Best Campgrounds near New Salem, MA

Join the fun near New Salem. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. New Salem is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in New Salem, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.

Best Camping Sites Near New Salem, Massachusetts (157)

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

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

    $40 / night

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

    "Volleyball and horseshoes are near the entrance. You may purchase firewood. The bathrooms offer flush toilets and a single shower on each site, plus a dishwashing sink outside."

    2. Otter River State Forest

    14 Reviews
    Baldwinville, MA
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (978) 939-8962

    $17 - $55 / night

    "Swimming in a pond or a short drive to a bigger lake (camping pass covers both). One of my favorites. It's kind of a hidden gem in north central Massachusetts."

    "I loved it here, it was a great little campground for massachusetts"

    3. Lake Dennison Recreation Area Campground

    14 Reviews
    Foster Lake, MA
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (978) 297-1609

    $17 - $35 / night

    "The loop closer to the entrance has a lot of private sites. Although if you have one closer to the main road, it is quite noisy with road sounds. But many of the sites in the middle are more quiet."

    "As a caveat, waterfront in this instance was more of a water view as the lake was on the other side of the campground road and a large open area with trees."

    4. Pine Acres Family Camping Resort

    15 Reviews
    Rutland, MA
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (508) 882-9509

    $70 - $115 / night

    "Miles and miles of country/forests surrounding pine acres, however pulling in you’ll soon realize how much goes on inside the campground."

    "Although the tent sites are a distance from anything, the main areas of the campground are fantastic. With a full calendar of events (some free, some cost $) you will never be bored."

    5. Erving State Forest Campground

    3 Reviews
    Erving, MA
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (978) 544-7745

    $17 / night

    "Situated by a beautiful lake and access to several hiking trails. "

    "Friends told me about this little gem in north central Massachusetts, not far from Rt 2. The big draw here is the pond, with the public beach on one side and lined with private cabins on the other. "

    6. Federated Womens Club State Forest

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

    7. Camp Coldbrook Golf & RV Resorts

    4 Reviews
    Barre, MA
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (978) 355-2090

    $28 - $58 / night

    "The campground was large enough to tire out the dogs walking around, staff was friendly, helpful and welcoming!"

    8. Barton Cove Campground

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

    $22 - $30 / night

    "Only real annoyance was dealing with set up and take down of the campsite- you check in at the office, grab a key to unlock the gate, drive to the campground, unlock gate, drive through gate, lock gate"

    9. Ashuelot River Campground

    16 Reviews
    West Swanzey, NH
    26 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 357-5777

    $47 - $70 / night

    "We had easy access to trails that went along the river behind some of the sites with a few paths down to the river.

    Everyone we encountered was friendly and respectful."

    "Large, open campground surrounded by the Ashuelot River. Friendly owners who go around delivering wood and ice to guests given the pandemic right now."

    10. Gilson Pond Area Campground — Monadnock State Park

    19 Reviews
    Jaffrey, NH
    27 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 532-2416

    $29 - $45 / night

    "Campsites are well shaded but if you have an RV take the time to rent an RV site otherwise backing in will put you in and awkward position as the mixed use “standard” sites are oriented towards tent camping"

    "The campsite is big and away from another site. You can easilly access to hiking trails.

    The staff there are friendly and helpful. It's definitely a plus."

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Recent Reviews near New Salem, MA

695 Reviews of 157 New Salem Campgrounds


  • alicianlv The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 7, 2025

    Grout Pond Campground — Green Mountain & Finger Lakes National Forests

    Grout Pond Loop

    Camping Grout Pond Loop is truly nice after Labor Day (Sept 5-7). Campsites 15 & 16 offer pull-out space to turn around truck campers --we lucked out w/ 4 wheel camper pop-up). Over hanging trees would make it difficult for larger equipment, plus saw posting that excludes trailers from certain roads. We reserved well in advance; however many fellow campers were trying to find first come sites and ended up hiking in to camp around pond sites. Sites are in eye-site of each other but you don't feel crowded. Temps during day around 65-70 F. Nights dipped to 45-55F.
    We saw deer & turkeys driving the surrounding woods after short hikes.
    We love chatting w locals and learned of a special shrine that was faithfully built from stone to resemble original in modern day Turkey. What a special & serene place.

  • Kenneth P.
    Aug. 28, 2025

    Fort Dummer State Park Campground

    Not So Bad

    We spent one night at site #20 and enjoyed our stay.  It was rather peaceful other than the hum of I-91. The staff was friendly and helpful. The sites were generally wooded, pretty level, and fairly spread apart from one another.  I saw no signs of the problems identified in the June 2025 review.  Yes, I must agree that the restrooms are old, but they were clean.  The other problems might happen anywhere and were obviously brought under control.  Clearly, the writer of the June 2025 post knew way more than any weekend camper would be aware of and this shows that is more to their story that should have been revealed in their post.

  • 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.

  • Rachael K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 17, 2025

    Lake Dennison Recreation Area Campground

    Really pretty and chill

    This campground is pretty and offers many private site options. We didn't use the bathrooms so can't speak on that. But overall it's a clean campground.

    There are two loops. The loop closer to the entrance has a lot of private sites. Although if you have one closer to the main road, it is quite noisy with road sounds. But many of the sites in the middle are more quiet. The sites by the lake are really pretty, but there's not much privacy. All of the sites are good size and the fire pits are placed well.

    The other loop farther away from the entrance has a lot more lakeside sites. But there's very little privacy. The sites with higher numbers by the lake are all on top of each other with little to no trees or shrubs between sites, and you can't really decipher where one site ends and the next begins. We would not stay on that loop if we visited again. Unless it was site 101 which seemed more private for that loop.

    Sites 1 through 5 on the first loop are pretty quiet and peaceful. We stayed at site 4 and we think that it was one of the best sites in the campground. We didn't have neighbors on either side of us. We only had neighbors across from us. The site was spacious , peaceful and pretty. There was a little trail from our site that went down to a marsh. That was absolutely beautiful.

    We will definitely stay here again.

  • licia S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 17, 2025

    Somerset Airfield

    No Wifi, Resevoir Beautiful

    Enjoyed the stunning babbling brook and resevoir- saw happy people swimming, kayaking, and camping. It's been quiet and peaceful and sometimes generators running all night. I arrived after the 4th of July and a neighbor said it was rowdy during the holiday with illegal fireworks set off every night over the dry forest. These pics are from a weekday morning. It's great to see families camping. There are pit toilets. AT.T service at bridge prior to camp- short walk. SOS only in camp. Another camper told me Starlink works here.

  • gabe N.
    Aug. 16, 2025

    Lake Dennison Recreation Area Campground

    What a gem

    We camped here one night on a pit stop and it exceeded our expectations! We camped on the north shore; sites were big and offered immediate access to and view of the lake. However, there is limited privacy between sites so hope for good neighbors :) also cell service was fine with AT&T.

  • Ricky H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 13, 2025

    George D Aiken Wilderness Dispersed

    Not terrible

    Site was littered with places previous campers had left human excrement. While not in the site directly, it was all around it. Also had someone who decided to use the area to sight in his rifle. Which was very unexpected as it was incredibly loud with no warning at all. Was not aware this was a gun range. Tried to flag down a park ranger, but he just drove on by.


Guide to New Salem

Camping near New Salem, Massachusetts, offers a mix of beautiful nature and cozy campgrounds. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a fun family adventure, there are plenty of options to explore.

What to do:

  • Hiking: There are great trails nearby, especially at October Mountain State Forest. One camper mentioned, "The trails were completely perfectly maintained with some 2x6 boards over the muddy bits so our boots didn't get wet."
  • Fishing: If you enjoy fishing, October Mountain State Forest is close to the Housatonic River, which is perfect for catch-and-release fishing. A reviewer noted, "This campground was peaceful and quiet and mostly tucked into the hillside."
  • Exploring Local History: The area is rich in history, with nearby towns offering historical sites and charming shops. One visitor said, "Concord is only a 30-minute drive away with two full days of revolutionary historic sites."

What campers like:

  • Spacious Sites: Campers appreciate the roomy sites at Spacious Skies Minute Man. A reviewer shared, "The sites were ample size and space for our rig and needs."
  • Friendly Staff: Many campers rave about the welcoming atmosphere. At Mt. Greylock Campsite Park, one guest said, "Pat and Gordon are incredibly welcoming hosts."
  • Clean Facilities: Clean bathrooms and well-maintained grounds are a big plus. A camper at George Washington State Campground mentioned, "The bathrooms are BEAUTIFUL! the nicest I've seen yet."

What you should know:

  • No Same-Day Reservations: Many campgrounds, like October Mountain State Forest, do not allow same-day reservations. A frustrated camper noted, "First off no same day reservations or walk-ups allowed."
  • Limited Cell Service: Be prepared for spotty cell service in some areas. A visitor at Monadnock State Park Campground said, "I wish this were clearer on their website as we needed service to do some work."
  • Mosquitoes: The area can have a lot of mosquitoes, especially in warmer months. One camper warned, "The mosquitoes here were something out of a Soviet lab."

Tips for camping with families:

  • Kid-Friendly Activities: Look for campgrounds with playgrounds and activities for kids. At Camping On The Battenkill, a reviewer said, "A big playground for kids."
  • Plan for Rain: Be ready for sudden weather changes. One family at Wells State Park Campground experienced a storm but still had fun, saying, "Even with the heavy downpour, the site soaked it up and we had one small puddle."
  • Bring Extra Lights: It can get very dark at night. A camper at Wells State Park Campground advised, "Bring two lights at night!"

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Site Accessibility: Some sites may not be RV-friendly. A camper at Wells State Park Campground mentioned, "The driveway to site 38 was a mess."
  • Look for Full Hookups: If you need full hookups, check the campground features. A reviewer at Camping On The Battenkill noted, "They have tent sites to full hookup sites."
  • Be Prepared for Fees: Some campgrounds have additional fees for non-residents. A visitor at October Mountain State Forest shared, "It cost me $52 because I am not a Massachusetts resident, per night."

Camping near New Salem, Massachusetts, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the great outdoors!

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near New Salem, MA?

According to TheDyrt.com, New Salem, MA offers a wide range of camping options, with 157 campgrounds and RV parks near New Salem, MA and 12 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near New Salem, MA?

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

Where can I find free dispersed camping near New Salem, MA?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 12 free dispersed camping spots near New Salem, MA.

What parks are near New Salem, MA?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 16 parks near New Salem, MA that allow camping, notably Tully Lake and Edward MacDowell Lake.