Best Tent Camping near Old Town, ME

I’ll preface this by saying that we got in after dark and left by 10am so this review is limited. First, while being very nice the front desk worker was not very helpful in helping us understand the layout and our best choice for tent camping that night. She was just not very communicative. After some prodding questions that felt like I was pulling teeth, we chose site 1 which was by the beach and the only tent site in that area of the campground. It was mid Sept on a particularly windy and unseasonably cold night. The wind was coming right off the lake which made it particularly hard to set up. Blocking the wind with our car was our only choice. After we got settled in, a nice fire and a little bourbon made it all worthwhile. While not very private because we were right next to an RV (all the RVs were lined up on the waterfront with little space between), it was still quite a lakefront spot. The site included a picnic table, a fire ring and a charcoal grill. Buckets of well seasoned wood were available at the camp store right next to us. It had a nice porch to sit on for the morning sun but unfortunately, that looked the opposite way from the lake toward the dense central campground. The camp store had a nice indoor dining area with views toward the lake that I believe was also closed for the season. All in all, I would recommend this if you’re not very concerned with privacy and want a beautiful lake to camp by.

We loved our stay at the blueberry fields!   This is private land that the owner rents to campers.  We stayed in campsite 2, where the land is open and flat, and there was plenty of room for our rv.  There are 4 total campsites, and each  offers a slightly different view and sense of privacy.  The owner met us when we arrived.  Dogs are allowed.  It is dry camping, with no hookups, and generators are not allowed.   The owner had a picnic table set up with flower boxes in it, and there was a nice fire ring. They will sell you wood if you need it.  There was one other camper at site 1, and we could also see the owners house, but both were far enough away that we had a great sense of privacy. There was a shared porta potty available for use for all of the campsites.  The land was quiet and peaceful - it is acres of blueberry fields, which create a special sense of being in nature. The site we were at had a nice tree, which framed the site. The owner was very responsive to questions we had, and responded quickly.   The area was very quiet - at night we only heard the crickets and the wind.

You are close to Castine, Ellsworth, Blue Hill, Deer Isle and Stonington.  There are numerous hiking trails in the area that can be found on All Trails, as well as easy places to kayak from, the closest of which are the Brooksville Town Landing, or Bucks Harbor public boat launch.

Beautiful hike-in sites located along the Pleasant River, and a great access point for hiking on the Appalachian Trail or in Gulf Hagas area!  We didn’t stay at these sites, but came across them while hiking just off the AT. 

Each site has a picnic table and fire ring, with access to a clean latrine (with TP!).  No potable water is available, but the river is easily accessible for dishwashing and boiling/filtering. Firewood is available for purchase at the access gate at Katahdin Iron Works, but keep in mind you’ll have to carry it about ¾ of a mile, and across a river. 

For safety, no bikes or ATV’s are allowed beyond the Katahdin Iron Works gate, as these roads belong to the logging companies in the area and there can be many fast-moving logging trucks. The town of Milo is where you’ll find the closest grocery stores and gas stations, but it’s a bit of a drive so come prepared. 

Note about costs: Located in the Maine North Woods, getting here is quite a journey, but ooohh so worth it. It’s on the way to nowhere, you have to pay to get through the gate at Katahdin Iron Works, pay a daily access fee, and daily camping fee.  Note: If you are planning to backpack on the AT from this location, the pricing is very different, so be sure to ask!

There are six primitive first come, first serve campsites near the trailhead of Little Wilson Falls. As you enter the gravel road leading to the falls trailhead, there is an information board with registration instructions and rules and regulations. Continue down the road to five of the six sites (#6 is located a short drive away across the stream accessible from (Bodfish road). The sites are clearly marked and have a picnic table and fire pit. You must obtain a fire permit before kindling a fire. (The information board has a number you can call to get a permit from the forest service.) The sites are considered “walk in” but there are parking spaces adjacent to the campsites that will accommodate cars (no RVs). Sites 1, 2, 3, and 6 are right along the stream with access to the water and nice tall trees for shade. Sites 1 and 2 are pretty close together so there is shared space. Sites 4 and 5 are across the gravel road in a shrubby area and super close together as well. The trees surrounding these sites are not very tall and don’t provide any shade. There is a vault toilet located along the road but no potable water spigots. The waterfront campsites seemed pretty well used as there was lots of evidence of people not practicing carry in, carry out and there were numerous pieces of toilet paper scattered about. Maximum stay is five nights and they do limit occupancy to eight and only one dog. 

Take time to hike the falls trail which is a 2.4-mile round trip, out and back trail. The trail follows water with a few nice swimming holes and crosses the AT.  About five miles away is the small town of Monson which has an Appalachian Trail Visitor Center, some galleries, restaurants, and a great general store where you can get lots of grocery items and sandwiches to go.  Approximately 15 miles north is the town of Greenville which is a beautiful town with great hiking and pretty lake views.  There are a couple of outdoor outfitters in town if you need gear.

3 secluded spots on a dead-end road. Wooded, path to the lake. Each site includes fire ring and picnic table, and share a pit toilet. Strictly carry-in, carry-out. Road into camp is dirt and some of it can be rough. Cars can make it just go slow. Atv trail access from camp - can ride to Lincoln, Ellsworth, Grand Lake Stream, Machias and all points downeast from here.

No fee, first-come first served. I have never seen all 3 sites in use at one time.

Over 20 miles from paved road. Designated cell reception about few miles away. Accessible to Jack’s Snack Shack (seasonal food and firewood).

This cluster is a well-kept secret. It’s a great backup plan if the Unknown Lake sites are full. Being wooded, it’s a tad cooler here, but the bugs are still obnoxious. If you enjoy listening to Loons, they put on quite a symphony. The lake would be great for kayaking or SUPs and fishing.

I have gone camping here a handful of times and it is so beautiful! Definitely far out there and can be difficult to find if you don’t know the area well. Little to no service as well. We canoe to the island and camp on that but there are spots you can get to without a boat we just prefer it there. Make sure to bring everything you need! There are fire rings but the ranges can be sticklers about having a fire permit. This has only happened once that we’ve been there though they usually just leave you alone. These are also free spots that are first come first serve. The bugs can be really bad here especially in the earlier summer months so definitely keep that in mind and bring bug nets. We have caught a ton of fish here as well. Super beautiful lake and remote spot perfect to get away and unplug for a bit.

This was an unexpectedly beautiful site and great access point for hiking on the Appalachian Trail or Gulf Hagas area! We were seeking a place to stay 1 night just before embarking on a backpacking trip. The woman at the Katahdin Ironworks gatehouse selected the site for us and couldn’t have picked a better one. 

Lots of privacy, beautiful view of the river, and we even were visited by a moose and her calf one evening! Each site has a covered picnic table and fire ring, with access to a private, clean latrine (with TP!) across the road. No potable water is available, but the stream is easily accessible for dishwashing and boiling/filtering. Firewood is available for purchase at the access gate at Katahdin Iron Works. 

For safety, no bikes or ATV’s are allowed beyond the Katahdin Iron Works gate, as these roads belong to the logging companies in the area and there can be many fast-moving logging trucks. The town of Milo is where you’ll find the closest grocery stores and gas stations, but it’s a bit of a drive so come prepared. 

Note about costs: Located in the Maine North Woods, getting here is quite a journey, but ooohh so worth it. It’s on the way to nowhere, you have to pay to get through the gate at Katahdin Iron Works, pay a daily access fee, and daily camping fee. Note: If you are planning to backpack on the AT from this location, the pricing is very different, so be sure to ask!

**Campground Review: **

Hadley’s Point Campground is located on the north side of Mt Desert Island and just a short distance from Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. Hadley’s Point is a large private campground that has tent, water& electric RV, and full hook up sites, as well as Cabins. The campground is broke up in to multiple loops (campground map can be found in my pictures) with some loops in open areas with little shade and sites close together, and other loops have more wooded sites that have some shade and privacy. All style sites include a picnic table and fire ring. 

Reservations are site type, not site specific, so a little bit of a gamble. We were assigned site B27 on this visit. This site was partially shade depending on the time of day and very close to our neighbors. Other sites in the B loop did have more trees and more private, but they were full on this stay. Check-in was easy and the staff was very helpful in providing info and answering questions about the area. A host guides you to your site and assist you in positioning if needed. 

The bathroom on B-loop does not have showers so we had to hike to other loops to shower. The Bathrooms and showers were very clean. The showers are metered and cost $0.50 per 7 minutes, so don’t forget your quarters! 

Firewood and limited supplies were available at the office. There is a full grocery store about 10 minutes away. 

We found good cell phone service with Verizon throughout the property. The campground did not have wi-fi. 

The campground also has a heated pool, playground, and laundry. 

With Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park close by, there is so much to do and see in the area. One of the best benefits of the area is that there is a free shuttle with multiple routes around the island, so you can leave the car and parking hassles behind and just shuttle everywhere. The Shuttle has a stop right on the campground and is dog friendly (on leash and if your dog is friendly). 

Speaking of dog friendly, I’ve never been to an area that is so dog friendly. The campground staff was very forthcoming with dog friendly info and I have to mention Bark Harbor in downtown Bar Harbor. Bark Harbor is a pet store that bakes their own treats, has toys and gifts, and tons of info on dog friendly areas on the island. They have pre-printed lists of dog friendly hotels, restaurants, on and off leash hiking trails, and dog parks. Super friendly crew that keyed us into an off leash hiking area that our dogs loved! 

Pro Tip: A short ¼ mile walk from the campground is an off leash dog friendly beach that you can also launch your kayak or canoe from or have a sunset beach campfire. We really enjoys this beach after a long day of hiking all around the national park. 

With all the outdoor activities of the national park, kayak and boat cruises in the ocean, lobster, lobster, lobster, you’ll need a full week to explore this island. Hadley’s Point made it a perfect place for us to take it all in.

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**Product Review: **

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to test products. At this campground, I tested the Morsel Spork. This spork from Morel is very handy to have in your gear list. We are teardrop campers, so our space is limited. Everything has to have a purpose and be compact. Items like the Morsel Spork, that serves multiple functions, fit right into our needs. We purchased both the mini and the XL. Both are the same (spork on one end, spoon/scraper on the other end), but the XL is a little longer. We found this very functional for regular eating from plates or bowls, or eating directly from food packets. I also found the scraper spoon side useful in cleaning out our french press carafe. Easy to clean, easy to use, comes in multiple colors, and happy to have it a part of our camping equipment.

My visit was very brief. It was unplanned and got there just before dark. I was surprised that anywhere was still even open. Friendly service but I didn't have a chance to see much. I was in a rush to get my tent set up while I could still see. I managed and got a fire going in the provided ring. Sat for a while watching the fire with the ocean as the background. It poured all night so we took off pretty early. There is so much to see in the area that you won't want to spend much time hanging around in one spot. The prices are high compared to many other maine locations but very fair for the area! I would stay again for sure!