Looking for a place to cabin camp near Amherst Center? Find the best information on cabins near Amherst Center, including photos, reviews, and tips. You're sure to find the perfect cabin rental for your Massachusetts camping adventure.
Discover lake-side camping on beautiful 70-acre Lake Dean. Choices range from secluded tenting to big-rig friendly full-hookup sites, complete with an unmatched view of the lake and a docking space. Our Rentals include Rustic Cabins (for that back-to-nature experience), to Premium Cabins (equipped with the comforts of home – including a full kitchen, bathroom, heat/air conditioning, electric fireplace, and flat screen TV with cable) and RV Rentals, you’re sure to find a rental that’s perfect for your family! Bring your own boat or rent one of ours (kayaks, canoes, rowboats, paddleboats and paddleboards) for a relaxing cruise around the lake. Enjoy swimming at our main beach. Or for fishing enthusiasts of all ages, cast away to catch a large-mouth bass, pickerel, perch, or sunfish. We bring families and the outdoors together. You don’t need to travel far to experience being away!
$65 - $105 / night
NATURAL FEATURES Otter River State Forest was the first area acquired by the State Forest Commission in 1915 and also the first campground in the Massachusetts State Park system. Some of the forest area was cleared in the nineteenth century for small farms. After the state acquired the land, it was reforested with groves of pines which were planted by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930's. The forest of oak and hickory, northern hardwood and pines is home to numerous wild flowers and shrubs, deer, chipmunks and many species of birds. RECREATION Otter River State Forest is a popular camping and day-use facility in a beautiful area of north central Massachusetts. Its developed facilities are centered on Beaman Pond and include ball field, basketball court, volleyball court and picnic areas. Many recreation opportunities are available and include a fishing, hiking, hunting, mountain biking, and picnicking. Use the park's hiking trails or try mountain biking on the 9000 acres of the adjacent Birch Hill Wildlife Management Area. FACILITIES Otter River offers 73 campsites, three group sites, and four yurts. Comfort stations are located throughout the campground and offer hot showers and flush toilets. One comfort station is accessible, shown on the map. Each campsite is equipped with a picnic table and a fire ring. Yurts are canvas sided, cabin-like structures that can accommodate 4 to 6 people. Yurts offer bunk beds, tables with benches, and access to water and electricity. All of the yurts are accessible. (Linens and eating utensils are not provided.) NOTE: Electrical service is not sufficiently reliable for use with medical equipment. Pets are prohibited from yurts and yurt sites.
$17 - $54 / night
$47 - $70 / night
Brialee Family Campground is located in the Northeast Corner of Connecticut, on 120 acres of beautiful grounds, surrounded by the Natchaug State Forest. A true country setting, with rolling hills, forest, and farms. Brialee was founded by Ed& Addie Specyalski in 1974, and is still being run by the Specyalski family today! With planned and supervised activities for all ages, staples like ceramics, bingo, free crafts, and live entertainment every weekend, and park amenities like a pond, pool, splash pad, and more. Brialee is proud of maintaining a family-run business that has a strong focus and dedication to family camping, and is built on referrals and positive feedback from camping families like you.
$25 - $150 / night
$14 - $35 / night
Scout
Quiet (besides occasional plane overhead) lots of trees, spacious sites, clean and modern bathrooms and showers, nice friendly helpful staff.
Scout
I thought I read someplace that there is new ownership, at any rate the folks there were very nice. And the place lives up to its name. We’re not fond of RV parking lots and the sites were well spaced which gets it many extra points. We had a popup in a drive-through site at the bottom of the hill which was fine, though pretty muddy after a day of rain. With that hill there’s no place for larger RVs here unless they were to decide to use the field at the bottom. As far as infrastructure a lot of what is here is very old and dated, sometimes to the point of being comical, but it does appear some updates are happening. Bathroom building is decent and kept very clean (though it would be nice if any of the door latches on the women’s toilets worked.) It appears they have built or rebuilt some cabins. Hiking up and down the hill to the bathroom does get old and there is really no place to park there like most places have without blocking the road. Can squeeze in one car near the (ancient and yucky cold water) dishwashing station. There is a tiny campsite with cabin on the road below it, with a firepit and table like a foot away from the road. Maybe they should eliminate that site to make parking for a couple cars at least, as its a terrible campsite probably the only bad one there. (One night that site had 2 cars, with one blocking the road when we tried to drive past - they should have made the extra car stay down in the lot.) People moved their car a bit, but still had to drive very close to their bonfire. Like much of the area, there is essentially no cell coverage here. An area with wifi would be an excellent upgrade. I know, you’re camping, but sometimes you just need to do something, make a restaurant reservation, or check the weather.
Update- I just found and read an article about the change of ownership. Showed a picture of a recreation room. Where the heck was that? In the building labeled “the Barn?” Which I thought was an actual barn and off limits. The dyrt says there is wifi, maybe it was there? Would have been nice to know about.
Scout
Site 47 pull thru. Nice clean campground ! No neighbors left and right. Staff very nice. Very noisy tho in sites by the river due to Rte 10. We enjoyed the campground. Small and cozy. Nice size sites
Scout
Very peaceful! Little hidden gem! We loved our weekend away
Scout
Had a pleasant stay at Woodford State Park. Sites near T38 have a great elevated view of the reservoir. Also a nice loop trail for those looking to do a little bit of hiking.
Scout
This was our families first time staying at Brialee Campground. The cabin was absolutely beautiful and clean. The staff were friendly and helpful. The activities were great and kept my grand children busy. Swimming and the lake were fun. I cannot say enough wonderful things. We had such a great time I booked my reservations for Next July 2025 before I left.
A special thank you to Sherri for the personal tour and showing us the ropes! She is the best.
The D'Avanzo Family
Ranger
We got a sit right on the river, so that adds to this. But this place is great, a river, hiking trails, no phone signal, what else could yoy ask for? Oh yeah clean bathrooms, and guess what, they have those too!
But honestly this place is great, the staff is the most friendly DCR staff I've met, the buildings are well kept, the sites a large! I'd gladly go back, and I am!
Traveler
This was our first time visiting and my entire family enjoyed themselves so much, that we've already reserved a site for a few weeks from now. Arts and crafts, tractor rides, and of course the tubing down the river. Lots of built in entertainment for the kids! The grounds were clean, the playground was nice, and the people were all friendly. We did a late checkout for $5 extra, but the noon checkout and two dump stations would make leaving on time a non-issue as well.
Of note: We camped with friends, who were given a spot next to a large group of people (weekend prior to 4th of July is to be expected). The group were very polite and abided by quiet hours, but they were having fun and a bit loud for my buddy's 2 month of baby. They requested to move sites, and the management was super accommodating and apologetic. Helped him move his site and threw in some firewood for the troubles.
Guide
We had an excellent experience at this camp ground. The Staff and Rangers were polite and welcoming. We were able to see some boat races and played a round of disc golf on property. Once the boat races finished each day the camp was very quiet and peaceful. Had a great weekend
TravelerCame for the boat races, very relaxing weekend
GuideThis is a great campground located off of highway 2 in western Mass. I stayed in site 51 and luckily the campground was mostly empty(it was on a Thursday though and was supposed to be full for the weekend.) Each campsite has a bear box and fire ring, there is easy access to hiking trails and flush-toilet bathrooms with sinks are located throughout. There is only one dumpster though and it’s a walk to get to – store your trash in your car or drive it each night, or enjoy the walk.
The campsites are very close together without much brush for privacy, so you should expect to see your neighbors up close and personal. Some of the sites are on Cold River(which is more like a creek). The bugs were awful, especially the gnats and I did see a large tick on my fire grill, so be prepared. The best sites are on the lower loop around the water. Avoid any site next to the bathroom as the lights stay on all night and will shine directly into your tent. 49 looked really nice and seemed dark. The hike-in sites were also close together, 22 is the most private. There are baskets with wheels provided.
The rangers are friendly and sell firewood in case you need any. You’ll need to check in before going to the campsite, they’ll give you a map and they take good care of the sites. Would definitely camp here again.
ScoutThis is a very nice campground.
We stayed in site 64 which is set back more than 2 car lengths from the road and is pretty well surrounded with trees so it feels very private and secluded. Could see one neighboring site slightly through the trees but that neighboring site was lower down so it still felt private. It was a good sized site. Not sure if we could hear any noise from route 9 or not. If we did, it was very faint and did not disturb us.
Site 64 is across the road from a water spigot and the path to the bathrooms/showers. It was very convenient and we didn't feel like we were right by the bathrooms (no compromise to our site's privacy, no noise, etc). Our site wasn't waterfront but wasn't far from path down to reservoir.
The bathrooms are BEAUTIFUL! the nicest I've seen yet. Very clean, well stocked with toilet paper and soap- convenient shelf and hooks for toiletries/towels.
The showers are beautiful as well. There are 3 individual shower rooms that lock. Each one has a bench/chair and hooks to hang towels etc. There is also a small shelf in the actual shower for soap.
NEW for 2024: the showers do not accept quarters anymore. You need to buy tokens from the campground. It is 1 token for 5 minutes and it is 50 cents a token. The issue we encountered was that apparently people still try to put in quarters and this jams the machine. Therefore, when we put in our tokens, though we thought everything worked fine, in fact the machine did not register the tokens and we were left taking ice cold showers. When we told the office in the morning, they explained the issue and said that had we called them they could have fixed the shower. They are going to try to put some guard over the slot to prevent quarters from going in. Hopefully, this is implemented soon. They were very apologetic and gave us new tokens to replace the ones we had lost on cold showers.
The office sells wood for $6 a bundle and you can get free kindling from their leftover cuttings/sweepings. They also sell ice and some "merch"/"swag".
We really enjoyed our stay here.
GuideWe took our new to us hybrid camper out for its inaugural trip.
We chose to stay in the wooded loop of the campground and we were very happy with our site, #66. That section has about 12 sites, some big and some on the smaller side. Our site was easy to back into, even more so since no one was in the site across from us. Our site was very spacious, level and included a picnic table, fire ring, and nicely placed hookups for water and electric. We had easy access to trails that went along the river behind some of the sites with a few paths down to the river.
Everyone we encountered was friendly and respectful. There are quiet hours from 10pm-8am that are enforced. We were grateful to not have to hear loud partying going on into the night. There was car noise from nearby Rt 10 on the other side of the river, but nothing you can do about that.
We asked for assistance at the office with our first time using a pumping station at the end of the trip. We were given friendly helpful assistance and some great tips and advice for the future.
This was a nice enjoyable first visit for us. We will definitely be adding it to our list of places to visit again, but likely later in the year when we can enjoy the river and activities a bit more. We did not explore the options for bike, kayak, and canoe rentals but would like to in the future.
Guide
Camped out here for two nights after reading about this place in the"Best Tent Camping: New England" book. It's better than the other campgrounds in Rhode Island that I looked at (Burlingame, Fort Getty) but isn't my favorite campground. If you're not a Rhode Island resident the fee for most sites is$36/night. Is it worth it? Eh, probably not unless you're really jonesing to camp for a weekend in the Ocean State.
It does have some great things going for it, namely the hiking trails and views of the lake. There are some tent-only sites which are numbered T1-T5. I stayed in T5 and it was the best of the bunch because it had the most privacy and space, including a grassy area. The other tent-only sites were fairly small and if you go to any mixed use sites you run the risk of having an RV next to you. The A1-A7 sites are remote and hike in, but you're going to have to hike either 0.4 or 0.6 miles through some uneven terrain. The next best group of sites would be 19-24 which are on their own small loop near the lake.
The things I didn't like were the streetlights over the port-a-potties that shine all night. There is a manned gate where you check in and you have to get let into the campground during the day, but at night the gates are wide open and it seems like some people know this because there are a few oddballs around in the early morning. There is swimming at the lake but it looked way too dirty.
Overall the place was managed very well, the sites were cleanish and the grounds were taken care of. The employees drove by at least once an hour, I thought they were collecting trash from dumpsters but the only place with a dumpster is near the entrance. I couldn't figure out why they kept driving by so often. I had a good time, it was relaxing and scratched the camping itch.
Scout
Stayed 2x last year Dan was a Great host
Scout
This place isn’t a camp ground it’s a parking lot for RVs. I’ve seen more separation between campers on RV dealer lots. There are so many golf carts racing around kids can’t even ride bikes. It’s camping and kids can’t ride bikes safely. The pool for a campground this size is VASTLY undersized. They made the roads so narrow to squeeze in so many sites, it’s almost impossible to navigate an rv through, even for experienced rvers. The sheer armada of golf carts constantly going up and down the road make you feel like you’re camping on a highway instead of in nature. The constant sound reminds me of being near the antique car ride all day long at a theme park. My kids were almost hit on their bikes twice by golf carts and the actual cars FLY on the roads. This was definitely a one and done trip for us.
ScoutVery clean, not as busy, and has all the basics. Everyone complains about the local small wildlife getting into your food but basic practices can keep them out so it’s not a problem I had
Guide
You can’t go wrong with a KOA it’s a nice small campground right off Route 5. The owners are very friendly and knowledgeable about the area, if you need a place to rest for a weekend stop here. Close to downtown a nice farm stand that is walking distance. Come have a stay ..
Traveler
Had to book at least 5 nights to stay in July and was very expensive for what you get. Extra costs everywhere. Rude workers. Awkward close sites. Not dog friendly. Not safe for little ones as there is too much traffic..vehicles and golf carts. Left early on the third day. Waste of $570. The worst camping trip we have ever had.
TravelerExpensive, awkward sites, NOT dog friendly. Rude owners/workers. Too much traffic...cars and golf cart for kids to enjoy being outside. Was the most costly stressful camping experience we have ever had. Will never return or recommended.
Guide
I was looking for a nearby, bare bones campground with a shower and cell service that would do the trick while traveling to a weekend event. I reliably had 1 bar AT&T while at the campsite, but more as I got closer to the bathhouse. The campground also want too far from the grocery store and civilization. Our site and others had some difficulty with drainage, as it’s been a super wet summer. There is a community fire pit with s’mores, which was cute! Swimming area closed for bacteria levels, but lots of other nearby activists for the recreation seeker.
Guide
This was a short trip for us. It was only like 40 mins away from us. Just to get away. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable of the area . They had activities for kids and adults. They had a rec. Room laundry, facilities, and very clean bathrooms. Very close to downtown Brattaboro and like 30 minutes away from the Vermont country store. We recommend you going to this place are your next trip through Vermont. 
Scout
We went to experience an Airstream! And we were not disappointed. Clean, well-appointed and comfy. The campground staff was very friendly.
We had a rainy weekend and were not able to try out the pool and mini golf, but it was fun nonetheless.
Scout
This place is great. Everyone is so knowledgeable and helpful and kind. They really seem to care about what they do, and it shows. Highly recommend.
Scout
Foolhardy Hill is the nicest facility that I have ever "Camped". I used quotes, because this is NOT a "roughing it" Campground. Katie and Biddy, the host/owners, are the nicest and most accommodating. This "off the grid" place is convenient, comfortable, spotless clean and I would HIGHLY recommend a stay. I would also recommend renting the entire facility for a family reunion, off site business meeting, fishing club meeting, or just a place to meet up with a bunch of old friends... The bathrooms are clean and the showers are HOT. The pavilion provides a meeting place for groups to maybe discuss the day's catch, the one that got away, or just to meet new friends. The pavilion also has everything you will need for grilling, flat top cooking and 2+ gas burners.
I was here for fishing. Foolhardy is located centrally for the best the Deerfield River has to offer.
Pets welcome, but leave the little ones at home (unless renting the entire facility).
If I have to leave just ONE negative comment; after the shower, the mirror above the sink was VERY fogged! (Did i mention, the showers are HOT!) :-D
Scout
When we arrived to check in they were very nice and gave us the breakdown of the place along with brochures of what was going on at the site. We arrived to our site, it was by the pond and our site was even raked clean.
RangerI have a special place in my heart for state parks, and this one is great!
Camping near Amherst Center, Massachusetts, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a family-friendly adventure, there are several campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Amherst, MA, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the great outdoors!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Amherst Center, MA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Amherst Center, MA is Northampton / Springfield KOA with a 4.2-star rating from 12 reviews.
What is the best site to find cabin camping near Amherst Center, MA?
TheDyrt.com has all 36 cabin camping locations near Amherst Center, MA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
