82 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
The camping landscape around Derby, Connecticut primarily features established campgrounds within state parks and private facilities rather than undeveloped backcountry options. Kettletown State Park Campground, about 15 miles northwest of Derby, offers tent sites, RV sites, and cabins in a wooded setting along the Housatonic River. Additional camping options include Bear Creek Campground at Lake Compounce in Bristol, which provides tent camping, RV hookups, cabins, and glamping yurts. These developed campgrounds typically feature amenities such as drinking water, electric hookups, showers, and designated fire rings.
Many campgrounds in the region operate seasonally, with most state parks like Kettletown and Black Rock open from May through early September. Private facilities often extend their seasons, with some like Gentiles Campground remaining open year-round. According to one visitor at Kettletown, "The sites were large. Semi private with great view and nice walks to the water." Advance reservations are strongly recommended during summer weekends and holidays when campgrounds reach capacity quickly. State park campgrounds generally enforce quiet hours, though enforcement varies by location. Weather conditions remain relatively mild throughout the camping season, though summer humidity can be significant.
The camping experience near Derby features a mix of family-friendly amenities and natural settings. Several visitors highlighted Kettletown State Park's hiking trails and lake access as standout features. Campers staying at Kettletown mentioned appreciating the "large lots" and relative privacy between sites. Reviews indicate bathhouse facilities at Connecticut state parks often need updating compared to neighboring states. Visitors with children particularly value the open spaces for recreation, with one camper noting that Kettletown "has a huge land of campsite that the kids can run around until their energy out for the night!" Wildlife sightings are common, though campers should secure food properly as raccoons and skunks are frequently mentioned in reviews. Several campgrounds offer waterfront access with fishing opportunities, though swimming areas may occasionally close due to water quality concerns.
"We love this State Park because it's close to our home for a quick getaway. This time we tried one of the sites on the water, and I probably wouldn't choose the same site again. "
"I love kettletown, it’s a favorite that is very close to home. It’s a small camp ground and it’s absolutely beautiful."
from $17 - $50 / night
Check Availability"Beautiful Connecticut beach sits just steps away from your campsite. Well kept showers and bathrooms are abundant and the camp store has the majority of what you need."
"I had a hankering for East Coast seafood, so I picked Hammonesett Beach State Park for Connecticut. Our 2nd state of 5.
Hammonesett Beach has a huge campground."
from $20 - $70 / night
Check Availability"I was in the area and needed a location to hook up. Temperature at 7:00 p.m. was 85 in July which is expected. They're able to get me in for the night. Quick and easy."
from $55 / night
Check Availability"Affiliated with Lake Compounce Amusement Park adjacent to campground."
"It is adjacent to an amusement park so there were lots of families here. None of the sites have sewer, but there is a dump station on the way out."
"The beach is in a walking distance. You can swim or fish there. This camp site has a relatively new and clean facility. There are many farms near by where you can get fresh veggies and fruits."
"However there are too many loud families and the sites are too close in proximity for me."
from $24 - $250 / night
Check Availability"Quiet CG near Waterbury CT. Close to major stores for resupply. CG has lots of friendly seasonal campers and lots of other sites."
"There’s two brand new bathrooms on site one of which is conveniently located right by the pool. Owners are doing new renovations to make this place look good!"
from $55 - $150 / night
Check Availability"The lake is perfect, the river needs work. But this an awesome small campground. The kids who work here are so friendly and the playground is nice."
"Sites are very close to one another. Level pull through site. Quit in the evening!"
"Beautiful state park, very clean .. fishing, lake swimming, hiking trails. Bathrooms, free showers .. stores within a 5 minute drive. Most of the camp ground site are not secluded .."
"The family next to me offered me dinner one night after I spent the whole day working on my RV. Spanish rice chicken the works the plate could barely hold it all."
from $17 - $50 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $40 / night
Check Availability
ScoutI was in the area and needed a location to hook up. Temperature at 7:00 p.m. was 85 in July which is expected. They're able to get me in for the night. Quick and easy. Had smoke from the Canadian Wildfire which made for a good sunset
TravelerWe arrived after 10pm so we couldn’t go into the general store to check in. But there was an envelope with our name and a description of where we had to go. Because it was so dark we couldn’t find it but the security guard was really helpful and showed us the way. We spent a really quiet night at this campground at a tent site with our rooftop tent and appreciated the clean showers and friendly staff. We would come back anytime.
GuideTall pines, the sound of the mighty housatonic river, and some car noise on the nearby 2 lane. The campground is landscaped and maintained beautifully. the highlight is the river, ever-present in sound. The primo sites are on the northern end , where most sites are right on the water, and just a small descent. Bathrooms are good, not great. Showers are push button automatic, water was warm. We have a small RV, the dump site is up the main road about a 1/2 mile in a turnout. Free for campers, on your honor. At office were college aged young men and women in very casual street clothes all very nice, and mannerly, but not very knowledgeable, and hard to believe they could handle an adverse situation. I asked for the soap to be filled in the mens room on Thursday afternoon at 4 and it was still not done at noon the next day. -it’s a 2 minute walk from the office. I asked about a hike, they told me a trail head was a mile up the road. We found a spur directly across the street. I miss real docents, with knowledge, and wearing the garb. All sites not directly on the river side have paths down to get there. Did a nice little moderate hike just across the street called Pine Knob. Nice vista, quick 760ft ascent, combines withe AT for a length, then back down total 3 miles the way we did it. Some nice restaurants in Kent. Found a good breakfast in Goshen. We’ll be going back.
GuideA really nice campground for tenters and dry campers. No hookups, but decent bathrooms, lukewarm showers and well kept. The Housatonic river is wide and shallow but good for soaking on a hot day and right behind pretty much every campsite. The riverside sites have a clear view, the others you walk through the woods. The only negative is Route 7, which gets busy in the mornings, and at rush hours, but quiets down at night. Not a busy highway to begin with, but a major route. A good up and down hike right across the street, 760 ft ascent in a mile or so, 3 mile loop, you see AT through hikers on the portion of the combined trail. There is a drinking water tap you can hook a hose to for filling your RV, or jugs. No dump station. We had our class B here. Sites mostly level. Come during the week for better privacy. Supposedly fly fisherman come on weekends. Cute cabins for rent in a awesome location.
TravelerTo start, Andrew was phenomenal. I arrived at 6:40 PM and he was able to hook us up with the last campground and was so patient and friendly when answering our questions. Overall staff was great, I saw someone picking up trash after campers checked out. Bathrooms are clean, 1 mile walk from campgrounds to beach area. Very spider and tick heavy if you don’t stay on the walking trail. Campers were very respectful and friendly, overall an amazing first time camping trip. Paid about $32 for a night. Drinking water on site.
TravelerCampground: fairly secluded, forested, breezy with some wildlife. Small camp store. Ingress/Egress: Tight approach with multiple switchbacks and steep grades - if you’re coming in a towable rig over 36’ you might want to take a solo look first. Sites are oddly arranged and there aren’t any FHU sites. Cell: Verizon in spot C9 had 1-bar; we used Starlink for connectivity. Laundry: 3 washers & 3 dryers: $2.50 each. Dump Station: was close by (across the street) but we didn’t need it for our 3 day stay. Bathhouse: across the street, clean and we used it almost exclusively. Noise: Quiet with some small arms fire, but barely noticeable from our site. Site C9: can be viewed from Google street view site is north of the lake in the horseshoe road- some cabins are viewable as well. Site is gravel with composite picnic table, post metal grill and truck rim fire ring. Water pressure- fluctuated 30psi-50psi: hunted constantly. Cabins: available and in good order. They appear to be older, but still functional- mini log cabins $65/night (primitive-no bathroom)
ScoutI was a solo female tent-camper and I stayed at the Austin Hawes campground for 2 nights. I had an excellent experience. The office is open daily from 9-5 and 2 young women were staffing it during my stay. They welcomed me with a smile, answered all my questions and sold me two bundles of firewood for$7 each. I camped in site#22 which overlooked the Farmington River. You could hear the river running by all night long. It was very peaceful. I did not know that this portion of the river offers excellent fly fishing, so it looked like something out of an Orvis Catalog as men(they were all men) in waders with serious fly fishing gear often passed by or were standing in the shallow river doing their thing. It is important to know that BLACK BEARS ran through the campsite at night.(The young women in the office had warned me to be careful with my food, and that bears were often sighted). I am an experienced camper and left no trace of food anywhere near my tent, fire or picnic table. The bears did not bother me. I heard they spooked one family who blew some airhorns, then packed up and left in the middle of the night. There are 2 bathhouses, but one was locked because it is currently under construction. I had no trouble using the 1 that was open for campers. There are 2 female(private) showers, 2 male(private) showers, 2 bathroom sinks and 3 toilets in each house. I had no trouble using them and the facilities were clean. All-in-all, it's a beautiful, but very rustic(no electricity) campsite. I look forward to returning in the future.
RangerWe love Austin Hawes (Also referred to as American Legion). We have been coming here for years, and it is a great spot. Not too far, not too busy, tent sites, trailer sites, and cabins too. It is in a great location with plenty of hiking trails nearby, and lots of options for swimming, fishing, boating, etc.
ScoutCamped early in the season mid week, and it was nice and quiet. The "new" park rangers are take their jobs delightfully serious.
Our site had plenty of sun for solar but in seagull loop there is loads of shade
Camping sites near Derby, Connecticut tend to offer more access to water features than might be expected in this part of New England. Located in the lower Naugatuck Valley, Derby sits at the confluence of the Housatonic and Naugatuck rivers, providing campers multiple waterfront options within a 20-mile radius. Summer temperatures in this region typically range between 70-85°F during camping season, with higher humidity levels in July and August.
Fishing access: Black Rock State Park Campground offers both lake and stream fishing opportunities. According to one camper, "There are a variety of sites available, from open field sites to more wooded and private areas. The campground also has a lake for swimming, trails for hiking, and some nice quiet areas for fishing."
Explore hiking trails: Kettletown State Park Campground features multiple hiking options with varying difficulty levels. A visitor notes, "Kettletown has everything you could want in a state park visit... Swimming area, Fishing area, Hiking, Woods, Camping, both primitive and hook up."
Water activities: Visit the swimming areas when water conditions permit. One reviewer at Hammonasset State Park Campground mentions, "Beautiful Connecticut beach sits just steps away from your campsite. You can ride your bike from your site to the playground, store, beach, local ice cream shop, coffee shop, or our family favorite, meig's point nature center."
Convenient campground locations: Many campgrounds near Derby provide easy access to both natural settings and urban conveniences. A camper at Riverdale Farm Campsites shared, "This is a really nice family campground just a mile or so off I-95 in Clinton, CT. It is about 20 miles from Mystic and the historic seaport center."
Modern facilities: Lake Compounce Campground offers updated amenities. According to one visitor, "Campground is only years old. Sites were large enough for RV. Free showers for number of campsites, but very clean. Affiliated with Lake Compounce Amusement Park adjacent to campground."
Diverse accommodation options: Camping sites near Derby include various lodging alternatives beyond traditional tent sites. One camper at Wildwood State Park Campground noted, "You can find sites that are less wooded and better suited to group camping, as well as sites that are a little more secluded. This is one of my favorite campgrounds solely because there are platform sites so I can place my tent on a concrete or wooden platform."
Campground layouts vary significantly: Site privacy differs greatly between campgrounds. At Black Rock, "Most of the camp ground site are not secluded. I like the back right ring in the 80's and 90's to have some privacy and access to the stream."
Seasonal restrictions apply: Many water activities have limited availability. At Kettletown, "The week I was there there was a high bacteria count, so no swimming was allowed. Also, when swimming is allowed, there isn't a lifeguard."
Wildlife presence: Secure food properly at night. One visitor noted, "Be sure put foods in the car! One thing that I have to say to watch out for raccoons and skunk, they love to find food."
Reservation planning: Totoket Valley RV Park offers convenience for short stays. A camper mentioned it's "Perfect for a stop over. Small campground with good electrical, clean water, sewer and a friendly owner. Each site has grass and a picnic table."
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature dedicated play areas. At Riverdale Farm Campsites, "The kids who work here are so friendly and the playground is nice. They did a show on the beach one night that was fun too."
Youth activities: Look for campgrounds with scheduled programs. One visitor at Riverdale Farm noted, "Great activities for kids. We did bingo too. Have been going for 2 years and started with tenting up to a trailer."
Space for children: Choose sites with room for play. A camper at Kettletown observed, "It has a huge land of campsite that the kids can run around until their energy out for the night! Plus you would see awesome stars during the nighttime!"
Beach proximity: Consider waterfront options for family entertainment. A review of Hammonasset mentioned, "Great family friendly beach campground destination. We enjoyed, mid August staying for 3 nights, if we had time, would've stay longer."
Site dimensions: Check site sizes when booking. At Lake Compounce Campground, "The sites were long so even though you face your neighbor, the sites were long enough that our door wasn't directly across from our neighbor."
Hookup availability: Verify what utilities are provided. A visitor noted, "It is adjacent to an amusement park. Campground has electric, water and cable TV connections."
Road conditions: Access roads can be challenging for larger vehicles. At Gentiles Campground, "Roads were narrow and steep and hard to maneuver bigger trailers and rigs. Very wooded area, looked like mostly full timers living there."
Dump station access: Plan accordingly for waste management. A Lake Compounce camper pointed out, "None of the sites have sewer, but there is a dump station on the way out."
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Derby, CT?
According to TheDyrt.com, Derby, CT offers a wide range of camping options, with 82 campgrounds and RV parks near Derby, CT and 1 free dispersed camping spot.
Which is the most popular campground near Derby, CT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Derby, CT is Kettletown State Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 12 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Derby, CT?
According to TheDyrt.com, there is 1 free dispersed camping spot near Derby, CT.
What parks are near Derby, CT?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 13 parks near Derby, CT that allow camping, notably Hop Brook Lake and Northfield Brook Lake.
Keep Exploring
