Places to Visit
Springfield has many places that allow you to fully immerse yourself in nature, as well as an assortment of historical locations and museums. Check out these places below when planning your day out in Springfield.
01
With 1,361 acres of land ranging from forests and fields to wetlands and two lakes, North Springfield Lake has recreational opportunities for everyone! In the summer months, visitors can swim, sunbathe, and picnic. Anglers can try their luck in our lake, pond, or rivers. A boat ramp is available at Stoughton Pond for small boats, canoes, and kayaks. North Springfield Lake is a popular location for canoeists and kayakers to explore wildlife and the natural beauty the area offers. For those who want to swim, we provide a beach at Stoughton Pond Recreation Area, plus ranger conducted programs. Stoughton Pond Recreation Area also has a shelter available to rent for day outings. Winter sports such as snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing are also popular activities at North Springfield Lake.
02
The Toonerville Trail is a multi-use path that was completed in 1999. Benches along the trail provide resting spots to take in scenic spots along the river. Toonerville Trail runs along the Black River, a tributary of the Connecticut, which used to power mills in the 18th and 19th centuries. While on the trail keep a look-out for kingfisher or blue herons.
Beyond the bridge the trail takes a short detour on Paddock Road before rejoining and passing beneath VT-11. The Toonerville Trail continues for another 0.5 mile before reaching a parking area for Hoyt's Landing at the junction of the rivers. The parking area at Hoyt's Landing at the junction of the rivers is a popular spot for fishing, swimming and canoeing. Beyond the landing, the trail crosses beneath VT-11 once more, ending 0.3 mile later at US-5.
03
Stoughton Pond Recreation Area offers plenty of activities for visitors of all ages. Many people enjoy canoeing, kayaking, boating and fishing. The state of Vermont Department of Fish and Game annually stock the pond with rainbow trout, and the pond also offers excellent bass fishing. A boat ramp is available, located off Plains Road.
An interpretive trail winds along the side of the pond. Hikers are treated to views of wetlands and uplands, both with a wide diversity of natural habitats. A multi-use trail system is located at the main reservoir, North Springfield Lake.
04
Muckross State Park was established in July, 2016 when the estate of the late State Senator Edgar May donated his former home property to the State of Vermont. The 204 acre property is part of a once-larger estate constructed by local industrialist W.D. Woolson in the early 20th century. At one time, the estate included nearly 1,000 acres of land, two trout ponds, an expansive compound of buildings including a main lodge and several cottages. It purportedly is named after Muckross House in Killarney National Park, County Kerry, Ireland.
05
The Eureka Schoolhouse stands between Vermont Route 11 (to the south) and the Black River to the north, in the dispersed rural setting of Goulds Mill, southeast of the Springfield's main village center. It is a small single-story structure, built out of hand-hewn timbers and covered by a wooden shingle roof. Its walls are finished in rough-cut wooden boards, scored to resemble cut stone. A brick chimney rises from the rear right corner. The front facade, facing south toward the road, is three bays wide, with the entrance in the left bay, and large sash windows in the other two.
The school is believed to have been built in 1785, and is the oldest known schoolhouse in the state. It underwent a series of alterations over the 19th century, and was closed in 1900. It stood vacant and abandoned for many years, and was carefully disassembled by preservationists and stored in 1958. In 1968, it was reassembled to its original configuration (as best it could be determined from extant records) at the present site, which also includes the relocated Baltimore Covered Bridge.
06
The Fort at Number 4 was a mid-18th century stockade fortification protecting Plantation Number 4, the northernmost British settlement along the Connecticut River in the Province of New Hampshire until after the French and Indian War. It was located in the present-day town of Charlestown, New Hampshire.
07
The Stellafane Observatory is an astronomical observatory in Springfield, Vermont, founded in 1920 by Russell W. Porter. The Pink Clubhouse was built in 1923 at the site by the Springfield Telescope Makers Club.