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Best Tent Camping near North Westchester, CT

687 Reviews

Tent camping opportunities near North Westchester, Connecticut include both established campgrounds and primitive sites concentrated along the Connecticut River. Gillette Castle State Park Campground and Selden Neck State Park offer tent camping sites with river views and boat access options. Chapman Pond Preserve provides a more secluded experience with tent platforms and picnic tables. Hidden Lake Farm features five tent sites with basic amenities including drinking water, picnic tables, and showers.

Campers should note that most primitive tent sites in this region require non-motorized access methods. Chapman Pond Preserve is accessible by hiking or walking in, while Selden Neck State Park requires kayak or boat access as it sits on an island in the Connecticut River. Several campgrounds provide fire pits and allow fires, though firewood is rarely provided. Most sites lack drinking water and have minimal facilities. Toilet options range from outhouses at some locations to no facilities at others. Reservations are required for established campgrounds like Gillette Castle State Park and Hidden Lake Farm.

Connecticut River tent camping offers distinctive seasonal experiences with peaceful waterfront views. Onion Mountain Park provides primitive tent camping with existing fire rings but requires a short hike from the parking area to reach camping spots. Sites at Selden Neck State Park feature flat areas for tent pitching with picnic tables, fire pits, and private outhouses. Some campgrounds emerge as beaches during low tide periods, adding versatility to the camping experience. The region experiences significant seasonal changes, with spring and fall offering the most comfortable camping temperatures. A visitor to Selden Neck State Park described it as "gorgeous riverside tent camping" with "plenty of flat area to pitch a tent, nice picnic table and fire pit."

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Best Tent Sites Near North Westchester, Connecticut (17)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near North Westchester, CT

15 Photos of 17 North Westchester Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near North Westchester, CT

687 Reviews of 17 North Westchester 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

Guide to North Westchester

Tent camping in the North Westchester region of Connecticut occupies a transitional zone where the Connecticut River valley meets coastal lowlands. The terrain varies from riverfront flats to inland forests with elevations generally under 500 feet. Many campsites experience significant humidity in summer months, with temperatures averaging 75-85°F during peak camping season between June and September.

What to do

Paddle to island campsites: River Highlands State Park River Campground offers direct water access for kayakers and canoers. "The campsite was absolutely beautiful—especially with its location right by the river. As a heads-up, the outhouse did have quite a few wolf spiders which might be expected in a natural setting like this," notes Alicia B.

Learn outdoor skills: Onion Mountain Park serves as a training ground for new campers. Marshall S. explains, "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 so no need for a bear bag."

Swimming and fishing: Several Connecticut River camping areas allow water activities during summer months. "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. You can swim and fish and relax all day!" shares Jackie G. from Gillette Castle State Park Campground.

What campers like

Primitive camping experience: Windmill Hill - Connecticut White Memorial Campground offers a genuine woodland setting. Sara R. comments, "I booked site 5 for the week. Great experience! Quiet woods atmosphere with trails. Wonderful place to camp. Very clean."

Independence from crowded campgrounds: Some campers appreciate the self-sufficiency required at sites like Onion Mountain Park. Ricky H. mentions, "Very peaceful overnight camping, no permit required. Small campsite, first come first served basis. Other posts claim you can park right at the site, but you cannot. It's up the yellow or blue trail depending on which one you take."

Water-based isolation: Riverside camping provides natural boundaries and privacy. "We have camped on the south end of Hurd Park several times via boat access. 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," reports Jackie G.

What you should know

Accessibility varies significantly: Many North Westchester tent camping locations require specific access methods. "It's about a 20 minute paddle across the river to the island. If it's a nice day, you're going to encounter some wake from passing boats so make sure your gear is in waterproof bags," advises Jason S. about Selden Neck State Park Campground.

Site preparation requirements: Some camping areas need advance planning. Nora S. from Onion Mountain Park shares, "We ended up finding a very primitive spot off the blue trail (on top of the mountain), where we settled down for the night. The spot is not very big so make sure to bring a smaller tent but has a firepit already set up."

Seasonal considerations: Tent camping in North Westchester experiences significant seasonal variations. "In the morning, we 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 and we headed back," notes a Selden Neck camper regarding morning river conditions.

Tips for camping with families

Choose established sites for first trips: Chapman Pond Preserve offers structured camping for beginners. "Good tent platforms, picnic tables and outhouse. CT river within view. Good site," says Ben L., highlighting the basic amenities that make family camping easier.

Consider time constraints with water access: Jason S. brought his young child to Selden Neck: "My 5-year-old and I camped at site 2, Hogback. 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."

Bug preparation is essential: Multiple reviewers note insect activity throughout the region. "There are a lot of bugs so be prepared, and we did put a bear bag about 100 feet away," warns Nora S. from Onion Mountain Park.

Tips from RVers

Limited options for RVs: Tent camping dominates North Westchester's options, with most RV sites further afield. "This campground has improved with the new owners as of 2021. All roads are dirt and all potholes have been repaired. Looking forward to coming back next year to stay for a month like I did this year," reports Brad N. about Sodom Mountain Campground in nearby Southwick, Massachusetts.

Consider seasonal improvements: Many campgrounds undergo maintenance during shoulder seasons. Brad continues, "I am told they are adding a modern bathhouse by the pool and enlarging the pool area. Since it is a work in progress, I can't give 5 stars this summer."

Plan for limited amenities: Most Hidden Lake Farm tent sites provide only basic necessities. "There are 2 lodging options to choose from. Pets welcome!" notes a visitor, indicating the limited but sufficient options available for tent campers seeking more amenities than primitive sites.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near North Westchester, CT?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near North Westchester, CT is Gillette Castle State Park Campground with a 4-star rating from 2 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 17 tent camping locations near North Westchester, CT, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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