Valcour Island East: Harbor Hopping

Updated on September 29th, 2020

44°37’22.9″N 73°24’27.1″W

Chart–Map 9

How to Get There

Valcour Island is on the west side of the lake south of Plattsburg, and directly west of outer Mallets Bay. The lake can get quite rough in this area if the wind blows hard from the south and to a lesser extent from the north.

Approaching Valcour’s east side is relatively easy and the shoals well marked.

Getting Lost on Valcour’s East Side

Staying There

There are three main anchorages on Valcour Island East: Smuggler’s Harbor, Sloop Cove, and Spoon Bay.

Smuggler’s harbor is quite shallow and therefore best suited to low draft vessels.   Due to the size of the harbor, you will need to tie off from shore as well. There are also several campsites around the harbor that can get loud on occasion. 

Sloop cove is in the middle of the island with good protection expect east and northeast.  Anchor in 10 – 25 feet of water and avoid the southwest corner. There is a large sand bar not shown on some charts. We may or may not have found the “hard” way.  On the weekends the cove can be crowded. You may have to tie a line to shore if you don’t have adequate swinging room. 

Spoon Bay is on the north end of the Island with good protection from the south. Anchor in 10- 25 feet of water. Spoon Bay is a large anchorage with lots of room. It is well suited if you have to make the approach in the dark.

Quick Facts About Valour Island East:

• When to Avoid: When the wind is from the east or north east. Avoid Spoon when the wind is out of the north. 
• Services: None
• Restrooms: There are a few primitive toilets on the island. We wouldn’t recommend.
• Showers: None
• Is it dog-friendly?  Yes.

Things to Do

There are seven miles of hiking trails that crisscross the entire island. Signage is quite good but unfortunately, on Valcour Island East trail markers can be few and far between. You may find yourself lost (like us) so bring a smartphone or GPS with you.  Smuggler’s harbor contains a memorial to sailors who stayed here on their way to fight in WWII.

Restaurants and Provisions

None.

Check out the rest of our Lake Champlain Harbor Hopping Guides!