# Mount Philo State Park
**Mount Philo State Park** is a 968-foot (295 m) mountain park in Charlotte, Vermont, in the Champlain Valley town of Charlotte in [Chittenden County](https://www.edgepedia.org/chittenden-county), and it was the first state park established in Vermont, in 1924.[1](https://fpr.vermont.gov/mt-philo-state-park) Although the mountain is modest in height, its summit opens onto views of [Lake Champlain](https://www.edgepedia.org/lake-champlain) and New York's Adirondack Mountains to the west and the Green Mountains to the east, and the park is one of the most visited in the state system.[1](https://fpr.vermont.gov/mt-philo-state-park) • [2](https://vermonthistory.org/journal/87/VH8701BookReviews.pdf)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Charlotte, Chittenden County, Vermont, about 12 miles south of Burlington[1](https://fpr.vermont.gov/mt-philo-state-park) • [3](https://www.wildernessportal.com/destinations/mount-philo-sp) |
| Established | 1924, from a land donation by Frances Humphreys; Vermont's first state park[1](https://fpr.vermont.gov/mt-philo-state-park) • [4](https://hardwickgazette.org/2024/09/24/vermont-state-parks-celebrate-hundredth-anniversary/) |
| Elevation and size | 968-foot summit; park acreage given as 232 acres by the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation and 237 acres by the state parks map guide[1](https://fpr.vermont.gov/mt-philo-state-park) • [5](https://www.vtstateparks.com/sites/stateparks/files/documents/Mt-Philo-Map-Guide-2025.pdf) |
| CCC development | In the 1930s the Civilian Conservation Corps built the access road, campground, ranger quarters, picnic area, and summit lodge[1](https://fpr.vermont.gov/mt-philo-state-park) |
| Camping | 10-site campground: 7 tent sites and 3 lean-to shelters[5](https://www.vtstateparks.com/sites/stateparks/files/documents/Mt-Philo-Map-Guide-2025.pdf) |
| Trails | 1.4 miles of trails in the park, including a roughly three-quarter-mile hiking trail to the summit[1](https://fpr.vermont.gov/mt-philo-state-park) • [5](https://www.vtstateparks.com/sites/stateparks/files/documents/Mt-Philo-Map-Guide-2025.pdf) |
| Season (2026) | Camping and shelter: May 22 to October 12; day use: May 22 to October 25; the park opens at 8 am, earlier than most Vermont state parks[6](https://www.vtstateparks.com/sites/stateparks/files/documents/2026-Operating-Schedule-Vermont-State-Parks-v4.pdf) • [7](https://www.vtstateparks.com/day-use) |
## Establishment and early history
The park began with a gift. In 1924 Frances Humphreys of Brookline, Massachusetts, widow of James Humphreys, deeded land on the mountain to the State of Vermont "as a park for the health, recreation, and pleasure of the public."[8](https://accdservices.vermont.gov/ORCDocs/_HistoricContext__CultureandGovt.PropertyType_00000057.pdf) The state parks map guide and the anniversary coverage describe the gift as 150 acres,[5](https://www.vtstateparks.com/sites/stateparks/files/documents/Mt-Philo-Map-Guide-2025.pdf) • [4](https://hardwickgazette.org/2024/09/24/vermont-state-parks-celebrate-hundredth-anniversary/) while the park's long-range management plan records the gifted property as 159 acres; the plan also notes that records of prior ownership are inconsistent.[9](https://fpr.vermont.gov/sites/fpr/files/State_Lands_Administration/Lands_Management_Planning/Library/MtPhiloStatePark_LRMP2019.pdf) The donation made Mount Philo the first state park in Vermont, and the state park system marked its centennial in 2024, by which time it had grown to 55 parks.[2](https://vermonthistory.org/journal/87/VH8701BookReviews.pdf) • [10](https://vermontbiz.com/news/2024/february/15/vermont-state-parks-celebrates-100th-anniversary-2024)
**Before the park.** Recreational use of the mountain predates state ownership. Inn owner [Frank Lewis](https://www.edgepedia.org/frank-lewis) began construction of a carriage road to the summit in 1901, using horse teams and plows to build a road on the southern slope so guests of the Mt. Philo Inn could ride to the top in horse-drawn surreys; the map guide attributes the original carriage road to G. Lewis and Associates, proprietors of the inn, and dates it to 1903.[9](https://fpr.vermont.gov/sites/fpr/files/State_Lands_Administration/Lands_Management_Planning/Library/MtPhiloStatePark_LRMP2019.pdf) • [5](https://www.vtstateparks.com/sites/stateparks/files/documents/Mt-Philo-Map-Guide-2025.pdf) Traces of the original road remain visible along the current park road, and the inn still stands outside the park's southwest boundary.[5](https://www.vtstateparks.com/sites/stateparks/files/documents/Mt-Philo-Map-Guide-2025.pdf) The name of the mountain itself is explained in a late-1800s account by William Higbee, a Charlotte resident and journalist, who wrote that it was named for a man named Philo who camped on the mountain; a natural rock outcrop called the "Devil's Chair" appears in writing as early as 1896.[9](https://fpr.vermont.gov/sites/fpr/files/State_Lands_Administration/Lands_Management_Planning/Library/MtPhiloStatePark_LRMP2019.pdf)
**CCC work and growth.** The park was originally managed by the Vermont Forest Service, now the Department of Forests, Parks and [Recreation](https://www.edgepedia.org/recreation), under the name "Mt. Philo State Forest Park," with an entrance fee of 25 cents per day and camping at $1 per night; the present park entrance was established in 1929.[9](https://fpr.vermont.gov/sites/fpr/files/State_Lands_Administration/Lands_Management_Planning/Library/MtPhiloStatePark_LRMP2019.pdf) In the 1930s a [Civilian Conservation Corps](https://www.edgepedia.org/civilian-conservation-corps) crew built the current access road, campground, ranger's quarters, picnic area, and summit lodge, and established several tree plantations on the mountain.[1](https://fpr.vermont.gov/mt-philo-state-park) • [8](https://accdservices.vermont.gov/ORCDocs/_HistoricContext__CultureandGovt.PropertyType_00000057.pdf) The park road system as a whole was constructed in stages by various entities between 1901 and 1933.[9](https://fpr.vermont.gov/sites/fpr/files/State_Lands_Administration/Lands_Management_Planning/Library/MtPhiloStatePark_LRMP2019.pdf) Later land donations from the Wells family in 1969 and the Allmons in 2009 increased the park to its current size.[11](https://www.vvoice.org/?format=print&module=displaystory&story_id=2901)
In January 1998 a massive ice storm struck the northeastern United States and Canada, damaging nearly every tree on Mt. Philo and requiring a large cleanup of the forest, roads, trails, and campsites.[8](https://accdservices.vermont.gov/ORCDocs/_HistoricContext__CultureandGovt.PropertyType_00000057.pdf) The hiking trail system in use today was built in 1996 by the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps.[8](https://accdservices.vermont.gov/ORCDocs/_HistoricContext__CultureandGovt.PropertyType_00000057.pdf)
## Geology and natural setting
Exposed Monkton Quartzite at the summit dates back 500 million years and preserves evidence of a warm, shallow marine environment; one trail guide describes the mountain as a klippe (isolated remnant of a thrust sheet left after erosion) of Cambrian Monkton Quartzite thrust over [Ordovician](https://www.edgepedia.org/ordovician) limestone along the Champlain Valley fault.[8](https://accdservices.vermont.gov/ORCDocs/_HistoricContext__CultureandGovt.PropertyType_00000057.pdf) • [3](https://www.wildernessportal.com/destinations/mount-philo-sp) The mountain's present shape and soils are products of the most recent glacial period, about 10,000 years ago: as the glacier advanced it dropped material on the north side of the mountain and scoured the south face.[8](https://accdservices.vermont.gov/ORCDocs/_HistoricContext__CultureandGovt.PropertyType_00000057.pdf)
The park's forests, cliffs, and meadows are the setting for its recreational use, and the summit is a noted spot for watching autumn bird migrations, particularly raptors.[1](https://fpr.vermont.gov/mt-philo-state-park) • [5](https://www.vtstateparks.com/sites/stateparks/files/documents/Mt-Philo-Map-Guide-2025.pdf) Groups such as the Audubon Society have used the park for bird watching over many years.[11](https://www.vvoice.org/?format=print&module=displaystory&story_id=2901)
## Recreation and facilities
Mount Philo is most popular as a day-use destination for hiking and picnicking.[1](https://fpr.vermont.gov/mt-philo-state-park) Visitors can reach the summit two ways: a roughly three-quarter-mile hiking trail, rated moderate and steep in places, or the summit access road, which allows driving nearly to the top.[5](https://www.vtstateparks.com/sites/stateparks/files/documents/Mt-Philo-Map-Guide-2025.pdf) • [12](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g57211-d3337519-Reviews-Mt_Philo_State_Park-Charlotte_Vermont.html) Recreational vehicles are not suited to the road because of its steep grade and narrow width, and dogs must be leashed in all areas at all times.[5](https://www.vtstateparks.com/sites/stateparks/files/documents/Mt-Philo-Map-Guide-2025.pdf)
The small campground on the north side of the park has 7 tent sites and 3 lean-to shelters and receives modest use; the park also has a summit shelter.[1](https://fpr.vermont.gov/mt-philo-state-park) • [5](https://www.vtstateparks.com/sites/stateparks/files/documents/Mt-Philo-Map-Guide-2025.pdf) The summit lodge, with its massive stone fireplace and vaulted ceilings, is rented for weddings, gatherings, and special events.[11](https://www.vvoice.org/?format=print&module=displaystory&story_id=2901)
**Fees.** Under the statewide fee schedule, the day use fee is $5.00 per person aged 14 and older and $2.00 for ages 4 through 13, with no charge for children 3 and younger; the Mt. Philo Shelter rents for $200.00 Monday through Friday and $300.00 on Saturday and Sunday, plus the regular per-person day use fee.[13](https://www.vtstateparks.com/assets/pdf/rules_current.pdf?wpmobileexternal=true) The park's indoor meeting room capacity is listed at 60 people at $200 Monday through Friday.[14](https://www.vtstateparks.com/fees)
## Visiting
In the 2026 operating schedule, camping and the shelter run from Friday, May 22, 2026 to Monday, October 12, 2026, while day use continues to Sunday, October 25, 2026.[6](https://www.vtstateparks.com/sites/stateparks/files/documents/2026-Operating-Schedule-Vermont-State-Parks-v4.pdf) The park opens at 8 am, two hours earlier than the 10 am opening of most Vermont state parks.[7](https://www.vtstateparks.com/day-use) The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources has adopted a long-range management plan for the park that sets a long-term outline for stewardship, supporting a healthy forest, functioning natural communities, and a balance of public uses, especially hiking.[1](https://fpr.vermont.gov/mt-philo-state-park)
## Place in the state park system
As the prototype for Vermont's state park system, Mount Philo holds a particular place in the state's conservation history: it was the first state-owned land in Vermont dedicated to public recreation, and the system that grew from the 1924 gift now spans 55 parks with more than one million visitors each year.[2](https://vermonthistory.org/journal/87/VH8701BookReviews.pdf) • [10](https://vermontbiz.com/news/2024/february/15/vermont-state-parks-celebrates-100th-anniversary-2024) Its combination of a drive-up summit, a short hiking trail, and views across Lake Champlain to the Adirondacks keeps it among the most accessible summit viewpoints in the state.[12](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g57211-d3337519-Reviews-Mt_Philo_State_Park-Charlotte_Vermont.html) • [15](https://govisitvermont.com/best-state-parks/)
## References
1. [Mt. Philo State Park, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation](https://fpr.vermont.gov/mt-philo-state-park)
2. [Book Reviews, Vermont History (Vermont Historical Society)](https://vermonthistory.org/journal/87/VH8701BookReviews.pdf)
3. [Mount Philo State Park, Wilderness Portal](https://www.wildernessportal.com/destinations/mount-philo-sp)
4. [Vermont State Parks Celebrate Hundredth Anniversary, The Hardwick Gazette](https://hardwickgazette.org/2024/09/24/vermont-state-parks-celebrate-hundredth-anniversary/)
5. [Mt. Philo State Park Map & Guide, Vermont State Parks (2025)](https://www.vtstateparks.com/sites/stateparks/files/documents/Mt-Philo-Map-Guide-2025.pdf)
6. [Vermont State Parks Operating Season 2026](https://www.vtstateparks.com/sites/stateparks/files/documents/2026-Operating-Schedule-Vermont-State-Parks-v4.pdf)
7. [Day Use Information, Vermont State Parks](https://www.vtstateparks.com/day-use)
8. [Mt. Philo State Park historic context, Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development](https://accdservices.vermont.gov/ORCDocs/_HistoricContext__CultureandGovt.PropertyType_00000057.pdf)
9. [Mt. Philo State Park Long-Range Management Plan (2019), Vermont Agency of Natural Resources](https://fpr.vermont.gov/sites/fpr/files/State_Lands_Administration/Lands_Management_Planning/Library/MtPhiloStatePark_LRMP2019.pdf)
10. [Vermont State Parks Celebrates 100th Anniversary in 2024, Vermont Business Magazine](https://vermontbiz.com/news/2024/february/15/vermont-state-parks-celebrates-100th-anniversary-2024)
11. [Walking the Trails of Vermont's First State Park Mount Philo, The Valley Voice](https://www.vvoice.org/?format=print&module=displaystory&story_id=2901)
12. [Mt. Philo State Park Reviews, TripAdvisor](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g57211-d3337519-Reviews-Mt_Philo_State_Park-Charlotte_Vermont.html)
13. [Rules and Regulations: Visitor Conduct and Fees and Charges for State Park Services, Vermont State Parks](https://www.vtstateparks.com/assets/pdf/rules_current.pdf?wpmobileexternal=true)
14. [Fees and Passes, Vermont State Parks](https://www.vtstateparks.com/fees)
15. [Best State Parks In Vermont (2026), GoVisit Vermont](https://govisitvermont.com/best-state-parks/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Places and geography › Parks, protected areas, and geographic heritage sites › Parks and public gardens (national, state, international, botanical, urban, and country parks) › United States state parks › Northeastern US state parks › Vermont state parks*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license