Camping Season

Most New England campgrounds, both public and private, are open from sometime in May through mid- or late October, though a few private campgrounds stay open all year.

In summer, most campsites fill up quickly on weekends, and they may also be full on weekdays during July and August; this includes even some fairly remote forest campsites.

Camping Reservations

It is usually easy to find a vacant campsite on weekdays in late spring and early autumn (when schools are in session), but weekends in these seasons may be as crowded as summer.

Fees for using public campsites range from $18 to $35 per site.

Reservations can be made at some public and virtually all private campsites; usually you must send a deposit to secure the reservation.

If you don't (or can't) reserve in advance, plan to arrive early on a weekday to find and hold a spot. For weekends, arrive by mid-morning Friday or, even better, Thursday afternoon.

One strategy, used by frequent campers, is to send one or two people to claim a campsite early in the day, with others following later. This may work at some sites, but others, such as the extraordinarily popular Nicholson State Park on Cape Cod, are fully booked weeks or months in advance.

Camping Facilities

Public-Park Campsites

Campsites in public parks are usually basic and simple, consisting of a place to park your car, a picnic table, a stone fireplace (if fires are permitted), and flat ground upon which to pitch a tent. Some public campsites have facilities for hot showers; most have at least sinks with hot and cold water, and flush toilets.

Some forest campsites are very basic, with just parking places, tent sites, a drinking water tap, and chemical or composting toilets.

Commercial Campgrounds

Often there are commercial campgrounds near popular public (government-supported) ones; for example, there may be several commercial campgrounds just outside a state or national park which offers camping.

Commercial campgrounds tend to have less open space, fewer shade trees, more facilities, and higher fees.

Some commercial "resort" campgrounds have elaborate facilities such as children's playgrounds, swimming pools, game rooms, cable television and VCR movie rooms, lake swimming and boating facilities.

Virtually all commercial campgrounds provide hot showers and hook-ups (connections fo electrical, sewage & water services) for recreational vehicles and trailers (caravans). Fees can range from $25 to $50 or more, depending upon the number of people in your party, and the facilities used.

Among the ranks of hook-up-equipped parking slots at private campgrounds, there is usually a small grassy area set aside for the few tent campers who arrive by car, motorcycle or bicycle and who prefer to camp simply.

Beware of Ticks!

Whenever you're camping in forests, in meadows or fields, be aware of tick-borne illness.

Find Your Campground

Each New England state has both public campgrounds in state parks and forests, and private for-profit campgrounds.

There's also the Appalachian Mountain Club, with camping and mountain lodge facilities in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. More...

Connecticut

Connecticut State Parks & Forests

There's camping in 13 Connecticut state parks and forests of the Department of Energy & Environmental Protection. Here's a map and list.

Connecticut Campground Owners Association

The Association publishes a directory listing the locations and facilities of its member campgrounds. You can order a printed copy, or download a PDF version online. More...

Maine

Acadia National Park

Blackwoods Campground (306 campsites) and Seawall Campground (214 campsites) have basic facilities within the park. Several private campgrounds are outside the camp boundaries on Mount Desert Island.

Maine Bureau of Parks & Lands

The Bureau operates a dozen state-park campgrounds around the State of Maine, from Bradbury Mountain and Sebago Lake in the south to Aroostook far in the north. More...

Maine Campground Owners Association

The Association's printed Maine Camping Guide and its very useful website detail more than 200 camping facilities in the state. More...

Massachusetts

Department of Conservation & Recreation

The Department oversees 26 state-park and forest campgrounds all over Massachusetts, including the Berkshire Hills and Cape Cod—and even Boston. More...

Massachusetts Campground Owners Association

The Association includes nearly a hundred private campgrounds all over the state, including many in prime areas such as the Berkshires, Cape Cod, and even Martha's Vineyard. More...

New Hampshire

US Forest Service

The White Mountain National Forest offers developed campgrounds, back-country camping, and cabin rentals. More...

Division of Parks & Recreation

New Hampshire has 19 state parks, detailed on the Division's useful website. More...

New Hampshire Campground Owners Association

The Association brings together more than a hundred private campgrounds all over New Hampshire, including in the White Mountains. More...

Rhode Island

Rhode Island State Parks

There are five state parks with campgrounds. Some have facilities, including hook-ups, for campervans, trailer campers, and motorhomes. More...

Rhode Island Campground Owners Association

Association members operate nine campgrounds around the state. More...

Vermont

US Forest Service

The Green Mountain National Forest is divided into a North Half and a South Half, both of which have camping possibilities, and also cabins to rent.

Vermont State Parks

Vermont State Parks operates nearly 50 campgrounds around the state, including developed sites for RVs, tent sites, remote campsites with limited facilities, and primitive sites with no facilities. They also rent cabins and cottages. More...

Vermont Campground Association

Representing over 100 campgrounds all around Vermont, the Association's website is the place to start to find a private campground in the state. More...