Massachusetts woods around Leverett feature mixed hardwood forests at elevations between 400-600 feet. Glamping close to Leverett, Massachusetts offers visitors access to the Quabbin Reservoir watershed and Connecticut River Valley with seasonal weather that varies dramatically throughout the year. Camping options span from primitive sites to luxury tent accommodations within 30 miles of town.
What to Do
Swimming options: Wells State Park Campground features a designated swimming area on Walker Pond with a clay bottom shoreline. "Gorgeous campground. It's red clay instead of sand. I knocked a star because I think the swimming area could be bigger and raked," notes a visitor who enjoyed the water access.
Hiking trails: Molly Stark State Park Campground offers a 1.7-mile round trip hike to the Mt. Olga fire tower. "You can continue on the hiking trail to a cute brewery/pizza place or even a distillery. If hiking is not for you it's a 3 minute car ride away," reports one camper who explored the trails.
River activities: Ashuelot River Campground provides tubing and paddling on the river that borders the property. "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," reports one visitor who enjoyed river recreation.
What Campers Like
Private woodland sites: Sites at Erving State Forest Campground offer good separation from neighboring campers. "Sites are large, wooded, generally level. It was quiet with a lot of families. I took site pictures, but for the closed sites, the numbers were not posted," notes one reviewer who appreciated the natural setting.
Clean facilities: Wells State Park Campground receives praise for its updated bathhouses. "Wells State Park camp grounds recently got new bathrooms and they are so clean! The campsites are a nice size to drive your car up to and still have ample tent/picnic table/fire space," comments a satisfied visitor.
Seasonal activities: At Country Aire Campground, organized events enhance the camping experience. "They have a pool they have games we even have a hayride pulled by a tractor. It is run buy a family business, wife and I've been here many times and we will keep coming back," mentions a repeat visitor.
What You Should Know
Reservation requirements: Most campgrounds near Leverett require advance bookings, especially for premium sites. "We were able to book site 112 at the last minute and the staff waited for us to arrive. Although they were very friendly, they dropped the ball when it came to cleanliness and park security," reports one camper at Northampton/Springfield KOA.
Cell service limitations: Otter River State Forest offers limited connectivity. "FYI Verizon cell service was pretty good," notes one visitor, which contrasts with Erving State Forest where one camper reported "There is also zero cell service (there is an operational pay phone at the showers)."
Site proximity variations: Campgrounds offer different levels of privacy between sites. "Although you have good privacy to your left and right - you are not far from your camping neighbors across the way," explains a camper at Erving State Forest, highlighting the importance of site selection.
Tips for Camping with Families
Kid-friendly amenities: Sunset View Farms offers multiple recreation options. "There is horse shoes, shuffle board, basketball, play ground, swimming pond, fishing stream and fishing pond. Would recommend to my family and friends gladly," writes a camper who appreciated the variety of activities.
Playground access: Northampton/Springfield KOA maintains facilities specifically for children. "Staff was very nice, adequate amenities. Very little privacy between campsites even in wooded areas. A smaller operation with a high percentage of seasonal residents. They do seem to offer some interesting activities for kids with weekend fire engine rides, a gem panning center, seemingly well maintained playground/pool," reports a visitor.
Night noise considerations: Some campgrounds enforce quiet hours better than others. One camper at Northampton/Springfield KOA noted, "We had other campers arrive back at their tent sites across from ours at 11pm and they were inconsiderate of all the sleeping campers with their lights already out," suggesting families with young children should inquire about enforcement policies.
Tips from RVers
Site access challenges: RV campers should research site dimensions carefully. At Northampton/Springfield KOA, one camper noted, "We stayed here for one night en route to Cape Cod. Although we had requested a specific site on the KOA website, the gentleman in the front office had arranged for us to park in an easily accessible pull-through site, right at the entrance."
Hookup configurations: Sunset View Farms offers full hookup options. "The site was small but a pull thru, no problems at all, full hook up," reports an RVer who stayed at this campground, noting the convenience despite compact sites.
Seasonal closures: Most campgrounds near Leverett operate from May through October, with limited or no winter camping available. Country Aire Campground runs from "May 1 to Oct 31" while Molly Stark operates "Memorial Day weekend to Columbus Day weekend," requiring off-season travelers to seek accommodations farther from Leverett.
