Bomoseen State Park
Managed by Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation
372 acres1.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Mountain View Stock Farm · Photo: Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 3.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Benson
Few parks or trails are on the map in Benson
The biggest trail networks: Bomoseen State Park (1.7 mi). 26% of Benson’s land is conserved, about 7,409 acres. 2,234 acres are parks and preserves, 2,849 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
26%
7,409 acres · of 43.9 sq mi of land
Trails
4.3 mi
0.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,234 ac
2,849 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
23%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
879 ft
Oak Hill
Lakes & rivers
10
1 boat launch
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Bomoseen State Park, with 1.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Who protects it
7,409 conserved acres
26% of Benson’s land. Who manages Benson’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits8,789 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)2,967 ac
Joint214 ac
State conservation206 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government168 ac
Other state land129 ac
State fish & wildlife102 ac
Conservation Easement · 6,251 acAgricultural Easement · 5,712 acState Conservation Area · 1,494 acPrivate Conservation · 862 acState Park · 351 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 5,058 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 50 of 191 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pond Woods Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 1,484 | Open |
| Shaw Mountain Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 446 | Closed |
| Bomoseen State Park State Park | Not recorded | 351 | Open |
| Shaw Mountain Natural Area Private Conservation | Not recorded | 327 | Open |
| Tnc Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 40 | Closed |
| Hubbardton River Clayplain Forest Natural Area Private Conservation | Not recorded | 38 | Open |
| East Creek Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 10 | Open |
| Hubbardton River Clayplain Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 9 | Closed |
| Sunset Lake Access State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 3 | Open |
| Bald Mountain Matrix Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 2 | Closed |
2 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
9 places to go in Benson
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Benson
1 playground without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Boat launches in Benson
1 boat launch without a name on the map.
Peaks in Benson
Oak Hill879 ft elevation
DirectionsDoughty Hill761 ft elevation
DirectionsShaw Mountain686 ft elevation
DirectionsWilcox Hill666 ft elevation
DirectionsHoward Hill620 ft elevation
DirectionsCobble Knoll541 ft elevation
DirectionsCedar Mountain502 ft elevation
DirectionsTrails & water
10 lakes & rivers
History along the way
History →2 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 1 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
When to get out
The best walking months in Benson: May and September
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.3 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 30 | 33 | 42 | 56 | 69 | 77 | 82 | 80 | 72 | 59 | 46 | 35 |
| Rain (in) | 2.6 | 2.2 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 2.9 | 3.1 |
February is the driest month (2.2 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.1 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Benson →
Next door
Benson and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benson | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Orwell | 33% | 0.2 | 951 | 36% | A− |
| West Haven | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Fair Haven | 26% | 0.4 | 637 | 61% | A |
| Castleton | 9% | 0.3 | 461 | 28% | B+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Benson
Where can I hike in Benson?
The longest trail networks: Bomoseen State Park, 1.7 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Benson’s trails?
Bomoseen State Park doesn’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Benson?
56,262 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Benson or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,330 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Benson neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →