Townshend Lake Recreation Area
October 2026
About
Overview
Townshend Lake is a flood control project operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, serving communities within the West River Valley, and those downstream. In addition to protection from floods, the lake provides many recreational opportunities, including picnicking, hiking, and fishing.
Recreation
Townshend Lake offers ample recreation opportunities. A boat ramp provides access for canoeing, kayaking and small motor boats (10hp or less). The lake is stocked once a year with Rainbow Trout for the enjoyment of anglers. The three group shelters are surrounded by many individual picnic tables with charcoal grills for smaller groups to enjoy. The Ledges Overlook Trail offers stunning views of the Green Mountains along the 1.7 mile loop, with Townshend Lake Nature Area a short drive north up Route 30 offering access to the West River Trail.
Facilities
Within the Townshend Lake Recreation Area, three large picnic shelters are available for reservation, each equipped with electrical hookups to better accommodate your events. Individual picnic sites can be found throughout the park, providing a resting place for those who wish to enjoy all that the park has to offer, including playgrounds, volleyball courts, horse shoe pits, scenic views, and hiking trails. Restrooms within the Day Use area provide flush toilets and potable water during the recreation season.
Natural Features
The recreation area sits in the West River Valley behind the Townshend Dam on the shores of Townshend Lake. The picnic area offers many large trees for shade along with other sun-basked open areas.
Contact Info
This location has limited staffing. Please call (978) 318-8915 for general information.
Nearby Attractions
The Townshend Lake Nature Area is located 2 miles north of Townshend Dam on Vermont Route 30, near West Townshend, VT.
The Historic Scott Covered Bridge is located 1/2 mile south of Townshend Dam, on Vermont Route 30.
Amenities
Phone: 802-365-7703
Is Townshend Lake Recreation Area fully booked?
A campground showing no availability is almost never full for good. People cancel — plans change, weather turns, someone books three weekends and keeps one — and the site goes straight back into the booking system, usually without warning and often at odd hours. The reason sold-out campgrounds feel impossible is not that sites never free up; it is that nobody is watching at the moment they do.
CampHawk watches Townshend Lake Recreation Area in Townshend, VT for you. We recheck it every 15 seconds, around the clock, and the moment a site opens we send a text, an email and a push notification — and on Recreation.gov we can put the site straight into your cart, so it is held while you get to your phone.
Searching is free and needs no account — the calendar above is live right now. Watching Townshend Lake Recreation Area for cancellations is the paid part.