Branbury State Park in Vermont, USA - map and visitor information

Research checked: 2026-10-30. Check linked official notices before travel.

Branbury State Park is a seasonal Lake Dunmore destination in Salisbury, Vermont, with a sandy beach below Mount Moosalamoo. Plan a picnic or a shoreline visit during its operating season. Check the water-status notice before choosing a day for swimming.

Spend time beside Lake Dunmore

A 1,000-foot natural beach is the park’s main lakeside feature. Large groups can arrange one of two screened shelters, each with seating for 40 people. These offer different ways to use the same setting, from a simple beach visit to an organized gathering.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Check the water notice before visiting the beach

Use the recreational water-status link on the official park page before a swimming visit. Lifeguards do not supervise Branbury’s beach. The state’s swimming guidance describes seasonal water testing, which ends no later than September 30. An older result does not establish present conditions. Route 53 divides the park, so locate the facilities on the map before moving between areas.

Keep pets away from the beach

Pets cannot use the sandy beach, designated swimming area or cottage. They are allowed elsewhere in the park. Clean up after your pet and select an area where it can accompany you.

Book a shelter for a group

Each screened shelter costs USD 100 to rent. Reservations open up to 11 months ahead. Additional terms include a damage and compliance deposit of USD 100, a nonrefundable reservation fee of USD 8 and a cancellation fee of USD 25. Day admission is separate at Branbury. Review the fee and reservation terms before booking.

Find the Salisbury entrance on Lake Dunmore Road

Navigate to 3570 Lake Dunmore Road, Salisbury, VT 05769. The park occupies the eastern shore of Lake Dunmore, beside Green Mountain National Forest. Use the maps linked from the park page to locate the beach and the facilities across Route 53.

Nearby parks toward Lake Champlain

For a separate drive toward Ferrisburgh, consider Kingsland Bay State Park at 787 Kingsland Bay State Park Road or Button Bay State Park at 5 Button Bay State Park Road. Both have a season from the Friday of Memorial Day weekend through the second Monday in October. Check their seasonal access before departing. Kingsland Bay limits ordinary pets to its leashed trail areas.

Choose a beach day or a shelter gathering

• Plan time on Lake Dunmore’s natural sandy beach during the operating season.
• Use the water-status notice to decide whether swimming fits the day.
• Reserve a screened shelter when a group needs seating together.

Restrooms and a beach wheelchair

Facilities include flush toilets, token-operated hot showers and a concession stand. A beach access wheelchair is free to use. Call to reserve it, or ask about first-come availability. The beach has no access mat, so confirm whether the sand crossing meets your needs.

About this Lake Dunmore state park

Vermont State Parks manages Branbury where the lake meets the foothills of Mount Moosalamoo. The adjacent national forest gives geographic context, but its facilities and access rules are separate from those of the state park.

From private recreation to state park

Earlier uses included a farm, guest house, boys’ summer camp and private beach. The site became Branbury State Park in 1945. Its name combines Brandon and Salisbury.

A lake edge beside forest

Lake Dunmore and the forest to the east define the park’s habitat setting. Observe the shore and woodland without assuming that a visit guarantees a particular animal sighting.

Contact

Call 802-247-5925 for park information, shelter questions and beach-wheelchair arrangements.