Facility Overview

Situated in the heart of scenic Lamoille County along the Vermont Route 109 corridor, the Waterville Public Parking area at the junction of Route 109 and Codding Hollow Road serves as a key staging point for both local residents and regional visitors. Laid out as an open-air surface lot and rural roadside turn-out, the facility features an open-sky design completely free of vertical height barriers or clearance restrictions. This open format easily accommodates standard passenger sedans, full-size pickup trucks, sport-utility vehicles with roof boxes or bicycle racks, high-roof vans, camper conversions, and small utility trailers.

Prime Location & Nearby Attractions

This parking location places drivers moments away from quintessential Vermont landmarks and outdoor adventures. Just 0.3 miles east along Codding Hollow Road sits the historic Jaynes Covered Bridge (also known as the Codding Hollow Bridge or the local 'Kissing Bridge'), an authentic 1877 wooden Queen post truss crossing the North Branch Lamoille River. Less than two miles south lies the Waterville Village Historic District, featuring the Greek Revival Waterville Town Hall, the town library, and the iconic Church Street (Village) Covered Bridge, as well as the Montgomery Covered Bridge. For hikers, heading further east along Codding Hollow Road connects to the Long Trail system leading up Laraway Mountain and the spectacular Laraway Lookout cliff overhangs. Winter sports enthusiasts also utilize the VT-109 corridor for convenient, traffic-free routing toward Smugglers' Notch Resort, located roughly 15 miles southwest in neighboring Jeffersonville and Cambridge.

Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity

Ingress and egress are straightforward directly from Vermont Route 109 (Main Street), which provides continuous north-south mobility through northern Lamoille County. VT-109 connects smoothly to Route 108 in Jeffersonville to the south and Route 118 near Belvidere to the north, offering direct pathways toward VT-15 and Interstate 89 further west. Because the area is pastoral, traffic delays are rare outside of peak autumn foliage weekends and heavy winter storms. While fixed-route mass transit does not run directly past this junction, the lot serves as an informal carpool and park-and-ride node supporting commuter trip consolidation through the Go! Vermont rideshare network, with regional bus connections available in nearby Morrisville and Cambridge.

Facility Amenities & Key Features

• Open-air surface parking with unlimited overhead vehicle clearance
• 100% free public access with no meters, ticketing gates, or parking app fees
• Direct access to Vermont Route 109 and Codding Hollow Road
• Roomy layout supporting three-point turns and easy staging for larger trucks and SUVs
• Convenient launch point for covered bridge sightseeing, river angling, and hiking trips
• Serene rural surroundings with immediate proximity to the North Branch Lamoille River

Ideal For

• Hikers and trail runners accessing Laraway Mountain, the Long Trail, and local state forest parcels
• Photographers, motorists, and tourists touring historic Vermont covered bridges
• Anglers, kayakers, and canoeists exploring the waters of the North Branch Lamoille River
• Carpoolers and regional commuters meeting along the Route 109 connector
• Winter travelers staging ski or snowboard excursions toward northern Vermont ski resorts

Visitor & Driver Tips

Cellular reception can occasionally fluctuate across the river valleys of northern Vermont, so downloading offline driving directions and trail topographic maps in advance is highly advised. If visiting during spring mud season or mid-winter, be aware that Codding Hollow Road shifts from town-maintained gravel to a rough class-4 road as you approach the upper trailheads; parking at this primary roadside area is recommended for lower-clearance two-wheel-drive vehicles. As with all public and recreation lands in Vermont, adhere to strict Leave No Trace principles by packing out all refuse and parking only within designated cleared turnouts without blocking private driveways or agricultural machinery right-of-ways.