Best Tent Camping near Monson Center, MA

Tent campsites surrounding Monson Center, Massachusetts provide a mix of rural and forested camping opportunities across several established grounds. Tully Lake Recreation Area in Royalston offers walk-in tent sites with lakefront access, while Barton Cove Campground in Gill provides tent platforms with picnic tables and fire pits. Other notable tent campgrounds include the rustic Federated Womens Club State Forest in Petersham, which features primitive walk-in sites and limited amenities for a more secluded experience.

Most tent campgrounds in this region require campers to transport gear from parking areas to their sites. At Tully Lake, wooden wheelbarrows are provided for hauling equipment to walk-in tent sites located between 50 yards and a mile from the parking area. Pit toilets or composting facilities are common at most locations, though some like Tully Lake offer flush toilets and coin-operated showers. Water access varies significantly—Tully and Barton Cove provide drinking water, while Federated Womens Club State Forest requires campers bring their own. Fire regulations are strictly enforced, with designated fire rings at established sites.

The tent camping experience around Monson Center emphasizes natural settings with minimal development. Sites at Tully Lake offer privacy and direct lake access for swimming and paddling, with rentals available on-site. According to a visitor, "Some of the sites do not have waterfront access, however, and you'll definitely want to take advantage of the carts provided." The absence of vehicles at campsites creates a quieter atmosphere, particularly appealing to tent campers seeking traditional outdoor experiences. Federated Womens Club State Forest provides more isolated tent camping with limited cell service but excellent access to hiking trails, including those around the nearby Quabbin Reservoir. A reviewer noted that "cell phone coverage is faint to nonexistent on Verizon. You may want to download offline maps before you head out here."

Best Tent Sites Near Monson Center, Massachusetts (24)

    1. Sodom Mountain Campground

    1 Review
    Southwick, MA
    24 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. "

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

    9 Reviews
    Royalston, MA
    38 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. Buck Hill Campground

    1 Review
    Thompson, CT
    28 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."

    4. Federated Womens Club State Forest

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

    5. Onion Mountain Park

    3 Reviews
    West Simsbury, CT
    33 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. Chester Railway Station

    1 Review
    Chester, MA
    37 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."

    7. Barton Cove Campground

    2 Reviews
    Greenfield, MA
    37 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"

    9. River Highlands State Park River Campground

    1 Review
    Cromwell, CT
    37 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."

    10. Zoar Outdoor

    3 Reviews
    Charlemont, MA
    47 miles
    Website
    +1 (413) 339-4010
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Tent Camping Reviews near Monson Center, MA

547 Reviews of 24 Monson Center 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.
    Jun. 12, 2024

    Mohawk Trail State Forest Campground

    Great Campground in Western Mass

    This 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.

  • 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
    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

  • Crissy H.
    Jul. 11, 2018

    Mohawk Trail State Forest Campground

    Swim in the forest!

    It is beautiful, lots of shade, and you can camp right beside the river!! Don't count on phone service, and no showers. The bathrooms were clean. Every site has a bear box to keep anything edible. Easy to find.

  • 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

  • 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.


Guide to Monson Center

Tent camping near Monson Center, Massachusetts, offers a variety of experiences for outdoor enthusiasts, from rustic settings to well-equipped sites. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a place to enjoy nature with family, there are several options to explore.

Tent campers should check out Sodom Mountain Campground

  • Located in Southwick, Sodom Mountain Campground features friendly staff and improved amenities, making it a great choice for families.
  • This campground is known for its quiet atmosphere, with dirt roads that have been recently repaired, enhancing accessibility.
  • Guests can look forward to a renovated clubhouse and the addition of a modern bathhouse by the pool in the near future.

Some prices for tent camping range from $20 to $40

  • At Buck Hill Campground, you can enjoy a rustic experience with large clusters of sites accommodating multiple tents, perfect for groups.
  • Barton Cove Campground offers a unique setting with tent platforms and a peaceful environment, ideal for those looking to unwind.
  • For a more adventurous experience, Tully Lake Recreation Area provides walk-in sites that allow you to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying activities like fishing and kayaking.

Explore local attractions near your campsite

  • The Federated Womens Club State Forest offers scenic trails and a chance to connect with nature, perfect for hiking enthusiasts.
  • If you're a train lover, Chester Railway Station provides a unique camping experience in a caboose, right next to a real railroad.
  • For those seeking a more laid-back atmosphere, Onion Mountain Park is a great spot for hiking and enjoying the tranquility of the outdoors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Monson Center, MA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Monson Center, MA is Sodom Mountain Campground with a 4-star rating from 1 review.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Monson Center, MA?

TheDyrt.com has all 24 tent camping locations near Monson Center, MA, with real photos and reviews from campers.