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Camping options near Vinalhaven, Maine center primarily on island locations and coastal settings along the Gulf of Maine. Several campgrounds in the area, including Duck Harbor Campground on Isle au Haut (part of Acadia National Park) and Greenlaw's RV Park & Campground in Stonington, provide established sites with varying amenities. The Maine Island Trail Association (MITA) maintains numerous island camping areas throughout the Deer Isle Archipelago, such as Nathan Island, Buckle Island, and Shivers Island, which offer primitive tent sites accessible primarily by sea kayak or small boat.
Seasonal timing significantly affects camping availability in this coastal region, with most campgrounds operating from May through October. Duck Harbor Campground requires reservations that become available on April 1st and typically fill within minutes of opening. Many Maine island sites operate on a first-come, first-served basis and are accessible only to MITA members. For island camping, tidal considerations impact landing possibilities, with 9-14 foot tides making access challenging at high water. Campers need to carry all necessary supplies, including fresh water and waste disposal bags. A recent visitor noted, "The fog can roll in at any minute so come prepared with a chart, compass, bearings between islands/markers and a marine radio."
Waterfront sites receive consistently high ratings from campers visiting the region. The islands provide exceptional opportunities for solitude and stargazing without light pollution. Several visitors mentioned the opportunity to observe wildlife and enjoy unobstructed views of sunrise and sunset as particular highlights. Mainland campgrounds like Greenlaw's RV Park offer more amenities while maintaining a quiet atmosphere. Some reviews emphasized the importance of mosquito protection, particularly around sunset. According to one camper, "This is a wonderful campground with sites with lots of privacy. The amenities are all well done, limited in scope. The result is a quiet atmosphere." For those seeking a true wilderness experience, the island camping areas provide primitive sites with stunning coastal scenery but require advanced preparation and paddling skills.
"Camden Hills SP is a no contest campground if you are visiting Camden and surrounding MidCoast areas. 9 out of 10 times I visit Camden (one of my favorite places in Maine), I stay at this campground."
"As with all real estate, location, location ! The camp is well situated amongst many Maine towns all of which are worth a visit to."
from $25 - $45 / night
Check Availability"The campsites start level with the main road and then tier downwards towards the water. Campsites on the southside have less trees while campsites in the north are a little more rocky."
"**The location of this campground is outstanding. Conveniently situated between Camden and Rockport off of Route One, the views of the Penobscot Bay are drop dead gorgeous."
from $32 - $58 / night
Check Availability"The campground is perfectly located between Camden and Rockland Maine. For a private campground the sites are a decent size with some trees. There is a beautiful overlook to the ocean."
"Lovely campground near the beautiful lake. Great fishing and boating! There’s quite a few hiking trails located in the town around the campground."
"My boyfriend and I drove all around looking for a camping place in the Bar Harbor area but nothing was open because it was the end of April."
"Esthetically it is a little rough around the edges, so as we pulled in our first impressions were not great. However, the site we were in was quite nice with enough room for 22' camper."
"This campground is quiet, walking distance to the ocean. Family oriented. There are however, no showers. Most of the walk in campsites are only steps away from the parking lot."
"We stayed at the tent walk in sites (D25) The sites are close together but otherwise, well maintained."
from $22 - $60 / 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"Camping on in the Duck Harbor Campground is nearly the stuff of legends. "
"You need to bring everything with you (except water) on the mailboat and then walk on a short distance to one of 5 campsites. It is a great place to just get away."
from $20 / night
Check Availability"Beautiful, quiet location with views of the deer isle bridge and access to walking the beach. Owners are so nice and friendly and accommodating. Sites are mostly private and have space. Very clean."
"Site number 4 was great it was tucked away a bit yet still had a nearby bathroom and a 3 minute walk to the seashore which was beautiful!"
from $29 - $39 / night
Check Availability"The price was incredible given the proximity to the water. The only negative was that the RVs were pretty loud."
"Campground was somewhat old but nice and located along the Atlantic Ocean with a small beach. RV sites are close together but ok and has electric and water. A dump station is located at the CG."
"This weekend, we did some sea kayak camping and hiking on the islands in the Gulf of Maine."
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
GuideThis is a nice very quiet campground. It is off the beaten path. The bathrooms were clean and the staff pleasant. It was well kept.
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 options near Vinalhaven, Maine range from established campgrounds on the mainland to primitive island sites accessible only by boat. The region experiences significant tidal fluctuations of 9-14 feet, which affects landing and camping logistics on islands. Many campsites in this coastal area operate seasonally from May through October, with some opening as early as April.
Hiking on Isle au Haut: Acadia National Park extends to Isle au Haut where Duck Harbor Campground offers access to several miles of trails. "There are several miles of moderate hikes. Starting in 2018 reservations will be online starting April 1. The campground is open mid May to mid October but the mailboat only goes to the campground from late June to late September; otherwise a 5 mile walk from town," notes Patricia P.
Kayaking to island campsites: Paddle to remote islands like Nathan Island in the Deer Isle Archipelago. A camper advises, "The nearby village of Stonington has everything you may need for your island camping adventure. You can even rent kayaks and most of your gear from Old Quarry Ocean Adventures."
Coastal exploration: The rocky shoreline provides excellent tide pooling and wildlife viewing opportunities. At Oceanfront Camping @ Reach Knolls, campers report marine wildlife sightings: "We went swimming at their beach and saw a seal!" according to Michael K.
Dark skies for stargazing: The minimal light pollution creates exceptional night sky viewing. At Nathan Island, one camper described it as "the perfect place to make dinner, watch the sunrise or set, and star gaze with no city lights or trees to obstruct your view."
Ocean views: Waterfront camping sites provide direct access to scenic vistas. At Lobster Buoy Campsites, Chad G. shares: "One of my favorite places to be. The ocean views are great. It's very laid back. Not a lot of amenities but you don't need anything. Just a tent, kayak and a camp chair. You're good to go!"
Privacy between sites: Many campgrounds in the region feature well-spaced sites. At Greenlaw's RV Park & Campground in Stonington, a reviewer notes: "This is a small, wooded campground with large private sites. They are working to improve the campground everyday."
Reservation timing: Popular sites book extremely quickly. For Duck Harbor on Isle au Haut, Shari G. explains: "If you don't go online within 10 minutes of opening day, April 1st, at 10 am EST, you will miss your chance to stay here for the whole year."
Weather preparedness: Coastal weather can change rapidly with fog being a particular concern. Always carry navigational tools when boating to islands.
Waste management: Most island sites require pack-in, pack-out practices including human waste. On Nathan Island, "you are required to use Wag Bags instead of digging hole to dispose of human waste."
Limited facilities: Most island campsites lack basic amenities. Even mainland campgrounds may have limited services as one camper at Lobster Buoy Campsites notes: "The bathhouse has hot showers and flush toilets that were just o.k.– a little on the old side and overused."
Consider mainland options: For families with young children, established campgrounds like Megunticook Campground provide amenities while maintaining coastal access. Dave reports, "The campsites are ample with room for two cars on many of them. Most sites are wooded with plenty of shade trees making keeping your rig cool in the hot sun a breeze!"
Plan for beach activities: Some campgrounds offer shoreline access for swimming and exploration. A visitor to Oceanfront Camping @ Reach Knolls mentioned, "The beach was nice but really nothing could have made up for being stuck on this postage stamp for 6 days."
Check campground activities: Some locations offer family-friendly amenities. Samantha from Megunticook Campground reported: "Great campground, very clean and good layout. The ocean overlook is particularly lovely."
Size restrictions: Many coastal and island campgrounds have limited space for larger RVs. At Lobster Buoy Campsites, Kevin W. notes: "RV sites are close together but ok and has electric and water. A dump station is located at the CG."
Dump station availability: Not all campgrounds offer full hookups. According to a Megunticook Campground reviewer: "$10 to use the dump station (we found another place that charged $5)."
Level sites: Many coastal campgrounds have uneven terrain. As Nancy W. observed at Lobster Buoy Campsites: "It is really tight for big rigs and many of the sites are just o.k. being too close, unlevel, or with no view."
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the official camping sites on Vinalhaven, Maine?
Vinalhaven has limited official camping options as it's primarily a residential island. The main camping option is Nathan Island, which is accessible only by boat. For visitors seeking alternatives in the general region, consider Duck Harbor Campground — Acadia National Park on nearby Isle au Haut, which requires ferry access and advance reservations. Most visitors to Vinalhaven typically stay at lodges, vacation rentals, or B&Bs on the island, or choose to camp on the mainland at places like Camden or Bar Harbor and make day trips to Vinalhaven via ferry.
What camping amenities and facilities are available on Vinalhaven?
Camping amenities on Vinalhaven are quite primitive. The island's remote location means facilities are minimal compared to mainland options. At boat-accessible sites, expect primitive camping with no hookups, potable water, or established bathroom facilities. For those wanting more amenities while staying in the region, Megunticook Campground on the mainland offers better facilities, or consider Camden Hills State Park Campground, which provides clean bathrooms, fresh water, and access to hiking trails. Remember to pack in and pack out all supplies when camping on Vinalhaven as services are limited.
Do I need a permit for camping on Vinalhaven Island?
Yes, permits are required for camping on Vinalhaven. The limited camping options on the island are regulated to protect the natural environment. For Nathan Island, you should contact the local land trust or town office before planning your trip as permission may be needed. If looking at nearby island alternatives, Oceanfront Camping @ Reach Knolls on the mainland requires reservations that essentially serve as permits. Be aware that unauthorized camping on private property is prohibited. Always check current regulations before your trip as permit requirements may change seasonally.
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