Best Cabin Camping near Carrabassett Valley, ME

This is a family run campground located on a hillside between Lake Francis and First Connecticut Lake in Pittsburg, NH. The area is a favorite for those who enjoy boating or riding ATV/snowmobiles (depending on the season), hunting, and wildlife watching (it's called Moose Alley for a reason). 

There's a public boat launch at Lake Francis and easy access to ATV trails.

Sites may be in a field, partially wooded, or wooded. While there are a number of seasonal sites, there are also many short-term sites available. I was on site 39, in a wooded area best suited for tents and small campers. On the campground map it looks like it's a loop, but they've put a barrier up between two sites, so there's no driving around. There'd been significant rain before/during my stay and the road to my site was quite muddy, but the site itself was dry. Sites 40-42 are parallel to the road, but site 39 was off the end and I was able to back in with my trailer. About half the sites on the 'loop' were occupied and it was quiet and somewhat removed from most of the sites.

The bathroom was clean with large, private rooms providing shower/toilet/sink, a nice bonus during the pandemic. Laundry is also available, a definite win if you're muddy after a day of riding.

I had to call to make reservations; the reservation link on the website is only for the cabin rentals. No one was in the office when I arrived, but there were directions to my site in the office.

If you don't want to cook, the Buck Rub Pub a few miles down the road provides good pub food; it's popular and there can be a wait. For a filling and satisfying breakfast, The Happy Corner Cafe across the street will meet your needs at a reasonable price with good service. For dessert or a treat after a day on the lake or trail, stop by Moose Alley Cones. A drive after dusk or at dawn may reward you with a moose along the roadside.

i had OK cell phone coverage.

General: 27 sites with electricity and water, two cabins, 33 remote campsites, and four remote cabins in isolated locations around Umbagog Lake accessible only by boat. 

Site Quality: Some sites have a lake view while some are tucked in among the trees. Site 1A was the fourth up from the lakeshore but still gave us a decent view of the lake. A fire ring and picnic table were at the site. My one complaint is that the electric hookup was so far from where we had to park that we were unable to access it without a very long extension cord (which we did not have). Fortunately, we did not need electricity.

Bathhouse: Quite possibly the most immaculate campground bathroom I’ve ever encountered! They are cleaned at 8 am but when we arrived at 6:30 pm, they were still very clean. Soap and paper towels are appreciated. There was also a vault toilet closer to the wooded sites, although it would not be an unreasonable walk to the main bathhouse. 

Activities/Amenities: Boat launch and slips, fishing, and swimming. Canoe and kayak rentals are available. The building that has restrooms, laundry, and showers also has a large deck with chairs so you can enjoy the view. The sunsets can be spectacular! There is a small store at the office. 

Although just an overnight stay for us, it was very enjoyable. We conversed with a ranger in the morning, and he told us that even when the campground was full (in the summer months), it is a very quiet campground.

Been here 3-4 times and have had an amazing time watch the kids. Great little fishing ponds, cabins and a Treehouse! Fun swimming pool and sooo many kid’s activities.

This is a family campground with pool, playground, bounce house, Yogi Bear, theme weeks, store, rv sites and cabins. It's fun but not private (secluded), tranquil, or very wooded. Lots of fun activities and close to shopping and dining make this a good family spot.

We have stayed here twice. The first time we rented a cabin. The second time we stayed in our RV. 

Each time we visit we truly enjoy the vast ATV trail system. This campground is surrounded by spectacular mountains, rolling fields, towering trees, fragrant wild flowers and beautiful butterflies.

We will definitely stay again!

I stayed here for the first time in August last year, but returned in October this year to enjoy the autumn colors. This is a lovely state park on a large lake, offering drive-in sites with and without water/electric hookups plus a number of primitive boat-in sites around the lake. In 2019 the bathhouse was renovated, delaying the season opening, but it was worth the weight. Bathrooms are clean and bright, offering hot showers ($) and laundry. 

Site fill up on weekends, especially prime lakefront sites.  You can choose something more open and grassy or a wooded site. There's a swimming area and boat rentals. The office has limited hours. If you arrive after 5 or 6 (depending on the day/month), you'll need to check in in the morning and won't be able to buy firewood on site.

Off site, it's a short drive to Grafton Notch State Park (ME) for hiking and waterfalls, a little farther to Bethel, ME for canoeing, biking, and other outdoor activities. The Umbabog National Wildlife Refuge also offers hiking and boating opportunities with moose, loons, eagles, and beavers, to name a few.

It was bitterly cold overnight (24-27 degrees), so I was grateful for my trailer, but it made for some beautiful, if foggy, mornings and brilliantly clear skies for stargazing. If a tent or trailer isn't your chohice, there are cabins available, too.

We stayed here last weekend while on the Orchard for our friends' wedding. The campsite they have here is not open all the time and only available for special events so definitely make sure to check in advance. However, it is a beautiful space and well worth checking out for weddings or other get togethers. They also have cabins you can stay in as an alternative but those are limited. Make sure to check out some of the amazing hiking in the area if you stay here and dont forget to eat some apples.

If your looking for a great little get away where you can get unplugged from society, then this is the place for you. Has a great place to go four wheeling. A place to enjoy the lake and all the fun activities that go along with it. As well as a bathroom facility for showering and all your tolitere needs. The kids can also enjoy the playground, and the various activities they provide. And you may even be visited by the campgrounds own family cat. This place is not only a great place to go tenting, but can also be a place where you can hook up your camper. This beautiful place sits in the woods off the maine road. It gives you the real feel of being out in the woods. It is a very secluded place.

We are a full-time traveling family (2 kids - 8 & 13) and 2 English Bulldogs. We have a Class A motorhome and flat tow a Jeep. We stayed here in June for 11 nights in site B6 and loved it! Owners Matt & Jamie are wonderful and we left feeling like we had stayed at a friend's place. Our site was great because we could see the kids at the playground and the pool, but there were many great sites a bit more tucked away as well. The kids also loved the Saturday night movie they would play on the big screen as well as the movie rental options available for personal use while there. We did not use the ATV trails that are directly off the campground, but they were great! We did, however, rent an ATV from Northwoods Outfitters in Greenville (just 20 minutes away) and it was our favorite activity yet! 

The campground is within 20 minutes drive or so to Hannaford grocery and there is a great little market, Whitney's Market, even closer in Guilford. Greenville is also about 20 minutes away and is a wonderful little town to visit with great restaurants and boating/ATVing options. 

Highly recommend visiting Central Maine and definitely stay at Balsam Woods!

This small, family run campground is a nice spot to get off the grid and explore western Maine. I stayed here because of its proximity to the Fire Warden trail up Mt. Abram; I like to get up and on the trail early, so this was an ideal location. It's not far to the peaks in the Bigelow Preserve, Sugarloaf, Spaulding, or the Crockers, either. It is a 4-hour drive from Boston, so it's not a quick getaway from there.

Each wooded site is relatively level and offers water and electric hookups, all for a price on par with state parks without utilities (even after tax is added to fees, you're still under $25/night). Bring cash or a check because they don't accept credit cards. Although they don't offer sewer, they do offer a dump station. I was in a tent. They do not offer wi-fi and your cell phone isn't much good either. Bathrooms are clean and hot showers are free. I was there late in the season, so the campground wasn't full. It was quiet.

Although I was there to hike, I checked out the Tufts Pond, a short walk across the street from the main campground, It is a nice place to swim, canoe/kayak, or fish in season. And at the beginning of my hike I saw a lot of ATVs out on the trails. There is also an open field area and a playground at the campground.

I bought wood when i checked in and there is a small store. Kingfield offers a grocery store as well. Kingfield also offers a few dining options if you're not up to cooking your meals.

2022 Oct, we stayed here a week with our 24' TT. Fall foliage was unbelievable throughout the area.

Campsite had a fire ring with grill top, 30amp elec, and potable water. Park facilities included newer showers, flush bathrooms, laundry, boat ramp, trailer parking, docks, beach, kayak and boat rentals, small general store at office.

There are some spots down near the lake and on the right side of the entry rd where larger RV's could fit, other sites would be limited to 24' rig max. Dump station is a single station with non potable water hose at station. Dump station is EZ to get into. There are valt toilets located close to all sites.

Errol NH is a 10 min drive with a great sporting good store, a general store, gas station with Diesel and propane and some restaurants. Walmart is about 20 min away.

We really enjoyed our week here, camp and facilities were clean and well kept.

As we got about a mile from the campground we had a moose walk out in the street in front of us. It looked at us for a few minutes and took off. That was a great sign. We were there for 14 nights over the 4th of July. We were in site 42 which has a waterview. You can kayak right from your campsite. It's a little tight trying to back in, yet the site itself is big. We had water & electric and there is a dump station onsite. Our site was shaded and private. They sell ice & firewood there along with a small store with a few supplies. We had a great sunset view and then the lighting bugs come out. The bullfrogs would sing and the Loons are nice to hear & see.

The staff  and volunteers were amazing, helpful and you can tell they love their jobs.

There are some waterfront sites near the swim beach too some do not have any shade.

Site 1D is right on the water and has a little shade. Site 1 C next to 1 D isn't bad either. Site 41 is nice yet it's more for a tent camper. Site 43 backs up to the boat house so you don't have water access yet it's a big shaded site. 

They have primitive sites you can boat to or you can hire the park to take you back & forth. I believe some are as far as 12 miles from the park. They have these metal boats that the front end drops down you can walk stuff right on & off the boat. There are side bar kayak/canoe carriers too so you can take your kayak with you.  The park also rents kayaks & canoes.

We really enjoyed sitting on our chairs in the water at our site watching the boat take people out. 

There is a nice bath house and laundry room. There are some cabins too. 

When you leave the park and go left your in Maine within a few miles. There is a little  store called Upton's that has some food, beer & wine, water and items for sale along with they do lunches and breakfast sandwiches. We bought some chicken salad, potato salad and fresh carrot cake cupcakes from there it was good. If you pass the store you will come to Grafton Notch state park. There are some overlooks and hiking trails. Screw Auger falls was nice and the beautiful wildflowers were in full bloom. 

When you leave the park and turn right toward Errol there is a small grocery store that was just opening they had some groceries and Liquor. There is large outfitter/grocery/ Ace hardware store and a gas station. It was packed. We needed propane so Ace filled our tank. The outfitter store sells hunting/fishing permits and any sporting good item you can think of. There are a few little stores to shop for a souvenir. 

Before you get to Errol you can take a right onto route 16 and drive to rangeley Maine. What a cute town with shops and good places to eat. There was a fresh market  on wednesdays and a fresh seafood truck that sold good seafood from the truck. We bought native scallops, Salmon & shrimp and made a excellent dinner. The first 7 miles of 16 were a little rough yet once you hit the border of Main it's all new paved road. We ate at Parkside & main. Had a lobster roll of coarse and the clam chowder was the best.  On the way back to camp we got some farm fresh eggs for $3.00 a dozen. There is an IGA grocery store there too. 

We really enjoyed just sitting in our chairs in the water at our site and chilling. There were a lot of baby ducks that would visit everyday. They would swim around us & between us while we sat in the water. Very peaceful and quiet. 

On the 4th of July someone had some great fireworks and put on a good show. We loved this campground it was a beautiful place to spend time.

I had heard about Umbagog Lake for years from my father who had taken multiple canoe camping trips in the area, but had never been here myself. Although it was my first time, it won't be my last. My review addresses the base camp, because I haven't been to the remote sites. This was a private campground converted to a state park about 20 years ago. Reservations are available online via Reserve America. It's also one of the few NH state parks that offers hookups (water & electric) if that matters to you. They have small bathrooms with flush toilets and showers (cold water free, hot water $0.25 for 5min; water pressure inconsistent. In addition, there are a few pit toilets scattered around.

Sites are generally small and wooded, but sites 1a-d and 3-4 are open/sunny and near the beach. Sites 41-43 are also lakefront, but wooded, large and level. I started in site 7 (the numbering system here makes no sense) and moved to site 48 after a couple of days. I had space for my teardrop trailer, but site 48 was much smaller. It was also close to the entrance and the parking lot. Avoid site 49 unless that's you're only option (it's on the point at the entrance)

The lake is a bright spot here and rowboat/kayak/canoe rentals are available as well as boat slips. Bring your own boat and there is a separate lot for parking your trailer. If you want a fire, buy your firewood when you arrive. I made the mistake of waiting and the office closed by 5pm on a weeknight and there weren't many options outside the campground.

Things to do: canoeing, kayaking, boating. In addition to Umbagog Lake itself, the Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge has multiple boat launches. I recommend heading over to Steamer Diamond Landing for early morning paddle with the loons. UNWR provides waterproof maps at the launches or at the visitor center (heard toward Errol and turn right/north on 16)

Moosewatching: pick up same map mentioned above from UNWR and look for the moose icons to give you a heads up where to look. Then as you drive along, look for the muddy wallows on the side of the road.You're most likely to see moose very early (sunrise) or as dusk. I saw 5 during my 5 days there.

Birdwatching: I loved the loons, bald eagles, and herons

Stargazing: it's be great if it weren't from the lights shining from the big trailers near the waterfront. Enjoy the dark sky during a new moon.

Grafton Notch State Park (Screw Auger Falls, Old Speck Mtn, Baldpate Mtn, AT crosses here); Step Falls Reserve (waterfall/swimming); and Bethel Maine are 30-60 minutes away in the opposite direction.

We stayed at the main campground in 2021. The campground was a nice place and the sites are generally under shaded trees and included electric and water. There was a dump station located at the entrance to the main campground.

We stayed there during the week when there was not a lot of poeple there using their ATV's making noise

The bathrooms were very clean and the hot water in the showers needed to be paid for.

Lots of things to do and see in the area.

Very small campground with small sites for tents. Very close to other sites. The lake is very pretty but there’s not much else to do on the grounds. You can rent canoes and kayaks. The campground is right off a main road and you hear a lot cars and trucks. Our site was near the main entrance.

Wow! What an impressive set up. Multiple huts laid out over 35 square miles in the heart of the Carrabasset Valley. Trails lead you into a paradise of Maine's backcountry. 5 huts are there for you to find, explore and stay at. Each huts has a bunkhouse to sleep in. Camping is also available within 100 yard of each hut. There's a yurt halfway between Poplar and Flagstaff huts. A great place to chill for a break or a snack. Situated in a valley with mega climbs, serious hiking and biking trails, and lots of water, there's always something to do. The huts have nature programs for you to explore the forest environment with. All huts provide you with meals and other nourishment if you choose. All huts have showers and nice bathrooms which are fully sustainable. There's not much wifi or cell phone reception in the huts, and they like it that way. Take a break from the reality of the modern world amd get lost in the woods of Maine.