Scenic freshwater fishing, lush and colorful New England foliage, and heritage cheese - these are some of the things you can expect in the little-known town of Plymouth. Situated in the south-central region of Vermont, Plymouth may be sparsely populated but that doesn’t mean its charms are sparse. On the contrary, there’s plenty to discover in this town if you only know where to look.
Book your trip in Plymouth and discover why Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President of the United States, was so proud of it that he chose to take his vow of Presidency right in the very place where he grew up. Visitors can see this very structure itself known now as the Coolidge Homestead, which is located in one of the best-preserved historic districts in the US called Plymouth Notch. Walking along this historic district is just like stepping back in time, with many of the original structures from the 19th century still standing as proudly as they did back then.
Within this historic district, you can find the town’s second source of pride: its heritage cheese. The Plymouth Artisan Cheese is still in operation to this day, right in the very factory where it was originally made. It’s one of the necessary (and tasty) stops visitors to Plymouth must make.
Another necessary stop? Plymouth’s fishing spots. The town is a great place to cast a line as the Plymouth lakes - some of the beautifully scenic lakes in this part of the state - flow through the region.
Plymouth’s freshwater lakes are some of the best bodies of water to fly fish and ice fish in the region. They’re some of the most majestic as well, so don’t forget to bring your camera along with your fishing gear.
Start your fishing journey at Echo Lake. This 104-acre lake boasts a wide range of species, including rainbow, lake, and brown trout, largemouth and smallmouth bass, rainbow smelt, pumpkinseed, chain pickerel, and catfish. You can easily access 3,300 feet of its shoreline via Camp Plymouth. From the shoreline, you can cast a line or launch a kayak. But if you’re using a motorized boat, head to the concrete boat ramp maintained by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Fishing Access Area.
Amherst Lake, in recent years, has become quite a tourist destination as it is surrounded by many outdoor recreational facilities. It is especially popular during winter. Apart from this, the lake is a great place to fish. It does not permit motorized boats, though, you can still launch a canoe or kayak which you can rent at the small marina on the north shore. Some of the fish you can target here are brook trout, rainbow trout, and lake trout, perch, smallmouth and largemouth bass, chain pickerel, and some panfish.
Spot Lake Rescue by looking for the iconic Red Bridge. This pretty lake is surrounded by two state parks, Coolidge State Park and Okemo State Park, both of which have streams you can hike to and fish. The lake itself is home to fish such as perch, brown trout, rainbow trout, chain pickerel, and sunfish. Anglers can access it via the public fishing access point where they can launch a boat.
From Lake Rescue, you can also launch a kayak to head to nearby Lake Pauline, or what is actually the lake’s southern region. It is home to brown trout, rainbow trout, perch, chain pickerel, as well as some sunfish.
Head to Woodward Reservoir’s shallow waters and undeveloped shoreline. Here you can target brown trout, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass, northern pike, rainbow trout, and yellow perch.
While in Plymouth, don’t forget to sample a slice at the Plymouth Artisan Cheese factory, founded by President Coolidge’s father in 1890. It’s still in the factory where the cheese was originally produced. You can find this very factory in the Plymouth Notch Historic District.
Plymouth Notch Historic District is one of the best-preserved historic towns in the United States. Here you will find many structures dating back to the 1800s and 1900s, many of them related to Coolidge, including his home and the cheese factory his father built.