Lake Willoughby
Lake Willoughby
4.5
About
A scenic lake in Vermont that is called "America's Lucerne."
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingWhat is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience nearby attractions
Are you currently on your trip?
Help us find experiences available for you.
The area
Best nearby
Restaurants
1 within 3 miles
Attractions
2 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
182 reviews
Excellent
149
Very good
24
Average
6
Poor
1
Terrible
2
NHjo
Saco, ME15,036 contributions
Sep 2023 • Solo
There was a lot of haze from the Canadian wildfires the day I was at Lake Willoughby, and the foliage was very muted even though it should have been at peak. Otherwise, it was pretty nice. I had been there before on previous Vermont foliage trips and it was good to see it again.
Written October 3, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sharon Biron
38 contributions
Apr 2020
Adore Lake Willoughby and so will you at any time of the year. Gets 'slightly' crowded in summer, but is wonderful in Spring, Fall, and Winter. The Autumn leaves in red gold and green, the Winter snows and berries turn this into a magical landscape, and Spring seems like a miracle with wild flowers and green shoots peeping up through the melting ice. The lake itself has been the scene of tragic accidents long ago, giving rise to myths and legends. The water is very cold and clear, and there is even the legend of a small sea serpent here as well as the usual retinue of phantoms and ghosts, including that of a rum runner during Prohibition who perished here.
Written October 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Blue Seas Concierge
Cape Cod, MA4,778 contributions
Aug 2021
What a pristine setting. The views are breathtaking and the water clarity, clear and beautiful. Depending upon the weather, the water appears to be deep blue, in spots. We hiked all around and particularly loved the Cliff Ledge hike. The sound of song birds and babbling brooks was divine. Pure zen.
Written August 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lori
7 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
It is a very pretty lake. I read a ton of reviews before arriving. If you go to the south side of the lake it is a nude beach and everyone is naked. Be prepared for that. I don’t know if that is known and I was just blind sided or not. I read every testimonial and review and it said nothing about the south side of the lake being a completely naked beach. It was also packed. I heard the north side is not as crowded and calmer. Never went
Written July 7, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michelli2011
335 contributions
Oct 2022 • Friends
This lake is pretty, and the water is clear, but I am giving it 3 stars because it is really nothing special compared to the other lakes I have seen. I think it can go up to 5 stars, if you have a kayak or a boat to take you out further into the lake. We drove from the North side to the west side, the sign says "There are no beach access. Your GPS is wrong". The local told us to go back to the north side, so we just drove around the lake to find a better view. I didn't find anything that took my breath away, but maybe you will have better luck finding the spot.
Written October 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katherine L
Quebec City, Canada39 contributions
Sep 2022 • Couples
The lake is absolutely beautiful. We went once for a little hike and went back on the next day to rent a kayak and go on the lake. The views are breathtaking and I would go back tomorrow if I didn't have to go back home !
Written September 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The_Wanderer1992
Columbia, MD2,605 contributions
Jul 2022 • Couples
My husband and I took a drive to this lake while on vacation in Vermont. This was a spontaneous drive, so we did not have a whole lot of time here before heading onto the next destination. We took a short hike. The lake is very pretty and blue and surrounded by beautiful green mountains. It was formed from glaciers 10,000 years ago. I was also reading about a hike that you can do around the lake which sounded fun. They also have 3 hour long kayak rentals at the camp ground across the street from the south beach.
Written July 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael K
San Jose, CA1,139 contributions
Oct 2021
This is a great location for fall foliage. There are two access points to the lake, viz the North Beach and the South Beach, both offering slightly different but equally spectacular fall colors. Best of all, parking is plentiful with access to portable toilets.
Written October 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fuzihus
Houston, TX120 contributions
Oct 2022 • Family
One of the most beautiful hikes we have done! It’s quite a climb to the first viewpoint but totally worth it. It’s not super steep but if you have your hiking poles, it’s much easier. And the view is spectacular. This hike gives the best views of Lake Willoughby. We went for the fall views and were not disappointed. There are almost no phone signals so hard to navigate in places on the drive down. We took screen shots of the route from Stowe and brought our own sandwiches from Morrisville. Such a great idea because we were ravenous after a 4 hr hike. Don’t miss out on Lake Willoughby!
Written February 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mrbucketlist
Tampa, FL721 contributions
Feb 2021
WOW. So I went out my way to drive up to this area while in New Hampshire and I'M SO GLAD I DID! Especially with the temperature at -5 degrees and being able to walk on the lake itself it was amazing. I mean take a look at these shots I got with my drone!!! If you in the area definitely check it out!!
Written March 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
suzanne b
Briarcliff Manor, New York
can we rent a family boat on lake willoughby
Written July 24, 2021
suzanne b
Briarcliff Manor, New York
hi can we rent a family boat on lake willoughby
Written July 24, 2021
Can you park overnight at any of the location south or north beach ?
Written August 20, 2019
One can park in the lot across from north beach overnight but the gate might be locked at about 10 pm until morning so access to one’s vehicle won’t be possible. The south beach location is not locked.
Written August 21, 2019
cestevezam
Montreal, Canada
How long do I have to walk to reach the beach? Is it a kid friendly place to visit? Thanks in advance.
Written September 1, 2018
The parking lot is directly across the street from the beach.
Written September 2, 2018
Michel R
Saint Hyacinthe, Canada
Savez vous si ont peut faire du bateau sur ce lac
Written August 1, 2018
“Quelqu'un sait si les chiens sont acceptés pour la baignade à la plage de Willoughby? Été 2018? Besoin d'une information récente svp. J'ai vraiment besoin de savoir avant de faire longue route avec mon Golden Retriever qui va vouloir nager comme un Fou! Merci de m'aider!”
Written July 30, 2018
Quelqu'un sait si les chiens sont acceptés pour la baignade à la plage de Willoughby? Été 2018? Besoin d'une information récente svp. J'ai vraiment besoin de savoir avant de faire longue route avec mon Golden Retriever qui va vouloir nager comme un Fou! Merci de m'aider!
Written July 30, 2018
Bonjour,
As-tu pu amener ton chien finalement ?
Merci :)
Written May 22, 2023
Salut,, on me dit que le côté sud est plus beau pour la baignade!! c'est vraie?
Written July 16, 2018
Je recommande le côté sud près du mont Hor. La vue est superbe de la plage. Il y a des toilettes et un depanneur au camping d'à côté.
Il y a une partie des cette plage ou l'option "nudisme est permise".
Written July 30, 2018
Showing results 1-10 of 28
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing