Best Cabin Camping near Jay, ME

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.

We rented a one room cabin that was perfect for two who flew in without camping gear. Fridge, coffee pot, microwave and AC. One queen bed and a bunk bed made for comfortable sleeping and a fire pit was even included. This site is located on a beautiful property and very quiet. There is also a pool and we’ll stocked store and the Zach and the staff couldn’t have been more accommodating and that’s why I gave it five stares. We will stay again if in the area and I recommend you give this place a try. Trailer or tent sites are here as well as a ‘glamming’ canvas tent for a more romantic stay. 😉

We tented for two nights mid-week in 2020 and booked the cabin for Memorial Day weekend 2021. I thought we might like it less completely booked but that wasn't the case. The owners are quality people, the seasonal folks are super nice, the facilities are lovely. The weather was cold and rainy but there was still a great vibe and tons of activities. The cabin was cozy but had a microwave, coffee pot, and fridge (no need to worry about ice). Outside we had a canopy, fire ring and grill. The kids had a blast in the heated pool and on the playground.

This Camping Park has something for just about everyone. Whether you have an RV (small, medium or large), tent, are looking for a cabin or want a little more of a wilderness feel, this place has something to offer. 

While the campground looks to be primarily RV camping from the road, there are many tent sites tucked away in the trees and even two sites that are walk-in only and are situated right on the Androscoggin River. Additionally, the campground has several nice cabins available as well.

Let's start with the RV sites: there are a bunch! This campground also hosts many seasonal campers who have sites situated around the perimeter of both sides of the campground (split by Route 2). Seasonal campers have some pretty sweet set-ups for sure. The only downside to some of the RV spots is that they can be in the sun almost all day which can be a bit much in the heart of the summer. Otherwise, sites are well maintained and have all the normal hookups for RVs.

Tent sites are well spaced and almost all of them are in the shade which is a huge bonus! Each site has a picnic table, fire ring and nice level spot to pitch your tent. Bath houses are conveniently located throughout the campground and are well maintained. 

The two walk-in tent sites are very secluded and offer fire rings, picnic tables, a bear box and one of the two sites has a wooden tent platform. The second site's tent platform is currently being built (July 2020) and should be at the site and ready for use soon. These sites sit right on the beautiful Androscoggin River, offering a serene backdrop for your camping adventure.

The campground is situated in-between two large tracts of the White Mountain National Forest. Great hiking is available at the campground as well as a short drive away. If hiking is a hobby of yours, look no further! This is a great location to base yourself out of to get some solid miles under your belt. There is a campground office that has a small store as well as laundry facilities. They also offer an AT Hiker Hostel. They also have a nice heated swimming pool, playground and many other amenities. When there isn't a global health pandemic, they have a bouncy house for the kids. They often show movies on the lawn when the weather cooperates. They also rent kayaks and you can launch from the campground or they will shuttle you some place near by.

It really is a campground with a little bit of everything! Owned by locals of the community who have run the place for over 25 years.

We decided to visit this campground on their “clean-up” weekend. In return for volunteering we would get free food and a campsite for the weekend. That sounded like a pretty good deal for us and turned out to be a great experience and we loved the campground. The reasons we loved the campground so much was because it was on a gorgeous 630-acre working farm (Wolfe’s Neck Farm) nestled into Casco Bay. The grounds are beautiful and just five miles from downtown Freeport (home to the L.L. Bean Flagship Store, assorted outlets shops, restaurants, grocery, etc.) and a couple of miles from Wolfe’s Neck State Park.

Overall, this campground is located in an idyllic Maine setting and offers the feel you would expect to find in a state park – hiking trails, water for kayaking/fishing, and some sites with lots of space between them. You have expansive water views of the bay that provide a great backdrop for some of the campsites. But best of all, the campground is located on a working farm so you are free to tour the barns, pet a goat, visit the community garden or buy fresh chicken eggs.  

Roads and sites are gravel and the overwhelming majority are level. Of the 150+ sites, only 20 have water and electric (50 amp). All sites have picnic tables and fire pits. There is no cable or wifi.  Reservations can be made on-line or by phone. Our Verizon 4G phone and hotspot worked well and we got a half dozen antenna channels (including major stations).

The sites vary widely based on size, privacy, water views, and hook-ups. They discourage RV’s larger than 35’ from coming but I am not sure how strict they are on that because they let our 40’ rig in. There are a scattering of large sites (big enough to fit 40’) but the roads are narrow and the substrate can be soft depending on the amount of rainfall. 

While no sites have sewer there is a dump station. However, the dump station is ill-placed and would have been very hard for us to access. Two shower houses (and a laundry) are located on the property and numerous pit toilets are scattered about. Be aware that this campground is very spread out so in some instances sites are far from flush toilets and showers. Water spigots are located throughout the campground. For those without RV’s, there are great little cabins for rent that have gorgeous views, picnic tables, and fire pits.

There is lots to do without even leaving the campground such as taking a hike, visiting the farm animals, attending a lobster bake, there is a playground, you can rent kayaks/canoes/bikes, or fish in the bay.

What we really liked about this campground was being in the picturesque coastal farm setting. We often visited the barn to watch the baby goats and lambs and Spirit was intrigued with the cows. There is plenty of room to walk your dog and enjoy a stroll outdoors.

The proximity to L.L. Bean and downtown Freeport can’t be beat. We especially loved hiking at Wolfe’s Neck State Park and there were plenty of places for Spirit to swim. Casco Bay is amazing for kayaking – just mind the tides.

The not so good things about this park are the lack of sewer and that our patio was in a low, wet spot. Also, some of the water/electric campsites are on very soft substrate which may pose a problem for large RV’s. There are very few flush toilets for this size RV park and I’m sure they are quite crowded in the busy season.

I spend one week at this campground every year, and I am so sad covid killed that for us this year! However, I’m going to write this to share just how awesome it is because I can’t wait to go back!

We stay in an HHK which is a site that has its own electric stove, kitchen sink, covered picnic table, and small bathroom in the back! It’s definitely more lux than a standard site, but it makes camping with kids insanely easy. There are a million other options from plain tent sites to rentable cabins and everything in between, there’s something for everyone.

There are two sides across a road of this campground-pond side and pool side. Pond side is a lot more crowded and desired so if you’re more into a quiet experience, stick to pool side.

They have weekly events that we love! Tuesday trivia, Wednesday beach party, Thursday dance party, and Friday karaoke- the latter being the most fun! There are so many things for kids to do throughout as well, there’s very little time for down time or boredom!!

My one con is the location of public restrooms. There aren’t many, hence why we stay on a site with our own, and some are extremely far away from campsites that don’t allow campers. There’s a site called the Tree House and because the treehouse is a ‘structure’ (it contains two bunk beds) you aren’t allowed to put a tent or a camper on the site. I personally think that’s absurd, because the nearest rest room is FOREVER away. I would never be able to get my kids to the bathroom in time all the way over there. It would be amazing if they changed this policy or added another bath structure. Just keep an eye on the map when you book!

I couldn’t recommend this place more. I can’t imagine anything happening that would cause me not to return next summer or every single summer from now on. I fully intend on making this a lifetime trip.