Ricker Pond State Park Groton State Forest contains over 17 miles of hiking trails, ranging fromeasy hikes like the Devil’s Hill Trail to more difficult ones like Big Deer Mt. Rather than a single defined trail, the park serves as a hub for accessingseven parks within Groton State Forest, all within close proximity to one another. The park is located on the western shores of Ricker Pond and adjacent to the Montpelier-Wells Rail Trail (Cross Vermont Trail), offering11 miles of the easy Montpelier & Wells River Rail Trail within Groton State Forest, which is good for walking, bicycling or horseback riding. Key highlights includeswimming at Ricker Pond with a designated swimming area and a small, sandy beach, fishing for perch, pickerel and bullhead, and access to a 95-acre lake in central Groton. A park interpreter at the nearby Groton Nature Center offers hands-on activities including night hikes, nature crafts and games, campfire programs and amphibian explorations. The park was formally opened in 1933 with facilities developed by Civilian Conservation Corps crews, including the central picnic pavilion and beach.
Ricker Pond State Park
