Welcome to Knight Island

caretaker's cottage
On a calm day you can paddle from the dock on North Hero to Knight Island in 20 to 30 minutes. Your effort will reward you with a fun day spent exploring the 185 acres which make up the island. The varying terrain includes cobble shale beaches, a beaver pond, steep cliffs and shady forest. As you turn and look back at North Hero you can see the shining top of the town's courthouse. After almost 200 years it is still the tallest point on the horizon. This structure has a rich history which has been recorded by Joanna Oltman.

If you aim your kayak just south of center you will come to rest at the caretakers cottage. Here a wooden dock floats on the Lake water and a sign welcomes you to Knight Island State Park. The island was acquired by the state in 1990, becoming one of Vermont's island state parks[35].

The island is home to many rare and interesting plants[33]. Canada Buffalo Berry is an outcrop plant normally found in Alaska where glaciers are receding. It is a nitrogen fixer and is in the same family as the Russian Olive.
The Jack in the Pulpit, though not as rare as many plants, is still a delight to see scattered on the forest floor of the island. jack in the pulpit

Knight Island was once home to a dairy farm owned by J.H. Brooks. Milk was ferried to the North Hero creamery each day. Local history says that Brooks went bankrupt in 1910, but the farmhouse stood until 1953 when it burned to the ground[37]. Keep an eye open for signs of the former farm. Abandoned farm tools, new forest growth, and stone walls are just some of the clues to the past which can be seen[40].

The island is close to the "carrying place" or the "carry." So named by the Abenaki Indians. This narrow strip of land nearly divides North Hero in two and was used as a portage by the Native Americans of the area. The island itself was probably a landmark for summer Abenaki hunting and fishing parties[37].

Knight Island holds seven campsites with Iron Wood and Flat Rock being the two most popular for paddlers[39].leanto at Birches campsite To use the campsite and find out more about specific reservation requirements refer to the Lake Champlain Paddlers' Trail Guide available from the Lake Champlain Committee.

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