Waterbury Reservoir

Waterbury Reservoir is the largest inland body of water entirely within Vermont — a scenic, elongated reservoir created by the Waterbury Dam on the Little River, backed by the forested slopes of Mount Mansfield State Forest and the Green Mountains. It stretches about three miles through a wild, forested valley north of the town of Waterbury.

Little River State Park sits on the reservoir’s shore, offering camping, a boat launch, swimming and nature programs. The reservoir and its surrounding state forest land provide boating, paddling, fishing (for warm- and cold-water species), wildlife watching (loons, herons, ospreys and deer at the water’s edge) and trails into the adjacent wilderness. A scenic and wild reservoir in the heart of the Green Mountains, Waterbury Reservoir is a treasured natural asset of Vermont.

Summer is the prime season, when the swimming beach, boat launch and campground are open and the water warms for recreation, while fall brings spectacular Green Mountain foliage around the reservoir (beautiful from the water or the hiking trails). Spring brings high water and active wildlife. Winter is quiet; the reservoir may freeze. Summer for swimming, boating and camping, and fall for the foliage, are the highlights — come in summer for the full reservoir experience, or autumn for color and peaceful paddling on the still, mountain-reflected water.

Waterbury Reservoir and its forested shores support loons (whose calls echo across the water), great blue herons, ospreys, bald eagles, ducks and other waterfowl, white-tailed deer coming to the water, black bears in the surrounding forest, beavers and otters in the inlets, and a fishery of bass, perch and other warm-water species. The wild, forested reservoir is a fine Vermont wildlife-watching venue. The loons, ospreys and herons are the highlights for wildlife watchers on and around this scenic mountain-backed reservoir.

Waterbury Reservoir is a significant body of water — wear life jackets when boating or paddling (the water is cold and deep), check the forecast (winds raise waves), and follow boating rules and speed limits. The swimming beach is the designated safe swimming area; the reservoir’s deeper water is cold outside high summer. Watch children in the water. Be aware of boat traffic when paddling. In winter, ice conditions vary and can be dangerous. Respect the cold, deep water, the boat traffic, the winds and the need for life jackets on the reservoir.

Waterbury Reservoir offers boating (with a launch at Little River State Park), kayaking and canoeing on the scenic, mountain-backed water, swimming at the state-park beach, fishing for bass, perch and other species, wildlife watching along the forested shoreline, and hiking and mountain biking on the trails of Little River State Park and the adjacent Mount Mansfield State Forest. Camping at Little River is popular. The combination of a beautiful wild reservoir, camping, boating and hiking in the Green Mountains makes Waterbury Reservoir a beloved Vermont outdoor destination.

The Little River valley was settled by farming families in the 19th century, whose homesteads (cellar holes, old orchards and cemeteries) can be found in the adjacent state forest. The Waterbury Dam was built by the CCC and the Army Corps of Engineers following the catastrophic Vermont floods of 1927 and 1938, creating the reservoir as both flood control and a water resource. Vermont developed Little River State Park on its shores. Waterbury Reservoir preserves this scenic mountain reservoir, its history and its wild setting, a treasured natural asset of Vermont.

Waterbury Reservoir fills the valley of the Little River, a stream that drains the western slopes of Mount Mansfield and the central Green Mountains. The valley was shaped by the ancient Green Mountain metamorphic bedrock and deepened and widened by Ice Age glaciers, then flooded by the Waterbury Dam to create the reservoir. The surrounding forested slopes of ancient Green Mountain schist rise steeply from the water. The Green Mountain geology, the glacially shaped valley and the dam-created reservoir created this scenic mountain lake.

Waterbury Reservoir is a large freshwater reservoir set within the Green Mountain northern hardwood and mixed forest ecosystem, with forested shorelines, coves and tributary streams providing habitat for fish, waterfowl and other wildlife. The adjacent Mount Mansfield State Forest and the reservoir’s undeveloped shoreline protect the water quality and the wildlife habitat. The reservoir and its forested watershed are sensitive to development and water quality. Protecting the shoreline forest, the water quality and the wildlife sustains both the ecology and the scenic beauty of this wild reservoir.

Waterbury Reservoir holds a special place in Vermont as the state’s largest inland body of water — a flood-control project turned scenic recreation jewel, set in a wild Green Mountain valley near Stowe and the resort town of Waterbury (gateway to Stowe and Ben & Jerry’s). Its mountain-backed waters and quiet forested shores embody the wild, green beauty of Vermont. Waterbury Reservoir is a cherished natural asset and a centerpiece of Vermont’s outdoor recreation landscape.

Waterbury Reservoir is in north-central Vermont, within Mount Mansfield State Forest, accessed via Little River Road off U.S. Route 2 west of Waterbury village, about 35 minutes from Burlington. Little River State Park (on the reservoir shore) has a campground, boat launch, swimming beach and trail access; camping requires a reservation and fee, while day use (beach and boat launch) charges a fee in season. Check Vermont State Parks for camping reservations, day-use hours, fees and conditions before visiting.

Vermont Forests, Parks & Recreation manages Waterbury Reservoir and Little River State Park, protecting the water and the surrounding Mount Mansfield State Forest. Visitors help by cleaning, draining and drying watercraft to prevent aquatic invasive species, respecting loons and wildlife (keeping distance from nesting birds), protecting the shoreline, using designated swimming and launch areas, packing out everything, and following all park rules. The water quality, the loon-bearing reservoir and the forested shoreline are sensitive. Protecting them sustains both the ecology and the beauty of this wild reservoir.

Day use of the beach and boat launch at Little River State Park requires a fee; camping requires a reservation and fee. Clean, drain and dry watercraft to prevent aquatic invasives. Follow Vermont boating rules, wear life jackets and observe no-wake zones near the boat ramp and shoreline. Swim only at the designated beach. Pets must be leashed. Fishing requires a Vermont license. Drones are restricted. Pack out all trash. Check Vermont State Parks for fees, camping reservations, boating rules and conditions before visiting.

The resort town of Stowe and Mount Mansfield to the north, the town of Waterbury (gateway to Stowe and Ben & Jerry’s) to the south, the Green Mountains and Mount Mansfield State Forest, and Burlington and Lake Champlain to the west lie near the reservoir. Waterbury Reservoir is a wild mountain-backed lake in the heart of a Vermont adventure, easily combined with Stowe, Mount Mansfield, Ben & Jerry’s and Burlington.

Launch a kayak or canoe (or rent at the state park) for a paddle on the scenic, mountain-backed reservoir, swim at the Little River State Park beach on a warm day, and camp in the campground as a base for hiking the trails into the adjacent Mount Mansfield State Forest. Come in summer for the full experience, or fall for spectacular foliage reflected in the still water. Clean your boat before launching, wear a life jacket, watch for loons and keep your distance, and combine your visit with nearby Stowe and Mount Mansfield.