Grand Isle County, Vermont
Knight Island
Knight Island is a small, forested island in Lake Champlain, accessible only by boat from the Vermont shore and managed as Knight Island State Park.
- Camping Nearby
- Freshwater
- Boat Access
- Remote
About this place
Knight Island is a small, forested island in Lake Champlain, accessible only by boat from the Vermont shore and managed as Knight Island State Park. The island has a handful of primitive campsites and quiet shoreline that, on the less-visited northeastern and southern shores, has a long tradition of clothing-optional sunbathing and swimming among Lake Champlain boaters and kayakers.
The C/O culture here is the quiet, organic kind — not posted or organized, but understood by regulars who explore the shoreline away from the main campsite areas. Lake Champlain's water reaches swimmable temperatures in July and August, and the island's isolation makes for genuinely peaceful conditions on weekdays.
Camping on Knight Island adds an overnight dimension that few C/O freshwater spots in New England can match: falling asleep to lake sounds after a nude sunset swim is as restorative as it gets. Reservations through Vermont State Parks are required for the island campsites, which are accessible only by the ferry from Kill Kare State Park or by private boat.
Visitor notes
Contributed by ClothingOptional.org Editorial Team
Who visits
Lake Champlain paddlers and boaters, Vermont State Parks campers, naturists who specifically seek out the island's quiet coves.
How to find it
Knight Island is in Lake Champlain east of the New York shore in Grand Isle County. Access by passenger ferry from Kill Kare State Park (St. Albans Bay area) or by personal watercraft. Reserve campsites at Vermont State Parks website. Day-trip access requires a boat.
Things to watch out for
Lake Champlain can develop dangerous chop quickly — watch weather carefully before paddling. The ferry runs on a schedule; missing it means an unplanned overnight. Mosquitoes can be intense in June.
Last updated
Etiquette & ground rules
C/O is informal at quieter shoreline areas away from the campsites. If other campers are present, read the situation. Island camping rules apply — no fires outside designated rings.
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