Due to the nature of its small towns and thus, strong regional identities, the state of Vermont is broken into 11 different regions. These regions include Islands and Farms, Stowe-Smuggler’s Notch, Northeast Kingdom, Lake Champlain Valley, Central Vermont, Mid Vermont, Crossroads, Eastern Vermont, Southern Windsor, Southern and Green Mountains.
Temperatures during Vermont's spring and summer seasons are ideal for camping, with highs in the mid-70s and 80s. As the summer wanes, temperatures can be comfortable, with cool evenings dipping into the mid-50s. Like all New England states, temperatures in the winter can drop below freezing, and though it can be one of the most beautiful states in the winter months, camping during this time is not advised.
Vermont’s Lake Champlain Islands are part of a land chain that includes the Alburgh Peninsula, the Isle la Motte, North Hero, and Grand Isle islands. Known by locals as “Vermont’s West Coast,” the islands offer tranquil camping by the water.
Vermont is home to a number of mountains including Mt. Mansfield, Mt. Ellen, and Mt. Hunger. Regions like Smuggler’s Notch in the Green Mountains offer some of the best camping areas in the state and lie in areas where the elevation is lower and easier to access.
Vermont’s parks cover more than 90,000 acres, while Green Mountain National Forest makes up 345,000 acres of Vermont’s Green Mountain region. The state also shares 60 percent of Lake Champlain. Camping within the parks at designated campsites means that you will be near a water source and have access to fire rings, picnic tables and other amenities, which sometimes include shower facilities and restrooms. As of 2010, daily fees for park camping range from $18 to $25. You may also camp outside of designated areas, called "dispersed camping," though you may not have access to the same amenities as designated sites.
