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Best Campgrounds near Saugus, MA

584 Reviews

Camping near Saugus, Massachusetts encompasses a mix of state forest campgrounds, coastal sites, and educational centers within 30 minutes of Boston. Camp Nihan Education Center, located directly in Saugus, provides a rugged yet accessible camping experience adjacent to Breakheart Reservation. Nearby options include Harold Parker State Forest's Lorraine Park Campground in Andover and Winter Island Park in Salem, both offering tent and RV sites with varying levels of amenities. The region balances suburban accessibility with natural settings, allowing campers to explore historical sites like Saugus Iron Works while maintaining proximity to urban conveniences.

Most campgrounds in the area operate seasonally from May through September or October, with limited winter camping options. Massachusetts state parks enforce a no-alcohol policy at all campsites, which several reviewers note as a consideration when planning trips. Reservations are strongly recommended, especially for summer weekends, through Reserve America or individual campground websites. Cell service is generally reliable throughout the region, though some forested areas may have reduced coverage. Weather conditions are typical of New England, with humid summers and occasional thunderstorms, while spring and fall offer more moderate temperatures and fewer crowds.

The camping experience varies significantly between coastal and inland sites. Coastal options like Winter Island Park and Salisbury Beach State Reservation provide ocean access with more densely arranged sites and fewer trees. According to one visitor, Winter Island Park offers "access to Salem, Uber and Lyft availability, and great sunrise views," though sites lack privacy. Inland forest campgrounds like those at Harold Parker feature "large campsites with diverse privacy" and "water at each site," making them suitable for families seeking more seclusion. Many campgrounds accommodate both tents and RVs, with some offering full hookups while others maintain a more primitive camping experience with basic amenities.

Map showing campgrounds near Saugus, MassachusettsExplore the Map

Best Camping Sites Near Saugus, Massachusetts (77)

    1. Lorraine Park Campground — Harold Parker State Forest

    32 Reviews
    North Reading, MA
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (978) 475-7972

    $17 - $35 / night

    "Every site seems to have its own water spigot, though it's not necessarily conveniently located if you want to hook up a trailer/RV. There are 11 sites with water/electric."

    "You could be tucked away from everyone or closer together depending on the site you choose but they are all pretty decent in size. All sites have water which is a plus."

    2. Winter Island Park

    14 Reviews
    Salem, MA
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (978) 745-9430

    $35 - $105 / night

    "Many of the RV sites are located in the main parking lot; others are in a field just to the right of the entrance."

    "We drove 3-1/2 days from Idaho to get to a COVID testing site which would take non MA residents and turn the results around under 48 hours. We needed quiet camping and not have it cost a fortune."

    3. Wompatuck State Park Campground

    43 Reviews
    Hingham, MA
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (617) 895-8245

    $17 - $23 / night

    "Ours (R002) was large, beautiful, and mostly surrounded by forest."

    "I chose a spot away from others and was glad I did. Behind me was nothing but quiet woods and a deer meandered through a couple times."

    4. Hanscom AFB FamCamp

    9 Reviews
    Bedford, MA
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (781) 225-3953

    "The campground offers RV sites, some with hookups, as well as more walk-in secluded tent sites as well as one yurt tent. The campground is peaceful and quiet, although adjacent to a very busy AFB."

    "Close to minute man historical sites- revolutionary war historical trails and Ranger Station. Not too far from Boston."

    5. Boston Harbor Islands State Park Campground

    8 Reviews
    Hull, MA
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (781) 740-1605

    $8 - $55 / night

    "The yurts have bunk beds, a floor lamp, a table inside, a picnic table outside and a grill. Just getting to the island is a fun adventure."

    "You may choose to leave from Long Wharf, near the Aquarium T stop on the Blue line, or from Hingham, with overnight parking available."

    6. Camp Nihan Education Center

    2 Reviews
    Saugus, MA
    2 miles
    Website

    "The group site is super close to parking and yet the terrain is rugged enough that it always felt like we were really in the woods."

    7. Cape Ann Camp Site

    16 Reviews
    Gloucester, MA
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (978) 283-8683

    $36 - $44 / night

    "Perfect location with access to Rockport - a beautiful place to visit, shop, eat & a great little trail with great views Beach down the street was big, beautiful and low tide was unexpected as you"

    "Beautiful campsite, nice sized sites surrounded by trees so it felt pretty private. Bathrooms and showers well maintained, 25 cents for 5 minute shower."

    8. Spacious Skies Minute Man

    28 Reviews
    Ayer, MA
    27 miles
    Website
    +1 (978) 772-0042

    $39 - $999 / night

    "The pool is huge and clean and there is a ton of seating around. The shop has everything you could need. There are horseshoes, can jam, basketball, and bocce. There’s a playground and a rec room."

    "Easily accessible by car to shopping, groceries, etc. but no hiking or good walking paths from the campground."

    9. Salisbury Beach State Reservation

    25 Reviews
    Salisbury, MA
    26 miles
    Website
    +1 (978) 462-4481

    $28 - $38 / night

    "However, you can’t beat the location and it’s a great place to go with a group."

    "The feel here is electric, and positive. Lots of RV’s that stay here all summer long. Feels like you are in a tight-knit community, very friendly folks, packed tightly together."

    10. Normandy Farms Campground

    39 Reviews
    Foxborough, MA
    32 miles
    Website
    +1 (866) 673-2767

    $50 - $200 / night

    "The staff was positive and helpful and that made a difference for me. I traditionally dry camp or go for semi hooked up on purpose, I just like the quieter camping."

    "Driving around this place is definitely not a typical campground but more of a luxury camp because of all of the amenities.

    That being said it was very nice and felt safe."

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Recent Camping Photos near Saugus, MA

284 Photos of 77 Saugus Campgrounds

Recent Reviews near Saugus, MA

584 Reviews of 77 Saugus Campgrounds

  • SkipperAllen C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 8, 2025

    Wompatuck State Park Campground

    Very nice stopover

    Good place to spend the night.It was quiet comfortable and plenty of room between campsites

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 6, 2025

    Beach Rose RV Park

    Nice park

    Owners were helpful on arrival, level concrete pad full hookups. Sites close together but quiet.

  • Utshob A.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 2, 2025

    Bear Brook State Park Campground

    Convenient and fun

    The park was easy to get to, only about half an hour from Manchester. It has kayak rentals and a very well stocked camp store, that was close to the camp sites. Our campsite was only about a hundred feet away from the camp store but still felt private.

    Our campsite also had a fire pit and a picnic table which were great.

    The size of the sites varies quite a bit though as well as their isolation, some were out in the open.

    For cell service: ATT seems to have pretty decent coverage but not Verizon.

  • d
    Aug. 19, 2025

    Cape Ann Camp Site

    25 cents for a shower

    The aerial photos of this place are very deceiving. This camp ground is the foreground of the main house which, is situated on the top of the hill. The sites are all dirt. There is no concrete pads. There is no WIFI. There is no sewer hook up however, near the street there is a "dump station."  The camp ground is run down and unmaintained. Our site had a fire ring which, was filled with ash. Our first night we woke up to a trailer filled with smoke because, someone near by had a fire in 92 degree heat. Most campers are full time residents. There is no sight of them during the day light hours but, at night they are up and about on bikes and mingling with each other. 

    25 cents per 5 minute hot shower is offered in the public restroom. Some shady people immediate started to hover near the public restroom once we drove up the hill to use the public restrooms. For $70/nite for a view it's not worth it. I was glad to leave- very creepy.

  • Cassie G.
    Aug. 12, 2025

    Winding River Campground

    Fun laid back place. This campground has a lot of potential. Some info on their website and Facebook isn’t accurate.

    I would like to share my experience this past weekend at Winding River in Exeter NH. My family of 3 Stayed at tent site 523 in the Oak area. We also had family at 553 and 554 and Cabin 2.

    About site 523: I clearly had one of the largest and most private tent sites. It was set back with a long driveway tucked between 522 and 524. It’s a very steep drop into the river making most sites a little nerve wracking with a little one. Online it said water available nearby. Most sites had a hookup but there wasn’t a one on my site. It looked like there may have been one to share on the road, but I didn’t end up needing to figure that out.

    Tent sites 522 and 524: Along with most of the tent sites these sites were very close to each other, much smaller and closer to the road. I wished my family members had gotten 552 and 553 as they blended together nicely if you are tenting in side by side spaces. The ground was very rocky making staking tents down difficult. They were right next to the bathroom which was convenient but loud. Ventilation in the bathroom was not good so the doors were propped open much of the time and loud hand dryers.

    Shower:

    • This is the smaller of the two bathrooms in the campground. There are 2 showers there. Each with a single insufficient curtain and no hooks on the wall or bench to place things down. Water was hot enough, pressure was ok if you set it to the high power massage-like setting.
    • The showers in other bathroom (near the town center area) had a door and two curtains. Some had hooks (some of which were broken). I almost tripped going in and out of these bathroom stalls because they are raised up but there is no marking on the ground to indicate that.

    Cabin 2: Ac worked well. There was a good sized bed downstairs, smaller beds in two lofts. I was surprised the couch didn’t pull out. Fridge and all dishes were nice and clean. All the cabins seem to have different back porch setups. This porch was smaller than C1. There was a propane grill that smelled rancid with sooo much caked on The burners. The location of the ceiling fan under the other lights in the ceiling gave them a flashing effect that really bothered me.

    Pros:

    • Lower price compared to other campgrounds (but I don’t feel like I got everything advertised on the website)
    • Two playgrounds, both were nice.
    • Water slide was fun
    • We arrived Thursday at the gate and were told how to get to our site, to set up and then come over to the office which was nice.

    Cons:

    • The river is very low and yucky so none of the boating or fishing advertised was possible. likely causing the massive amount of mosquitos.
    • The whole arcade building was was “out of order”
    • The laundry room had two washers (one was broken) and two dryers 2.50 each per load. Not sufficient for a campground this size (especially when people leave their clothes in the machine for 30 mins after they’re done!)
    • Camp store was poorly stocked (multiple empty coolers).
    • Ice $3 per SMALL bag.
    • Wood $10 per bundle and rules say you can’t bring from off-site. I saw people with huge metal bins of wood but was never offered that option when I payed for multiple bundles.
    • Camp store closes at 3 on Sunday and doesn’t open until 11 am during the week (which is also checkout). This made it a little confusing when I wanted to return the golf cart. They have a small area with icecream that is scooped and maybe a kitchen. I never saw it open but I think the sign said open morning to 12 and then again in the evening.
    • The pool was green and cloudy on day 3. I called the office and was told they had just shocked it and that was a result of the copper. I am not informed enough on pool safety so I opted out of swimming on the hottest day of our stay. My son was bummed.
    • Planned activities were only scheduled for Friday and Saturday, when online mentions “daily”. During adult kareoke there were plenty of kids and really poor wifi (wasting so much time between songs).

    And just to add:

    • Staff I encountered was friendly enough, but It would be nice if they wore shirts to identify themselves.
    • Golf cart was great, but cost more than the site per night.
    • Pedal go-carts were available for rent (I didn’t ask a price).
  • Savanna B.
    Aug. 8, 2025

    Winding River Campground

    Place is nice, can get loud

    It's a nice campground with a pool and hottub. The store is a little overpriced. Most of the staff is okay but there are some that are a little rude. It can get loud at times but it's mostly chill

  • Savanna B.
    Aug. 8, 2025

    The Green Gate Campground

    Quiet and relaxing

    The campground is nice, friendly people. The pool is 9ft deep. The office is the store and there isn't that much to purchase but everything is reasonably priced.

  • Joseph W.
    Aug. 7, 2025

    Ferndale Acres

    Amazing

    The people there are so friendly! The place is nice and relaxing and is beautiful to just walk around.

Guide to Saugus

Camping near Saugus, Massachusetts, offers a variety of experiences for outdoor lovers. From beautiful lakes to spacious campgrounds, there’s something for everyone.

What to do

  • Hiking: Explore the trails at Bear Brook State Park Campground. One visitor mentioned, “There are hiking trails throughout the campground,” making it a great spot for nature walks.
  • Water Activities: At Pawtuckaway State Park Campground, you can enjoy kayaking and swimming. A reviewer said, “Lots of great spots on the water, easy to put a kayak in from.”
  • Family Fun: Normandy Farms Campground is perfect for families with kids. One camper noted, “It has so many things for the kids to do,” including playgrounds and crafts.

What campers like

  • Spacious Sites: Campers appreciate the large, private sites at Greenfield State Park Campground. A long-time visitor said, “If you like large sites in a wooded setting with many private ones, this is the place.”
  • Clean Facilities: Many enjoy the cleanliness of the restrooms and showers. A reviewer from George Washington State Campground mentioned, “Bathrooms were very clean with hot showers.”
  • Friendly Staff: Campers often highlight the helpfulness of the staff. One visitor at Wompatuck State Park Campground said, “The staff was friendly and helpful, with park rangers making regular rounds.”

What you should know

  • Pet Policies: If you’re bringing pets, check the rules. At Pawtuckaway State Park Campground, pets are allowed on trails but not in the campground during summer. A reviewer noted, “Pets are NOT permitted in the campground or beach area during the summer season.”
  • Crowded Weekends: Expect busier crowds on weekends. A camper at Greenfield State Park Campground shared, “The weekend was packed! Our neighbors were playing karaoke till 11pm.”
  • Limited Amenities: Some campgrounds, like Wompatuck State Park Campground, may not have extensive amenities. A visitor mentioned, “There isn’t much to the RV sites but an electric plug.”

Tips for camping with families

  • Activities for Kids: Look for campgrounds with kid-friendly activities. Normandy Farms Campground offers a variety of games and crafts. One parent said, “Everyone is so friendly. Can’t wait to go back for the 4th of July.”
  • Choose Spacious Sites: Opt for campgrounds with larger sites for more room to play. A camper at Bear Brook State Park Campground noted, “The sites were spacious and nice.”
  • Plan for Mosquitoes: Bring bug spray, especially near water. A visitor at Greenfield State Park Campground warned, “Watch for ticks.”

Tips from RVers

  • Leveling Blocks: Be prepared with leveling blocks for uneven sites. A reviewer at Normandy Farms Campground mentioned, “We basically had to park sideways and use a lot of leveling blocks to get our rig level.”
  • Check Site Size: Make sure your RV fits the site. A camper at Boston/Cape Cod KOA said, “Some of the FHU sites are pretty tight, but overall the campground is nice.”
  • Use Dump Stations: Familiarize yourself with dump station locations. A visitor at Bear Brook State Park Campground noted, “Dump Station: Yes.”

Camping around Saugus, MA, has a lot to offer, from beautiful parks to family-friendly activities. Whether you’re in an RV or tent, you’ll find a spot that suits your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best campgrounds near Saugus?

Less than 30 minutes from Saugus, Lorraine Park Campground — Harold Parker State Forest offers wooded sites and plenty of outdoor activities while still being conveniently located. For families with children, Camp Nihan Education Center provides a rustic experience with recently renovated bathrooms and shower facilities. The terrain is rugged enough to feel like you're deep in the woods despite being close to urban areas. Both campgrounds offer a perfect escape from city life while remaining easily accessible from Saugus.

Are there RV-friendly camping sites in Saugus?

While there are no RV parks directly in Saugus, nearby options provide excellent accommodations. Beach Rose RV Park in Salisbury is a small, family-owned campground with clean facilities and a swimming pool. It's particularly accommodating during busy weekends. Another option is Salisbury Beach State Reservation, which offers water and electricity hookups with level site pads that make setup easy for RVs. Both locations provide convenient access to Massachusetts attractions while serving the needs of RV campers from the Saugus area.

What camping options are available for tent camping near Saugus?

Tent campers near Saugus have several excellent options. Ponkapoag Camp is exceptionally convenient for Boston-area residents, offering a wilderness experience without traveling far. For a more secluded experience, Willard Brook State Forest Campground features level sites under towering pines around a small loop. It's located near Damon Pond, though downloading maps beforehand is recommended as cell service can be spotty. Both campgrounds provide peaceful settings for tent camping with different amenities and proximity levels to make your outdoor experience enjoyable.

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