The Danforth area sits near Maine's eastern border with New Brunswick, Canada, with nearby East Grand Lake spanning both countries. Most motorhome-friendly campgrounds in the region operate from mid-May through early October, closing before winter temperatures drop below freezing. Local elevation ranges from 400-700 feet above sea level, with campgrounds typically situated on uneven terrain that requires careful site selection.
What to do
Lake activities: Shin Pond Village Campground provides access to both Upper and Lower Shin Ponds for kayaking and canoeing. "Shin Pond rents Polaris UTV and snowmobiles, canoes, and kayaks in the summer and snowmobiles in the winter. We went on a UTV ride one day and were treated to some beautiful views," notes one camper.
Hiking trails: Multiple short trails can be accessed within 30 minutes of Danforth. "Just a few miles down the road is a short hiking trail leading to Shin Pond Falls and another trail that runs along the Seboeis river which is a beautiful hike," reports a visitor who stayed in the area.
National monument exploration: Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument can be reached within a 90-minute drive from most Danforth-area RV campgrounds. One camper shares: "The campground is close to the northern entrances to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument and Baxter State Park which is the major reason why we stayed there. We loved exploring these parks where you have access to beautiful hiking trails and lakes and ponds and is not as crowded as the southern areas."
What campers like
Clean facilities: Many campgrounds maintain well-kept bathhouses and common areas. At Wilderness Edge Campground, a visitor appreciated the "clean (like super clean) showers and bath house, fire pit and picnic table at each site and cabin, super helpful, friendly hosts and last minute gear avail at the office."
Quiet atmosphere: The relative seclusion of Greenland Cove Campground appeals to many. "We had a pleasant stay on a great site with a beautiful view and managed to get showers in and laundry done, too!" notes a recent visitor.
Helpful staff: Campground personnel often assist with local knowledge and services. At Katahdin Shadows Campground, guests appreciated the "SUPER friendly staff. Arcade and well stocked store. Heated pool, campfires, tractor rides. Lots of permanent sites, but friendly, outgoing people!"
What you should know
Site conditions: Many campgrounds in the region have grass sites that can become problematic in wet conditions. A camper at Shin Pond Village Campground reported: "Sites are grass with very little gravel and, as we found out, they can be very soft. We pulled into our site (#21) and before we knew it our 45' (47,000 lbs) RV was stuck."
Limited services: While most RV campgrounds near Danforth offer water and electric, full hookups aren't universal. One visitor noted: "There is no sewer but there is a dump station and a 'blue boy' for you to use and dump your own tanks. They do not have a pump-out service."
Connectivity challenges: Cell coverage varies significantly throughout the region. "No cell or internet reception with our Verizon phone. The campground does have wifi but the signal was not strong enough to get reception reliably at our site," reported one camper staying near Patten.
Tips for camping with families
Campground activities: Some larger RV parks near Danforth offer organized events. A visitor to Sleeping Bear Campground mentioned: "I happened to stop in on a Friday night they were doing a bean bake with a BBQ, live music, and games for the kids!"
Playground access: Several campgrounds maintain play areas for children. At Katahdin Shadows, families can take advantage of "kids enjoyed riding bikes and using the game room. Pool was clean and in a central location."
Site navigation: Family-sized sites may require advanced planning. "A bit crowded but very family friendly. Lit site markers made it easy to find your site. Not great site vehicle parking. We went on a holiday weekend with lots of events planned. Family hayride was fun."
Tips from RVers
Site leveling: Prepare for uneven terrain at many rv campgrounds in Danforth, Maine and surrounding areas. A guest at Birch Point Lodge Campground warned: "The sites are SUPER unlevel. We had to use so many leveling blocks to assist our auto-leveling system!"
Pull-through limitations: What some campgrounds call pull-through sites may not function as expected. A visitor cautioned: "There are six sites per road. There is literally no where to pull off of the camp road to set up your RV site. The RVs must be set up in the road!"
Smaller RV advantages: Compact rigs generally have more site options. At Our Vision Farm, which offers just a single RV site, a visitor with a smaller rig noted: "Power/water/sewer worked great. We had full cell reception with T-mobile and Verizon. Farm dogs were very friendly and got along with our puppies."
