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People Visit VT State Parks on Last Weekend

The nice summer weather helped boost numbers at Vermont State Parks just before some of them close for the season this Labor Day weekend.

On Saturday, cars lined up as hundreds visited Waterbury Center State Park in Waterbury, VT. Assistant park ranger Noah Fleury said part of the season was slow because of the unpredictable weather. The beginning months of the summer were dominated by rain.

In fact, Fleury said July 4 was a washout.

Since late July the weather has been ideal for a day visit at the park.

"This (good) weather I wish it had been here all summer because we would have had a lot more patrons and a lot more business," Fleury said.

During the first third of the state park season, Vermont state parks and recreation leaders said day visits dropped 14 percent compared to last year.

"People are a little angry that the summer has come a little late but they're happy it's here now," park ranger Rilke Greenmun said.

The Whitehair family was out taking advantage of Waterbury Center's last weekend open. They get passes every year but didn't use them until mid-July. The Whitehairs don't know if they will visit another park this season.

"If we get our work done for the winter, then we'll get out and do some more state park days," Bill Whitehair said.

For a list of the parks that are closing and the ones that will remain open, check out http://www.vtstateparks.com/htm/map.cfm.

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