Emerald Lake State Park was my first stop after leaving New York. Located in the Valley of Vermont, between the Green Mountain Range and the Taconic Mountain Range, it was quite a contrast to the iron and glass "mountains and valleys" of Manhattan.
Emerald Lake was a pleasant discovery and an excellent introduction to Vermont's state park system. On the morning after my arrival, I packed a portable breakfast and went out at dawn to explore the park. The campsites were on a steep, heavily-wooded ridge above an enchanted lake. The trail from the campground led me down to the beaver ponds along Otter Creek, at the base of Emerald Lake. There, I found a comfortable rock, within sight of a beaver's lodge, to sit on while eating my breakfast. While munching on a banana, a young mink stopped to check me out. He probable stared at me for a full 30-seconds before disappearing into the rushes. Later, that morning, I saw a little orange newt sunning himself in the middle of the trail.
The lake, also added a magical feeling to the morning. The nearly mirror smooth waters reflected the early autumn colors and made the reflections of the water lilies look like a French Impressionist painting. I felt the lake inviting me to stay, but...the call of the open road was louder.
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