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Best Tent Camping near North Oxford, MA

560 Reviews

Central Massachusetts tent campsites near North Oxford range from lakeside locations to wooded retreats. Tully Lake Recreation Area in Royalston offers spacious tent-only sites with fire rings and picnic tables, situated approximately 60 miles northwest of North Oxford. Buck Hill Campground in nearby Rhode Island provides primitive tent camping along Wakefield Pond with minimal amenities in a heavily wooded setting. Tent campers will also find options at Federated Womens Club State Forest, which offers walk-in tent sites near the Quabbin Reservoir.

Most tent campgrounds in the region require campers to park and walk to their sites. At Tully Lake, wooden carts are provided for hauling gear from the central parking area to tent sites, which can range from a few yards to nearly a mile away. Toilets and facilities are typically centralized, requiring nighttime walks from more distant sites. One camper noted, "The sites do not have water or electricity, and you need to buy firewood from them." Water access varies significantly between campgrounds—Buck Hill offers pond access with swimming opportunities, while others require campers to bring their own drinking water. Most sites include fire rings and picnic tables, though seasonal fire restrictions may apply.

Tent camping in the North Oxford region offers varied experiences based on proximity to water and level of seclusion. The tent sites at Tully Lake provide opportunities for kayaking, canoeing, and swimming directly from waterfront sites. A review mentioned that "There are lots of islands and places to explore on the lake." Sites farther from parking areas typically offer more privacy and less noise. Buck Hill features large group sites that can accommodate multiple tents, making it suitable for scout groups or family gatherings. Some campgrounds, like Federated Womens Club State Forest, connect to trail networks and provide access to scenic viewpoints. Cell phone service ranges from spotty to nonexistent in many of these primitive tent camping areas, allowing for a genuine disconnect from everyday life.

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Best Tent Sites Near North Oxford, Massachusetts (17)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near North Oxford, MA

21 Photos of 17 North Oxford Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near North Oxford, MA

560 Reviews of 17 North Oxford 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 :)

  • 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!

  • 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

  • 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

  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 1, 2020

    Wolf Den Campground — Mashamoquet Brook State Park

    Basic campground with hiking trails in the area.

    This small state park campground offers basic campsites with running water and showers, open Memorial Day to Columbus Day.  This is NOT Wolf's Den Family Campground in E. Haddam, CT. Also, be aware there are 2 campgrounds at this State Park; the other one, Mashamoquet Brook, does not offer running water/showers, so if you want these amenities, be sure to select a campsite 1-35.

    There's a small playground in the middle of the loop, a number of hiking trails throughout the park along with a few geocaches (download details for offline use a phone connection is spotty), a swimming pond, and a small brook with an old mill and blacksmith shop that is sometimes open on weekends for tours. It's a nice place to explore and have a picnic. In 2020 with Covid, there were restrictions on visitors to the campground, reservations required, and swimming was not allowed. 

    The parking pads are paved and a few have overhanging branches, but the trees provide  separation and some shade on largely open sites that tend to open up toward the back with open areas for pitching tents. Sites have fire rings with grills and picnic tables. Site 20 is the only one with electric. The ones toward the back of the loop back up toward the woods and give you some more privacy. 

    They don't allow hammocks in the trees or pets. For some reason, silly string also makes the list of prohibitions.

  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 8, 2020

    Otter River State Forest

    Mixed bag at this campground

    This is a smaller campground with a few loops of campsites. The sites that are near the small pond are generally larger and have better space for pitching a tent. The sites on the first two loops/spur roads are smaller and most of them are designated for tents only or tents/popups. Site 33 is large and level, suitable for an RV, but Group B site is right behind it, which may or may not be an issue.  Group A & C sites are also in the first two loops.

    65, 67, 68 are walk-in sites, with the tent area lower, closer to the water.  At the top of the hill, there are several yurts available.

    Dump station and additional swimming/water activities are a little farther down the road at Lake Dennison .

  • Ryan A.
    May. 15, 2024

    George Washington State Campground

    An OK Campground but not Great

    Camped out here for two nights after reading about this place in the"Best Tent Camping: New England" book. It's better than the other campgrounds in Rhode Island that I looked at (Burlingame, Fort Getty) but isn't my favorite campground. If you're not a Rhode Island resident the fee for most sites is$36/night. Is it worth it? Eh, probably not unless you're really jonesing to camp for a weekend in the Ocean State. 

    It does have some great things going for it, namely the hiking trails and views of the lake. There are some tent-only sites which are numbered T1-T5. I stayed in T5 and it was the best of the bunch because it had the most privacy and space, including a grassy area. The other tent-only sites were fairly small and if you go to any mixed use sites you run the risk of having an RV next to you. The A1-A7 sites are remote and hike in, but you're going to have to hike either 0.4 or 0.6 miles through some uneven terrain. The next best group of sites would be 19-24 which are on their own small loop near the lake. 

    The things I didn't like were the streetlights over the port-a-potties that shine all night. There is a manned gate where you check in and you have to get let into the campground during the day, but at night the gates are wide open and it seems like some people know this because there are a few oddballs around in the early morning. There is swimming at the lake but it looked way too dirty. 

    Overall the place was managed very well, the sites were cleanish and the grounds were taken care of. The employees drove by at least once an hour, I thought they were collecting trash from dumpsters but the only place with a dumpster is near the entrance. I couldn't figure out why they kept driving by so often. I had a good time, it was relaxing and scratched the camping itch.

  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 18, 2020

    Willard Brook State Forest Campground

    Small forest campground best suited for tents and small trailers

    This small state forest campground in north/central Massachusetts is just up the hill from Damon Pond. I suggest downloading maps before you head out because cell service is iffy in the area.  

    Sites are largely level, around a small, bisected loop with towering pines. Most of the sites are best suited to tents and small trailers (think teardrops and pop-ups), but a couple of sites can accommodate slightly larger units. They are level and there's not a lot of brush between sites, so not much privacy either. I liked site 3 for a bit more privacy ; it's also one of the 3 sites designated for an RV. Site 11 is larger and can accommodate a larger unit.

    There is a large yurt suitable for 10 people. The yurt does offer electricity, but there are no hookups nor a dump station at the campground. There are flush toilets, but no showers. The small bathroom was under renovation autumn 2020. There is a dishwashing sink. 

    There are hiking trails in the area and, of course, swimming at the small pond. A nearby roadside waterfall offers another picnic area opportunity. For a longer hike, you can hike to and from Pearl Lake State Park. Fishing, mountain biking, and geocaching are other activities available. There's a parking lot closer to the beach or it's an easy walk from the campground.

    If you are from out of state, check fees carefully. In 2020 MA increased fees significantly in light of the pandemic. Prices are steep for what you get if you are out of state.

  • Bill K.
    Sep. 26, 2018

    Gilson Pond Area Campground — Monadnock State Park

    Clean, friendly staff, good facilities.

    This campground at Gilson Pond on Monadnock State park is only about 8 years old and is very well maintained. Staff is friendly and laid back. 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 and have narrow driveways. We had to front in and 134 point turn in order to get the tow vehicle back out of the site as the edge dropped off a small ledge of boulders. There are no water hook ups on RV sites and public water faucets are not threaded for RV filling with the exception of one faucet we happened upon on the B loop, so plan accordingly if you plan on filling water tanks on site. Easy access to hiking trails to Mt Monadnock with plenty of day use parking. Bring plenty of mosquito repellent!

Guide to North Oxford

Tent camping near North Oxford, Massachusetts, offers a variety of scenic locations where nature lovers can unwind and enjoy the great outdoors. With options ranging from rustic sites to more developed campgrounds, there's something for everyone.

Tips for tent camping near North Oxford

  • For a peaceful experience, consider staying at Willard Brook State Forest, where you can enjoy quiet surroundings and well-maintained sites, perfect for tents and small trailers.
  • Bring your own water when visiting Federated Womens Club State Forest, as this rustic campground has limited amenities and is accessible only by foot.
  • If you're looking for a more social atmosphere, Sodom Mountain Campground has improved facilities and friendly staff, making it a great choice for families.

Local attractions for tent campers

  • Explore the beautiful trails and swimming opportunities at Tully Lake Recreation Area, where you can fish, kayak, and enjoy the serene environment.
  • Visit the historic sites and enjoy the natural beauty of the Boston Harbor Islands by camping at Boston Harbor Islands State Park Campground, which offers unique island camping experiences.
  • Discover the remnants of towns lost to the Quabbin Reservoir while hiking in the area surrounding Federated Womens Club State Forest, where you can also enjoy geocaching adventures.

Activities to enjoy while tent camping

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near North Oxford, MA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near North Oxford, MA is Buck Hill Campground with a 4-star rating from 1 review.

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