Tinmouth Channel is a great place to canoe or kayak although it takes a bit of effort. It is best done in the spring by mid-June depending on rainfall and water levels for the year. Put-in is off North End Road on the west side of the channel. There is a small parking area just west of that. Once in you may need to portage one, two, or three beaver dams. 

Tinmouth Channel is considered an Important Birding Area (IBA) by the National Audubon Society. The wetland has ideal habitat for breeding waterfowl and is a resting area for migratory birds. The Class I protection gives this WMA a 300-foot buffer zone, which is important to sensitive species such as herons and rails. Tinmouth Channel WMA provides a great opportunity to see both wetland and forest-dwelling species.

Tinmouth Channel Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is a 1,261–acre parcel owned by the State of Vermont and managed by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. The WMA, located in the town of Tinmouth, is comprised of about 450 acres of diverse wetlands, with the balance in forested habitats and a few meadows. The channel flows into the Clarendon River between North East Road and North End Road.

Tinmouth Channel WMA provides a variety of habitats that support a multitude of species. The upland forest is a mix of white pine, white cedar, tamarack, red maple, beech, hophornbeam, and hemlock. A significant portion of the forested area within this WMA is one of the larger deer wintering areas in the State. It is of very high quality. The Tinmouth Channel wetland complex is a very diverse and important area. It contains high-quality habitats for wildlife and migratory birds including some threatened and endangered species. The wetland contains swamp alders, willows, and buttonbush. Tinmouth Channel has the State’s largest and highest quality open intermediate fen. Intermediate fens are peat-accumulating open wetlands that receive mineral-enriched groundwater-dominated by tall sedges, non-sphagnum mosses, and a sparse to moderate cover of shrubs.

The Tinmouth Channel wetland complex was upgraded in 2001 to a Class I wetland, which affords it the State’s highest protection. This is one of only three wetlands in the State to receive a Class I designation. The other two Class I wetlands are Dorset Marsh in Dorset and North Shore Wetland in Burlington.