American Legion State Forest offers camping with spacious sites spread around a Farmington River location. The forest features the Austin Hawes Memorial Campground with 30 sites that include tent, RV, and cabin options. Sites are situated in wooded terrain with elevation ranging from 300-600 feet, providing natural shade during summer camping season that runs May through September.
What to do
**Fishing access: American Legion State Forest offers direct access to trophy trout fishing opportunities. "Trophy trout river with excellent fishing, but catch and release only," notes Melissa R., who found the campground to have basic but sufficient amenities.
Nearby entertainment options: About 10 minutes from Austin Hawes Memorial Campground sits a drive-in movie theater. "We always tailgate a movie as tradition," says Austin S., who considers the campground his "Favorite place to camp in CT."
Swimming spots: Lake Compounce Campground provides access to the adjacent amusement park with water activities. When temperatures rise, the campground makes a good base for families with children. "Would have been nice if they had a place to swim (in the camping area) besides for at the main park," notes Danny A.
What campers like
Private, spacious sites: White Pines Campsites gets praise for site layout. "The sites nearby had some trees providing space between each site," according to Becca Z., who appreciated the privacy at site 85 in Sunny Crest.
Nature viewing opportunities: Wildlife sightings enhance the camping experience near Tariffville. "We and several other neighboring campers spied a pretty big black bear not far enough away in the late morning hours," reports Sylvia P. at White Pines Campsites, suggesting proper food storage is essential.
Clean facilities: Prospect Mountain Campground maintains well-kept grounds. "Our site was even raked clean," notes Tonya D., who appreciated the attention to detail at this pet friendly campground near the Connecticut-Massachusetts border.
What you should know
Limited cell service: Some campgrounds have little or no connectivity. At Austin Hawes Memorial Campground, Katherine P. mentions "no cellphone service, which is either a good or bad thing, depending on how you feel about it."
Seasonal variations: Most campgrounds in the Tariffville area operate seasonally. Prospect Mountain Campground runs from May 1 to Columbus Day, while White Pines Campsites operates from April 16 to Columbus Day weekend.
Alcohol policies: Granville State Forest enforces strict rules on alcohol. "This campground has a zero-tolerance alcohol policy... if you bring beer, you can expect to be kicked out without notice," warns Tara P., who experienced this firsthand.
Tips for camping with families
Activity options: Prospect Mountain Campground offers numerous family-friendly amenities. "They have activities every weekend such as dances, bingo, hayrides. They also have a great pool, playground and pond for fishing," notes Sandra S.
Kid-friendly entertainment: Northampton/Springfield KOA provides structured activities for children. "They had hayless rides and fire truck rides. This time they had a haunted house walk through," shares Jason A., who found the campground peaceful with helpful staff.
Playground access: White Pines Campsites has play areas for children. "It is a small family/dog friendly campground. Large clean pool my kids loved swimming in. Staff is super nice. Small arcade," according to Kim T.
Tips from RVers
Pull-through availability: Wilderness Lake Park offers sites that accommodate various RV sizes. "Water/elec. Some porta potties in tents area," notes Susan C., who found the park mostly occupied by "permanent summer residents parked with big rigs."
Full hookup limitations: The Quarry Campground advertises full hookups but has limitations. "They advertise full hu but turns out to be a lie when you pull in... all full hi is given to seasonal customers," reports Brittany V., though she still rated it 4 stars.
Dump station access: Lake Compounce Campground provides water and electric connections but no sewer at individual sites. "Does not have sewer hookups, but does have a dump station," notes Ray B., who found the park well-maintained with friendly staff.