Vermont /

Lake Champlain

Lake in Vermont · 291,825 acres · near Addison, Alburg, Alburgh, Benson

Lake Champlain is a large natural freshwater lake lying mostly between Vermont and New York and extending north into Quebec. It is 107 miles long and up to 14 miles wide, covers about 514 square miles, averages 64 feet deep and reaches a maximum depth of 400 feet, with 587 miles of shoreline. Burlington, Vermont, and Plattsburgh, New York, are the largest settlements on the lake. Its roughly 80 islands include Grand Isle, North Hero and Isle La Motte, all in Grand Isle County, Vermont. Inflows include Otter Creek and the Winooski, Missisquoi, Lamoille and Poultney rivers. The lake drains north through the Richelieu River to the St. Lawrence and connects to the Hudson River by the Champlain Canal.

The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department operates public access areas along the Vermont shore, among them Malletts Bay, Shelburne Bay, Saint Albans Bay, Converse Bay, Keeler Bay, Kings Bay, Larrabees Point, Benson Landing and Rock River. Under Vermont's Use of Public Waters Rules, vessels may not exceed 5 mph within the Shoreline Safety Zone, the area within 200 feet of shore. They must also travel at no-wake speed within 200 feet of marked swim areas and other vessels, including canoes and kayaks. The Lake Champlain Committee, a bi-state nonprofit founded in 1963, runs the Lake Champlain Paddlers' Trail for human-powered craft.

The lake is named for the French explorer Samuel de Champlain, who encountered it in 1609. On October 11, 1776, British and American naval fleets met in battle off the western side of Valcour Island.

Boating rules

Rules change; check with the agency or town before you go.

Launches

Community

Where people who fish, boat and paddle Lake Champlain talk about it. Lake associations, clubs and local groups will be added as we find them.

Sources

  1. Lake Champlain - Wikipedia
  2. Facts - Lake Champlain Basin Program
  3. Vermont Use of Public Waters Rules - Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation
  4. Overview - Lake Champlain Committee

Researched October 13, 2026 from the sources above. Written content CC BY 4.0. Something wrong? Corrections are welcome.

Wikidata: Q68467