Best Tent Camping near Skowhegan, ME

Northeast Whitewater is a mix of guide service, moose viewing tours, whitewater rafting, and camping. The camping options are yurts and primitive tent camping. There are no RV/Van camping facilities. All camping is walk-in as you can’t drive to your site but most campsites and yurts are not too far away. There are six yurts all with varying configurations, sleeping anywhere from 1-2 people (with king sized bed) up to up to six people (with bunk beds). All yurts have electricity and come equipped with heaters and fans; in addition, pillows, bedding and linens are supplied. Depending on the particular yurt you choose, some have small refrigerators, table and chairs, and nightstands. 

Tent sites are primitive with fire pits and picnic tables. The ground is level and cleared so there is no problem finding a place to put your tent. The sites are fairly close together so you will definitely hear and see your neighbor. There is no water or port-a-potties at camping sites. One bathhouse is located adjacent to the main building and there is a dish washing station located there as well. The bathhouse was clean when we visited (but we were not there during the busy summer season as there are many rafting trips and those customers share the same bathroom). The bathhouse is pretty far away from the camping area which is inconvenient when you have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. All yurts and campsite have trash cans located at the site. Each site has a large fire pit and removable cooking grates are available. There are rustic log benches around the fire pits. 

Yurts and campsites are located behind the main building/office but you still get some road noise as Route 6 is a heavily traveled road. As far as amenities, there is a volleyball net and corn holes. A covered pavilion is located between the campsites and the main building and has a few picnic tables underneath. The main building has a gift shop stocked with moose gifts, apparel, snacks, drinks, and an assortment of “camp stuff.” This is also where you can book a moose tour, rafting trip, or inflatable kayaks if you are feeling adventurous. 

The campground is located between the towns of Monson and Greenville. The Monson General Store is a great little store with an assortment of grocery items and makes really good sandwiches and the nearby Lakeshore House Lodge and Pub has the most wonderful pot roast. Greenville has a larger grocery/trading post which has pretty much everything you need from shoes to lettuce. Hiking in the area is great! You can pick up the Appalachian Trail or head to Little Wilson Falls for a nice, wooded walk along a stream to a pretty waterfall. Borestone Mountain is nearby and provides amazing views.

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.

This location is Beautiful, but it comes at the cost of privacy.  When I first discovered this spot, it wasn't an official campsite, people just came here to swim and there was a fire ring. That was over 20yrs ago.

There are 4 sites, 3 have no separation between them, 1 is at the entrance, all are on the access road with 0 privacy.  This area is overused, and it shows, sites are warn in and if there was room relocating fire pits and allowing some nature to come back would be nice.  I managed to tuck myself into a private alcove of trees on the #1 site, but still was in full view of headlights and people driving in to see if there was space.  The site I had was big enough that I shared it with a couple that had a small child, and they had their own section. 

There are no service, no water, no electricity, no to little cell coverage.  There is one pit toilet.  

The access road in is rough, not for normal street cars.

Did I mention lack of privacy?

See pics.

This primitive campsite is located in the Little Moose Public Lands area about five miles from downtown Greenville, Maine. The public lands area is approximately 15,000 acres. Access to the public lands and overnight camping are free and this is a first-come, first-served campsite with a 14-night maximum stay. Keep in mind this is a carry in, carry out site. A fire permit is required and can be sought by calling (207) 778-8231. 

From the entrance of the public lands off Route 6, travel approximately 5½ miles along North Road to Trout Pond Road to the trailhead leading to the campsite (the area is well-marked). The campsite is located about a quarter of a mile away from the parking lot. The path to get to the campsite is relatively flat and easy to traverse except over some of the wooden planks which were slippery when I visited due to recent rain. The campsite is really large in a nice open cleared spot with some large trees for shade. A large picnic table and stone fire ring are present. There is a fully enclosed vault toilet that where someone left sanitary wipes, toilet paper, and fire wood inside. Based on the shredded toilet paper, it looks like a mouse uses it as well. The pond is beautiful, and you have water access from this campsite. There are some canoes and boats stashed in the woods and we saw a few people paddling and fishing while we visited so you may have company. 

There is great hiking around Big and Little Moose Ponds with nice views. The Loop hike is about 4.4 miles with a 650’ elevation change. For a harder hike with great views of Moosehead Lake and Greenville, check out Big Moose Mountain which is about 4.4 miles with an elevation gain of 1,800’. Downtown Greenville has good restaurants, shopping, and a few shops. Moose and seaplane tours are very popular and there are plenty of guides if you are interested in hunting and fishing.

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.

Basically this is a small independent RV park split between season RV campers and regular RV campers. The only reason for a tent camper to go is to take advantage of the laundry room and the nicely scrubbed showers. It’s 5 minutes from Skowhegan and a short 2 minutes from Kennebec Banks rest area on route 2.

There are about 5 tent sites– two of which are on a small point stretching into the confluence of the great Kennebec River and the small Wesserunsett River. 

The only two tent sites I would recommend are #50 & #51 on the point with # 51 being most desirable. I absolutely would not recommend any of the other tent sites for various reasons. I used site #51 and pitched my tent about 20ft from the Kennebec. At 6:45am  I saw two bald eagles patrolling the Kennebec. 

The RV sites that are interesting are the ones directly along the Kennebec. They are sites 39-45; 47A; 47B; 47C; 48; and, they park parallel to the river. Otherwise, it’s a very tight center filled with RV’s and very large motor homes. Sites # 52– 58 may look like they are water sites… but the water feature on the map is only a brushy swamp. 

The 2 showers are very good, clean and include a bench. There are 2 flush toilets also sparkling clean; but, they are some distance from The Point. The 24hour self-operated laundry is housed in a small, dedicated bungalow. There are 2-3 docks and canoes to use. 

At night, one can clearly hear the noise from route 2 just at the edge of the campground. The river amplifies the sound of cars passing by.

These camp grounds are excellent. Grounds were fairly unpopulated so we had first pick and no neighbors! But I could see the sites being less private if it were a busy weekend. Walking trails through and around the grounds featuring a Nature Center, amphitheater, boat launch, and swimming beach on Lake Webb. I really enjoyed swimming, the water was clear and the beach was decently shallow. Canoe & boat rentals available too. Many primitive ground toilets that are kept very clean as well as a facility with hot showers and flushing toilets (but in my family we call that cheating). Potable water & camp dish washing stations sprinkled throughout also. Super close to many incredible day hikes such as, Tumbledown & Mt. Blue. We checked in for 3 nights and ended up staying for 5 because we were enjoying it so much! All of the sites are heavily wooded and occupied by the most amazing spectrum of songbirds, woodpeckers, and owls. Every site also provides a picnic table & a great stone-backed fire ring with a grill gate. Great design makes it so your fire light doesn't disturb your neighbors. I can't wait to return!

I recently stayed at the Tiny Cabins of Maine with my family for two nights, opting for their tent camping site. From the moment we arrived, the host's warm welcome made us feel right at home. Despite some distant road noise at night, the overall ambiance was serene and beautiful. The tent camping amenities, including the pop-up toilet and sturdy wooden platform, were thoughtfully provided. The fire pit and picnic table were perfect for evening gatherings, and the hammock added an extra touch of relaxation. We enjoyed the pub's games and even tried our hand at axe throwing. Kayaking in the pond was a highlight, thanks to the convenient dock. While the trails required attention to follow, the directional signs helped. Overall, I highly recommend Tiny Cabins of Maine for a memorable small family retreat, and we're already looking forward to returning in the future.