Lake Elmore, Vermont, USA

Also known as:  Elmore Pond, Meades Pond

The local slogan, “Beauty Spot of Vermont,” suits Lake Elmore to a ‘T’. This lovely lake nestles beneath Mt. Elmore in the Stowe/Smugglers’ Notch region of Vermont, drawing nature lovers like a magnet. The area is best known as a premier ski area but the many lakes, ponds, villages, hiking and cycling trails and quaint country inns now draw visitors year round. The peaceful little lake has…
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    • All About Lake Elmore, VT

    Lake Locations: USA - US New England Region - Vermont - Stowe-Smugglers' Notch Region, VT -

    The local slogan, “Beauty Spot of Vermont,” suits Lake Elmore to a ‘T’. This lovely lake nestles beneath Mt. Elmore in the Stowe/Smugglers’ Notch region of Vermont, drawing nature lovers like a magnet. The area is best known as a premier ski area but the many lakes, ponds, villages, hiking and cycling trails and quaint country inns now draw visitors year round. The peaceful little lake has a long history in north-central Vermont and has always been the centerpiece of the town of Elmore. Long before air conditioning made summers bearable, city-dwellers who could afford it deserted the hot streets for cool summer breezes in the Green Mountains. The tradition continues, with many families planning their summer vacations around the Lake Elmore area. The entire Lamoille Valley is geared toward helping visitors enjoy their stay.

    The little village of Elmore provides the nearest civilization to Lake Elmore. The town offers a public boat launch, a grocery store and local services. Many of the homes along the shoreline are occupied year round, but there are some that are available for summer rental by the week or month. The largest number of visitors head to Elmore State Park on the west side of the lake where there is a public swimming area with sandy beach, picnic shelters, a concession stand and row boat, canoe and kayak rentals. The lake is shallow and warms nicely for swimming. The camping facilities are very popular as a destination, and the 755-acre park provides miles of hiking and cycling trails. Lake Elmore is one of the few smaller Vermont lakes that permit water skiing and personal watercraft. Row boats, pontoons, canoes, kayaks and powered fishing boats are all welcomed. Sailing and windsurfing are also popular activities.

    Lake Elmore provides a warm-water fishery featuring yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, bullhead and pan fish. Fishing continues throughout the winter with ice fishing shanties sprouting on the ice as soon as it is thick enough. Licenses and bait can be obtained at the all-service Elmore Store, which also contains the local post office. Ice skating, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling are all favored winter activities around Lake Elmore. Elmore State Park proudly displays a historic bathing pavilion built by the Civilian Conservation Corps shortly after the town donated land for a park. Another structure built by the CCC is the fire tower on Mt. Elmore overlooking the park, which is a favorite hiking destination.The gently-sloping hike to the top of 2,608-foot Mt. Elmore is one of Vermont’s most popular family hikes. Areas of the state park are open for hunting during season for several game species. The local store also sells hunting licenses and acts as a deer check-station.

    Off water activities in the area include a tour of the Elmore Sugarhouse – a tradition here in maple syrup country. Lamoille County is well-known for its picturesque covered bridges; driving route maps can be obtained locally to direct visitors to many of them. The county is well-known for the variety and number of art galleries and craft shops it holds. Nearly every art medium is represented among local craftsmen. A number of riding stables and family farms offer everything from horseback riding to sleigh rides in winter. The Noyes House Museum, less than five miles from Lake Elmore, presents a great way to spend a rainy afternoon. Built in the 1820s, the house and carriage barn hold over 10,000 artifacts of early Vermont life. Morrisville also offers a pleasing array of one-of-a-kind shops and eateries to delight the visitor. Nearby Stowe and Smuggler’s Notch offer a variety of musical venues and open-air concerts during the summer months. The grounds of the Trapp Family Lodge Concert Meadow offer several musical series ranging from the Vermont Mozart Festival to local performances. Nearby in Belvidere, the Rattling Brook Blue Grass Festival attracts bluegrass fans the third Saturday in June.

    The Long Trail, extending 275 miles along the spine of the Green Mountains from the Massachusetts border to Canada, crosses the area. The oldest long-distance hiking trail in the country, the Long Trail crosses 11 mountain peaks in Lamoille County alone. The Vermont Ski Museum and Smuggler’s Notch State Park are less than 10 miles from Lake Elmore. And nearby in Waterbury, the Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory welcomes visitors with a tour – and a taste at the end.

    Once called Meades Pond, local history relates that the first sawmill was built at Elmore around 1798. The sawmill likely built the first dam across Elmore Pond Brook. At one time, the lake actually had a ‘steam-powered yacht’ which took passengers on a tour of the lake. During the era of popular resort hotels, Lake Elmore saw many visitors come to enjoy the water and mountain scenery. Both the town and the lake were named for Colonel Elmore, a leading businessman in the area. The town is now mostly a commuter village as there is little industry in the area other than tourism. Lucky is the resident that can leave the city behind and come home to views of water and mountains, especially spectacular in autumn when the foliage glows with reds and golds.

    Only 26 miles from Montpelier and 51 miles from Burlington, Lake Elmore is easy to get to and hard to leave. Locate a vacation rental on Lake Elmore today. Private cottages, country inns and bed-and-breakfasts are plentiful in the area, many right on the lake itself. Real estate can be found nearby in a wide variety of price ranges. There’s something for every member of the family at Lake Elmore. Don’t wait another minute. Visit today.

    Things to Do at Lake Elmore

    These are some activities in the Lake Elmore, VT area visitors can enjoy:

    • Vacation Rentals
    • Fishing
    • Ice Fishing
    • Boating
    • Sailing
    • Swimming
    • Beach
    • Canoeing
    • Kayaking
    • Water Skiing
    • Camping
    • Picnicking
    • Hiking
    • Ice Skating
    • Biking
    • Cross-Country Skiing
    • Snowmobiling
    • Horseback Riding
    • Hunting
    • Wildlife Viewing
    • State Park
    • Museum

    What Kind of Fish Are in Lake Elmore?

    Lake Elmore has been known to have the following fish species:

    • Bass
    • Black Bass
    • Northern Pike
    • Perch
    • Pike
    • Smallmouth Bass
    • Yellow Perch
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    Find Places to Stay at Lake Elmore

    If you’re considering a Lake Elmore lake house rental or hotel, we’ve made it super easy to find the best rates and compare vacation accommodations at a glance. Save time using this interactive map below.

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    More Sites to Book a Lake Elmore Vacation

    Our interactive Lake Elmore lodging map above is an easy tool for comparing VRBO rental homes and nearby hotels with Booking.com, but there could be times when you need to expand your search for different types of accommodations. Here are some other lake lodging partners we recommend:

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    Lake Elmore Statistics & Helpful Links

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    Lake Type: Natural Freshwater Lake, Dammed

    Surface Area: 219 acres

    Shoreline Length: 3 miles

    Normal Elevation (Full Pond): 1,142 feet

    Average Depth: 11 feet

    Maximum Depth: 17 feet

    Water Volume: 2,409 acre-feet

    Drainage Area: 9 sq. miles

    Trophic State: Mesotrophic

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