.
Welcome
Welcome to Brighton State Park, located on the shores of Spectacle Pond. The outstanding attraction of this area is its remoteness: mountains with tree-covered slopes, fast running streams, and clear lakes. It is common to hear loons calling at night. The wild lands to the northeast and southeast of the town of Island Pond are suited to the angler, the hunter, or the outdoor lover who likes to roam away from developed roads or towns. Logging roads into the deeper reaches of this area offer adventurous side trips.
Island Pond enjoyed a heyday from the late 1800's until the Depression years, along with the fortunes of the Grand Trunk railroad between Montreal, Canada and Portland, Maine. Island Pond was the site of the first international railroad junction in the United States. At the height of the town’s population, its streets were lively with railroad men and loggers, most of whom rode in on one of the 13 rail tracks that passed through town. A mere two tracks remain today. The unique wooden bridge, which once held all 13 tracks, is gone, but the heritage of railroading is still evident in the well-kept train station and a few associated structures at the north end of town.
Facilities / Amenities
There are 5 cabins, 54 tent/RV sites and 23 lean-to's. All three restrooms have flush toilets, hot and cold running water and coin-operated hot showers. A sanitary dump station is available, but there are no hookups. There are hiking trails, a campers' beach, the Don Eagle Museum, an amphitheater, a nature center, and a play area. At the nearby day use area (at the southern end of Island Pond) there is a long, sandy beach, a bathhouse with restrooms, and boats available to rent.
There are 5 cabins at the park that are available to rent.
Park Interpreter
This park has a park interpreter offering fun, hands-on activities. Interpreters are park staff solely dedicated to helping you learn more about the natural and cultural history of the park. Some popular activities include night hikes, nature crafts and games, campfire programs and amphibian explorations.
Check out the of current events to see some of the programs planned during your visit.