Ricker Pond State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ricker Pond State Park |
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Ricker Pond
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| Type | State park |
| Location | 18 Ricker Pond Campground Rd. Groton, Vermont |
| Operated by | Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation |
| Status | Memorial Day weekend - Columbus Day weekend |
| Website | https://vtstateparks.com/ricker.html |
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Ricker Pond State Park
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | 526 State Forest Rd., Groton, Vermont |
| Area | 50 acres (20 ha) |
| Built | 1938 |
| Built by | CCC |
| Architectural style | CCC state park |
| MPS | Historic Park Landscapes in National and State Parks MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 02000277 |
| Added to NRHP | March 29, 2002 |
Ricker Pond State Park is a fun state park located in Groton, Vermont. It's one of seven state parks found within the huge Groton State Forest. You can easily find the park right off Vermont Route 232.
The park gives everyone a chance to enjoy Ricker Pond. This is a 95-acre (38 ha) lake in the middle of Groton. The park was built in the 1930s by workers from the Civilian Conservation Corps. This was a special program that helped people find jobs during tough times.
There are lots of cool things to do here! You can go camping, motor boating, waterskiing, and fishing. Swimming and paddling are also popular. If you like land adventures, try horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing. The park is open from Memorial Day weekend until Columbus Day weekend. You'll need to pay a small fee to enter or camp.
What Can You Do at Ricker Pond State Park?
Ricker Pond State Park is right in the center of Groton. It's on the east side of Groton State Forest. This forest is the second largest state forest in Vermont!
Ricker Pond itself looks a bit like a teardrop. The water flows out from its southeastern end. Vermont Route 232 runs west near this end of the pond. This creates a triangle-shaped piece of land where the park's main areas are.
When you enter the park, you'll see a stone gate and a gatehouse. The rangers' quarters, built by the CCC, are also nearby. Gravel roads lead you to three different areas along the water.
- Section A: This area is furthest west. It has a loop of lean-to campsites. There's also a boat launch here for getting your boat into the water.
- Section B: This section is for tent camping. It has a picnic pavilion built by the CCC in 1938. There's also a sandy beach where you can relax.
- Section C: Found at the eastern end of the park, this area offers tent and trailer camping. You can even rent a small cabin here!
Besides water activities, the park lets you explore trails in the state forest. The Montpelier-Wells River Rail Trail, also known as the Cross Vermont Trail, goes right through the middle of the park.
A Look Back: History of Ricker Pond
Ricker Pond has a long history! One of the first settlers in Groton, Edmund Morse, built a sawmill and gristmill here in 1783. These were some of the first factories in the town.
Later, in 1827, he sold the mills to Amaziah Ricker. The Ricker family kept these mills running until 1963! When the railroad was built through the valley in the mid-1800s, more tourists came to see the beautiful area.
The state of Vermont started buying land around Ricker Pond in 1919. The park officially opened in 1933. The first buildings and roads were made by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). This was a special program during the Great Depression. It gave jobs to young men who built parks and other public works.
Some of the things the CCC built are still here today. These include the main road system, the central picnic pavilion and beach, the ranger quarters, and many stone fireplaces. Because of these important historical buildings, Ricker Pond State Park was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.
