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Best Tent Camping near Middlefield, CT

539 Reviews

Several tent camping options surround Middlefield, Connecticut, with both established campgrounds and primitive sites available within a 30-minute drive. Hidden Lake Farm offers five tent sites with amenities including drinking water, picnic tables, and shower facilities. Chapman Pond Preserve provides a more secluded experience with hike-in and walk-in tent sites that are free to use but offer minimal amenities.

Tent campsites in the Middlefield area vary widely in their amenities and accessibility. Most walk-in tent locations like Chapman Pond Preserve feature tent platforms and picnic tables but lack drinking water and electrical hookups. Fire rings are common at established sites, though campers should check current fire restrictions before their trip. At Hidden Lake Farm, campers can access showers and toilets, while more primitive tent-only areas typically offer only basic vault toilets or outhouses. A recent review noted that "the outhouse did have quite a few wolf spiders" at River Highlands State Park.

The Connecticut River provides a backdrop for several scenic tent camping locations near Middlefield. Gillette Castle State Park Campground and Selden Neck State Park Campground both offer tent sites accessible by boat, providing unique opportunities for paddlers seeking riverside camping. As described in feedback on The Dyrt, Selden Neck features "plenty of flat area to pitch a tent, nice picnic table and fire pit" with "a private outhouse" at some sites. These water-accessible tent campgrounds are particularly appealing during summer months when paddling conditions are optimal. Walk-in tent sites throughout the region generally provide more seclusion and a closer connection to nature than drive-in options, with shade from the northeastern hardwood forests creating comfortable tent camping conditions even during warmer weather.

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Best Tent Sites Near Middlefield, Connecticut (15)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Middlefield, CT

18 Photos of 15 Middlefield Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Middlefield, CT

539 Reviews of 15 Middlefield Campgrounds

  • 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.

  • 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..

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Alex S.
    May. 13, 2020

    Rocky Neck State Park Campground

    Best New England beach campground!

    The beach is about a 1 mile walk or drive from the campground.  The walk is lovely and I have seen deer, turkeys, many birds, skunks, raccoons, and other wildlife along the way. There are several osprey nests too. Many families bring bikes. 

    There are several camping areas at Rocky Neck - I think Crane is the best because it is quiet and the bathrooms are updated. 

    The tent camping area is in a field without much privacy or shade. I recommend setting up your tent at a traditional site.

    The beach is great for relaxing and beach combing. The water is warm and shallow, very calm. No floats or toys are allowed in the water, not sure why. Don't bring your kite either as the Amtrak is next to the beach, it's interesting when it goes by!

    Sometimes generators are an issue, but there are limited hours at which they can run.

    Lots of dumpsters for easy trash disposal. Firewood available for a low price on site, don't bring any outside wood. 

    Campground is not too far from a Walmart if you forget something. There's a gas station close by too for ice.

    This campground books up FAST, I usually book in the wintertime. I stay for a week at a time.

  • Mayra D.
    Mar. 27, 2021

    Cedar Point County Park

    Perfect beach site

    We have gone there a few times. They don’t take reservations but there’s always some sites open. We have walked in and book a site. Twice though in June we had tons of ticks 😬 but overall is a good site! A couple of times we had loud neighbors and it seemed that the ranger was out for lunch so nobody was making sure that quiet hours were enforced.

  • G Y.
    Jul. 29, 2024

    Lake Waramaug State Park Campground

    Quiet Rustic Camping

    My family has been camping at Lake Waramaug for over 20 years. I can say most of what’s been said is true or partially so but whether it’s bad or good depends on your point of view. Note that we are a Scout family and my husband and son have camped many days well off the grid with only the gear and food in their backpacks. That skews our point of view. 

    First off, Connecticut’s state campgrounds are not KOA’s. 

    Do not expect top of the line activities that private campgrounds have.

    What it does have are clean, large sites that are partially wooded and not out in the open. 

    The lake is great for kayaking, paddle boarding, canoes and for fishing. Bring your own gear but kayak and canoe rentals are available. The swim area is marginal- best for little ones. 

    This park is remote from all conveniences- pack it in or expect a drive. There have been several times I’ve driven to the Dunkin Donuts miles down the road for coffee but I find using a French press is more convenient. For takeout there’s the White Horse on 202. It’s ranked a top restaurant in the state - the food is good. 

    Never have we had issues with wildlife besides squirrels and ducks. Leave no trace is important - it keeps the unwelcome wildlife out. 

    There have been issues with the bathrooms off and on over the decades. It seems like they’ve finally fixed everything. Our trip of 7/27-28 showed everything was fine.

    The only on-site services are firewood and ice sales. The little food shack is out of business. 

    Yes, cell service is basically non-existent. Our trip this weekend was the first time we received more than 1 bar in 20 years. Actually we were a bit disappointed because this camp ground is a great place to disconnect and relax. Being forced to put away the devices is heaven in my mind. You can drive about 5+ minutes out and get cell service. Regarding rowdiness, of the 20+ times we’ve camped only twice was it a problem. 

    Also, this place is not glamping. The area is rural, so cows do moo at 6am, and kids are up even earlier. If you like to sleep in skip and rent a B&B. 

    Also if you want a better place to swim go to Mt.Tom state park about 10 minutes up the road. It’s a day use only park-no camping- but the lake is gorgeous and there are very few people there.

Guide to Middlefield

Tent camping near Middlefield, Connecticut offers both primitive and established options within the central Connecticut River Valley. The region sits at approximately 100-400 feet elevation with summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F during peak camping season. Most campsites are situated among northeastern hardwood forests that provide natural shade, while riverside locations feature sandy beaches that emerge during low tide periods.

What to do

Hiking trails: Onion Mountain Park features multiple trail options for day hikes from your campsite. "Very peaceful overnight camping, no permit required. Small campsite, first come first served basis," notes Ricky H., who adds that "it's not a long walk to the parking area from the campsite."

Paddling excursions: Gillette Castle State Park Campground offers water-based camping access. Jackie G. reports, "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."

Wildlife viewing: During morning hours, watch for native birds including ospreys and bald eagles along the Connecticut River. Several campgrounds require bear bags for food storage. At Onion Mountain Park, camper Nora S. recommends: "We did put a bear bag about 100 feet away."

What campers like

Island camping: Selden Neck State Park Campground provides a unique island experience. "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," explains Jason S., who adds that "the sunset view was amazing."

Lean-to shelters: Ward Pound Ridge Reservation (45 minutes from Middlefield) offers permanent shelters for campers. Jeremy S. notes, "The shelter sites are large and private with access to hiking trails and make for a unique experience." Will L. adds these sites are "super cozy by the fire in our shelter and our site was minutes from some amazing trails."

Wooded privacy: Many campsites in the region provide secluded tent spots with natural screening between sites. At Connecticut White Memorial Campground, Sara R. appreciated the "quiet woods atmosphere with trails. Wonderful place to camp. Very clean."

What you should know

Reservation systems vary: Some campgrounds require in-person booking. For Webb Mountain Park, reservations must be made ahead of time, while at Onion Mountain Park, sites are first-come, first-served.

Boat access requirements: To reach Selden Neck State Park, Jason S. advises, "There's a boat launch across from the island on the west side of the river at Deep River Landing where you can leave your car. Entering and parking at the boat launch requires a permit Memorial Day to Labor Day."

Weather considerations: Morning fog can affect river travel. At Selden Neck, one camper noted they "were completely socked in with fog which would have been an issue if we had to get back early. But it burned off before long."

Tips for camping with families

Scout-friendly sites: Onion Mountain Park has a history of youth camping. Marshall S. shares, "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, you are close to your car and the road in case you need it."

Educational opportunities: Several campsites near Middlefield connect to nature centers or historical features. At Ward Pound Ridge, Ming R. notes "The Trailside Nature Museum is also fun for the kids."

Swimming spots: River beaches provide natural swimming areas during summer months. At Gillette Castle campgrounds, Jackie G. reports, "You can swim and fish and relax all day!"

Tips from RVers

Limited hookup options: Most tent camping areas near Middlefield lack RV-specific amenities. Though River Highlands State Park River Campground shows electric hookups in their listings, most sites are primitive.

Parking constraints: Tent campsites typically have limited vehicle access. At Onion Mountain Park, Ricky H. clarifies: "Other posts claim you can park right at the site, but you can not. It's up the yellow or blue trail depending on which one you take."

Supply planning: Grocery stores and camping supply shops require travel from most campgrounds. When staying at Ward Pound Ridge, Anil S. noted they "had to drive into Bedford to grab food items and camping necessities."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Middlefield, CT?

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

What is the best site to find tent camping near Middlefield, CT?

TheDyrt.com has all 15 tent camping locations near Middlefield, CT, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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