During that historic summer, 12,000 soldiers built a massive fort to defend
against an anticipated British attack from the north.

The very sight of the combined fortresses at Mount Independence and Ticonderoga caused the British to retreat back to Canada later that fall, giving the Americans a crucial year to prepare for invasion.

Many American troops and staff went home that winter, reducing the force just 2,500. Those remaining were sickly and a number froze to death.

Enjoying the trails and natural beauty of Mount Independence

By spring of 1777 new troops arrived but not enough to properly garrison the forts. On July 5th they evacuated the site when British General John Burgoyne’s forces overwhelmed the area.

British and German forces remained at Mount Independence until November when they burned and destroyed the site after learning of Burgoyne’s surrender at Saratoga.

Today, several trails at Mount Independence connect well-preserved remains of the Revolutionary War fortification. The trails pass through nearly three hundred acres of pasture and woodlands with spectacular vistas overlooking Lake Champlain and the surrounding countryside. Some of the trails are wheelchair accessible.

For a listing of great handicap accessible trails click here.

Trail Finder: Your source for hiking, biking, and cross country skiing trails in Chittenden County and beyond.

Exhibits in the Visitors Center Museum tell the story of military life on Mount Independence and feature many of the artifacts recovered during recent archaeological investigations. Learn more about Mount Independence

Our Shared Heritage: Vermont's Parks & Public Lands
URL to link to: http://parks.vpt.org/

Premiering on Vermont Public Television on September 27, 2009, Ken Burns’ new series, The National Parks: America's Best Idea, is the story of an idea as uniquely American as the Declaration of Independence and just as radical: that the most special places in the nation should be preserved, not for royalty or the rich, but for everyone. Accompanying this 12-hour television event is a community engagement campaign intended to raise awareness and stewardship of Vermont’s public lands and to increase public use of these unique areas.

This community campaign includes:

• Online Photo Contest - Entry deadline is October 9, 2009
• Exclusive preview screenings and discussions with local state and national park Rangers
• Free passes to Vermont State Parks, available at libraries throughout the state
• National online story collecting tool, allowing  you to share your parks stories, photos and videos
• Expanded programming on VPT to highlight Vermont’s public lands

Featured sites will be Old Constitution House, Mount Independence, Chimney Point and Justin Morrill Homestead.

WATERWAY TO WAR: HISTORIC SITES NEAR TICONDEROGA
The Fort Ticonderoga Association has created a website linking people with historic battle sites in Vermont and New York and the waterways that have played a pivotal role in the history and current affairs of the United States. The website highlights the proximity and value of these historic, cultural, and educational sites along Lake Champlain and the Hudson River. Funded by the LCBP, the Fort Ticonderoga Association is also creating a brochure and poster to promote the project. To learn more check out http://www.fort-ticonderoga.org/visit/waterways-to-war/index.htm

Reenactors celebrating the opening of the
Mount Independence Visitors' Center in 1996.