2 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Tent campsites around Ellington, Connecticut offer primitive camping experiences with varying levels of accessibility and amenities. Onion Mountain Park provides free tent camping with no permit required, though sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Other options include Chapman Pond Preserve and River Highlands State Park River Campground, both offering walk-in tent sites within reasonable driving distance of Ellington.
Most tent campgrounds in this area lack basic amenities, requiring campers to be self-sufficient. Onion Mountain Park features no drinking water, toilets, or trash services, but does allow campfires and pets. Chapman Pond Preserve includes tent platforms and picnic tables with access to the Connecticut River. Campers should pack in all necessary supplies including water and food, and plan to pack out all trash. Several sites require a short hike from parking areas to reach the actual campsites, making wheeled carts or backpacks essential for gear transport.
Sites throughout the region provide varying levels of privacy and natural features. The Connecticut River creates attractive camping destinations at locations like Selden Neck State Park Campground, which is only accessible by boat. A camper noted, "Selden Neck State Park is an island in the Connecticut River with no roads or development other than 4 campsites." Hidden Lake Farm offers a more established experience with amenities including drinking water, showers, and toilets, while maintaining a secluded atmosphere with just five tent sites. The region's tent campgrounds generally provide good tree cover for shade and shelter, with many situated near hiking trails or water features. Based on reviews from The Dyrt, many campsites feature pre-established fire rings and relatively flat terrain suitable for pitching tents.
"We arrived at the parking lot of Onion Mountain Park at around 2 pm and proceeded to get our bags packed for the hike."
"Very peaceful overnight camping, no permit required. Small campsite, first come first served basis. Other posts claim you can park right the site, but you can not."
"I wasn't going to come back again but it is very close to my grandkids. All roads are dirt and all potholes have been repaired. The clubhouse is being renovated and activities are now back. "
"We only visited for the day and left around dawn, but the campsite was absolutely beautiful—especially with its location right by the river."
from $5 / night
"There's a few sites close to each other, so it is nice to go with enough people to occupy them all at once to keep it personal. You can swim and fish and relax all day!"
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $5 / night
"Good tent platforms, picnic tables and outhouse. CT river within view. Good site"
"Selden Neck State Park is an island in the Connecticut River with no roads or development other than 4 campsites. You have to kayak or boat in."
from $5 / night
"All the sites are in large clusters (each can accommodate 10+ tents). many of the sites are also along Wakefield Pond (big enough lake for canoe/kayak/etc."
"The caboose is stationed on a big grassy field, near a real railroad. It sleeps 4 and you can set up tents outside too. You hear the trains running at night. Very clean and comfortable."
from $50 - $100 / night
from $5 / night
"Located at White Memorial. No hookups so perfect for people with tents or vans. No big rigs."
"Quiet woods atmosphere with trail’s. Wonderful place to camp. Very clean"
from $25 / night
TravelerSmall but quaint park. It is the off season, but there are numerous folks here. Propane fill available. They stock the river behind the park with trout. Walking path in the woods along the river. Staff are friendly and helpful.
ScoutClean, nice and friendly camping experience
ScoutLots of seasonal campers here. Some damaged trailers in a few spots just sitting there- not sure what the campsites plan is. Bathrooms clean. I saw a schedule of activities for the upcoming weekend and it looks like they offer some nice things for kids. There is a pond in the front for fishing.
ScoutBeautiful and rustic campground on the shores of Bantam Lake. I stayed in a tent site with my van. Basic setup. Nice. No activities - perfect if you are looking to unwind from it all.
ScoutLoved this rustic and quiet campground. Located at White Memorial. No hookups so perfect for people with tents or vans. No big rigs.
LegendThis campground is associated with a large amusement park. We were there in the fall when the amusement park was closed so the campground was not very busy but image it would have a very crowded feel if you were there during the summer. The RV sites are buddy sites which is never our favorite set-up (unless we are traveling with friends). Luckily, there was no one in the site next to us during our stay. The campground is big rig-friendly with roads and sites wide and long enough to accommodate any size RV; however, the road and roundabout you encounter when entering the campground is tight. There was very little traffic when we entered so navigating the entrance booth and roundabout was doable. The RV slots you pull into to check in at registration are far too short to accommodate large RVs with their tow vehicles and we ended up taking up four spaces. The tent sites are set away from the cabins and RV sites. Some are nicely tucked up against the tree line while others are in a grassy area and others are sandy nestled under some scrubby pine trees. One of the problems with the location of the tent sites is that they are far away from the bathrooms. Garbage cans are scattered throughout the campground so you don’t have to walk very far to dump your trash. There is no sewer but the electric (50-amp) worked well. There is cable but the channels were not HD so we switched to our over-the-air antenna and got great HD reception with about 60 channels. There is wifi but we could not get it at our site so we just used our Verizon hotspot (which had great reception). The water pressure is very high so we dialed our regulator back to around 45. Roads and sites are gravel. All the sites are level and have a picnic table and fire pit. We noticed that some of the fire pits needed to be cleaned out because rude campers littered them with water bottles, cans, and other garbage in the fire pits. One of the downsides is the noise from local recycling/transfer station. There is a dump station set to the side as you enter/exit. It was a little tight for us getting our 45’ RV in there but it was doable. There is only one sewer dump so we can image that it can be pretty backed up on Sundays when everybody checks out.
ScoutAfter a busy summer, we wanted somewhere we could just park the camper and slow down for a few days. Sterling Park worked out great for that. We spent one morning fishing, walked the trails later in the day and finished the evening around the fire. Nothing complicated, just a really enjoyable camping weekend.
ScoutAfter a busy few weeks, this was exactly the break we needed. The kids went swimming, we did some fishing, and everyone came home tired in a good way lol.
ScoutWe came with another family and had a blast. The kids disappeared together for half the day while the adults hung around the sites. Between fishing, the pool and the other activities, everyone found something they liked. Would definatly come back.
Tent campsites near Ellington, Connecticut include several primitive and established locations within a 30-mile radius. Onion Mountain Park offers walk-in tent camping with existing fire pits and no permit requirements. Other options include Chapman Pond Preserve and Hurd State Park River Camping, both providing access to Connecticut River views and more secluded tent camping experiences.
Most tent sites in the Ellington area require campers to be self-sufficient, as amenities are minimal at primitive locations. Onion Mountain Park features hiking access via blue or yellow trails leading to primitive tent sites with established fire pits, but no drinking water is available. Sites at Chapman Pond Preserve include tent platforms and an outhouse, though campers must pack in all water. Fires are allowed at most locations, but firewood is rarely provided, requiring campers to bring their own or gather downed wood where permitted. Access varies significantly between locations, with some like Chapman Pond requiring walk-in access, while others like Hidden Lake Farm offer drive-in convenience.
Tent campers in the Ellington region often note the peaceful settings and natural surroundings. Hidden Lake Farm provides drinking water, picnic tables, showers, and toilet facilities with just five tent sites, offering a more comfortable primitive experience. Water-oriented campsites are particularly notable, with several locations offering Connecticut River access. A camper described Selden Neck State Park as having "plenty of flat area to pitch a tent, nice picnic table and fire pit. There's a private outhouse. At low tide, a couple of beaches emerge to play on." Many locations require advance planning, especially boat-access sites like Selden Neck State Park, where kayaking or boating is necessary to reach the island's four designated tent camping areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Ellington, CT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Ellington, CT is Onion Mountain Park with a 4.5-star rating from 4 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Ellington, CT?
TheDyrt.com has all 20 tent camping locations near Ellington, CT, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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