State Parks In Vermont: Brief Introduction by newsdesk Camp Plymouth State Park :The site of Camp Plymouth was at one time thought to have been used as an encampment by soldiers of the Revolutionary War in 1777. The Boy Scouts used this area until 1984 when it became a state park. Camp Plymouth State Park is located in the town of Plymouth on the east shore of Echo Lake. The total acreage is 295 acres of which 46 acres comprise the developed portion of the park. The balance (249 acres) contains hiking trails, fishing, hunting, gold panning, and primitive camping, but is largely forestry oriented. Fort Dummer State Park :The park was named after Fort Dummer, the first permanent white settlement in Vermont. Built on the frontier in 1724, it was initially the gateway to the early settlements along the banks of the Connecticut River. Forty-three English soldiers and twelve Mohawk Indians manned the fort in 1724 and 1725. Later, the fort protected what was then a Massachusetts colony from an invasion by the French and Indians. Made of sturdy white pine timber, stacked like a log cabin, Fort Dummer served its purpose well. The park overlooks the site of Fort Dummer which was flooded when the Vernon Dam was built on the Connecticut River in 1908. This site can be seen from the northernmost scenic vista on the Sunrise Trail. It is now underwater near the lumber company located on the western bank of the river. Knight Point State Park :Knight Point on North Hero Island opened as a state park in 1978. Area history goes much further back. The Hero Islands were named to commemorate early Vermonters who served in the Revolutionary War. John Knight, the Point's first resident, began ferry service between the two islands in 1785. The service was operated by his family until the first bridge opened in 1892. The site of the ferry landing is still visible on the east shore after a hundred years. The Knight Point house, now a residence for park staff, is historically significant. The wooden wing on the north end is a visually-accurate reconstruction of the Knight Tavern, built in 1790 as an inn for travelers crossing by ferry between the islands. The brick section of the residence, added to the tavern in 1845, is unique because of its two-story front porch. Lake St. Catherine State Park :The park, which consists of 117 acres, first opened as a small picnic and swimming area in 1953. The area is known for its past slate quarrying operations, with remains of slate mills, quarries, and rubble piles still visible. The park itself was once a children's summer camp and farmland. Grassy open areas, wooded sites and lake access make this camping area very popular. Waterbury Center State Park :Waterbury Center State Park is an integral recreation resource in Central Vermont and one of the newer park facilities within Mount Mansfield State Forest. The reservoir is the ninth largest body of water in the state of Vermont and was created in the 1930's by the CCC as a flood control project to protect towns and villages along the Winooski River Valley. From late spring to early fall the reservoir is maintained to a surface area of 860 acres and has a maximum depth of 100 feet. To prepare for normal spring snowmelt and runoff, the surface area is reduced to between 250 - 300 acres throughout the winter. The park is located on a 90-acre peninsula with picnic sites, tables, hibachis, swimming beach and nature trail. State Parks In Vermont: Brief Introduction by newsdesk.