Best Campgrounds near Vinalhaven, ME

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.

Best Camping Sites Near Vinalhaven, Maine (107)

    1. Camden Hills State Park Campground

    33 Reviews
    Camden, ME
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (207) 236-2498

    $25 - $45 / night

    "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."

    2. Meguniticook by the Sea Campground

    16 Reviews
    Rockport, ME
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (207) 594-2428

    $32 - $58 / night

    "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."

    3. Megunticook Campground

    11 Reviews
    Rockport, ME
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (207) 594-2428

    "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."

    4. Greenlaw's RV Park & Campground

    6 Reviews
    Stonington, ME
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (207) 200-1279

    "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."

    5. Seawall Campground — Acadia National Park

    53 Reviews
    Bass Harbor, ME
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (207) 244-3600

    $22 - $60 / night

    "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."

    6. Blackwoods Campground — Acadia National Park

    98 Reviews
    Seal Harbor, ME
    36 miles
    Website
    +1 (207) 288-3274

    $30 - $60 / night

    "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."

    7. Duck Harbor Campground — Acadia National Park

    2 Reviews
    Isle au Haut, ME
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (207) 335-5551

    $20 / night

    "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."

    8. Oceanfront Camping @ Reach Knolls

    11 Reviews
    Sedgwick, ME
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (207) 359-5555

    $29 - $39 / night

    "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!"

    9. Lobster Buoy Campsites

    5 Reviews
    Spruce Head, ME
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (207) 594-7546

    "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."

    10. Nathan Island

    1 Review
    Isle au Haut, ME
    10 miles
    Website

    "This weekend, we did some sea kayak camping and hiking on the islands in the Gulf of Maine."

Show More
Showing results 1-10 of 107 campgrounds

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented byToyota Trucks

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win


Recent Reviews near Vinalhaven, ME

731 Reviews of 107 Vinalhaven Campgrounds


  • Missy R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 10, 2025

    Camden Hills State Park Campground

    Autumn in Maine

    Camden Hills is an ideal camping location. Sites are spacious, they have a variety of trails, and the town of Camden is charming.

    Beware of weekend campers. I had no problem getting a first come first serve spot on Wednesday, but by Friday, it was busy.

  • Missy R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 8, 2025

    Camden Hills State Park Campground

    Fall at Camden Hills State Park Campground

    I was worried when I decided to come to this part of Maine in the fall without reservations. It’s early October, and I learned that Maine State Parks are first come first serve at this point. I was pleasantly surprised to arrive and find plenty of vacant spots.

    The campground is large, and most of the sites are on the larger side. They tend to be nestled into the woods with plenty of trees, dividing the sites. Though some of the smaller RV sites are more compact.

    It’s a great location, close to Camden, Maine, and not far from other attractions.

    I’m here in 2025 and they are doing work on their water system so none of their water is potable

  • Yung H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 6, 2025

    Blackwoods Campground — Acadia National Park

    Good spot but wood is rough

    I love the spot but all the wood is from outside the campgrounds. Its not so “dry” more like just chopped and bundled had to tend to it for over a hour+ just to get enough dry to keep the fire going. But overall a very nice quite camprground.

  • Aly E.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 30, 2025

    Megunticook Campground

    Watch out for their prices

    Online the prices was 40$ for a tent site. We didn’t need water or electric just a spot to sleep for the night. I called to reserve cause the website wasn’t very easy to work with and the man on the phone said 76$ but couldn’t explain costs and was rude with the “you’ll not find another spot for this cheap!” Which we did. For less than half that cost. So watch out on prices and the extra charges.

  • Aly E.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 30, 2025

    Blackwoods Campground — Acadia National Park

    So lucky!

    We tried staying here in the summer a few years back and it filled up weeks ahead of time. We got lucky this trip and got one spot open same day. Got here super late and was surrounded by other campers but the trees all around gave us privacy and everyone was super quiet so no disruptive folks like so many campgrounds. The bathrooms don’t have showers of course but they are so clean it was a great thing from other sites pit toilets. If you’re in Acadia this is the spot!

  • Phillip H.
    Sep. 29, 2025

    Chewonki Campground

    Friendly campground

    From booking to check in it was warm and welcoming. Pull in full hook up site. Coin operated shower. Clean and very well maintained. Property is very nice. Some Rt 1 noise at a distance but nothing unbearable.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 27, 2025

    Forest Ridge Campground

    Clean, quiet and affordable

    Stayed here while visiting friends and Acadia NP. Facilities very clean every time I saw them. Showers were nice but you need to wait for the hot water. Run it all hot and it will get there in a little while. Wood available on site. Open spaces in the middle with no trees or shrubs. Campers can be very close. Sides have more wooded sites. Not too many seasonal looking sites. 1 issue: our clean out was a bit high so had to lift sewer hose to clear it out. Didn’t use pool , laundry area worked good , screen porch at facility building. Fire ring worked out well, kept lots of heat in. We were off-season mid September. Reservation system forced us into our site, wants to charge a site selection fee.

  • B
    Sep. 25, 2025

    Blackwoods Campground — Acadia National Park

    Great campground

    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.


Guide to Vinalhaven

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.

What to do

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.

What campers like

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."

What you should know

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."

Tips for camping with families

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."

Tips from RVers

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.