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Desert of Maine Campground

CAMPER SUMMARY PRESENTED BYFord

Desert of Maine Campground, near Freeport, Maine, is a unique spot that combines the charm of camping with the intrigue of a geological wonder. This small, quiet campground is well-kept and features spacious sites, making it a great choice for both tent campers and RVs.

The facilities here are top-notch, with modern bathrooms and individual shower rooms that have impressed many visitors. One camper raved about the “incredible campsite” and noted the “luxury showers” that are hard to find in most campgrounds. Plus, there's a camp store open 24/7, which adds a nice touch for those late-night snack cravings.

For those looking to stretch their legs, the campground is adjacent to the Desert of Maine, where you can explore the fascinating landscape and even search for gemstones. It’s just a short drive to downtown Freeport, where you can check out local shops and grab a bite to eat. Families will appreciate the child-friendly atmosphere, and many have enjoyed the common areas where kids can play and make new friends.

With its clean facilities and friendly vibe, Desert of Maine Campground is a solid pick for anyone wanting to experience the beauty of Maine while enjoying the comforts of modern camping.

Location

Desert of Maine Campground is located in Maine

Detail location of campground

Directions

From jct I-295 (exit 20) & Desert Rd: Go 2 mi W on Desert Rd.

Coordinates

43.85850427576389 N
70.15434235634007 W

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Connectivity

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    T-Mobile
    No Coverage
  • signal strength bars
    VerizonLTE
    Some Coverage
  • signal strength bars
    AT&TLTE
    Some Coverage

Drive Time

Presented byToyota Trucks

Connectivity

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  • signal strength bars
    T-Mobile
    No Coverage
  • signal strength bars
    VerizonLTE
    Some Coverage
  • signal strength bars
    AT&TLTE
    Some Coverage

Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites

Features

For Campers

  • Market
  • Trash
  • Picnic Table
  • Firewood Available
  • Phone Service
  • Reservable
  • WiFi
  • Showers
  • Drinking Water
  • Electric Hookups
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Sanitary Dump
  • Water Hookups
  • 30 Amp Hookups

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Reviews

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4.5

out of 5

14 Reviews

Reviewed Oct. 21, 2022

Fantastic stay here!

Absolutely loved this small quiet campground that borders the desert of Maine. You can actually walk through for free after the park closes and you can spend hours just walking around. The sites were fairly spacious and the campground is extremely well kept, everything you read about the bathrooms is true. There is even a camp store with an iPad kiosk that’s open 24/7. The best part… The owner is absolutely hilarious, fantastic sense of humor!

Site17
Month of VisitOctober
Reviewed Jun. 1, 2022

Beautiful and modern

Quiet small campground for tents and SMALL campers or RVs. Sites are small and wooded. Oh, but the bathrooms - amazing- modern, clean and individual shower rooms. Spotless. And if you like “glamping” wait to you see these A-frames! Spectacular. About 10 minutes from LLBeans in Freeport, Maine.

Site15
Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Desert of Maine Campground by Pat , June 1, 2022
  • Review photo of Desert of Maine Campground by Pat , June 1, 2022
  • Review photo of Desert of Maine Campground by Pat , June 1, 2022
  • (7) View All
Reviewed Jan. 10, 2022

I also took advantage of actually exploring the park as it's not just a campground, but a geological exhibit, where through the ice age, the mineral deposits altered and shifted and created a mini desert and with years maybe centuries of erosion the ground has changed into a heavy grainy sand, when it surrounds natural soul and foliage, and it's amazing all the scientific research that has been investigated to meet another part in God's creation.

I had a beautiful time with my wife camping with the tent. The rest of the family came to visit and that is when we took the tour of the Desert of Maine and learned the facts and had the opportunity ourselves to searched for various gemstones and walk the grounds. On the tour, you are on a farm trailer pulled by a tractor, as you explore and witness places that consistently change or are changing before our eyes. You are also surrounded by nature and it leaves you to wonder how does this impact the animals, and if you take it further as it continually expands, could this happen on your property, and how with the changes that it could effect your lives. The camping was great, it was a family campground

Site4
Month of VisitJuly
Reviewed Sep. 6, 2021

Wonderful experience!!

Incredible campsite, extremely child friendly, with all sort of comforts, brand new bathrooms -never seen such impeccable, decorated and luxury showers in a camping site before!- 

Our children loved the place as much as we did and we definitely plan to visit again soon.

Grateful for an amazing and kind service as well!

SiteThe Desert of Main
Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Desert of Maine Campground by Lara V., September 6, 2021
  • Review photo of Desert of Maine Campground by Lara V., September 6, 2021
  • Review photo of Desert of Maine Campground by Lara V., September 6, 2021
Reviewed Aug. 20, 2021

Aesthetically pleasing campground-- good for tent campers

Desert of Maine campground is an excellent choice just 4-5 miles from the heart of Freeport at interstate exit # 22. This campground is well-imagined. Sites are close together, and some are small. There are 2 hike-in sites which are set apart. Wifi is provided throughout the campground and most sites have power. They must have studied "best practices" when designing this lovely campground. 

I booked an extra night.

This is an outdoor experience campground- not a wilderness adventure -- but perfect for young families…especially for those new to camping or those for whom a very sanitary classic bathroom is needed.Children find and entertain each other in the common area.

Sites 19-27 face a shared square with excellent access to the modern and stylish bath house. Other sites have a somewhat further walk. Sites 17-27 are best for tents due to the configuration of the sites.. Tent sites # 2 & # 3 are short walk-in and very private, but lack easy access to the bath house. Almost all sites in this campground have shade and are under a beautiful canopy of old pine, maple and balsam.

Site 24 is lovely & slightly set apart and cars are parked close by but not on the tent site. Site 27 is located down a steep slope and is very private but has difficult access. I would categorize site 27 as a hike-in site, but not # 24.  All sites are generally level and have been graded. Sites have scant privacy in front, but back up to forest. Sites 4, 6,17, 19, 23 & 26 have slightly more space but space is not the defining issue in this campground. RV's that are large should not try this campground. The maintenance is superb; and the thoughtful design of the overall campground is aesthetically pleasing. 

This attractive campground is small-scale and personally managed. 

Ice is available for purchase…as is wood. 

Beware of speed trap on the 2 mile access road between the interstate & campground.

Site23 & 20
Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Desert of Maine Campground by LoneCamper C., August 20, 2021
  • Review photo of Desert of Maine Campground by LoneCamper C., August 20, 2021
  • Review photo of Desert of Maine Campground by LoneCamper C., August 20, 2021
  • (13) View All
Reviewed Aug. 14, 2021

Brand New Campground

The bathhouse is new and hotel quality. The sites are nice but they provide lots of area to picnic and play lawn games. The staff is super friendly too! Great place to stretch your legs on a drive. Also the attraction is pretty cool.

Site6
Month of VisitAugust
Reviewed Jul. 18, 2021

Renovated, Revitalized, and Really Neat!

I couldn't come up with another big R word, but I loved the history and uniqueness of this campground.

I never expected to stumbled across sand dunes in coastal Maine, so this was super cool.

The sites were nice and there was no price difference between tent-only and sites with water and electric (when does that happen!).

It was clear that things had recently been remodeled and the restrooms and showers were some of the nicest I have EVER seen at a campground (public or private).

The store also has a small ice cream shop and an amazing playground for the kids.

You can also briefly hike to the site of the Old Springs House and Gemstone Village.

Plus, it is only a 5-10 minute drive into downtown Freeport from here.

I liked it so much I had to book a second night!

Site15 + 18
Month of VisitJuly
Reviewed Jul. 11, 2021

Un level site

Site 18 was not level and we had difficulty leveling our small motorhome. The campfire was also too close to the tent spot.

Site18
Month of VisitJuly
Reviewed May. 28, 2021

Campground under new ownership

Hello! The Desert of Maine Campground changed ownership in the winter of 2018-19. All of the reviews of this campground on The Dyrt are from before a complete renovation by the new owners (me and my wife, actually). We are anxious to have as many users of this platform look at what we have done and consider the changes with fresh eyes. We have poured ourselves into the renovation and we hope you will agree when you get here that this campground is a truly special place. Thank you for your consideration and we look forward to hosting you soon!

Reviewed Sep. 4, 2020

Unique camping experience

This campground was small and our site was kind of tight. There was nice tree cover and ample space between sites. The rates were reasonable. 

It's a unique camping experience. They have a butterfly garden and the desert is an interesting place to explore.

Reviewed Sep. 13, 2018

Nice campground

A nice campground. Clean sites and shaded. Watch out for ticks in the leaves and trails. But the desert/dunes are an interesting attraction and the campground is close to Freeport, ME which is home to LL Bean and local breweries. About 30 minutes from Portland, ME.

Reviewed Aug. 26, 2018

Great for late arrivals!

While on the road on a Saturday night, it was difficult finding an available tent site for Saturday night only in the area. Called Desert Dunes and the man helping me couldn’t have been more friendly or helpful. We weren’t even sure if we would make it but he posted a campground map with my name on it and directions drawn out to an available tent site. We got there well after dark and ended up with a great little site (T3) and lucked out with no neighbors. The desert tour looked very cool but will have to wait for next time as we had to get back on the road.

Reviewed Aug. 19, 2016

Desert of Maine

What a lovely campground! We were tucked back into T8 which is a walk down campsite under the trees near a small stream. The benefits were not only a little bit of privacy but close access to the bathrooms and showers (free) which was most excellent as well as the washer and dryer ($1.50 or so a load for each machine). The folks working at Desert of Maine were ever so helpful and so very friendly. With the location being a short drive from a gas station, grocery store and the LL Bean shops in Freeport as well as Portland, we were in the perfect spot at a reasonable cost especially because they offered a military discount. The desert itself was really cool and those camping get 1/2 off a guided tour. In addition, there is wifi near the camp check in and gift shop which was a plus. Definitely more of an RV place but tents are definitely welcome, although I would say go for T8 if you have a tent. Definitely a quaint campground for those passing on through!

  • Review photo of Desert of Maine Campground by Maggie K., August 19, 2016
  • Review photo of Desert of Maine Campground by Maggie K., August 19, 2016
  • Review photo of Desert of Maine Campground by Maggie K., August 19, 2016

Frequently Asked Questions

What is unique about camping in the Desert of Maine and what should I expect?

The most unique aspect of camping at Desert of Maine is the unexpected sand dunes in coastal Maine that you can explore during your stay. The campground features wooded sites, a butterfly garden, and is situated on what was once a farm that transformed into a desert-like landscape. Expect a small, quiet camping environment with tree cover providing shade. The campground is conveniently located just 4-5 miles from downtown Freeport, making it easy to visit LL Bean and local breweries. There are hiking trails available, though watch for ticks in the leaves. The attraction includes opportunities to search for gemstones and learn about the area's fascinating geological history.

What do reviews say about the Desert of Maine Campground experience?

Desert of Maine Campground offers a peaceful, shaded camping experience with clean sites and good spacing between them. The campground underwent complete renovations under new ownership in 2019, featuring exceptionally clean, hotel-quality bathhouses with individual shower rooms. Located just minutes from Freeport and about 30 minutes from Portland, it's convenient for exploring the area. The staff is noted for being friendly and helpful, with many campers appreciating the unique opportunity to explore the adjacent desert attraction. The campground is especially child-friendly with areas for picnics and lawn games.

What glamping and cabin options are available at the Desert of Maine Campground?

Desert of Maine Campground features spectacular A-frame structures for glamping that previous visitors have described as truly impressive. These glamping accommodations offer a luxury camping experience for those who prefer not to pitch a tent. The A-frames are well-designed and provide a comfortable alternative to traditional camping. While specific details about amenities inside the glamping structures aren't extensively documented, they're highlighted as a standout feature of the campground. For the most current information about glamping options, availability, and pricing, contact the campground directly.

Are there any discounts or coupons available for the Desert of Maine Campground?

Desert of Maine Campground offers reasonable rates for their camping sites. There's no specific information about regular discount programs or coupons, but the campground is known for fair pricing given the quality of facilities and proximity to Freeport attractions. For the most current information about potential discounts, seasonal promotions, or special rates, it's best to contact the campground directly or check their official website. Camping rates may vary by season and site type.

What photos can I see of the Desert of Maine Campground before booking?

Photos of Desert of Maine Campground typically showcase its wooded tent and RV sites, the exceptional modern bathhouse facilities, unique A-frame glamping structures, and the adjacent desert attraction with its sand dunes. You can find images highlighting the campground's butterfly garden, picnic areas, and playing fields. The campground underwent renovations in 2019, so look for current photos showing the updated facilities. To view official photos before booking, check the campground's website, social media pages, or contact them directly for the most representative images of what to expect during your stay.