Poland Spring Campground

The family and I stayed at Poland Spring Campground for 8 days this August. It’s a family campground with activities for kids but make siblings share arts and crafts materials if the activities director doesn’t plan ahead. (Lots of crying from my youngest because she wanted to make one herself and showed up to the activity 15 minutes early, yet, got her materials yanked out of her hands when another child showed up 15 minutes late). Very strict 4 adult, 4 child per site rule so forget about having even paying visitors. Quiet time is 11 (even talking!) they will force you to go to sleep by 11 if you’re not COMPLETELY silent! Practically destroyed my camper getting in and out of the campground thanks to the way they tell you to get to your site (unnecessarily making me loop through the whole damn place instead of taking the straight shot in) Trees and roots everywhere making it impossible to take turns and forget about kids on bikes! I cleaned so many wounds during our stay from my kids falling off their bikes thanks to the landscape. Really weird dirt there also, it’s like a clay of some sort and caked to the bottom of your shoes and made a mess all through the camper no matter what I did. A couple of us went barefoot a lot and they are still treating a weird rash that developed on the bottom of their feet. We will not be going back. The only reason I gave them a star at all is because of Riley in the front office. Long walk to the “beach” no matter which campsite you book. No place to lay out so leave your beach chair at home. Bathroom on my side of the campground was disgusting! So many bugs and spiders and the clay dirt was all over the floors even right after they cleaned.

This campground has numerous activities to keep the whole family occupied (pool, rec hall, volleyball, baketball, and bocce ball). The waterfront offers a beach and a place to put in your boat (paddle or <10hp). A friend and I camped here not for the family fun, but because we wanted to be able to slip into our kayaks for an early paddle with the loons, bald eagles, and herons. Had an amazing experience when loons took off from the far end of the lake and came in right beside and over us for a landing. We visited in late August and enjoyed seeing mature and immature bald eagles, too. In addition to kayaking in the morning, we also took a drive to Weld to hike Tumbledown Mountain.

We tent camped in a loop where the sites were wooded and close together, but others are well suited to larger rigs and offer full hookups. The noise you hear will largely be the sound of kids and families having fun. Generators are not permitted. Bathrooms are clean The gate is is secured; plan to arrive by 9pm for check-in. If you're tenting and don't need electric, sites 101-106 offer slightly more seclusion and are close to the water.