Barnard: Silver Lake, hiking trails and history

Barnard brings together a lake in the town center, a named hiking trail, an extensive protected forest area and a state-designated historic site. When planning your trip, it is worth distinguishing between these landmarks: they represent different scales and interests—from spending time by the water to taking in a landscape that spans several town boundaries. This can help you first decide which priority will shape your choice of destination.

Silver Lake in the center of Barnard

Silver Lake is an 84-acre lake in the center of Barnard. Silver Lake State Park has a sandy beach and a swimming area. There is a public beach at Silver Lake with a picnic area and boat launch. These features appeal to different interests around the same lake: the swimming area and sandy beach offer a different focus than a picnic by the shore or the boat launch. If you are choosing Barnard for a clearly defined destination, Silver Lake is the landmark rooted in the town center. It can be distinguished from the hiking and history landmarks without limiting your trip to the beach and water.

Trail and protected forest

The Appalachian Trail passes through Barnard in the Chateauguay area. Chateauguay No Town offers a different sense of scale: the area encompasses 60,000 acres of mostly roadless, protected forestland and extends across the boundaries of Barnard, Bridgewater, Stockbridge and Killington. When deciding where to go, it is useful to distinguish between them: the Trail is a specific route that passes through Barnard, while Chateauguay No Town refers to a forest landscape spanning four town boundaries. Together with Silver Lake in the town center, these offer different connections with nature rather than just one kind of landscape.

Historic and local landmarks

The Dorothy Thompson “Commons” is a state-designated historic site next to the Barnard General Store on Route 12. Its location beside the store and along the route places the site firmly within the town and distinguishes it from the expansive landscapes. BarnArts uses existing community venues and outdoor spaces, mostly in Barnard; these include the Town Hall, a community church and a local organic farm. The Commons is designated as a historic site; BarnArts refers to a selection of venues it uses, most of which are in Barnard.

Understanding Barnard as a destination

When deciding where to go, the first question is whether you want to explore Barnard through its centrally located lake and designated historic site, or include the broader landscape. The Appalachian Trail passes through Barnard, while Chateauguay No Town spans four town boundaries. This distinction helps organize the themes: a specific local landmark, a route through the area and an expansive forest landscape are different perspectives on the destination. If you are looking for a hotel, you can first consider whether Barnard suits the focus of your trip.

Discover more destinations: Hartford, Woodstock, Hartland, Brownsville, Bridgewater, Weathersfield, Cavendish, Windsor

For the broader travel overview: Windsor County.