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Best Tent Camping near Brimfield, MA

588 Reviews

Tent campgrounds surrounding Brimfield, Massachusetts include several walk-in options where vehicles remain at designated parking areas. Tully Lake Recreation Area in Royalston offers tent-only sites with no cars allowed at the campsites, creating a more peaceful camping experience. Federated Womens Club State Forest provides primitive tent camping with walk-in sites and basic amenities, while Buck Hill Campground features rustic group sites along Wakefield Pond suitable for multiple tents.

Most walk-in tent sites require campers to transport gear using provided carts or by carrying equipment varying distances from parking areas. Tully Lake's sites range from 50 yards to nearly a mile from the parking lot, with some waterfront locations accessible by boat. Primitive tent camping areas typically include fire rings and picnic tables, but amenities vary significantly. Composting or vault toilets are available at most established sites, though Federated Womens Club State Forest features limited facilities with a single composting toilet near the group site. Many locations lack potable water, making water containers essential equipment.

Walk-in tent camping provides a distinctly different experience from drive-up sites. The absence of vehicles creates quieter surroundings and greater privacy between campsites. Waterfront tent sites at Tully Lake offer direct water access for swimming and paddling, while forested sites provide more shade and seclusion. One camper noted that Buck Hill Campground is "heavily wooded without much else around and very few amenities... the type of campground to just come and unwind, fish, cook, etc." The extra effort required for walk-in tent camping typically results in fewer neighbors and a more immersive outdoor experience, especially at sites further from main facilities. Some primitive tent areas require contacting different management offices before arrival, as with Federated Womens Club State Forest, where campers must check in at Erving State Forest office first.

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Best Tent Sites Near Brimfield, Massachusetts (21)

    1. Buck Hill Campground

    1 Review
    Thompson, CT
    23 miles

    "All the sites are in large clusters (each can accommodate 10+ tents). many of the sites are also along Wakefield Pond (big enough lake for canoe/kayak/etc."

    2. Tully Lake Recreation Area (MA) — Tully Lake

    9 Reviews
    Royalston, MA
    36 miles
    +1 (978) 249-9150

    $40 / night

    "Two tents allowed per site, no alcohol although no one checked. No water or electricity at the sites. You park & walk in but they provide carts. You have to buy firewood from them."

    "Tully Lake Campground is located in Royalston, MA, which is a northern part of Central Massachusetts, near the New Hampshire border."

    3. Federated Womens Club State Forest

    1 Review
    Petersham, MA
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (978) 939-8962

    4. Sodom Mountain Campground

    1 Review
    Southwick, MA
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (413) 569-3930

    "I wasn't going to come back again but it is very close to my grandkids. All roads are dirt and all potholes have been repaired.  The clubhouse is being renovated and activities are now back. "

    5. Onion Mountain Park

    3 Reviews
    West Simsbury, CT
    38 miles
    Website

    "We arrived at the parking lot of Onion Mountain Park at around 2 pm and proceeded to get our bags packed for the hike."

    "Very peaceful overnight camping, no permit required. Small campsite, first come first served basis. Other posts claim you can park right the site, but you can not."

    6. Lovers Lyn

    Be the first to review!
    New Salem, MA
    26 miles

    7. Barton Cove Campground

    2 Reviews
    Greenfield, MA
    38 miles
    Website
    +1 (413) 863-9300

    $22 - $30 / night

    "The office was super helpful when I called to make reservations, making sure to ask questions about how big my tent was, what kind of view/privacy we wanted etc so they could help me find the perfect campsite"

    8. Chester Railway Station

    1 Review
    Chester, MA
    41 miles
    Website

    $50 - $100 / night

    "The caboose is stationed on a big grassy field, near a real railroad. It sleeps 4 and you can set up tents outside too.  You hear the trains running at night. Very clean and comfortable."

    9. Zoar Outdoor

    4 Reviews
    Charlemont, MA
    49 miles
    Website
    +1 (413) 339-4010

    10. River Highlands State Park River Campground

    1 Review
    Cromwell, CT
    41 miles
    +1 (203) 287-5658

    $5 / night

    "We only visited for the day and left around dawn, but the campsite was absolutely beautiful—especially with its location right by the river."

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Brimfield, MA

13 Photos of 21 Brimfield Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Brimfield, MA

588 Reviews of 21 Brimfield Campgrounds

  • Sa R.
    Jul. 7, 2019

    Tully Lake Recreation Area (MA) — Tully Lake

    Beautiful lake

    First time staying there. Two tents allowed per site, no alcohol although no one checked. No water or electricity at the sites. You park & walk in but they provide carts. You have to buy firewood from them. Canoe, kayak & padddleboard rental available. Showers & bathrooms by the parking area. Lots of islands & places to explore on the lake. Buggy in June so bring your repellent. Dogs allowed...that’s all I got for now :)

  • Nicole G.
    Aug. 24, 2025

    Tolland State Forest Campground

    Great Lakeside Campground

    This was only my second camping trip ever (and first tent camping) so grain of salt here - We had a great time at Tolland. The site was spacious and equipped with a bear box, fire ring, and picnic table. The ground at the site was large gravel which was not great in the tent, but walking around it looks like most sites are more dirt and pine needles.

    The swimming area is small but sandy, great for kids, and my daughter loved thethe campfire and nature talk given on Saturday night by park staff.

  • Nancy R.
    Jul. 31, 2018

    Tully Lake Recreation Area (MA) — Tully Lake

    Tully Lake Campground is perfect to enjoy traditional family camping!

    Tully Lake Campground is located in Royalston, MA, which is a northern part of Central Massachusetts, near the New Hampshire border. It is a State managed campground, and reservations must be made through Massachusetts Trustees of Reservations. There are some prime camp sites with direct access to the lake, but suggest you be prepared to call early in the morning of the first day State Campground reservations can be made, if you want one of these!

    This is a "Carry In" campground. You park at the entrance, register with Ranger. Large wooden wheelbarrows are provided to bring your gear to your camp site. (This means no noise or disturbances from cars entering your camp sites.) There are individual sites, and 2 group sites, if you are camping with a group. Canoes are available to rent to explore Tully Lake. Most parts of the lake are suitable for swimming, and some camp sites offer direct entry into the lake for swimming, canoeing, or kayaking. If you'd like to hike with children, there is an easy hike close to the entrance, along Doane's Falls, a series of 5 waterfalls along an ascending path through a wooded area. The views are beautiful, and it's not unusual to spot professional nature photographers at various points along the waterfalls. Bring your cameras or smart phones to capture some of these breathtaking views! And of course there are longer, more challenging trails for more experienced hikers. There are family oriented programs offered, and dogs are allowed, on leash only. Cell service is spotty to non-existent for some providers within the campground. But a short walk or drive away from the campground you can get connected again.

    The bathrooms are located near the entrance to the Park, and include flush toilets as well as coin operated, hot showers, open 24/7. There are sinks beside the building, where campers are asked to wash their dishes, rather than at the camp site. A fire ring and picnic table are provided at each camp site. If you've forgotten any gear or need groceries, there's a Walmart just a 15 minute drive away, open until 12 midnight.

    The staff are quite friendly, helpful and informative. If you enjoy "old fashioned" family tent camping, without the noise and presence of cars and RV's near your camp site, (or cell phones!) this is the place for you. Enjoy!

  • Ryan A.
    May. 21, 2024

    Devil's Hopyard State Park Campground

    Good Location for Hiking, Lots of Garbage, Not Recommended

    Camped here on a Friday night in Site 16, yet another campground recommended in“Best Tent Camping: New England.” Overall I was not impressed. The campsites are right next to each other and are marked with posts. The sites are so close that the posts are marked with the site number on both sides which tells me that there has been confusion in the past.

    The sites along the creek mostly have worn paths to walk to it but it’s nothing impressive and I wouldn’t want to eat fish that came out of it. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring, some have the kind where the top flips over and others have the moveable grate that goes up and down. There is a large dumpster in the campground and several porta-potties. The old outhouses have been permanently closed and locked shut. My campsite had a lot of trash in it, old tent stakes, plastic bottle caps, plastic fork, broken glass, etc. Not good.

    Some of the people there were camping in a group and were blasting music. I didn’t see a single park ranger the entire night so I’m not sure how often they police it. Someone in a pickup truck came into the campground, did a u-turn, and sped out at 30 mph which was really annoying and unsafe.

    Across the street from the campground is a trail to Chapman Falls, which will take less than 10 minutes to hike to, but it’s a pretty waterfall despite all the foam and garbage around it.

    This is a pretty basic campground and is nothing special. Out of all the sites I think 22 looked the best, it is more isolated and you can hear the waterfalls from it, which would be relaxing. The downside is that it’s right next to the entrance and road so you’ll get car headlights at night.

    I woke in the morning to a gray sky and hundreds of birds singing– it was my favorite part of the trip. I delayed getting up to enjoy the moment. I also didn’t see any ticks but I’m sure there are plenty based on other reviews.

    I’ve always thought that if states were condiments Connecticut would be mayonnaise– relatively unremarkable and bland. This campground fits that description perfectly.

  • D
    Jul. 6, 2022

    Otter River State Forest

    Some sites are hit or miss with privacy

    My site (number 1) was good for not being on top of my neighbor but it was next to the tanger station. Some sites are pretty out in the open, close to the campsite road so they feel less like the woods. I would say the best site that feels most like you are in the woods and have the most space is 28. I would book there. The pond is kind of deceiving. There are 2 roped off spots where you can swim and those spots are small and not deep.  You cannot have floats. So its better for a quick dip than a hang out. Bathrooms are fine. Could use one more as its a hike in the morning when you really have to go(!) depending on your site. One thing with my site (1), it was listed as a shaded site but it absolutely was not a shade site. During mid day there is no shade at all. In the morning, as the sun rose (when I took the pics) there was some shade but thats because the sun was still rising. It was big enough to fit a 10 and 12 person tent with a canopy. Not all sites are that big but this one worked. Verizon service was limited to none depending on location, ATT was good

  • D
    Jun. 7, 2019

    Green Falls Campground

    Small but cozy

    Great off the beaten path place to camp. Sites are large but close together. Each contain a rock built fire ring. There are toilets but no showers. Good parking for camper but limited for guests. Reservations are required in advance. Stones throw to beach/pond area

  • Becca Z.
    Aug. 29, 2020

    White Pines Campsites

    Clean Campsites

    We stayed at site 85 in Sunny Crest and liked having some privacy. The sites nearby had some trees providing space between each site. A lot of the sites we drove by were pretty sloped- I would recommend a drive though if you can beforehand.

    The picnic table was chained down so there weren’t many options to set up having the fire pit and picnic table where they were.

    Hiking trails were nice, good variety of easier and more difficult terrain.

  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 1, 2020

    Wolf Den Campground — Mashamoquet Brook State Park

    Basic campground with hiking trails in the area.

    This small state park campground offers basic campsites with running water and showers, open Memorial Day to Columbus Day.  This is NOT Wolf's Den Family Campground in E. Haddam, CT. Also, be aware there are 2 campgrounds at this State Park; the other one, Mashamoquet Brook, does not offer running water/showers, so if you want these amenities, be sure to select a campsite 1-35.

    There's a small playground in the middle of the loop, a number of hiking trails throughout the park along with a few geocaches (download details for offline use a phone connection is spotty), a swimming pond, and a small brook with an old mill and blacksmith shop that is sometimes open on weekends for tours. It's a nice place to explore and have a picnic. In 2020 with Covid, there were restrictions on visitors to the campground, reservations required, and swimming was not allowed. 

    The parking pads are paved and a few have overhanging branches, but the trees provide  separation and some shade on largely open sites that tend to open up toward the back with open areas for pitching tents. Sites have fire rings with grills and picnic tables. Site 20 is the only one with electric. The ones toward the back of the loop back up toward the woods and give you some more privacy. 

    They don't allow hammocks in the trees or pets. For some reason, silly string also makes the list of prohibitions.

  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 8, 2020

    Otter River State Forest

    Mixed bag at this campground

    This is a smaller campground with a few loops of campsites. The sites that are near the small pond are generally larger and have better space for pitching a tent. The sites on the first two loops/spur roads are smaller and most of them are designated for tents only or tents/popups. Site 33 is large and level, suitable for an RV, but Group B site is right behind it, which may or may not be an issue.  Group A & C sites are also in the first two loops.

    65, 67, 68 are walk-in sites, with the tent area lower, closer to the water.  At the top of the hill, there are several yurts available.

    Dump station and additional swimming/water activities are a little farther down the road at Lake Dennison .

Guide to Brimfield

Tent campers visiting Brimfield, Massachusetts have access to several walk-in tent campgrounds within an hour's drive. Tully Lake Recreation Area in Royalston offers spacious tent-only sites with lake views and wooded settings, while Federated Women's Club State Forest provides more primitive tent camping experiences with composting toilets and rustic facilities. Both locations cater specifically to tent campers looking for a more traditional outdoor experience away from RVs and developed campsites.

Most walk-in tent sites in the region require campers to transport gear from central parking areas to their sites. Tully Lake provides carts for hauling equipment to walk-in tent sites, which range from 50 yards to nearly a mile from parking. Campers must bring sufficient water containers as drinking water is typically only available at central facilities. Many tent sites include fire rings and picnic tables, though fire regulations vary seasonally. Most primitive tent campgrounds lack electrical hookups, with bathroom facilities ranging from flush toilets at Tully Lake to basic composting toilets at more remote locations like Federated Women's Club State Forest.

The walk-in nature of these tent campgrounds creates a quieter, more secluded camping experience compared to drive-up sites. At Tully Lake, waterfront tent sites provide direct access for swimming and paddling, while sites farther from the water offer more privacy. The terrain at most locations is suitable for standard tent setups, though some sites may have uneven ground with roots and limited flat areas for larger tents. One camper noted that the walk-in requirement "made for a super quiet stay. We rented kayaks right at the campground for a paddle around Tully Lake." Primitive tent sites at Federated Women's Club State Forest offer opportunities for hiking to Soapstone Hill with views of Quabbin Reservoir, though cell service is minimal to non-existent, requiring offline map downloads before arrival.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Brimfield, MA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Brimfield, MA is Buck Hill Campground with a 4-star rating from 1 review.

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TheDyrt.com has all 21 tent camping locations near Brimfield, MA, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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