Explore Swanton through its trails, wildlife watching, and local history. The connections between the rail trails, trails in Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge, and a self-guided walking tour with 30 historic stops offer especially tangible ways to do so. When choosing what to focus on, you can first decide whether you’re most interested in outdoor activity, wildlife, or history: Swanton has a clearly identified point of interest for each.
Hiking, Biking, and Trail Connections
The Lamoille Valley Rail Trail (LVRT) has a trailhead on Robin Hood Drive in Swanton. It crosses the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail (MVRT), giving Swanton access to many miles of scenic hiking and biking trails. Another trail connection is the Swanton Fit & Healthy Recreation Path, which connects to the LVRT. These trails also differ in their intended uses: the rail trail network provides access to hiking and biking trails, while the Recreation Path is intended for pedestrians and non-motorized vehicles.
For wayfinding on foot or by bike, both a specific starting point and connections between trails are relevant. Robin Hood Drive marks the LVRT trailhead; the crossing with the MVRT and the Recreation Path’s connection to the LVRT offer additional reference points. This lets you consider each trail in relation to the others, rather than treating them as a single loop.
Wildlife Watching at Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge
Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge is located in Swanton and Highgate and covers 6,729 acres. The area consists mostly of wetlands that provide habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. Five trails open to the public, totaling 7.5 miles, provide access to refuge habitats and opportunities for wildlife watching in a range of upland and wetland habitats. The area is not defined by just one type of landscape: wetlands make up most of the refuge, while the trails also pass through different habitats.
The refuge also has two boat ramps for exploring the Missisquoi River and Lake Champlain. Alongside the trails, these provide a separate way to experience the landscape from the water. If wildlife and habitats are your main focus, the refuge offers specific ways to explore them on foot and by water.
Swanton Beach and Access to the Water
Swanton Beach has a public boat ramp to Lake Champlain, a picnic area, and a slate beach. These features combine lake access with a designated picnic spot and a distinctive type of beach. The boat ramp at Swanton Beach and the two ramps at Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge are separate locations: the ramp at the beach leads to Lake Champlain, while the ramps at the refuge serve visitors exploring the Missisquoi River and Lake Champlain.
History on Foot and at the Railroad Depot
The Heritage Walking Tour is a self-guided stroll through Swanton’s history. Its 30 stops include historic buildings, churches, cemeteries, and landmarks. The variety of stops offers several points of historical interest, rather than limiting the tour to a single type of building. If you’re choosing between outdoor activity and an overview of different historic sites, it’s also worth noting that the walk is self-guided.
Another historic site is the Ronald F. Kilburn Transportation Museum. Housed in a preserved railroad depot, it presents Swanton’s transportation history. The museum grounds also include a historic railroad car known as a caboose. Together with the Heritage Walking Tour, it offers a different way to explore local history: the tour covers historic sites around town, while the museum focuses on transportation history in a preserved depot and features the caboose.
Swanton’s main attractions are easy to distinguish when choosing it as a destination: trails and rail trail connections for hiking and biking, wetlands and wildlife watching at the refuge, access to the water at Lake Champlain, and historic sites and transportation history. Decide which of these themes will shape your trip, and use it as a guide when looking for a place to stay in Swanton.
Discover more destinations: Montgomery, St. Albans.
For the broader travel overview: Franklin County.
