517 Old Guilford Rd
Brattleboro, VT 05301
Season: Friday of Memorial Day Weekend - 2nd Monday in October
Day Use Hours: 10am - official sunset
Camping Camping: 50 tent/RV sites, 10 lean-to sites
Pets Pets are permitted throughout the park. Please clean up after your pets.

Park Updates & Alerts

  • 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.
From Jct. I-91 (Exit 1, Brattleboro) & U.S. 5:
Go 1/10 mi. N on U.S. 5, then 1/2 mi. E on Fairground Rd., then 1 mi. S on Main Street and Old Guilford Rd.
Camping Camping: There are 50 tent/RV sites and 10 lean-to sites available to rent.
Hiking Hiking: There are 3 hiking trails at the park with easy to moderate difficulty.
Picnicking Picnicking: There is a small day use field which is great for picnicking.
Horseshoes Horseshoes: There is a horseshoe pit at the park.
Volleyball Volleyball: There is a volleyball net in the day use field.

Welcome

A great spot for a picnic on the Sunset Trail
A great spot for a picnic on the Sunset Trail

Fort Dummer State Park, located in the Connecticut River Valley just outside of Brattleboro, has 217 acres of forest land.

The park was named after Fort Dummer, the first permanent European settlement in Vermont. Built on the frontier in 1724, it was initially the gateway to the early settlements along the banks of the Connecticut River. Forty-three English soldiers and twelve Mohawk Indians manned the fort in 1724 and 1725. Later, the fort protected what was then a Massachusetts colony from an invasion by the French and Indians. Made of sturdy white pine timber, stacked like a log cabin, Fort Dummer served its purpose well.

The park overlooks the site of Fort Dummer which was flooded when the Vernon Dam was built on the Connecticut River in 1908. This site can be seen from the northernmost scenic vista on the Sunrise Trail. It is now underwater near the lumber company located on the western bank of the river.

Located in the southern foothills of the Green Mountains, the forest is more like those of southern New England than like a typical Vermont forest. Southern tree species such as white, red, and chestnut oaks, dominate the hardwood forest, which also contains beech, maple, yellow birch, and white birch.

An abundance of oak trees provides food and shelter for gray squirrels, turkeys, and deer. Ruffed grouse also inhabit these woods, attracted by its dense woody cover and open understory.

Facilities / Amenities

The Fir lean-to at Fort Dummer
The Fir lean-to at Fort Dummer

The campground has 50 tent/trailer sites and 10 lean-to sites. These are located in two adjacent areas and are served by two toilet buildings, both with coin-operated hot showers. There is a sanitary dump station, but there are no hookups. Also located within the park is a small picnic area, hiking trails (one of which leads to a swimming hole) and a large open field.

Related Pages

Nearby Attractions

State Park Passes

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