The Nature Conservancy in Vermont - H. Laurence Achilles Natural Area at Shelburne Pond

Marshes at Shelburne Pond.

Visitor Information

An easy-to-walk,one-mile trail is maintained along the lake's edge by the University of Vermont. More information and directions to this natural area.

Get Involved

Would you like to get outside and help nature at the same time? Our stewardship staff holds volunteer work days here and around the state. Check out our volunteer page.

Plant a Tree for Earth Day!

Tree planting Volunteers and staff will be planting trees on Friday, April 20th, and Saturday, April 21st at Shelburne Pond. We invite you to join us!

Shelburne Pond is a surprising find. Located just 10 miles from the metropolis of Burlington, it is an area that has retained its wild and rich character despite the pressures of development. There are over 400 acres of swamps, marshes, and rich woods associated with the pond. These habitats support several unusual plants—especially ephemeral spring wildflowers—and birds.

The pond also serves as an important education resource for the University of Vermont. Now largely owned and maintained by the University of Vermont (UVM), the H. Laurence Achilles Natural Area at Shelburne Pond is a place where conservation, recreation, and research peacefully coexist.

Over thirty years in the making, the natural area at Shelburne Pond is one of the oldest and longest-running protection projects of the Vermont chapter and a successful collaboration between the Conservancy and UVM.

Size
1,048 acres

What to see: plants
The pond is surrounded by cattail marshes, a hardwood swamp, fine limestone cliffs and talus slopes, pine forests, a dwarf shrub bog, and rich northern hardwood forest. In the spring, wildflowers abound here in profusion. Bloodroot, hepatica, spring beauty, red and white trillium, squirrel corn, Dutchman’s breeches, wild ginger and blue cohosh can be found in the rich woods and near the limestone ledges and outcroppings.

What to see: animals
Coyotes pass through the cattail marsh and pileated woodpeckers thrive in the woods. There have been tracks and signs of snowshoe hare, meadow voles, and beavers found here.

Why the Conservancy selected this site
Regional analyses identified the deepwater marsh, dwarf shrub bog, and marl pond at Shelburne Pond as high priorities for conservation.

What the Conservancy is doing
Over the last 30 years, the Conservancy has protected 1,048 acres here. Most of the land has been transferred to the University of Vermont. The Conservancy owns a few parcels surrounding the pond that are leased to local farmers.

Visitor information
There is an easy-to-hike, one-mile trail loop maintained by the University of Vermont. Visitors can also explore the shoreline of Shelburne Pond in a canoe or kayak. The state-owned fishing access to the pond is located about one mile west of the intersection of Pond Road and Dorset Street about six miles south of Burlington. Please read our preserve visitation guidelines.

Directions
From I-89, take exit 13 to I-189 toward Shelburne and Middlebury. Take a left at the end of the off-ramp and travel south on Route 7. Drive 5.6 miles into Shelburne. At the light, just past Shelburne Museum, take a left onto Marsett Road. This left turn is directly opposite Bostwick Road on the other side of Route 7. Drive 0.3 mile. At the first stop sign, Marsett Road becomes Falls Road. Continue straight. After 1.2 miles, at Spear Street, the name of the road changes to Irish Hill Road. After a mile, the paved road turns to gravel. At Dorset Street, Irish Hill Road becomes Pond Road. Travel one mile more and take a left into the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife Shelburne Pond fishing access. Go about 0.25 mile to the parking area and the hiking and boating access.

Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photo © Bob Klein/The Nature Conservancy (Marshes at Shelburne Pond).