Best Campgrounds near Yarmouth, ME
The coastal region surrounding Yarmouth, Maine features a variety of established campgrounds within a short drive of town. Notable options include Wolfe's Neck Oceanfront Campground in Freeport, offering oceanfront sites with tent, RV, cabin, and yurt accommodations just 7 miles south of Yarmouth. Nearby Bradbury Mountain State Park Campground in Pownal provides year-round camping with hiking trails leading to summit views of the coast. The Desert of Maine Campground combines unique geological features with well-maintained camping facilities. Most campgrounds in this area operate seasonally from May through October, with a few exceptions like Bradbury Mountain that remain open for winter camping enthusiasts.
Campground reservations are essential during the peak summer season, particularly for waterfront sites which typically book months in advance. As one camper noted about Hermit Island Campground, "We were not able to select a site close to the water since those sites all get reserved in the early spring!" The camping season generally runs from Memorial Day through mid-October, though weather can be unpredictable in spring and fall. Browntail moths can be problematic in late May and early June, causing skin irritation similar to poison ivy. According to a reviewer at Winslow Park, this is "a complete non-issue after June, so either plan your visit for mid to late summer, or consider motels or camping inland if you're visiting Maine earlier in the season."
Waterfront camping locations receive consistently high ratings from visitors to the Yarmouth area. Recompence Shore Campground, situated on Wolf's Neck, features sites "either directly on the water or a short hop to the water," making it "perfect if you like to kayak or canoe." Many campgrounds balance natural settings with convenient access to area attractions. Winslow Park serves as "an excellent and economical multi-day base of operations for exploring Maine's mid coast region," with Portland's historic Old Port district just 20 miles south and the L.L. Bean flagship store and outlets in downtown Freeport nearby. Privacy varies significantly between campgrounds and specific sites, with some offering wooded seclusion while others feature more open layouts with limited separation between neighbors.
