Lake Champlain
Locations
USA > Mid-Atlantic > New York
USA > New England > Vermont
Lake Champlain: Description
Lake Champlain, straddling New York, Vermont, and Canada, is a natural freshwater lake seated about 100 feet above sea level. Briefly dubbed a Great Lake in 1998, Lake Champlain reaches a maximum depth of 400 feet, covers an impressive 435 square miles, stretches out over 100 miles in length, and boasts a width of 12 miles at its widest point, collectively equalling 271,000 acres. The lake is accented by 71 islands, including an entire Vermont county.
The great expanse of Lake Champlain flows north from Whitehall, New York to the Richelieu River in Quebec. Due to its irregular shape, Lake Champlain consists of five segments with unique physical characteristics:
-The Main (or Broad) Lake is the deepest and widest area, holding most of the lake's volume of water.
- South Lake is narrow and shallow, similar to a river.
- The Inland Sea (or Northeast Arm) segment lies east of the Champlain Islands.
-Missisquoi Bay at the northernmost part of the lake extends into Quebec. The bay's water flows south to the Inland Sea.
-Mallet's Bay, on the east side of the lake, is separated from the Main Lake by a railroad causeway.
The Lake Champlain Region of Burlington, Vermont is a year-round living and vacation destination that caters to all types of preferred diversions. Voted by USA Weekday Magazine as "One of Four Outstanding Get-Away Locations in the Northeast," by Outdoor Explorer Magazine as the "Number One Place for Families that Love Outdoor Sports," by Reader's Digest as the "Sixth Best Family Friendly Place in the Nation," and by Zero Population Growth as the "Number One Child Friendly City in America," Burlington and the surrounding Champlain Lake valley have much to offer.
The Vermont part of Lake Champlain is dotted with excellent state parks. Start at Kamp Kill Kare State Park in St. Albans Bay, a 17-acre day park that boasts a picnic area, two public swimming areas (one with a beach and a sandy lake bottom), and a convenient access point to the Burton Island Ferry. For a small fee, the ferry will take you on a scenic tour across the lake as you keep your eyes open for a glance at Lake Champlain's lake monster, named Champ.
North Hero State Park is another must-see, which some consider the crown jewel of the area's state parks. Clocking in at over 399 acres, North Hero State Park offers private campsites, picnic areas, hot showers, a rocky beach, and a public boat launch.
The summer months are full of driving the evergreen mountains, exploring the rivers, and hiking the forests. Anglers, prepare yourselves: Lake Champlain's crystal blue waters teem with smallmouth bass, trout, salmon, walleye, crappie, perch, catfish, and panfish. Boating along the beautiful waters is another summer pasttime, and you will surely have plenty of space to spread your boating wings.
Winter months at Lake Champlain are packed with downhill skiing, snowboarding, ice fishing, ice climbing, and, of course, snowball fights. It is recommended that all winter activities be immediately followed up by a cup of hot chocolate, preferably enjoyed in front of the orange flames of a freshly-built fire in the fireplace.
Lake Champlain: Statistics
- Type: Natural Freshwater Lake, Not Dammed
- Area: 271,000 acres
- Shoreline length: 587 miles
- Normal elevation: 96 feet
- Mean depth: 64 feet
- Maximum depth: 400 feet
- Residence time: 3.3 years
- Catchment area: 8,232 sq.miles
- Trophic state: Mesotrophic
