Vermont Outdoor Activities

Vermont has fantastic outdoor recreation opportunities for every season and every level of skill and fitness. Winooski Falls is close to much of the best that Vermont has to offer.

In the spring, summer, and fall, Winooski has easy access to beautiful paths for walking, running, and cycling. You can stay close to home on the Winooski Riverwalk, or you can connect to an extensive network of paths that leads along the Winooski River to downtown Burlington and to the Lake Champlain Islandline Trail. The Islandline Trail, named for the old Rutland railroad, is a 12-mile bikepath along the shore of Lake Champlain.  In a few more years, the a bicycle ferry will connect the Burlington-Winooski area with a cycle path that leads through the scenic Champlain Islands all the way to Montreal.

The Winooski River is a mecca for kayakers, canoeing enthusiasts, and anglers. Springtime rapids provide an adrenalin rush for the adventurous paddler; later in the season, the river subsides and forms deep, calm pools that are an angler’s paradise. The Winooski River has a diversity of fish including Small and Large Mouth Bass, Northern Pike, Chain Pickerel, Walleye, Bullhead, Landlocked Salmon, and Pan Fish. True to its name, Salmon Hole, five minutes’ walk from Winooski Falls, is one of the river’s best fishing spots.

The Winooski area boasts several golf courses, including the Vermont National Country Club’s Nicklaus-designed USGA course, the 18-hole, 72-par courses at the Kwiniaska Golf Club and the Essex Country Club, and the executive style course at the Links at Lang Farm, part of the Inn at Essex resort hotel.

Nearby mountains, such as Mount Mansfield and Camel’s Hump, have short, well-groomed trails for families and occasional hikers, but offer plenty of challenge and beautiful views for serious sports enthusiasts and rock climbers.

In the wintertime, Vermont is the northeast’s destination of choice for skiers and snowboarders. Smuggler's Notch, Bolton Valley, Stowe, Jay Peak, and Sugarbush are all located within an hour’s drive from Winooski. Superb cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are even closer. In addition to the trails at Stowe, the Catamount Outdoor Center in Essex offers a network of groomed trails suitable for all skill levels. The bike path through Burlington’s Intervale, a protected farmland area only five minutes from Winooski Falls, is transformed into a sparkling ski trail during the winter months.