Greenville, Maine sits on the shores of Moosehead Lake at approximately 1,050 feet elevation in Maine's North Woods region. The area experiences warm summer days with cool evenings, while winter temperatures regularly dip below zero. Most camping facilities around Greenville operate seasonally from May through October, with some sites closing earlier in September due to frost potential.
What to do
Fishing at Big Eddy Campground: Located about 30 minutes from Millinocket on an unpaved road, this campground offers direct access to the Penobscot River. "Beautiful rustic campground on the Penobscot river. Right on the water," notes a visitor to Big Eddy Cabins & Campground. Another camper mentions, "Great access to lots of good fly fishing!"
ATV trail access: Many campgrounds in the region connect to Maine's extensive trail network. At Spacious Skies Balsam Woods, "This campground has the access to snowmobile trail in the winter as well as the ATV trails. It has its own parking lot for your atvs," according to one reviewer. Another visitor confirms it's "a great place to stay and ATV."
Wildlife viewing opportunities: The Greenville region offers excellent moose and bird watching. At Rowell Cove Campground, visitors report seeing "Loons with babies that swam by" and hearing "haunting loon calls in the evening." Another camper at Moose Creek RV Resort observed that "wildlife is around. I thought the prices were reasonable," mentioning sightings of "deer a few times, a red Fox, a grouse, turkey, a great blue heron and numerous ducks."
What campers like
Direct lake access: Many campsites in the region offer waterfront options. At Rowell Cove Campground — Lily Bay State Park, "The sites are beautifully arranged along the cove, with almost every outside site with water access... Put kayaks in right from the campsite." Another visitor notes, "Site 16 on the water you can launch your kayak from the site."
Clean bathroom facilities: Bathroom cleanliness ranks high in camper priorities. At Wilderness Edge Campground, visitors appreciate "clean (like super clean) showers and bath house" and note the "newly remodeled and very clean" facilities. Another camper mentions that the bathrooms are "tidy with all the hot water a smelly tired pack of hikers could ask for."
Campfire cooking amenities: Fire pits with cooking features are standard at many sites. At Moosehead Family Campground, "The fire pits have grates next to them so you can cook over the fire." The Birches Resort gets praise for its restaurant options: "There is also a full-service restaurant serving three meals a day with delicious comfort food like Thanksgiving turkey dinner, slow roasted prime rib, and French onion soup."
What you should know
Road conditions vary significantly: Several campgrounds require travel on unpaved roads. At Lone Jack Campground — Cold Stream Forest, "The road in off the Capital Road has deteriorated a fair amount in past year, due to rains, we believe. Don't make the trip if you expect good roads." For Seboomook Wilderness Campground, "You need to be adventurous for the drive in there is a 33 mile dirt road to get to Seboomook Wilderness campground. You need to take it slow and be patient."
Cell service limitations: Connectivity decreases rapidly outside town. At Seboomook Wilderness Campground, "There is no cell service. WiFi only at the store during generator hours. This is a place to go to disconnect and be with family, friends, nature." The Birches Resort also has limited connectivity: "Don't be expecting to have all your creature comforts of television, wifi, and phone service because they are nonexistent or sketchy at your site."
Water access challenges: Lake and river access points can be challenging. Alderbrook Camp Site offers "beautiful views" but during summer months "the horse flys were viscous. They were not by the campsite, but were abundant on the trails, and I literally had to run to get back to the camper to minimize the bites." At several waterfront locations, visitors note shallow water requiring longer walks to reach swimming depth.
Tips for camping with families
Playground facilities: Several campgrounds offer dedicated children's areas. At Moose Creek RV Resort, amenities include "a large 25 x 90' heated swimming pool, 3.5-acre stocked fishing pond with kayaks/paddleboats/canoes" and "volleyball/basketball courts, and a playground." Kids particularly enjoy "the Saturday night movie they would play on the big screen."
Weather preparations: Pack layers even in summer. Temperatures at Moosehead Lake can drop into the 40s overnight in July and August. A family staying at Spacious Skies Balsam Woods noted they "stayed here for two weeks the end of September and beginning of October. This was a great place for home base for a couple weeks while we enjoyed Maine and what it offers!"
Off-peak timing advantages: For families seeking quieter experiences, consider late-season visits. At Big Eddy Campground, "It does get a bit busy in the summer with rafters and around holiday weekends. But off-season is always a great time to go." Another family noted that at Lily Bay State Park they visited "in early September" and had "a large selection of lakeside spots, we were spoilt for choice."
Tips from RVers
Site leveling requirements: Many campgrounds feature sloping terrain. At Seboomook Wilderness Campground, "The sites are not level we needed more than usual for leveling," while Wilderness Edge Campground visitors note that many "RV sites will require larger units to park parallel to the road. Bring longer power cords and hoses to ensure it will reach your rig."
Generator operations: Several rv campgrounds Greenville, Maine have specific generator limitations. The Birches Resort offers electricity only "during generator hours which are plenty to keep everything charged." At Rowell Cove Campground, "Generators are allowed so if you are tenting you may want to book a walk-in site away from where RVs park."
Vegetation clearance issues: Trees and low-hanging branches can pose challenges for larger vehicles. The Birches has sites that "can be a little tight for larger RVs" while Lily Bay State Park visitors advise to "beware that park staff does very little in the way to trim trees along the roads and at the sites and you will scratch your rig navigating around the loops."
