Free, informal spots with little or no infrastructure — the river bends, creek pools, and unmarked pull-offs that never appear on a tourism map.
19 free, low-key swimming holes in Vermont — 9 river, 5 creek, 3 waterfall, 1 lake, 1 other. These are the spots with no entry fee and little or no infrastructure: no lifeguard, often no restroom, sometimes no sign at the pull-off. They include 3 Places, Adams Hole, Benson's Hole, and Bristol Falls & Circle Current. That is the appeal and also the risk, so read the access notes before you go.
Open the Vermont directory for every spot in the state, or sort by distance from you.
The Batten Kill River corridor and the Green Mountain backcountry set the scene: think moss-covered banks, the sound of moving water filtering through stands of birch and maple, and skies that seem somehow bluer once you're surrounded by all that green.
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There are no signs pointing the way, no entry gates, and no snack bars. Just the brook, the trees, and the sound of water moving over stone.
View detailsUnofficial and unimproved, this natural gem rewards those willing to navigate tricky backroads and arrive self-sufficient. No signage, no parking lot, no concession stand.
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Bristol Falls & Circle Current near Montpelier, Vermont is a falls swimming spot on New Haven River. What people come for: Natural rock slides; Swirling currents at Circle Current. Access is free, and there are no facilities on site. Best visited in June to September. Always check water depth before jumping.
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Brockways Mills Gorge is a river swimming spot on Williams River near Brattleboro, Vermont. What people come for: Crystal-clear waters; Dramatic rock formations. Access is free, and there are no facilities on site. Best visited in June to August. Water conditions can change rapidly.
View detailsButtermilk Falls near Rutland, Vermont is a falls swimming spot on Branch Brook. What people come for: Exciting swimming and jumping activities; Picturesque cascades and lush surroundings. Access is free, and there are no facilities on site. Best visited in Summer. Always check water depth before jumping.
View detailsCarved over millennia by the Black River, this dramatic gorge cuts through ancient rock with a quiet authority, offering one of the most visually striking natural .
View detailsScattered along the banks of the West River and Rock River in Southern Vermont, the Dummerston Region . These are unofficial, unhurried spots where the water runs cold and clear, the forest leans close overhead, and the only agenda is the afternoon itself.
View detailsEast Middlebury Gorge is a clear Middlebury River swimming hole in Vermont with rock ledges and cold mountain water near Middlebury and East Middlebury. Free informal access — check depth before any jump.
View detailsFed by the cold, clear waters of Sucker Brook, this unofficial . There are no signs directing you to a snack bar, no lifeguard whistles, no manicured lawns.
View detailsFelchville Vermont Swimming Holes lies in Vermont, where North Branch Black River moves through a wooded corridor. These are places you stumble upon and remember for years.
View detailsMontgomery Center, Vermont has several waterfall and creek swimming holes in the northern Green Mountains near Lowell and Stowe day-trip range. Cold clear water, short hikes, and no facilities at most pools.
View detailsThis is not a developed recreation area with signage, parking lots, or crowds. It's a simple, roadside pause along Osgood Brook, where the water gathers into a small, inviting pool beside a rustic culvert, framed by the unhurried rhythms of central Vermont's countryside.
View detailsStockbridge Vermont River Swimming Holes near Rutland, Vermont is a river swimming spot on White River, Tweed River. What people come for: Crystal-clear waters of White and Tweed Rivers; Natural rock slides for adventurous fun. Access is free, and there are no facilities on site. Best visited in spring. Always check water conditions and depth before entering.
View detailsThe Cornfield lies in Vermont, where West River moves through a wooded corridor. There are no signs announcing its presence, no entry gates, no snack bars.
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The Ledges on Harriman Reservoir near Wilmington, Vermont is a rock-slab shoreline swim known as one of New England’s established clothing-optional beaches. Free informal access — pack out trash and respect other users.
View detailsSet along the clear, cold waters of Minister Brook near Worcester, this unofficial . A remnant of an earlier era that nature has spent decades reclaiming and reshaping.
View detailsThis unofficial, undeveloped spot sits between the towns of Brattleboro and Guilford, offering a genuinely rustic river experience far removed from manicured beaches and crowded pools.
View detailsIt's unofficial, unpolished, and entirely genuine. A place where locals have been cooling off for generations and visitors quickly understand why.
View detailsEvery spot on this page is free to enter and has little or no built infrastructure. In practice that means a gravel pull-off rather than a parking lot, a worn path rather than a trail, and no one on site if something goes wrong.
Vermont is unusually dense with swimming holes — the Mad, White, Lamoille, Winooski, and Deerfield corridors, the Warren Falls and Bristol Falls ledges, Bingham Falls near Stowe, and the Ledges on Lake Willoughby.
"Secret" is relative. Most of these are well known locally and busy on a hot Saturday — the difference is that nobody is managing them. Arrive early on weekends, park legally, and leave the place cleaner than you found it, because informal access is the first thing a landowner or county revokes.
No restroom means pack a trowel and follow Leave No Trace, 200 feet from water. No trash service means everything you bring leaves with you, including fruit peel and bottle caps.
No lifeguard and usually no cell signal means your group is the rescue plan. Tell someone where you are going, swim with at least one other person, and enter feet-first the first time regardless of how deep it looks.
No signage also means no one is telling you the rules. Public-land access can change between seasons, and a spot that was open last summer can be gated this one. If a gate or a posted sign says no, that is the answer.
Vermont swims mid-june through early september, best july to august. Warm afternoons in June and early September work at the lower-elevation holes.
Vermont holes are ledge-and-pothole terrain and jumping injuries are the norm — depths shift between seasons as gravel moves. Rivers rise very fast in summer thunderstorms, and several popular spots have parking restrictions enforced by towns.
19 free, low-key swimming holes in Vermont — 9 river, 5 creek, 3 waterfall, 1 lake, 1 other. These are the spots with no entry fee and little or no infrastructure: no lifeguard, often no restroom, sometimes no sign at the pull-off. They include 3 Places, Adams Hole, Benson's Hole, and Bristol Falls & Circle Current. That is the appeal and also the risk, so read the access notes before you go.
Yes — every spot in this guide is listed as free to enter. Parking or trailhead fees can still apply on some public land, and fee status changes between seasons, so check the individual listing before you drive.
Mid-June through early September, with the most reliable conditions july to august. Warm afternoons in June and early September work at the lower-elevation holes. Weekday mornings are the quietest at every popular spot.
Treat every unmarked spot as unsupervised and unmeasured. Scout depth and current from the bank, enter feet-first the first time, never swim alone, and give moving water 24 to 48 hours after heavy rain. Vermont holes are ledge-and-pothole terrain and jumping injuries are the norm — depths shift between seasons as gravel moves. Rivers rise very fast in summer thunderstorms, and several popular spots have parking restrictions enforced by towns.