Best Tent Camping near Northford, CT
Tent campsites in the Northford, Connecticut region offer a mix of established grounds and primitive options within a short drive of town. Hidden Lake Farm provides five tent-specific sites with amenities like picnic tables, drinking water, and shower facilities. Chapman Pond Preserve offers free tent camping with hike-in or walk-in access, though it lacks most amenities beyond fire pits.
Most tent campgrounds in the area require some preparation, as facilities vary significantly between locations. Gillette Castle State Park Campground and Selden Neck State Park Campground provide electric hookups and are accessible by boat, making them unique options for tent campers willing to paddle. Fires are permitted at nearly all sites, though firewood is only available at select locations like Hidden Lake Farm. As one camper noted about Selden Neck, "You have to kayak or boat in. 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."
The primitive tent camping experience around Northford often involves some degree of seclusion. Onion Mountain Park provides free tent camping with drive-in access but requires a short hike to reach the actual camping area. A camper described it as "a very primitive spot off the blue trail (on top of the mountain)," noting the site "is not very big so make sure to bring a smaller tent." Several locations offer riverside camping options, with River Highlands State Park and Hurd State Park providing tent sites along the Connecticut River. Tent campers particularly appreciate the water access, with sites at Selden Neck featuring private outhouses and emerging beaches at low tide that create excellent spaces for tent setup away from others.