Looking for tent camping near Stevenson? Find the best information on tent camping near Stevenson, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. Each tent site offers quick access to one or more of Stevenson, Connecticut's most popular destinations.
Hammonasset Beach State Park is the largest of Connecticut’s shoreline parks. Two-mile beach, facilities for swimming, camping (third weekend in May to Columbus Day), picnicking, saltwater fishing, scuba diving, hiking and boating; concessions. Nature center and interpretive programs. Bicycle rentals available through Labor Day, rates begin at $10 per hour and range up to $75 per week, with discounts for children. Helmets provided free to use and are mandatory for riders 15 and younger. Note: Lifeguards on duty on Wednesday through Sunday. Pricing: Weekdays: free for CT vehicles; $15/out-of-state $7 after 4:00 pm. Weekends and holidays: free for CT vehicles; $22/out-of-state $7 after 4:00 pm William F. Miller Campground. 558 open sites. Concession, dumping station, bathrooms, showers. Saltwater swimming and fishing. Individual fireplaces not provided. No pets.
$20 - $45 / night
Take the Virtual Tour! - WILDWOOD STATE PARK
Wildwood State Park comprises 600 acres of undeveloped hardwood forest, terminating on the high bluff overlooking Long Island Sound. Swimmers can take advantage of the cool waters of the Sound, and picnickers can relax at shaded picnic tables as their children enjoy the nearby playground. Visitors can fish and use the hiking and cross-country ski trails, making this an enjoyable place to camp and be outdoors in any season. Geography: Wildwood State Park is located near Long Island Sound, on the north shore of Long Island, in Suffolk County. Recreation: Considered a flagship facility, visitors can enjoy the beach, biking, camper recreation programs, fishing, hiking, picnicking, and cross-country skiing. During July and August, movies are shown weekly, and once a week, campers can enjoy an evening of line or square dancing. Facilities: The park has 2 miles of beach on the Long Island sound for fishing and swimming. Each campsite has a picnic table, and dumping stations are nearby. There are 10 cottages, each with a fire ring, screened-in patio, and are available for rent through mid-November. The campground recycles newspaper and cardboard. Other amenities include food concessions, a nature trail, twelve miles of marked hiking trails, a picnic area, basketball courts, ball fields, a playground, and showers. Firewood is for sale at the park; bring your own barbecue or metal fire container.
The 4,315-acre park makes Ward Pound Ridge Reservation the county’s largest park. With its varied terrain and landscapes and miles of wooded trails, the park provides a variety of activities in all seasons. There are areas for picnicking, lean-to camping, fishing and cross-country skiing.
$45 - $55 / night
Artists have been painting this area for centuries, and it's a worthy landscape to memorialize, but nothing beats the real thing. So come camp in The Hudson Valley near the base of Stormville Mountain. You can pitch your tent in our private forest-- surrounded by nature and the sounds of farm animals (we have two roosters who call their unique song for most of the day, so be forewarned). You'll have a private area to have a bonfire and set up camp, and you'll have another separate and private patio area with a table and four chairs. Additionally, you'll have access to the treehouse overlooking our alpaca den. You'll also have private access to a two-person outhouse!
Attached to our home, you'll be able to use the outdoor shower with amazing water pressure -- and most importantly HOT water. We'll be sure to stack it with the essentials: soap, shampoo, conditioner, and toothpaste. There's also a slop sink next to the shower that you can use to refill water containers, wash any dishes, supplies, etc.
When we're home, we're happy to have you meet, pet, and feed the alpacas: Lala, Oona, Tilly, and Maggie. We also have a flock of chickens who provide fresh eggs which you're welcome to. Help yourself to anything growing in the garden during your visit: we have a mini orchard with peach and apple trees, and I also try to keep a small vegetable garden with some herbs and veg which I'm happy to share. We have a couple bistro sets set up around the property for you to sit and enjoy the sounds and surroundings. We even have a two-person swing and the treehouse for you to relax in while you read a book or enjoy a cup of tea. If you're looking for something more active, then feel free to walk the trails we've made and explore the forests around you.
If you're looking for things to do off the property, then there are plenty of attractions within driving distance. We're located near to an Appalachian Trail entrance, reservoirs for boating, swimming, and floating, river towns worth exploring (like Beacon and Cold Spring), and there are plenty of gorgeous state parks to visit, hike, and explore. Upon arrival, you'll also have an opportunity to rent our kayaks and/or canoe if they're available (inquire upon arrival).
We love our little slice of paradise, and we want to share that with you.
$50 - $58 / night
Croton Point Park is a 508-acre park situated on a peninsula on the east shore of the Hudson River. This park offers year-round events and activities and has facilities for camping, hiking and swimming. The park, rich in natural and human history, is also the site of historic wine cellars that are thought of be the oldest in New York State and the Croton Point Nature Center. The oldest oyster shell middens on the North Atlantic Coast uncovered by archeologists on Croton Point confirm that the peninsula was inhabited by Native Americans as early as 7,000 years ago. Croton is in fact named for the Indian sachem, Kenoten, which means "wild wind.” In the 17th century, Indians of the Kitchawank tribe on the Wappinger Confederacy occupied a large fortified village on the high flat at the neck of Croton Point, which they called Navish. This was one of the most ancient and formidable Indian fortresses south of the Hudson Highlands.
$30 - $60 / night
No vehicles larger than a van or pickup are allowed in the campground. Restricted to tent camping only.
$25 / night
This town-owned park consists of 190 acres of wooded, rocky mountainside. Trails here are relatively easy on the flat but significantly more difficult on the hillside. The ground can be very wet after rains. Onion Mountain Park is accessed on the west side of West Mountain Rd. just south of Shingle Mill Rd. Visitors will find a good size parking lot.
***Very quiet and private in back woods horse pastures on a small farm with free range chickens, a dog, and a couple of horses. Your pets are welcome too! ***
Locally there are state parks with beaches, and state forest for trails & lakes, hiking and biking. Or you can just relax and enjoy the serenity!
*** Each campsite has its own fire-pit and table with chairs. ***
We cannot allow any wood for camp fires to be brought in form the outside for environmental reasons. It can be purchased for $10 per bundle on site or $12 preordered with reservation.
Farm Fresh eggs daily when available for $4.00 per 1/2 dozen. And there are also blocks of ice $5. Garbage removal is available as well $5 per bag provided.
**Other attractions include local farmers markets, Gilette's Castle, and the famous River Ferry crossing the Connecticut River with a vehicle across to East Haddam. *
$49 / night
$10 - $35 / night
Scout
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. It’s up the yellow or blue trail depending on which one you take. However, it’s not a long walk to the parking area from the campsite.
Legend
We generally only stay in KOAs or similar RV parks when we need showers, laundry, or a dump station. This one was in a convenient location plus many campgrounds had not yet opened for the year when we were there. It had rained for a few days before our arrival and that did not help our first impression as we drove on the rutted and muddy road to our site. There was a sign that improvements are underway, but I am not sure what those planned improvements are and when they will be implemented.
On the plus side:
*Friendly and helpful staff. Not sure why when we are given a map an employee escorts us to our site but that is a KOA thing. Later an employee asked if I wanted help carrying our clothes to the laundry.
* Warm showers (but it did take a while for the water to get warm)
*Brand new pool that was uncovered but it was way too cold in April to use*Sites were spaced a decent amount of space apart (although there is little physical separation). This was helped by the fact that there was no one on either side of us during our stay.
*In season, there are many activities to occupy families (pool, playground, mini golf, daily firetruck rides, complimentary shuttle into the town of Niantic); however, we could not take advantage of most of these.
*Reasonably priced laundry, although the washing machines were smal, and it took two to do what should have been one load. However, the dryers give you 60 minutes so although it took longer to dry, I only had to use one.
On the negative side:
*Unmaintained roadways. The main one was once paved but has not been maintained; others were dirt (and mud after a rain)
*High price for what we received. Not sure if we received an off-season rate but at $87 per night for a water/electric site and not being able to take advantage of amenities seemed high.
*Allowing political flags to be displayed at sites. I understand that on private property, this can be allowed at the owner's discretion, but this was offensive to us.
Again, this is not our preferred type of camping. Initially, I struggled to give this two stars but once the rain stopped, our stay improved somewhat.
Legend
General: A county park with a mix of w/e (6 sites) and FHU sites plus about a dozen tent sites near a capped dump! There is a lodge and cabins close to the end of the point, but they appeared to be part of a group camp experience. They all appeared to be closed for the season (or because no one was renting at the time; they reminded me of places I used to take youth groups for weekend camps). The reservation process is a bit wonky. You need to call (no online reservations) and then wait for an e-mail, but the e-mail does not tell you your assigned site; you have to wait until you check in to find out your site.
Site Quality: We had a loosely defined gravel pad that was level. All sites appeared level. The FHU sites were back-to-back and although there were trees separating the sites, they were close together. No one was in the tent sites, but they did have new picnic tables.
Activities/Amenities: Other than a playground and a basketball court, there did not seem to be any activities to partake in. There used to be a pool but from the looks of it, it hasn’t been in use for many years. There are walking paths outside of the campground that are located within the park, but we did not have time to explore them.
Bath/Shower house: Clean but a bit dated. No shelves or hooks for toiletries. I was surprised the door was left open all night long. There was a sign warning that the toilets were slow flushing, but I think this may have been fixed because the flush was so powerful that the water splashed over the top of the seat!
Because it was on a point on the Hudson, I had hoped for views from the campground but there were too many trees to see the water. I was perplexed by the signs throughout saying no trespassing/fishing prohibited. I get the no fishing part but the trespassing? When we checked in, we had to write down our credit card number on a slip of paper before we were given a key that opened the gate to the campground. When we checked out, we asked for the paper or to watch it get shredded but were told they had to keep it on file which concerned us.
Scout
Stayed at this campground this past weekend and yes it was a long weekend so the campground was packed. All the camping spots are pretty much right next to each one with hardly any space, packed like Sardines. Neighbors are loud and some of them are ignorant of the park rules. Staying on the phones in the middle of the night while talking so loud that all camping neighbors can hear their whole story
Its a pity that they take a nice park and remove the fun out of camping.
However the walk to the beach area was very serene, especially early morning before sunrise and didn't feel like we live in dense suburbia and sunrise from the beach was worth the trip
Camp site itself was pretty flat, had a water station, bathrooms were well kept , no fire ring (BYOFP)
Traveler
The campsites are very close together without any defining borders so everybody just walks across each other site’s to get to a different one, a path, the bathroom, etc. No solitude, lots of families with kids, lots of music, I mean it’s basically a party. I didn’t realize this when I made my reservations. The place is great for families who want a safe space to camp and it’s a typical Long Island campground. Rangers came around checking on everyone often so it really did feel incredibly safe. I had a pick up truck w/ tinted windows follow me in the park for quite a while which was rather creepy and I couldn’t shake them. When I biked into the campground itself, the pick up truck couldn’t get past the check in area. Everyone I met was friendly and there’s a little shop in the front of the campgrounds that sells various items. I personally wouldn’t stay here again unless I was meeting up with friends or something and wasn’t trying to have more solitude. This is no fault of the park itself though, I’m just more of a woods girl.
Traveler
I stayed there for 3 weeks for work it was quite priced very reasonably for full hook up and about a half hour from stunning views.
LegendThis is state park, very large nested on Peninsula on the Hudson River.
TravelerStayed in cabin #1. Clean & had all the amenities but very dated & dark. Could use brighter light bulbs!! Beautiful & quiet. Enjoyed my stay.
Guide
Perfect place to get away and be in the calm nature. Only sound I’ve heard is the birds in the trees. Very open area with many sites with bear lockers, picnic tables and fire pits. We called ahead yesterday and they said it’s walk-in, so we will go register now because we came in late. Only $20 for out of state!! That’s the cheapest I’ve seen across all New England lol
Scout
I like everything about it. It's a nice thing to share a great story io games
Guide
Camping Review:
This campsite is beautifully located in the woods, offering a peaceful and serene environment. There are no busy roads nearby, which ensures a quiet setting during the day.
However, there are several downsides to consider. The camping spots are uneven, making it challenging to set up tents or campers. Additionally, swimming at the nearby beach is restricted to residents of the village, so visitors are not allowed to swim there.
During our stay, there were multiple large groups, including a Christian group that preached (screamingly) and played loud music until midnight, despite the designated quiet hours. Unfortunately, the management did nothing to enforce the rules, which was disruptive.
Another significant issue was the state of the sanitary facilities. They were extremely dirty, with feces present in various places. It took a long time before anything was cleaned, which obviously kept us from using the facilities.
Overall, while the location is beautiful, the poor management, noise issues, and dirty sanitary facilities seriously detract from the experience.
Legend
I had a hankering for East Coast seafood, so I picked Hammonesett Beach State Park for Connecticut. Our 2nd state of 5.
Hammonesett Beach has a huge campground. They divide the loops with names. I unfortunately chose Pequot. This loop has THE WORST bathrooms/showers on the South side of the campground. Looks like they were built in 1950s with rotten wood siding. Dirty. The showers were outside the bathroom- there was a bench & hooks OUTSIDE! We found out all the other loops had modern bathhouses.
My first impression of this campground is it's loud, crazy busy & there's traffic noise from the beach road. I actually liked it! This is a fun campground for families. There were kids on bikes, scooters, skateboards,roller blades. Watch your speed! They don't always watch out for your car.
I found out most people stay through Sunday & leave on Monday. There were still lots of campers left. Lots of tent campers.
I chose site 14 on the Pequot Loop because I thought I would have a view of one of the ponds. There was tall vegetation, so that was out.
The sites on the other side of the loop were right by the main beach road. Noisy during the day, but quiet at night.
There are some sites with shade, but most are sunny.
There's no electricity at most of the sites. Our site was full sun(yay for the solar panel!). On Beach Road in the campground there's 2 rows of full hookup sites, but they go FAST! I tried.
NO PETS! Including dogs.
No WiFi, but there's cell service. At least 5 dump stations.
The beach was popular.
There was a stream running from a pond that kids were playing in.
They have a beautiful Nature Center. A couple of easy hikes through one of the preserves.
This was a good base camp for the area. Gillette Castle & other state parks are within driving distance. Connecticut is a beautiful state!!
ScoutBecause of its convenient location, this is my"home" campsite and the one I visit most frequently. I like the platform sites that are available, the location close to the lake and beach, and the clean shower and bathroom facilities slope game.
Scout
JUNE 30,2024 my husband & I were seasonals at waters edge campground Lebanon Connecticuit gave them a 30 day notice we were leaving this place wasnt for us just awful the owners are just money hungey thieves they told us they were keeping our deposit wich we expected because it says non refundable deposit so okay fine but we paid for the whole season its open april15 to october15 gave a 30 day notice left june 30 they refused to give us back the money for july ,august,september,to october 15 they ket 750 plus 2500 dollars told us were not getting our money back So iam sure they rented the site thats double dipping so fair warning I dont want this to happen to anyone else they will Rob you blind oh and they broke our ice maker when they dewinterized our trailer and never owned up to it came down to my floor in camper soaked with water from my freezer and didnr bother to clean tthe mess and said it must have been broken nefore so they are also dirty liars I didnt want to even give a one star rating but had to put somethin i give the a big fat 0
Traveler
Dyrt says $17-$54 went through all the hoops to book one for tonight said $17 per night went to check out expecting a few extra fees, $58.50.....that's over the max advertised....DYRT YOU NEED TO GO THROUGH AND DELETE BAD ENTRIES. YOU ARE A DISSAPOINTMENT.
Scout
I booked site 5 for the week. Great experience! Quiet woods atmosphere with trail’s. Wonderful place to camp. Very clean
ScoutIf you would like a peaceful, clean campground skip this place. This was the worst campground we’ve stayed at. The bathrooms are very outdated and not cleaned often enough. The sites are too close together with very little trees between sites allowing zero privacy. Their picnic tables also are disgusting, bring a table cloth! They have a lot rules one being “no amplifying speakers allowed” that they clearly do not enforce. It sounded like a rave throughout the night even after calling the ranger station and complaining. Guests were playing loud music until about 1:30 AM and starting up again right as quiet hours ended at 7 AM. There then was a religious service happening at 8 AM with a whole amp system we could hear clearly on the other side of campground. We absolutely will not be back.
Scout
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.
ScoutMy partner and I booked a weekend at Fieldstone Farmstead and it was such a pleasant experience.
The outdoor shower and outhouse were such an appreciated amenity. The proximity to hiking trails and lakes was such an added benefit as well. We would have been happy hanging out in the alpaca pen all day, but it was great to cool off in the nearby lake.
The campsite was clean and free of leaves and sticks.
Always felt safe on the property and the star gazing was a beautiful sight. Clean, quiet and cozy weekend. Would recommend to anyone.
ScoutAlthough we were rained on in the beginning, the stay was very relaxing and pleasant. Dave and Kate were extremely kind and helpful. The animals were also very adorable and sweet to be around. I would definitely recommend staying here and visiting parks in the area.
ScoutI took my 5 year old-son and wife, all of us first time campers. this place was great. The site was very nice, all the people friendly and area beautiful.
ScoutThis is also an ideal place to relax and explore.
Traveler
Truly great spot. Amazing sites with plenty of room, though they are close together. But was worth it for the amenities and fantastic views. Stayed on the bayside (site 30), which had a fantastic direct bay view. Although most sites have views of the bay, some are blocked by seagrass (for example site 28 - huge corner spot but the flat spot to park has an obstructed view). Literally steps to the beach.
Traveler
The staff greeted with warm welcomes and big smiles. Even when I arrived on a rainy Sunday. Stayed until Friday. And the grounds staff smiled and waved as they went by. The family next to me offered me dinner one night after I spent the whole day working on my RV. Spanish rice chicken the works the plate could barely hold it all. No body bothered me and I was right front and center. Kids riding around on the bikes and lots of laughter from other sites. It was nice. Was able to just relax and do some school work and watch some webinars and get some much needed work done. This was my first of many stops on my countrywide trip. From NJ originally. Spent almost a week here in CT hitting Hartford for the weekend then off to Rhode Island. It was great. No water or electric hookup but I have solar and a generator and they have a wash area for dishes and REALLY HOT showers. Lol I like my showers hot butt my biscuits were burnin lol. They also have a dump station and a place to fill up ur water tank as well. 5 star all the way. Side note...the map online is misleading. I thought site 1 was like away and sorta back by no one...ha noppeeee I was riiiight in the middle where EVERYONE saw me lmao. No tree cover or anything! Lol. All good tho. That was my own fault for not calling and asking lol helped me level up on my social anxiety 😂🫣🤗😅
Traveler
This was our first stay at Devil’s Hopyard campground. We enjoyed our stay and were happy with our site. It was great to hike and see the waterfall.
Guide
Yes, this is a military-only campground but, that doesn't take away from how incredible it is and that is properly advertised.
This place is incredible. Being military-only keeps standards high, the campground clean and well maintained. We've spent years here, with Dan & Janet but, are looking forward to returning this year under new management, as they enjoy retirement after many years of hard work. Boy, does their hard work show! They have poured so much love and attention into the building and maintaining of Lake Frederick!
Between rustic power-only campsites that give you a true camping experience and upgraded but, still simple cabins which allow campers of all ages and abilities to enjoy the outdoor experience, there is something for everyone. The new docks around the swimming area create a safer swimming experience for even the most inexperienced swimmers, allowing them safe and obvious perimeters. The bath house is always well stocked and clean, ready for end of the day cleanup and the laundry facilities are a great bonus for those of us who like to stay longer than a couple days.
You won't want for anything at Lake Frederick and it will be a great way to unplug, kick back and enjoy God's Creation!
ScoutThis is a nice campground - not crowded and centrally located. However, I cannot walk ANYWHERE without picking up ticks. Even on the large sand paths, going to and from the bathroom I find ticks. It’s amazing!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Stevenson, CT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Stevenson, CT is Hammonasset State Park Campground with a 3.9-star rating from 38 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Stevenson, CT?
TheDyrt.com has all 27 tent camping locations near Stevenson, CT, with real photos and reviews from campers.
