Best Tent Camping near Charlton, MA

Looking for the best options for tent camping near Charlton? The Dyrt can help you find the best tent campsites for your next trip. Whether you're looking for a quiet, dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.

Best Tent Sites Near Charlton, MA (13)

    Camper-submitted photo from Tully Lake Recreation Area (MA) — Tully Lake
    Camper-submitted photo from Tully Lake Recreation Area (MA) — Tully Lake
    Camper-submitted photo from Tully Lake Recreation Area (MA) — Tully Lake
    Camper-submitted photo from Tully Lake Recreation Area (MA) — Tully Lake
    Camper-submitted photo from Tully Lake Recreation Area (MA) — Tully Lake
    Camper-submitted photo from Tully Lake Recreation Area (MA) — Tully Lake

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

    9 Reviews
    90 Photos
    3 Saves
    Royalston, Massachusetts

    Overview

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers invites you to come relax at Tully Lake. There are a variety of outdoor recreation activities for you and you family. Although the dam was built primarily to reduce flood damages on the Millers and Connecticut Rivers, the 1,300-acre reservoir area provides a place for you to get away from it all and connect with nature.

    Recreation

    Tully Lake offers many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. Activities in and around the lake include mountain biking, camping, disc golf, hiking, picnicking, boating, and fishing and hunting in the appropriate seasons.

    Facilities

    The Tully Lake Pavilion is located in the recreation area and offers picnic tables and grills. Maximum group size is 50 people with parking for 25 passenger vehicles at the upper gravel lot. The recreation area has a small playground for young children, volleyball court, and a horseshoe pit. Bathrooms are provided, but there is no running water.

    Natural Features

    The 1,262-acre Tully Lake property is managed to sustain a healthy ecosystem for future generations. The thriving biodiversity of the Tully River Valley and the interconnections of our forests, wetlands, waters, and wildlife are valued and managed for the long term. Tully Lake is home to a wide variety of wildlife, from tiny insects and song birds, to large mammals such as deer and moose. Fifty-five percent of the reservoir area is wetlands, providing habitat for fish, waterfowl, song birds, insects, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals such as beaver, mink and otter. The rest of the property provides habitat for upland species such as deer, coyote, fisher, owl, fox, raccoon, skunk, porcupine, rabbit, and squirrel. The forest within Tully Dam's reservoir area is composed primarily of white pine, providing habitat for owls and woodpeckers, red-tailed hawks, and white-tailed deer.

    Nearby Attractions

    When visiting Tully Lake there are several opportunities for visitors to explore in the surrounding area. At the north end of the lake there is a tent only campground run by the Trustees of the Reservations which provides a perfect launching point to enjoy the outdoor attractions nearby. Ten miles away is the Birch Hill Dam, another Army Corps project that provides miles of trails and river to explore. The Quabbin Reservoir is also within a short ten mile drive of Tully Lake and serves the city of Boston as its water supply. The Quabbin is a unique area; there were four towns flooded to create it, and it has some of the most interesting blends of human and natural history in the region.

    Charges & Cancellations

    Please review the cancellation and refund policy at the bottom of the webpage. In general, we will require at least two weeks prior to your reservation to consider a request.

    • Pets
    • Fires
    • Reservable
    • Tents
    • Group
    • Trash

    $40 / night

    Camper-submitted photo from Buck Hill Campground
    Camper-submitted photo from Buck Hill Campground
    Camper-submitted photo from Willard Brook State Forest
    Camper-submitted photo from Willard Brook State Forest
    Camper-submitted photo from Willard Brook State Forest
    Camper-submitted photo from Willard Brook State Forest
    Camper-submitted photo from Willard Brook State Forest
    Camper-submitted photo from Willard Brook State Forest

    3. Willard Brook State Forest

    4 Reviews
    38 Photos
    69 Saves
    Ashby, Massachusetts
    • Pets
    • Fires
    • Reservable
    • ADA Access
    • Tents
    • Standard (Tent/RV)

    $14 - $23 / night

    Camper-submitted photo from Federated Womens Club State Forest
    Camper-submitted photo from Federated Womens Club State Forest
    Camper-submitted photo from Federated Womens Club State Forest
    Camper-submitted photo from Federated Womens Club State Forest
    Camper-submitted photo from Federated Womens Club State Forest
    Camper-submitted photo from Federated Womens Club State Forest
    Camper-submitted photo from Sodom Mountain Campground
    Camper-submitted photo from Sodom Mountain Campground
    Camper-submitted photo from Barton Cove Campground
    Camper-submitted photo from Barton Cove Campground

    6. Barton Cove Campground

    2 Reviews
    2 Photos
    69 Saves
    Greenfield, Massachusetts

    Barton Cove specializes in rustic tent-only camping. The campground is open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Each campsite has a picnic table, grills and campfire ring. Vehicle use in the campground is restricted to unloading during arrival and loading during departure. Showers are available near the ranger station, and there are two group sites available for larger parties interested in camping together. Two sites suitable for pop-up trailers or class C camper vans are also available. The sites have no utility hookups. Scout groups can camp by special arrangement through November.

    • Pets
    • Fires
    • Phone Service
    • Reservable
    • Tents
    • Group

    $22 - $30 / night

    Camper-submitted photo from Onion Mountain Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Onion Mountain Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Onion Mountain Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Onion Mountain Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Onion Mountain Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Onion Mountain Park

    7. Onion Mountain Park

    3 Reviews
    9 Photos
    146 Saves
    West Simsbury, Connecticut

    This town-owned park consists of 190 acres of wooded, rocky mountainside. Trails here are relatively easy on the flat but significantly more difficult on the hillside. The ground can be very wet after rains. Onion Mountain Park is accessed on the west side of West Mountain Rd. just south of Shingle Mill Rd. Visitors will find a good size parking lot.

    • Pets
    • Fires
    • Phone Service
    • Tents
    • Standard (Tent/RV)
    • Alcohol
    • No image available

      8. Ginny B Camp Grounds

      Be the first to review!
      2 Saves
      Foster Center, Rhode Island

      Swimming Small fry fishing 2 Recreation halls Fireplace & picnic table on each site State tested water Camp store Ice & wood available 8 Modern restrooms with free hot showers Coin operated laundry Pets on leashes are welcome Horseshoe courts Volleyball court Basketball court 2 Softball diamonds Lending library 200 sites with water & electricity Sewer sites available Playground 2 Dumping stations Adjacent to public golf course

      • Fires
      • Tents
      • Trash
      • Picnic Table
      • Firewood Available
      • WiFi

      $46 - $50 / night

      • No image available

        9. Lovers Lyn

        Be the first to review!
        2 Saves
        New Salem, Massachusetts
        • Pets
        • Fires
        • Tents
        • Standard (Tent/RV)
        • Tent Cabin
        • Glamping
        • No image available
        Showing results 1-10 of 13 campgrounds

        Recent Tent Reviews in Charlton

        543 Reviews of 13 Charlton Campgrounds


        • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
          Camper-submitted photo from Hopeville Pond State Park Campground
          Nov. 10, 2024

          Hopeville Pond State Park Campground

          Small campground in three sections on Hopeville Pond

          General: There are three sections to this campground: five canoe sites; 16 sites including one cabin behind the ranger station and what I would assume is the main section with 61 sites. Some sites have water and electric hookups, but the majority of the sites have no utilities. Note: Pets are not allowed at this campground!

          Site Quality: We arrived in the rain after the Ranger station had closed and circled the main section several times trying to find the site with the least amount of water. We did not know until the next morning when we went to pay that we ended up in an ADA-accessible site. It was not marked in any way and I’m guessing that the only reason it was designated as such was its proximity to the restrooms. All sites appeared level and even though they were supposed to have gravel pads, they were mostly a mix of dirt (or mud) and grass with a little gravel. 

          Bath/Shower House: In the main section, there is a very large and clean indoor bathhouse with free showers. Did not use the shower so cannot comment. Appreciated that there was immediate hot water at the sinks. The other two sections have vault toilets. 

          Activities/Amenities: In season there is swimming, but the beach is very small. Fishing, canoeing, and kayaking are also popular. There are also some trails for walking/hiking, a basketball hoop, a dump station, and recycling. 

          This was an overnight stay for us but the rate for out-of-state campers, while higher than for residents, was reasonable at $30. We would return to this campground.

        • Ricky H.The Dyrt PRO User
          Camper-submitted photo from Onion Mountain Park
          Nov. 5, 2024

          Onion Mountain Park

          Quiet overnight

          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. It’s up the yellow or blue trail depending on which one you take. However, it’s not a long walk to the parking area from the campsite.

        • Missi N.The Dyrt PRO User
          Camper-submitted photo from Northampton / Springfield KOA
          Oct. 11, 2024

          Northampton / Springfield KOA

          Cute little campground

          Quiet (besides occasional plane overhead) lots of trees, spacious sites, clean and modern bathrooms and showers, nice friendly helpful staff.

        • Kathy T.
          Camper-submitted photo from Salt Rock State Campground
          Sep. 23, 2024

          Salt Rock State Campground

          Clean, but dated facilities

          Campground is a bit crowded with sites close together. The facilities were clean but quite old. There are some nice hiking trails along the river.

        • f
          Camper-submitted photo from Sunset View Farms
          Sep. 21, 2024

          Sunset View Farms

          Lovely spot in the woods

          We booked last minute (2 hours before we arrived) and were met with the friendliest staff ready to help us at 7:30PM and get us checked in. Perfect spot if you don’t mind a 40 minute ride over to The Big E fair which is what brought us out to this part of MA. The restaurant was so nice, and to my surprise more than accommodating as I have celiac, they really went above and beyond. We will definitely be back next summer for a longer stay.

        • G
          Camper-submitted photo from Ponkapoag Camp
          Aug. 30, 2024

          Ponkapoag Camp

          Beautiful

          Had an amazing stay, cabin was perfect and comfortable. Water was nice and fish were biting. Can’t wait to come back.

        • carol T.
          Camper-submitted photo from Waters Edge Family Campground
          Aug. 23, 2024

          Waters Edge Family Campground

          BEWARE WATERS EDGE CAMPGROUNDS THEY WILL KEEP ALL YOUR MONEY

          JUNE 30,2024  my husband & I were seasonals at waters edge campground Lebanon Connecticuit  gave them a 30 day notice we were leaving this place wasnt for us just awful the owners are just money hungey thieves they told us they were keeping our deposit wich we expected because it says non refundable deposit so okay fine but we paid for the whole season its open april15 to october15 gave a 30 day notice left june 30 they refused to give us back the money for july ,august,september,to october 15 they ket 750 plus 2500 dollars told us were not getting our money back So iam sure they rented the site thats double dipping so fair warning I dont want this to happen to anyone else they will Rob you blind oh and they broke our ice maker when they dewinterized our trailer and never owned up to it came down to my floor in camper soaked with water from my freezer and didnr bother to clean tthe mess and said  it must have been broken nefore so they are also dirty liars I didnt want to even give a one star rating but had to put somethin i give the a big fat 0

        • Matt S.
          Camper-submitted photo from Mystic KOA
          Aug. 5, 2024

          Mystic KOA

          Great campground for coastal CT & RI

          We stayed at Mystic KOA in North Stonington, Connecticut, to be tourists in Mystic. Spoiler alert… we had a great stay! 

          This campground is just 15-minutes from Mystic and about an hour’s drive to Newport, Rhode Island. It’s just a few minutes from I-95 and so close to Mystic Aquarium, downtown Mystic, Mystic Seaport, and all the local spots. 

          It’s a well-maintained campground with 2 pools(though the larger one was closed for maintenance during our stay), lots of play areas and daily activities for little ones, and a cool“pub truck” for adult drinks. Our site(#408) was about 85’ long with plenty of room for our 45’ motorhome and toad(and then some!). It was level and gravel with a nice fire ring and picnic table. The hookups worked fine with 50-amp electric and decent water pressure. Cable TV had nearly 50-channels, but the wi-fi didn’t quite reach our part of the park. 

          Due to a family issue, we needed to leave about a day-and-a-half early. We called the office as a courtesy to let them know as we were pulling out and received a partial credit for a night’s stay on our credit card. Didn’t even ask, they just did it. Thanks Mystic KOA! 

          We’ll definitely be back. This is a great place to stay when visiting the coastal Connecticut/Rhode Island area.

        • L
          Camper-submitted photo from Peppertree Camping
          Jul. 23, 2024

          Peppertree Camping

          Amazing stay

          We had our very first camping experience with our new camper at this campground and it was everything we could have imagined and more. It’s a beautiful campground, the gentleman and his family who own it are sooooo nice and they helped us a lot when it came to learning how to properly use our camper. All the fellow campers that we met were extremely nice. It’s a quiet campground, located right on a river. My children spent hours in it playing and fishing. Looking forward to returning.

        • Laura D.
          Camper-submitted photo from Brialee Family Campground
          Jul. 10, 2024

          Brialee Family Campground

          Best Camping Experience

          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

        • R
          Camper-submitted photo from Strawberry Park
          Jul. 10, 2024

          Strawberry Park

          Large campground with 3 pools, many amenities and scheduled activities

          Large campground with 3 pools, many amenities and scheduled activities

        • Eddy B.
          Camper-submitted photo from Whispering Pines Campground
          Jul. 8, 2024

          Whispering Pines Campground

          Fun for the family

          Great privately owned family campground. The pool, splash pad, live music and activities for the kids were great!

          AT&T service had only one bar. Couldn’t stream but worked for calls and texts. Campground WiFi was strong but as expected struggled to keep up on this busy 4th of July.

        • aThe Dyrt PRO User
          Camper-submitted photo from Normandy Farms Campground
          Jul. 8, 2024

          Normandy Farms Campground

          Very Enjoyable 1 night stay

          We enjoyed our tent site with a wooden lean-to. Overall very private and peaceful, however the only drawback is that people took frequent casual walks pass the area all day long. There's really no way around that.

          We did not get a chance to enjoy the amenities, but they all looked nice and well thought out.

          We will return.

        • aThe Dyrt PRO User
          Camper-submitted photo from Canoe River Campground
          Jul. 8, 2024

          Canoe River Campground

          Good But Not Ideal for us

          The campground was very busy with families events activities, etc. If you prefer a noisy fun experience and a more social experience with your very close neighbors, this is the pot for you. Our preferred style of camping requires more space and less noise. The pool bathrooms were gross, but the other facilities area near the tent sites was very nice and clean.

          The food was great and the staff is friendly. Overall we had a great time, but its unlikely we’ll return mostly due to the noise level.

        • Beth R.The Dyrt PRO User
          Camper-submitted photo from Mystic KOA
          Jul. 5, 2024

          Mystic KOA

          Nice amenities

          Pros: 15 minutes from Mystic CT 50 AMP, sewer & water hookup Nice amenities

          Cons: Gravel site No shade Tight site & hard to get in/out for big rig

        • M
          Camper-submitted photo from Charlie Brown Campground
          Jul. 1, 2024

          Charlie Brown Campground

          Riverside Delight!

          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.

        • Jason L.The Dyrt PRO User
          Camper-submitted photo from West Thompson Lake Campground
          Jun. 27, 2024

          West Thompson Lake Campground

          Pleasantly surprised

          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

        • Kerry G.
          Camper-submitted photo from Odetah Camping Resort
          Jun. 21, 2024

          Odetah Camping Resort

          “Camp”grounds that discriminates against tent campers

          Odetah Camping Resort called us today 24 hours prior to our arrival- after 4 years of camping there- to cancel our site unless we rented an RV and didn’t use tents. We were allowed to book and had the booking for 4 months. I was on the phone with them while I booked for assistance since it’s a group booking for 16. I called later to book a cabana too. They never once said anything. Then they called 24 hours in advance because our reservation said tent and that’s not allowed. Then they charged us a cancellation fee. Even tho they cancelled ON US. 

          But my favorite part is them saying that the camping industry is moving to no longer allow tents. They think they are*kind* to still allow tents-a handful of sites on a rocky hill that don’t have electricity or water. So those with medical needs cannot use those sites. Those with mobility limitations cannot either. 

          WHAT?! 

          Camping= tents. Change your name if you are going to discriminate. Don’t worry tho, you can put on a tent NEXT TO an rv on the sites. You just cant put only a tent. 

          Their customer service was horrendous. The experience was horrendous. What a shame.

        • Janet R.The Dyrt PRO User
          Camper-submitted photo from Hanscom AFB FamCamp
          Jun. 19, 2024

          Hanscom AFB FamCamp

          Recreation camping close to Lexingtin and Concord

          The HanscomField Fam Camp is a wooded recreational camp for military families and retirees, as well as for RV camping for active duty military on temporary orders. The campground offers RV sites, some with hookups, as well as more walk-in secluded tent sites as well as one yurt tent. The campground is peaceful and quiet, although adjacent to a very busy AFB. Proximity to the base provides access to the base exchange and other facilities, but the quiet location is a recreational retreat centered around several indoor and outdoor gathering spaces such as basketball and outdoor sports, and an indoor game and recreation room complete with crafts supplies for the kiddos and tourism info for the lical area. In the immediate vicinity are the villages of Lexington and Concord as well as the Minute Man National Park and Walden Pond, so the campground makes a great basecamp for exploration of the area’s rich culture and history. You are also not too far from Cambridge, and can easily access Boston from there if you like.

          There are several clean modern bath houses, with hot showers and flush toilets. The office staff is very helpful and friendly!

          Dogs are welcome too.



        Frequently Asked Questions

        • Which is the most popular tent campsite near Charlton, MA?

          According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Charlton, MA is Tully Lake Recreation Area (MA) — Tully Lake with a 4.7-star rating from 9 reviews.

        • What is the best site to find tent camping near Charlton, MA?

          TheDyrt.com has all 13 tent camping locations near Charlton, MA, with real photos and reviews from campers.