Brighton State Park is on Spectacle Pond. Spectacle Pond is a natural lake that covers an area of 103 acres and has a maximum depth of 46 feet. Spectacle Pond is named for its shape, which resembles a pair of eyeglasses when viewed from above.

Spectacle Pond (103 acres) is a site for the Vermont LoonWatch annual survey. Birders are encouraged to volunteer as often and whenever they are able. See Join LoonWatch for details.

Brighton State Park is located on the shores of Spectacle Pond. The outstanding attraction of this area is its remoteness: mountains with tree-covered slopes, fast-running streams, and clear lakes. It is common to hear loons calling at night. The wild lands to the northeast and southeast of the town of Island Pond are suited to the angler, the hunter, or the outdoor lover who likes to roam away from developed roads or towns. Logging roads into the deeper reaches of this area offer adventurous side trips.

Island Pond enjoyed a heyday from the late 1800s until the Depression years, along with the fortunes of the Grand Trunk railroad between Montreal, Canada, and Portland, Maine. Island Pond was the site of the first international railroad junction in the United States. At the height of the town’s population, its streets were lively with railroad men and loggers, most of whom rode in on one of the 13 rail tracks that passed through town. A mere two tracks remain today. The unique wooden bridge, which once held all 13 tracks, is gone, but the heritage of railroading is still evident in the well-kept train station and a few associated structures at the north end of town.