Campgrounds near Colrain, Massachusetts sit within the western foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, typically at elevations between 800-1500 feet. This higher elevation area experiences cooler nighttime temperatures year-round, often 10-15 degrees lower than surrounding lowlands. Summer camping season generally runs May through October with peak foliage viewing in late September when overnight temperatures can drop into the 40s.
What to do
Hiking near Mt. Olga: At Molly Stark State Park Campground, the 1.7-mile round trip trail leads to panoramic views from a fire tower. "The hike up Mt. Olga is 1.7 miles (round trip). There's a fire tower at the top, which provides awesome views of the Green Mountains. It's also fun to explore the relics of the old Hogback Ski Resort."
Tubing the Ashuelot River: Ashuelot River Campground provides direct access to lazy river floating during summer months. "Having good weather, we took a lazy tube ride from one side of the campground to the other. It has been quite dry in the area, so they are experiencing a drought. However, a little rain in the week got the river moving a bit."
Swimming in local swimming holes: Several campgrounds feature natural swimming spots. At Fort Dummer State Park, "there is a great hike to a swimming hole and it is very close to Brattleboro, VT." The park also offers "three short hiking trails suitable for dog walking, including one that leads to a swimming hole."
Geocaching opportunities: The Daughters of the American Revolution State Forest features extensive trails loaded with hidden caches. "We spent some time on the hiking trails and found plenty of geocaches, which was awesome."
What campers like
Privacy between sites: At Fort Dummer State Park Campground, "sites are large and well maintained. Plenty of space between sites." Another camper mentioned "the sites are spaced out very well, we were at #22 which is set back from the road loop."
Clean facilities: Woodford State Park maintains exceptionally clean facilities. "The bathrooms were the cleanest campground bathrooms I've ever seen!" Another camper noted, "bathroom in the first loop is fine (cold water sinks, hand soap, paper towels). Token operated showers."
Diverse site options: Multiple campgrounds offer varied camping experiences. At Woodford State Park, "there are tons of different types of campsites with either tent spots, lean tos, and a few (hard to get) cabins." Similarly, Ashuelot River Campground has "some site on the river, some in the woods and some in a field."
Spacious campsites: The DAR State Forest features particularly large sites. "Site #44 is HUGELY HUGE. Seriously, you could put down three tents and a couple of campers and not feel crowded."
What you should know
Varying shower facilities: Shower availability differs between campgrounds. At Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) State Forest Campground, "FREE hot showers! Only two showers for the whole camp," while Woodford State Park has "token operated showers that we didn't use this time."
Seasonal timing: Most campgrounds in this region operate between May and October. "We camped at the Daughters of the American Revolution State Forest in September of 2019 and we are returning in October of 2021."
Traffic noise: Some campgrounds experience highway noise. Molly Stark State Park "is near Route 9 so not much quiet during the day, but at night its great." Similarly, at Fort Dummer, "the only downfall is since it's so close to the highway, you can hear traffic all night."
Pet policies: Many dog friendly campgrounds near Colrain have specific rules. Woodford State Park "welcomes pets at their established sites" but has a separate "dog-friendly grassy area on the water" distinct from the "separate little no-dog swimming and paddle boat area."
Tips for camping with families
Swimming options: Mohawk Trail State Forest Campground offers river access ideal for kids. "The campground is just off of Rt2 in the beautiful Berkshires of western Massachusetts. The sites were a little close and not very private, but if you go during the weekdays, as we did, this won't be an issue."
Playground availability: Country Aire Campgrounds features recently upgraded play equipment. "The pool is ok, the new playground is awesome according to my little experts and there are some nice sites along a brook."
Wildlife education: Several pet-friendly campgrounds near Colrain offer nature observation opportunities. "We heard coyotes at night and loons in the morning" at Woodford State Park, while DAR State Forest notes "there might be bears, so there's a bear box to store all your stuff in when you are not using it."
Kid-friendly campground culture: Woodford State Park has a particularly child-friendly atmosphere. "If you're looking for a quiet spot maybe don't look here. If you have kids and don't mind them making friends and roaming the campground then this is great!"
Tips from RVers
Site dimensions: Travelers Woods Of New England accommodates various vehicle sizes. "All campsites are grass, fire rings and different size lots from tents to big rigs." Look for sites specifically marked as big-rig friendly.
Road access considerations: Pay attention to local bridge restrictions. At Ashuelot River Campground, "highly suggest reading the directions on the campgrounds website about the covered bridge you're not allowed to cross- we discovered this the hard way."
Hookup options: Country Aire Campgrounds offers full-service sites. "We just spent six days at site 31 and we really enjoyed our stay. The bathrooms were cleaned two times a day and the park is so well maintained." Most campgrounds provide water access, but electrical hookups vary significantly by location.
Ranger
