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Campgrounds near Orono, Maine span a range of accommodation types from basic tent sites to fully equipped RV parks with cabin rentals. Pushaw Lake Campground, located directly in Orono, offers lakefront camping with tent, RV, and cabin options open from May 15 to October 1. Several developed campgrounds within a 15-mile radius include Paul Bunyan Campground in Bangor, Pumpkin Patch RV Resort in Hermon, and Bangor Holden KOA in Holden. Most established campgrounds in the region provide amenities such as electric hookups, water, showers, and dump stations, though amenity levels vary significantly between properties.
The camping season throughout the Orono area generally runs from May through mid-October, with most campgrounds closing during winter months due to Maine's harsh cold season. Advance reservations are strongly recommended, particularly for summer weekends and holiday periods when facilities reach capacity. Many campgrounds offer full hookup sites with 30- or 50-amp service for larger RVs, though site leveling can be a consideration at some properties. Several camping areas provide water access, with Pushaw Lake Campground offering boat-in sites for those arriving by water. "The site was great, flat and easy to back into. The campground was clean and other campers were very friendly and very family oriented," noted one camper about their experience at a nearby KOA.
Waterfront camping receives consistently positive reviews from visitors to the region, with lakefront sites being particularly sought after. Campers frequently mention the peaceful setting and natural beauty surrounding Pushaw Lake, though some note that lakefront sites offer less privacy due to their popularity and proximity to other campers. Family-friendly campgrounds like Paul Bunyan and KOA provide organized activities during peak season. More adult-oriented options like Pumpkin Patch RV Resort offer quieter environments with fewer kid-focused amenities. A camper described Pumpkin Patch as "a quiet peaceful campground. It is very well kept, and the staff is always welcoming. Sites are large and level." Most campgrounds in the area provide convenient access to Bangor's urban amenities while serving as good base camps for day trips to coastal destinations like Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, approximately one hour away.
"Snowmobile trails behind the campground lead to a walking path that connects the high school and elementary school for a pleasant walk in the woods."
"We have been here around six times. It’s a quiet peaceful campground. It is very well kept, and the staff is always welcoming. Sites are large and level. Nice walking areas and close to dunkin!"
from $50 / night
Check Availability"Beautiful campground close to all the attractions"
"Close to the cross center and the waterfront concerts. Quite"
"Quick walk to bathrooms & showers, which are very clean. Held lots of activities over the weekend, busy crowd. Got a nice secluded tent space."
"My spot was right next to road. I honest didn't notice road threw out the night. Water rentals kayaks etc were very reasonable. Staff was very nice."
"THe all around environment was very welcoming. I will definitely stay again in the future."
"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."
from $35 - $75 / night
Check Availability"No huge hills, several trash dumpsters conveniently located and even a barrel for animal waste. Bath house conveniently located. Campground has playground, pool and rec room."
from $30 - $50 / night
Check Availability"Close proximity to Bar Harbor and a lot of the main attractions of the national park. Showers are just outside of the entrance to the campground, coin operated."
"quiet, wooded, relatively secluded. good spot at 111 where we stayed. nice places for tents. private showers outside main camping area were a positive since none in camping area itself."
from $30 - $60 / night
Check Availability"I couldn't pull in I had to back in yet having the dinette overlooking the lake was nice. Everyone was so nice and helpful. The lake has 26.5 miles perimeter and a maximum depth of 124'."
"Nice peaceful lake view and access. Location was a good 45 min drive from Acadia National Park, longer than we anticipated. Drive got old after a couple days."
ScoutWe can't voice enough, what a great place this is and we will definitely come back
TravelerBeautiful waterfront, location with level lots and scenic views
ScoutI had fun camping here. The campsites are mostly level in the woods. It really gives you that Maine feel. A few sites have electric. Very nice showers. Nice hiking trail. A fun activity is to find all 12 unique picnic tables that are placed throughout the park by an artist. Recommended.
GuideOur campsite was A2. It’s quite close to the road, so you can hear some traffic noise. The site itself feels fairly private, although you can see some of the neighboring campsites. That said, everyone has enough space, and we never felt like anyone was bothering each other. One thing to note is that you can’t park your car directly at the campsite. You’ll need to carry your gear about 16 feet from the parking spot, which wasn’t a big deal for us. A huge advantage of this site is its location. It’s only about a 2-minute walk to the bathrooms and showers, and it’s also very close to the Gathering Place. Every morning from 7–10 AM they serve complimentary coffee and a variety of treats. I highly recommend the cinnamon rolls and cinnamon donuts, it’s absolutely delicious! Just get there early because by around 9 AM they’re usually gone. In the evenings (6–9 PM), they serve excellent ice cream. Firewood ($6 per bundle when we visited) and ice are also available for purchase. Another nice bonus is the free 24-hour Wi-Fi, and Verizon had excellent reception throughout the campground. The lake view from this section of the campground isn’t the best. If I came back, I would probably choose a site farther from the road, preferably closer to the water. The bathrooms and shower facilities are clean and have a charming rustic feel. Showers cost $1 for 5 minutes. There are plenty of staff members around, and they do an excellent job keeping the campground clean, organized, and well maintained. Definitely rent a kayak if you didn’t bring your own! A single kayak was $38 for 4 hours when we visited, and it’s absolutely worth it. The lake is beautiful and much larger than we expected, we paddled for 3.5 hours and still didn’t have enough time to explore everything!
GuideThis campground is only about 12 years old. It is clean, tidy, and well-kept. Sites in B loop are spacious and level. Every one is a pull-through. The sites are well spaced and very private. B loop has water and electric— A loop has smaller sites with electric only. There are no showers here, but the bathrooms are very clean. The dump station is easy to access and the flush hose has the best pressure we’ve experienced.
GuideDecided on Bass Harbor after considering the only available tent site at Seawall (very small and close to neighbors). The main area of Bass Harbor has lots of RV sites as well as a good number of nice looking tent sites. We stayed across the street from the office where there is a large wooded field for tents only. Very pretty sites with trees and dense mossy surroundings. Super easy, friendly staff, not busy - we were very happy with the site we selected and the whole experience in general. Plenty of deadwood around for a small fire; bathroom/showers/wash station clean and easily accessed. A little pricier than the national park options, but worth it to be away from the standard cookie cutter sites we saw elsewhere.
GuideFairly short walk-in to site H4 - very pretty, quiet, small and private site. Surrounded by trees/vegetation, with tent pad and picnic table. Basic, clean outhouse short walk away. Saw only one other couple, heard no one. Only drawback is no campfires allowed at these walk-in sites. We stayed one night. Considered a 2nd night in A-loop but not very appealing - sites were all pretty close to one another and fairly small.
ScoutHad wood and ice available for purchase, chill atmosphere, clean bathrooms, wonderful experience.
ScoutI had the most amazing and quiet sleep here under the stars with the sunrise overlooking Acadia from the beach. There’s a bathroom too
Camping spots near Orono, Maine sit in the heart of Penobscot County, approximately 10 miles northeast of Bangor at an elevation of around 130 feet. The camping season typically experiences average summer high temperatures of 75-80°F with nighttime lows often dropping into the 50s, creating comfortable sleeping conditions during peak season. Many sites require advance booking 2-3 months ahead for summer weekends.
Fishing access: Branch Lake in Ellsworth offers multiple fishing opportunities with 26.5 miles of shoreline and depths reaching 124 feet. "We had loons come in close to our site. Saw an Eagle too," notes one camper at Branch Lake Camping area.
Hiking trails: Snowmobile trails behind Pumpkin Patch RV Resort connect to walking paths. "Snowmobile trails behind the campground lead to a walking path that connects the high school and elementary school for a pleasant walk in the woods," reports Rebecca Y.
Cultural events: Bangor's outdoor concert venue hosts major musical acts throughout summer, accessible from nearby campgrounds. "You are about fifteen minutes to downtown Bangor which has some good restaurants, a casino, and a large outdoor concert venue which has big name musical acts throughout the summer," explains Nancy W.
Quiet adult environments: Several campgrounds cater specifically to adults seeking peaceful settings. "It's a quiet peaceful campground. It is very well kept, and the staff is always welcoming. Sites are large and level," explains Nicholas H. about Pumpkin Patch RV Resort.
Waterfront relaxation: Parks Pond Campground offers reasonably priced water equipment rentals despite its roadside location. "Beautiful area. I question if I would like this spot. Its right off route 9. My spot was right next to road. I honest didn't notice road threw out the night. Water rentals kayaks etc were very reasonable," writes Eric H.
Helpful staff assistance: Campground staff in the region often provide technical help for RVs. "We came here and extended our stay due to the outstanding service the maintenance gave us with our 40' rv coach," mentions Carolyn K. about her experience at Pumpkin Patch RV Resort.
Variable site privacy: Most campgrounds in the area have mixed levels of site seclusion. At Paul Bunyan Campground in Bangor, one camper noted: "Very nice, but expensive and very close quarters."
Internet connectivity challenges: Wi-Fi quality varies widely between properties and locations within each campground. "Our Verizon phone got good reception and our hot spot worked well. The campground wi-fi was decent at our site but that depends on where you are in the park and what time of day you are using it," reports a camper.
Off-season considerations: Some campgrounds remain open into mid-October. "Stayed here in October, the week before they shut down for the season. Staff was friendly and super helpful," notes Rebecca Y. about Pumpkin Patch RV Resort.
Activity schedules: Bangor Holden KOA offers organized family activities throughout peak season. "Lots of organized activities and great Bingo on Saturday night. We did the pancake breakfast for donation, crafts, and wagon ride durring the day as well as enjoyed the well kept pool," reports Abby G.
First-time camping success: Look for campgrounds with supportive atmospheres for beginners. "It was a little intimidating being our first time camping but we checked in and rolled down to our site right on the water...Everyone there was extremely nice and friendly. There were a lot of seasonal campers there who were very helpful," writes James L. about his experience at Branch Lake Camping area.
Food options: Many campgrounds offer on-site food options to simplify family meals. "We also took advantage of the pizza delivery for dinner one night, the pizza was great!" notes a KOA visitor.
Site selection strategy: At Cold River Campground in Eddington, site layout matters. "Pretty small site but nice layout. Wifi was terrible. Had to listen to an argument from a neighbor. Someone was parked in the spot and had to move so i could back in," advises Ryan.
Pull-through availability: Many campgrounds offer drive-through sites to avoid unhitching for single-night stays. "Most sites are level and there are long pull thrus so you don't have to unhitch if you are only staying one night," notes Nancy W.
TV reception options: Over-the-air TV channels are available at many campgrounds. "We received about twenty over-the-air channels with our television antenna," reports a camper at Pumpkin Patch RV Resort, offering entertainment options for rainy days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What amenities are available at campgrounds in Orono?
Campgrounds around Orono typically offer essential amenities to ensure a comfortable stay. Bangor Holden KOA features water hookups, flush toilets, shower facilities, and big-rig-friendly sites. Many sites are reservable, which is recommended during peak season. Cold River Campground provides various access options including drive-in and walk-in sites, along with water and toilet facilities. Most campgrounds in the region offer fire rings, picnic tables, and access to recreational activities, though specific amenities vary by location. Some campgrounds may also provide camp stores, playgrounds, and Wi-Fi access.
Where are the best camping spots near Orono, Maine?
While Orono itself has limited camping options, the area offers several excellent campgrounds within driving distance. Pushaw Lake Campground is closest to Orono, offering lakeside sites with boat access and RV-friendly amenities. For those willing to travel a bit further, Paul Bunyan Campground near Bangor provides convenient facilities just a short drive from Orono. If you're interested in exploring Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park (about an hour away), consider the numerous camping options there, which make great weekend trips from Orono.
When is the best season for camping in Orono, Maine?
The prime camping season near Orono runs from late May through early October. Summer (June-August) offers warm days perfect for swimming and outdoor activities, with Parks Pond Campground being particularly popular during this period. Fall camping in September and early October at Camden Hills State Park Campground provides spectacular foliage views and fewer crowds. Spring camping (May-early June) can be enjoyable but prepare for cooler nights and potential black fly season. Most campgrounds in the area close by mid-October due to Maine's cold winters, reopening in May as weather permits.
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