Amid the bustle of Colchester is the Rossetti Natural Area, known to boaters as Thayers Beach, an oasis of undeveloped shoreline and wetland habitat on Lake Champlain. This wide, well-maintained trail leads to a wetland boardwalk and quiet Lake Champlain beach. Great location for an easy walk, viewing turtles, frogs, and other wetland species from boardwalk, and a refreshing swim in Lake Champlain.
Open dawn to dusk, no motorized vehicles allowed in natural area. Seasonal portalet.
Ask neighboring resident Laurie DiCesare what is special about the Natural Area, and her face glows. "I used to walk in the woods with my father as a kid every Saturday," she explains of her roots in conservation. Laurie has taught natural history, worked in the state parks, and created plant guides for the Town of Colchester. With the help of individuals like Laurie, the Lake Champlain Land Trust, the Town of Colchester, and the Colchester Land Trust saved Rossetti in 1997.
In conjunction with the Town of Colchester and Colchester Land Trust, Rossetti Natural Area is one of more than 45 properties saved by the Lake Champlain Land Trust. Since 1978, the Lake Champlain Land Trust has preserved the lakeshore and natural areas of Lake Champlain, including thousands of acres and miles of shoreline. For more information or to help us save Lake Champlain's best trails and natural areas, visit www.lclt.org.
Visit Lake Champlain Land Trust or Town of Colchester online for more information and a printable map or contact:
By Bike: Follow Island Line Trail north. Take a right onto Colchester Point Road and follow to the Rossetti Natural Area parking area on the left side.
By Car: From I-89 take Exit 15 in Winooski. Turn left at the end of the ramp onto Route 15. In downtown Winooski go through the traffic light onto Malletts Bay Avenue. Follow this until the intersection with Route 127. Follow 127 N to the "T" intersection, with Holy Cross Road to your left and Lakeshore Drive to the right. At this junction, the property is directly in front of you.
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