Best Swimming Holes in Vermont

How We Picked

Vermont has no shortage of river bends, covered-bridge pools, and state-park beaches advertising themselves as swimming holes. We narrowed the list to places with reliable water flow through mid-August, enough depth to swim or wade safely, genuine public access (not posted private land), and enough context around them to build a worth-the-drive day. Most on this list are free; a couple involve state park day-use fees in the estimated $4 to $5 per person range. All require a little planning, and most reward the visitor who shows up early on a summer weekday rather than at noon on a Saturday in July. The Vermont Travel Guide has the broader trip-planning context, from foliage timing to base towns, if you want to build a longer route around these stops.

Bartlett Falls, Bristol

On the New Haven River just off Lincoln Gap Road in Bristol, Bartlett Falls is arguably Vermont's most accessible cold-water swim. A short walk from the roadside pullout brings you to flat granite ledge pools and a small waterfall that drops into a deeper swimming area. The water runs cold even in August, fed by snowmelt and spring drainage from the Lincoln Gap highlands above.

Bristol sits in Addison County, about 30 miles southeast of Burlington (roughly 45 minutes on Route 116). The site is on Green Mountain National Forest land and is free to use. The ledges fill up with families by late morning on summer weekends, so plan an early arrival or a weekday visit in late June or early July for the best combination of water level and elbow room.

Warren Falls, Warren

Warren Falls sits on the Mad River off Route 100 in Warren, in the heart of the Mad River Valley, about 18 miles south of Waitsfield and a short drive south of the Mad River Glen ski area. The falls drop through a series of tiered granite pots and channels into a deep pool at the base. On a hot July day this is one of the most visited swimming spots in the state, and the roadside parking along Route 100 fills fast.

Aim for a weekday morning in mid-June to early July, when the water is still running fast enough to fill the upper pools and the crowds have not yet peaked. No fee; the pullout is on the west side of Route 100. The Mad River Valley makes a strong base for a full day: after the swim, the drive east on Route 17 over the Appalachian Gap is one of the more dramatic short road segments in central Vermont, worth adding to your list of Vermont scenic drives. These same roads look entirely different in late September and October; see the best fall foliage drives in Vermont if you are planning a return trip in leaf season.

Bingham Falls, Stowe

Bingham Falls cuts a deep gorge through the bedrock on the West Branch of the Little River, about a mile in from Route 108 (Mountain Road) north of Stowe village. The trailhead is on the left side of the road heading toward Smugglers Notch, roughly 5.5 miles from Stowe center. A short but steep descent leads down to a narrow rock canyon with a 20-foot cascade and a cold plunge pool. The depth at the base is sufficient for swimming from the bank, but entry directly from the falls is dangerous and has caused injuries; bank entry is the right move.

One thing most visitors miss: the trailhead is not marked with a formal sign. Look for a roadside pullout with a worn footpath on the north side of Route 108. Parking is limited and fills by 9 a.m. on summer weekends. If you're basing in Stowe for a night or two, the Green Mountain Inn on Main Street puts you about 10 minutes from the trailhead. The von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort on Trapp Hill Road sits higher on the hillside with mountain views and is also within easy reach of Route 108.

Texas Falls, Hancock

Texas Falls is a carved series of potholes and plunge pools on the Hancock Branch of the White River, inside the Green Mountain National Forest off Route 125 in Hancock. The U.S. Forest Service maintains a short loop trail and a footbridge over the gorge. Swimming is in the pools below the main falls, where glacial meltwater spent thousands of years grinding these smooth channels and round pots into the gray schist.

Hancock sits roughly 12 miles east of Middlebury over the Middlebury Gap (Route 125), a road worth driving on its own in any season. The falls area is free; there is a small parking area off Forest Road 39. Water levels are best in June and early July; by August the flow drops and the pools lose some depth. The Upper Valley puts you within range of this spot and several others: the Woodstock Inn & Resort in Woodstock is about 35 miles southeast via Route 4, a solid base for combining Texas Falls with a morning in Woodstock village.

Hamilton Falls, Jamaica State Park

Hamilton Falls drops 125 feet in a single sheet off a ledge into a wide plunge pool inside Jamaica State Park, in Windham County in southern Vermont. Reaching it requires a 2.5-mile round-trip trail from the park's trailhead along the West River corridor. The pool at the base is deep and swimmable, and the river itself has a designated swimming area near the park entrance for those who do not want the full hike.

Jamaica State Park sits about 20 miles north of Brattleboro on Route 30. Day-use fees run an estimated $4 per adult, which covers both the swimming area and the trail access. The West River runs fastest in May and June after snowmelt; by late July the falls often drop to a fraction of their spring volume. June is the sweet spot for this one, when the falls are running full and the day-use crowds have not yet built up.

Lake Willoughby, Westmore

Lake Willoughby in Westmore, Orleans County, occupies a glacially carved gap between Mount Hor and Mount Pisgah in the Northeast Kingdom. The lake drops to 312 feet at its deepest point and stays cold well into summer: even in August the surface temperature sits in the low 60s Fahrenheit, making it more refreshing than most Vermont lakes at that time of year.

There are small sandy beaches at both ends of the lake along Route 5A. South Beach has a state access area and is the busier of the two. Swimming off the rocks along the eastern cliff faces is a local tradition, though the depth means you are entering deep water quickly. The Northeast Kingdom is roughly 2.5 hours from Burlington via I-91 north and Route 5A, and Willoughby pairs well with a broader loop through St. Johnsbury and the Barton area. It also sits close to the northern starting point of the foliage drives that run south through the Kingdom each fall.

Clarendon Gorge, Clarendon

The Long Trail crosses the Mill River gorge in Clarendon on a suspension footbridge about 10 feet above the water. Below the bridge is a clear, slow-moving swimming hole set in the gorge walls, reachable by scrambling down the bank from either side of the crossing. Because this is a working trail junction rather than a promoted swim destination, it draws a smaller crowd than the roadside spots on Route 100 or at Bartlett Falls.

Access is from the Long Trail parking area off Route 103 in Clarendon, about 6 miles south of Rutland and easily combined with a stop in the Killington or Ludlow corridor. Parking is limited and fills on summer weekends by mid-morning. The gorge is best in early summer when the Mill River is running full; later in August the flow slows considerably. Bring water shoes for the scramble down.

Quick Comparison

For overnight trips built around more than one swimming hole, check the Vermont inns and hotels directory for options near your chosen region. The Stowe corridor gives you Bingham Falls. The Mad River Valley puts you close to Warren Falls and Texas Falls in the same day.