Isle La Motte: Fossil Reefs, Fort and Pilgrimage Tradition

On Isle La Motte, traces of an ancient reef meet places with religious and military histories. The Chazy Fossil Reef formed about 460 million years ago, during the Ordovician Period. A trail from south to north tells the story of its development; the island is also home to the best and most complete fossil record of this reef. Families traveling with children who want to explore natural history together will find tangible points of interest here, rather than an abstract timeline of the Earth.

Fossils along trails and in rock outcrops

At Goodsell Ridge Preserve, the nearly one-mile-long Walk Through Time Trail passes seasonal signs that tell the story of life on Earth. The preserve also includes seven fossil Discovery Areas, with interpretive signs about the fossils in the rock outcrops there. The trail and the individual discovery areas offer different perspectives: the signs along the trail place life on Earth in chronological context, while the Discovery Areas focus on fossils in the rocks.

Another geological feature is Fisk Quarry Preserve. Spiral-shaped snail fossils are among the visible features in the rocky ground, and the walls of Fisk Quarry contain stromatoporoid fossils. The former quarry is now a nature preserve owned by the Isle La Motte Preservation Trust. A visit to this former quarry site therefore connects the history of stone extraction with fossils found in the ground and in the quarry walls.

Fort history and a pilgrimage site

The island’s history can also be explored through specific places. Fort Ste Anne was built in 1666 on the northwest shore of Isle La Motte by French soldiers under the command of Captain Sieur de La Motte of the Carignan. Fort Ste. Anne later served as the starting point for several French military expeditions against the British and the Mohawk Nations. The story of the fort offers a different perspective on the island from its fossil sites.

Saint Anne's Shrine connects a religious site with a striking location on Lake Champlain: its 32-acre grounds border the lake and offer views of the Adirondack Mountains. A Stations of the Cross and rustic grottos provide places for reflection and prayer. The pilgrimage tradition dates back at least to the first organized pilgrimage, held in 1893 and attended by nearly 2,000 people. Those interested in religious history can take in the landscape, places of prayer, and this historic beginning of organized pilgrimage together.

Directions and getting there

The Holcomb Bay access area includes a concrete ramp and a pier. For the drive from Burlington to Saint Anne's Shrine, the official route crosses the North Hero Bridge, then follows Route 129 and the Isle La Motte Bridge.

When looking for a vacation rental on Isle La Motte, you can start by asking yourself which of the places described you’d like to include in your trip. The experiences described offer different points of interest, without requiring a shared route.

You can also explore other destination pages for Alburgh, North Hero and South Hero.

For the broader travel overview: Grand Isle County.