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Best Tent Camping near Middle Haddam, CT

672 Reviews

The Connecticut River valley near Middle Haddam offers several tent camping options within a short drive, including established campgrounds and more primitive sites. Selden Neck State Park Campground provides boat-in tent camping on an undeveloped island in the Connecticut River, with four designated campsites accessible only by kayak or boat from Deep River Landing. Chapman Pond Preserve offers walk-in tent sites with platforms overlooking the Connecticut River, while Gillette Castle State Park Campground provides tent camping with multiple access options including hike-in and boat-in sites.

Most tent campsites in the Middle Haddam area require some preparation regarding access and amenities. Selden Neck's sites include fire pits and picnic tables, but campers must pack in all supplies and water. According to reviews, waterproof bags are essential when paddling to the island due to boat wake. Chapman Pond Preserve features tent platforms and outhouses but no drinking water. Sites at Onion Mountain Park, though farther from Middle Haddam, offer primitive tent camping with existing fire rings but require hikers to bring all supplies. Most campgrounds permit fires when conditions allow, though seasonal restrictions may apply during dry periods.

Tent-only sites in this region provide unique experiences not available to RV campers. At Selden Neck State Park, campers report excellent sunset views over the Connecticut River and small beaches that emerge at low tide. One visitor noted, "The Hogback site offers plenty of flat area to pitch a tent, a picnic table, fire pit, and private outhouse." Onion Mountain Park campers describe finding "very primitive spots off the blue trail" that accommodate smaller tents with pre-established fire rings. The walk-in nature of these sites ensures greater seclusion and quiet compared to developed campgrounds. Windmill Hill at White Memorial Campground offers a more established tent camping experience with toilets and trash service while maintaining a "quiet woods atmosphere with trails," as noted by recent visitors.

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Best Tent Sites Near Middle Haddam, Connecticut (16)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Middle Haddam, CT

14 Photos of 16 Middle Haddam Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Middle Haddam, CT

672 Reviews of 16 Middle Haddam Campgrounds

  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 1, 2020

    Burlingame State Park Campground

    Huge campground, not many level sites.

    I've never camped in Rhode Island, so I was curious to see what a state park campground had to offer. Rates are reasonable for state residents, but quite high if you are out-of-state, given the amenities. There are no hookups, but dump stations are available. Bathrooms have flush toilets and coin-operated showers. There's a small beach at the pond, a boat ramp, and proximity to wildlife refuges and the ocean. It's a HUGE campground, with 700 sites and 20 cabins. Canoes are available to rent.

    There's a nice playground, a camp store, and a naturalists cabin. Trails are available for hiking and biking. The beach is sandy and there's a small parking lot there, but I suspect most people walk to it. No alcohol allowed. 

    I didn't see more than a handful of level sites, with varying degrees of slope, but many are quite large. If you have an RV, plan to level; if you have a tent, be sure to bring good mattresses to protect you from the roots and rocks and orient your head to the uphill side. Most of the sites have some degree of visual separation from their neighbors, but there are places where it's hard to tell where one site ends and the next one starts. Site have fire rings and picnic tables, but if you plan to cook over the fire, bring your own grate or plan to use sticks and/or aluminum foil. 

    If you don't have a tent, consider reserving one of their rustic cabins. These offer two sets of bunks (no mattresses) and a small porch with a picnic table and fire ring outside. Some are located along the pond.

    3-4 bar cell phone coverage. No road traffic. East Beach is nearby, but parking fills early.

  • Nicole G.
    Aug. 24, 2025

    Tolland State Forest Campground

    Great Lakeside Campground

    This was only my second camping trip ever (and first tent camping) so grain of salt here - We had a great time at Tolland. The site was spacious and equipped with a bear box, fire ring, and picnic table. The ground at the site was large gravel which was not great in the tent, but walking around it looks like most sites are more dirt and pine needles.

    The swimming area is small but sandy, great for kids, and my daughter loved thethe campfire and nature talk given on Saturday night by park staff.

  • Ryan A.
    May. 21, 2024

    Devil's Hopyard State Park Campground

    Good Location for Hiking, Lots of Garbage, Not Recommended

    Camped here on a Friday night in Site 16, yet another campground recommended in“Best Tent Camping: New England.” Overall I was not impressed. The campsites are right next to each other and are marked with posts. The sites are so close that the posts are marked with the site number on both sides which tells me that there has been confusion in the past.

    The sites along the creek mostly have worn paths to walk to it but it’s nothing impressive and I wouldn’t want to eat fish that came out of it. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring, some have the kind where the top flips over and others have the moveable grate that goes up and down. There is a large dumpster in the campground and several porta-potties. The old outhouses have been permanently closed and locked shut. My campsite had a lot of trash in it, old tent stakes, plastic bottle caps, plastic fork, broken glass, etc. Not good.

    Some of the people there were camping in a group and were blasting music. I didn’t see a single park ranger the entire night so I’m not sure how often they police it. Someone in a pickup truck came into the campground, did a u-turn, and sped out at 30 mph which was really annoying and unsafe.

    Across the street from the campground is a trail to Chapman Falls, which will take less than 10 minutes to hike to, but it’s a pretty waterfall despite all the foam and garbage around it.

    This is a pretty basic campground and is nothing special. Out of all the sites I think 22 looked the best, it is more isolated and you can hear the waterfalls from it, which would be relaxing. The downside is that it’s right next to the entrance and road so you’ll get car headlights at night.

    I woke in the morning to a gray sky and hundreds of birds singing– it was my favorite part of the trip. I delayed getting up to enjoy the moment. I also didn’t see any ticks but I’m sure there are plenty based on other reviews.

    I’ve always thought that if states were condiments Connecticut would be mayonnaise– relatively unremarkable and bland. This campground fits that description perfectly.

  • John D.
    May. 3, 2015

    Rocky Neck State Park Campground

    Great park in a great location

    I have been camping at Rocky Neck State Park for decades, both tent camping, and now In a 30' camper. Located right off I95 ( which you can hear at times), the park is convenient to all the major interstates and state roads. If you can, stay away from the front gates during the typical peak arrival / departure times. Traffic jams occur, partly because you're also in-line with the car loads of beach goers. The beach and beach parking lots fill to capacity. Week ends are the worst.

    The campgrounds are located within internal loops. Most sites are quite level. Park-like settings surrounding a large lawn. Bathhouses are being rehabbed, deemed adequate; can be seedy towards the end of the season. Park is routinely patrolled by State Conservation Officers who will put you out if needed. CT State Police and local officers also patrol. Camp roads are paved, and lots and lots of kids spend time riding bikes, coloring with chalk, skateboarding, roller blading.

    No electrical hook-ups; potable water spigots located within the camping circles. Generators allowed, but there are quiet hours. Dump upon exit; its up top by the entrance booths.

    There is a "tent-only area" which is nice and abuts a paved road for campers to walk / bike to the beach. Use this. Stay off the main road to the beach if you can. The speed limit is enforced, but sporadically. The fines are very stiff (you receive a State traffic ticket from the Officer).

    This beach road leads you to a wonderful overlook where lots of people take their kids crabbing for Blueshells. There are size regulations so be careful. The regs are posted. Bring some raw chicken wings and kite string and have some fun. You can also follow the signs that will lead you to nature walks. Amazing.

    During inclement weather some campers leave the park. We always recommend taking a right out of the park onto east bound Route 156. Follow into downtown Niantic for restaurants, an Irish pub, or a movie. Nice village area, and pedestrian friendly.

    Rocky Neck is a very nice park, and if I had to list one complaint, it is that the State is in a financial tight-spot, and has been cutting services and personnel. Entrance booths go unmanned and that leads to traffic jams that extend out and onto the main road. Very , very messy. Life guard towers at the beach are empty at times. Bath houses can be filthy.

    All things considered, I would recommend this park..

  • Laura M.
    Aug. 25, 2018

    Burlingame State Park Campground

    Nice campground

    Super large sites, store is adequately stocked, nice lake/pond. I came here because of the location. Super close to the beach. This is a state park, no alcohol is allowed, quiet time strictly enforced. Nice family campground. No hookups.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 7, 2024

    Burlingame State Park Campground

    HUGE state park

    General: HUGE state park with over 700 sites. It does not fully open for the season until May 1 and when we were there in mid-April, only two sections, Fish Camp and Mills Camp were open. The Ranger station is staffed 24 hours a day, with a ranger on site until 11 pm. You need to show your pass to get inside the gate leading to the campsites. There are no hookups in any site (as far as I could tell). Sites are designated for tents, small trailers, large trailers, and RVs. As with other RI state parks, non-residents pay double the price of residents which kind of ticks me off (I don't mind a nominal upcharge but double is excessive IMO).

    Site Quality: The site numbers throughout the park are painted on rocks but the sites themselves are not very clearly defined. There is no designated camping pad. Our site (114) had a water view but was not level. It was large enough for us to park horizontally and make it work for one night. Some sites had excessive roots and also were not level. Some picnic tables have been replaced with new ones, but others badly need it.

    Bath/Shower house: The one in Fish Camp was adequate and clean. There is hot water, but you need to run it for a while before you get any. There was no garbage receptacle, and the toilet paper is so thin, that you can see through it. Showers are $.75 to get it started for the first three minutes. After that, the amount per minute increases to $1, $1.25, $1.50, and so forth. Machines take up to 22 quarters. There is a change machine at the Ranger Station. I did not use the shower so I cannot comment on how well they work. 

    Activities/Amenities: There is a camp store that offers wood, ice, coffee, basic groceries, propane, and canoe rentals. It was open with limited hours during our stay. Fishing, boating, swimming - all in season. Even though the park was only about 10% occupied, there was a strong Ranger presence. He circled our small loop three times just before check-out time and wanted to make sure we were leaving not a minute past the designated time. 

    This was just an overnight stay for us in a convenient location but there is no way I would stay at the height of the season!

  • D
    Jun. 7, 2019

    Green Falls Campground

    Small but cozy

    Great off the beaten path place to camp. Sites are large but close together. Each contain a rock built fire ring. There are toilets but no showers. Good parking for camper but limited for guests. Reservations are required in advance. Stones throw to beach/pond area

  • Becca Z.
    Aug. 29, 2020

    White Pines Campsites

    Clean Campsites

    We stayed at site 85 in Sunny Crest and liked having some privacy. The sites nearby had some trees providing space between each site. A lot of the sites we drove by were pretty sloped- I would recommend a drive though if you can beforehand.

    The picnic table was chained down so there weren’t many options to set up having the fire pit and picnic table where they were.

    Hiking trails were nice, good variety of easier and more difficult terrain.

  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 1, 2020

    Wolf Den Campground — Mashamoquet Brook State Park

    Basic campground with hiking trails in the area.

    This small state park campground offers basic campsites with running water and showers, open Memorial Day to Columbus Day.  This is NOT Wolf's Den Family Campground in E. Haddam, CT. Also, be aware there are 2 campgrounds at this State Park; the other one, Mashamoquet Brook, does not offer running water/showers, so if you want these amenities, be sure to select a campsite 1-35.

    There's a small playground in the middle of the loop, a number of hiking trails throughout the park along with a few geocaches (download details for offline use a phone connection is spotty), a swimming pond, and a small brook with an old mill and blacksmith shop that is sometimes open on weekends for tours. It's a nice place to explore and have a picnic. In 2020 with Covid, there were restrictions on visitors to the campground, reservations required, and swimming was not allowed. 

    The parking pads are paved and a few have overhanging branches, but the trees provide  separation and some shade on largely open sites that tend to open up toward the back with open areas for pitching tents. Sites have fire rings with grills and picnic tables. Site 20 is the only one with electric. The ones toward the back of the loop back up toward the woods and give you some more privacy. 

    They don't allow hammocks in the trees or pets. For some reason, silly string also makes the list of prohibitions.

Guide to Middle Haddam

Tent camping near Middle Haddam, Connecticut centers around the Connecticut River watershed, with elevations ranging from 20 to 200 feet above sea level across the various sites. The region experiences typical New England weather patterns with humid summers averaging 85°F and cooler spring and fall conditions ideal for camping. Most locations require some form of hike-in or boat-in access, limiting amenities but providing increased seclusion.

What to do

Wildlife observation opportunities: At Hidden Lake Farm, campers can explore surrounding forest trails during early morning hours. "Quiet and private" settings, according to reviewer Ashley F., create ideal conditions for spotting local birds and deer common to the area.

Water activities on Connecticut River: Multiple waterfront campsites provide access for swimming and paddling. One visitor at Gillette Castle State Park Campground noted, "We have camped on the south end of Hurd Park several times via boat access. It is amazing with the views of the CT River and being able to watch the sunrise and sunset."

Hiking trail networks: Several campgrounds connect to established trail systems. At Onion Mountain Park, camper Nora S. shared, "We ended up finding a very primitive spot off the blue trail (on top of the mountain), where we settled down for the night."

What campers like

Solitude and privacy: Multiple tent sites offer significant separation from other campers. At Chapman Pond Preserve, Ben L. appreciates the "Middle of no where site" with "Good tent platforms, picnic tables and outhouse. CT river within view."

Low-impact facilities: Most tent sites maintain minimal development while providing essential amenities. At Windmill Hill - Connecticut White Memorial Campground, Sara R. values the "Quiet woods atmosphere with trail's. Wonderful place to camp. Very clean."

Water access points: Many riverside tent sites provide direct water entry points. At River Highlands State Park River Campground, Alicia B. notes, "The campsite was absolutely beautiful—especially with its location right by the river."

What you should know

Wildlife considerations: Expect encounters with local fauna, requiring proper food storage. At River Highlands, Alicia B. cautions, "The outhouse did have quite a few wolf spiders (which might be expected in a natural setting like this)."

Limited water sources: Most tent sites lack potable water access. Ricky H. confirms Onion Mountain Park requires complete self-sufficiency: "Very peaceful overnight camping, no permit required. Small campsite, first come first served basis."

Access challenges: Many of the best tent camping near Middle Haddam requires either hiking or boating. "However, it's not a long walk to the parking area from the campsite," notes Ricky H. about Onion Mountain Park, contradicting assumptions about parking directly at sites.

Weather impact: Fog and river conditions can affect boat-in sites and camping plans. Dense morning fog sometimes delays departures from riverside locations, particularly during spring and fall months.

Tips for camping with families

Scout-friendly locations: Several campgrounds have history with youth organizations. Marshall S. shares about Onion Mountain Park: "My BSA troop has been going here for years to help new scouts learn to camp. It is a very casual site and good for your first trip."

Best beginner sites: Selden Neck State Park Campground offers structured camping with key amenities despite boat-in requirements. Jason S. reports camping with his "5-year-old" noting, "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."

Consider tent size limitations: Smaller tents work better at primitive sites. Nora S. warns about Onion Mountain: "The spot is not very big so make sure to bring a smaller tent (no group sites)."

Tips from RVers

Tent-only alternatives: Most camping near Middle Haddam specifically accommodates tent campers, not RVs. Brad N. from Sodom Mountain Campground noted recent improvements: "All roads are dirt and all potholes have been repaired. The clubhouse is being renovated and activities are now back."

Parking considerations: When transitioning between RV and tent camping, vehicle size matters. Ricky H. clarifies about Onion Mountain: "Other posts claim you can park right the site, but you can not. It's up the yellow or blue trail depending on which one you take."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Middle Haddam, CT?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Middle Haddam, CT is River Highlands State Park River Campground with a 4-star rating from 1 review.

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