Lake Willoughby

A fjord-like lake under the cliffs of Pisgah and Hor.

The cliffs of Mount Pisgah and Mount Hor drop straight into this five-mile lake, which reaches 308 feet deep, one of the deepest in the Northeast. Paddling the narrow south end under the rock walls is the reason to come, and the deep water stays cold. There’s no camping by the lake in the state forest, so stay at an inn or campground nearby and have a boat delivered.

At a glance

Lake

1,653 acres, about 5 miles long

Depth

308 ft max

Cliffs

Mount Pisgah 2,751 ft, Mount Hor 2,648 ft

Natural area

950-acre Willoughby Cliffs Natural Area

Camping

None by the lake in the state forest

Good for

Beginner, Intermediate

What’s here

• Flatwater
• Boat rentals
• Paddleboarding
• Swimming
• Fishing

Rentals, guides and shops

• Clyde River Recreation

  Canoe, kayak and SUP rentals by the hour, day or week, with delivery to Lake Willoughby and other Kingdom lakes, plus shuttle trips on the Clyde River.

• White Caps Campground

  Small campground and café at the south end of the lake that rents kayaks, canoes and paddleboards.

Where to stay

• innWilloughVale Inn & Cottages

  Inn and cottages on the lake; guests get free use of the inn’s kayaks and canoes.

  On the lake
• innThe Wildflower Inn

  Inn and restaurant in Lyndonville, close to Kingdom Trails.

  30 min drive

Nearby

• Mount Pisgah · South end of the lake

  Hike to cliff-top lookouts high above the lake.

• Kingdom Trails · 30 min drive

  Big, well-known mountain bike network in East Burke.

• Bread and Puppet Museum · 20 min drive

  A barn full of giant puppets from the Glover theater company.

• Parker Pie Co. · 20 min drive

  Pizza and local beer in the back of a country store in West Glover.

• Hill Farmstead Brewery · 45 min drive

  Small farm brewery in Greensboro with a devoted following.

Getting there

• Burlington International (BTV) · about 1 hr 45 min drive
• Burlington · about 1.75 hr
• Montreal · about 2 hr
• Boston · about 3.5 hr

Directions in Google Maps