July Flood Update (9/7/23): Trails are open including the bike path to the Intervale Center. With the continued rain and wet weather this summer trails remain muddy in sections and have a layer of silt/fine slippery mud on them. Please avoid these areas and adhere to any signage/closures. Please walk or ride your bike through muddy areas to avoid widening the mud puddles. Please use caution on trails that are close to the river as erosion has occurred and the bank may be undercut/unstable from the continued high and fast moving water. The Ethan Allen Homestead Museum is open. The paved Rt. 127 Bike Path is also open.
Ethan Allen Homestead
The Ethan Allen Homestead, located off Route 127 in Burlington, is a multi-use property rich in wildlife species. Tracks of raccoon, deer, gray squirrel, beaver, muskrat, red fox, and river otter can be found. Among many species of birds can be found in the park, including blue-gray gnatcatchers and northern harriers.
With over 4 miles of trails, visitors can explore several habitats providing the opportunity to observe many wildlife species. As you walk along the Homestead’s elevated boardwalk through a cattail marsh, listen for early spring peepers and wood frogs, and keep an eye out for signs of beavers. On the Peninsula Loop Trail that runs along the Winooski River, you may see tracks of river otter in the soft soil. Migrating waterfowl take advantage of the spring pools that form in the meadows, so bring along your binoculars for bird viewing. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy a rest at one of the riverside picnic tables or in the open-air picnic shelter.
The Homestead is also the site of Ethan and Fanny Allen’s restored 1787 historic farmhouse. The Ethan Allen Homestead Museum offers tours of the house and information about Ethan Allen, his family, and early Vermont history. For more information visit www.ethanallenhomestead.org.
Several community gardens, including the Vermont Community Garden Network’s Teaching Garden and Association of Africans Living in Vermont New Farms For New Americans Community Gardens, are located at the Ethan Allen Homestead. Visit our Community Garden Partners page for information.
The park is also home to Alnôbaiwi, a 501c-3 non-profit dedicated to preserving Vermont Abenaki cultural heritage:
The WVPD’s offices are located at the Ethan Allen Homestead. Stop by to say hello! Office hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 4:00pm.
