Located in beautiful eastern Vermont and bordering the Connecticut River, Wilgus State Park is a small park perfect for a relaxing RV getaway. The park came to be after the land was donated to the state in 1933 by William J. Wilgus. Wilgus was an engineer most notably known for his work in the design and construction of Grand Central Terminal in New York. The original infrastructure found in the park was built by crews of the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935 and 1936. Some of their original construction still survives to this day with the contact station, the trails to Pinnacle Point, stone posts for the gates flanking the main entrance, and numerous stone fireplaces still standing.
Wilgus State Park is a heavily wooded park that features sloping terrain and borders the Connecticut River. The river provides visitors with some great recreational activity opportunities, including swimming, fishing and boating. Another common activity is to scale a promontory called Pinnacle Point, which is accessible via hiking trails.
The campground at Wilgus State Park originally opened in 1960 and currently has 15 RV friendly sites. All sites at Wilgus State Park are primitive but there are some great amenities available within the campground for you to use. Peak season at Wilgus State Park runs from April until mid-October.
Wilgus State Park is located in eastern Vermont and is right on the border to New Hampshire. The park has one main entry that is is gained by driving on the access road that you can find on the east side of US-5. The US-5 runs all the way through the park and you can reach it by turning off the I-91 in Weathersfield.
Services and amenities are located very close by to Wilgus State Park due to the proximity of the park to the town of Weathersfield that is only a mile and a half from the park. Here is where you will find the closest shopping opportunities to the park, so stock up on any supplies if you haven't done so already. There are also a few other towns close by to the park, including Claremont (around six miles away), Windsor (around six and a half miles away) and Springfield (around 15 miles away). Concord is the closest major city to the park and can be found around 57 miles to the south-east.
Accessing the park should be very straightforward as the roads are very well maintained, however they are known to be quite narrow. Because of this it is not recommended that you try and navigate an RV over 35 feet in length through to the campground due to the tight turns. The road into the campground is kept in very good condition. During the winter the park can be very difficult to access due to the amount of snow and ice. If you do plan on visiting the park during winter make sure you call the park in advance to confirm that it is open.
There is plenty of parking available at Wilgus State Park.
Wilgus State Park has one campground in the park and it can accommodate RV lovers who are looking to stay the night. While there are no length restrictions at the park you should be aware that those who have rigs larger than 35 feet will struggle to navigate the tight roads in the campground. For those that don't, you can enjoy the campground that originally opened in 1960.
In total there are 15 RV friendly sites which are all primitive with no hookups available. Despite this the park does have some great amenities that you can use, including toilets, showers, picnic tables, fire pits, horseshoe pits, a volleyball net, water collection points and a dump station. Some limited generator use is permitted and you can also buy firewood and ice from the park.
Wilgus State Park is a pet friendly campground. However ,they must be leashed at all times. You can make reservations to stay at the park either online or by calling the office and we recommend you do so due to the small number of sites that the campground has. During the winter time the campground is closed so if you want to camp make sure you visit between April and mid-October.
Birding is a great way to see some of the local inhabits of the park and is an all ages activity. The park has some great birding areas, including the wildlife observation deck, around the campground or on the nearby trails. Commonly seen species include turkey, ruffed grouse woodcock, various woodpeckers, whitebreasted nuthatches, black-capped chickadees and sometimes bald eagles. Depending on the time of year that you are visiting the park you might also be able to see cedar waxwings, black-throated green warbler, northern parula and American redstarts.
Although the park is quite small that doesn't mean that hikers will have nothing to do during their stay. There is a one mile loop trail known as "The Pinnacle" that allows you to travel up to 628 feet in height so you can take in the view of the surrounding area. The trail is quite easy so it should be an activity that the whole family can enjoy. For more information about the trail you can contact the park office.
No matter what time of the year it is there will be some great fishing opportunities for those who love to cast a line. Typically fishing is done off the banks of the Connecticut River but you can also throw out a line from a canoe or kayak. Some of the most popular species caught at the park include trout, bullhead and panfish. This park also participates in the Reel Fun Program which allows you to rent fishing gear free of charge from the park.
There is no public transportation available to the park, however it is walking distance from Weathersfield.
One of the most popular pastimes for visitors to Wilgus State Park is to pack a lunch and have a picnic in the great outdoors during your stay. The park has many different locations along the river that would make for a great picnic location, but if you are looking for somewhere with facilities there is a picnic area at the south end of the park. Here you will find tables, water collection points and a wildlife viewing deck. The picnic area is non-reservable so the first people there will get to make the most of the facilities.
Boats are also most welcome in the Connecticut River and they are very popular with guests to the park who are looking to adventure or just relax on the water. Private companies near the park run canoe and kayak trips from the park and there are also watercraft for rent from the park office that includes canoes and kayaks. For more information on boating opportunities feel free to contact the park office with your questions.
Everyone knows that there is nothing better than cooling off on a hot summer's day by taking a dip in some fresh water. Visitors to Wilgus State Park are lucky enough to have access to the beautiful Connecticut River, which is a blessing once the weather starts to heat up. While there is no official swimming area, the river is the place to be if you want to go swimming. No lifeguards will be on duty at the river so make sure you swim to your abilities.
