Best Campgrounds near Templeton, MA

The north central Massachusetts area surrounding Templeton features several established campgrounds with varying accommodation options. Lake Dennison Recreation Area Campground and Otter River State Forest provide developed camping within 10 miles of Templeton, with both tent and RV sites available. Tully Lake Recreation Area offers more primitive tent-only sites with walk-in or boat-in access, while private campgrounds like Pine Acres Family Camping Resort provide cabin camping and glamping alternatives. Most campgrounds in this region operate seasonally from late spring through early fall, with Otter River State Forest typically open from mid-May to mid-October.

Many state-managed campgrounds require advance reservations, particularly for weekend stays during summer months. The region experiences typical New England seasonal variations with warm summers and cold, snowy winters that limit camping opportunities. Most camping areas close completely during winter, with no year-round options available directly in Templeton. Cell service can be spotty to non-existent in parts of the area, particularly at Tully Lake where visitors should download maps beforehand. Picnic tables and fire rings are standard at most sites, though fire restrictions may apply during dry periods. A camper noted that "this campground is clean and well kept. Lots of families here. 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."

The mixed-use campgrounds in the region typically offer access to water recreation, with several featuring swimming areas, fishing spots, and boat launches. Lake Dennison and Tully Lake provide waterfront sites that tend to book quickly during peak season. Campers report high satisfaction with hiking opportunities, particularly at Tully Lake where trails lead to Doane's Falls, a series of five waterfalls accessible from the campground. Several state forest campgrounds provide shower facilities and flush toilets, though amenities vary significantly between locations. Most campgrounds prohibit alcohol consumption, which is strictly enforced in Massachusetts state parks. One visitor described Tully Lake as a "carry in" campground where "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."

Best Camping Sites Near Templeton, Massachusetts (135)

    1. Lake Dennison Recreation Area Campground

    14 Reviews
    Foster Lake, OR
    6 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."

    2. Otter River State Forest

    14 Reviews
    Baldwinville, MA
    5 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. Tully Lake Recreation Area (MA) — Tully Lake

    9 Reviews
    Royalston, MA
    10 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."

    4. Pine Acres Family Camping Resort

    15 Reviews
    Rutland, MA
    15 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. Gilson Pond Area Campground — Monadnock State Park

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

    $29 - $35 / 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."

    6. Woodmore Family Campground and RV Park

    6 Reviews
    Rindge, NH
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 899-3362

    $42 - $65 / night

    "Lake access with kayaks , some local hiking. Major grocery store nearby along with Walmart."

    "the rules but everybody does and it's a good experience, everyone is very friendly the owners are wonderful people and super friendly very helpful it's clean they offer a lot of stuff to do right on a lake"

    7. Camp Coldbrook Golf & RV Resorts

    4 Reviews
    Barre, MA
    11 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. 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."

    "The location was perfect to see so much in the area (Minute Man National Historical Park, Boston, Salem, Plymouth, Cape Cod, Providence etc)."

    9. Pout and Trout

    4 Reviews
    Hubbardston, MA
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (774) 441-3248

    "This campground is located near two beautiful disc golf courses and the reason we stayed. The campground itself was fantastic, the owner at the front building was very helpful and so sweet."

    10. The Pine Campground

    7 Reviews
    Ashby, MA
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (978) 386-7702

    "Small river/ brook rind behind the campground.   Some shots have nice sound of river right behind the sites.  No pond or pool for swimming."

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Recent Reviews near Templeton, MA

602 Reviews of 135 Templeton Campgrounds


  • DThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 21, 2025

    Spacious Skies French Pond

    Helpful staff

    The staff was friendly. Don't forget the flashlight. There is very little lighting to find your way around the winding roads of the campground which adds to the charm.

  • AThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 18, 2025

    Zoar Outdoor

    Nice and would like to visit again but not within 12 hours-BOO

    I’m writing this mid-October from western MA. In between homes and looked forward to staying another night, but can not because of a 12 hour advance policy. There were plenty of tent sites available last night. Not a happy camper.

  • Carroll K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 16, 2025

    Gus's Gardens Camping

    It was quite and peaceful

    We enjoyed our stay with Gus very much. With the email to confirm our stay, there were excellent directions to get there. It is behind his home by a lake with creek nearby. There is also a hiking trail. We had no problems. If we are in the area again, we would camp here again.  Thanks

  • Lin C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 10, 2025

    Spacious Skies French Pond

    Best Camp in the area

    I am enjoying this camp still, even after 6 months. Management is wonderful and attentive. They take great care of the whole camp and us campers. Fun events are scheduled on the regular!

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 2, 2025

    Ashuelot River Campground

    Nice ‘n Easy campground

    We stayed for 3 days off season so not busy. Sites located along the river are wooded, field sites are very open great for seeing the stars at night. Sites have fire rings with excellent airflow for good burning with low smoke. Hook ups are in great condition for power, water, sewer. Showers and bath house on site. Laundry and game room at office area. Office staff was very helpful and they’re open later into the day til 7 PM. Good firewood and large bundle delivered for $15 to your site. We passed over this site on our first trip to the area but are glad we came here and we’re planning to return. Follow the website directions to get here as there are covered bridges in the area with low Clearance and low weight limits.

  • Rae-Ann W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 29, 2025

    Ashuelot River Campground

    Another great trip to Ashuelot River Campground

    We spent another great weekend at the Ashuelot River Campground. We recently purchased a new-to-us camper and wanted to get in a trip or two before putting it away for the winter. This was our 2nd visit to Ashuelot.

    We were in site 59, a pull-through with water and 30/50 amp service. The site was level and easy to get into and park. We were in a fully wooded area on the left side of the campground, which we prefer. They have sites located in fully open areas, as well as some that are partially wooded and have river access. There is a nice mix.

    Having good weather, 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. We were able to enjoy a nice, slow drift around the campground.

    We thoroughly enjoyed our time again and will definitely be back.

  • Rachael K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 22, 2025

    Gus's Gardens Camping

    Nice weekend getaway

    This place was really nice. Easy to pull our 20ft camper in. Two minutes drive to the very cute town of Wilmington. Good places to eat there. The campsite was really private. Had a picnic table and fire pit. The pond was sweet and the Deerfield Valley Trail is right off the campsite. We would definitely like to stay there again.

  • Mindie C.
    Sep. 20, 2025

    Hanscom AFB FamCamp

    Great stop

    Lovely campground. Clean, good WiFi. Kind campers. Will be back


Guide to Templeton

Camping spots near Templeton, Massachusetts are situated in a region of north central Massachusetts characterized by mixed hardwood forests, small lakes, and elevations averaging around 1,100 feet above sea level. The area experiences distinct seasonal transitions with warm, humid summers peaking in July with average temperatures around 80°F, while winter temperatures typically drop below freezing from December through February. The transitional seasons of spring and fall often provide the most comfortable camping conditions in this region.

What to do

Paddle sports at Tully Lake: The lake offers excellent kayaking and canoeing opportunities with rentals available directly at the campground. "Canoes and kayaks are available for rental to explore Tully Lake. Many parts of the lake are suitable for swimming, and some camp sites offer direct entry into the lake for swimming, canoeing, or kayaking," notes a visitor at Tully Lake Recreation Area.

Hiking to waterfalls: The trails near Tully Lake lead to impressive waterfall views. A camper reports, "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."

Disc golf near campsites: For camping disc golfers, areas near Rutland offer excellent courses. One visitor to the area mentioned, "This campground is located near two beautiful disc golf courses and the reason we stayed." Another disc golf option is available at the dam area near Tully Lake where "a disc golf course is also near the dam and was seeing a fair amount of activity."

Swimming options: Multiple swimming opportunities exist at various campgrounds. At Pine Acres Family Camping Resort, a camper noted the variety: "Pool and splash pad along with sandy beach." At Lake Dennison, a visitor mentioned, "The lake is perfect for swimming, kayaking, and fishing. There are ample trails for hiking and kids can ride their bikes."

What campers like

Waterfront camping sites: Lakeside sites are highly valued by campers. A visitor at Lake Dennison Recreation Area Campground shared, "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."

Wooded privacy at select campgrounds: Many campers appreciate the natural screening between sites. A camper at Pine Acres Family Camping Resort noted, "Tent sites were very dispersed and way up on the top of the mountain. Camper sites seemed a little close but worth the sacrifice due to the incredible environment."

Peaceful water sounds: Campsites with natural water sounds enhance the experience. A visitor at The Pine Campground commented, "Most of the daily/weekly sites back up to a stream, which is nice. You can hear the water running, especially at night."

Clean facilities: Well-maintained bathhouses make a significant difference. At Gilson Pond Area Campground, a camper reported, "The bathrooms are immaculate. The showers take coins but the facilities are some of the best I've seen while camping on State Park grounds."

What you should know

Site access limitations: Some campgrounds require additional effort to reach sites. At Tully Lake Recreation Area, "There is no parking at each site, but a parking lot, then you can use a cart to truck your things in, anywhere from a few yards to about a mile."

Booking requirements: Popular sites fill quickly, especially waterfront locations. "The sites fill up weeks out (and can completely fill the day registration opens, which is date-dependent each year...Booking for Memorial Day meant I booked in April), so you have to be on your game."

Varying shower facilities: Shower amenities differ significantly between campgrounds. At Gilson Pond, "The bathrooms/showers are centrally located, but there are pit toilets distributed throughout the campground." Some require quarters for hot water.

Seasonal considerations: Mosquitoes can be challenging during summer months. At Lake Dennison, "Sites are shady but buggy." Another camper warned about Gilson Pond, "This is one of the quietest and most peaceful campgrounds I've ever stayed at. The sites are super private, the rangers are friendly, and the mosquitoes are ferocious."

Tips for camping with families

Choose north side sites at Lake Dennison: Different areas of the campground offer varied experiences. A reviewer at Lake Dennison Recreation Area Campground advised, "The sites on the North side are spacious & quiet. The other side of the campground (east) has a lot of noise pollution from the nearby road which is used by logging trucks."

Site selection for privacy: Specific site recommendations can enhance family camping. A camper noted, "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."

Resort-style amenities option: Families seeking more activities might prefer resort-style campgrounds. At Spacious Skies Minute Man, "Pool is small but quality. We enjoyed the ping pong table!! Also have arcade, volleyball, and pet walk area."

Consider site proximity to bathrooms: With children, bathroom location matters. At Tully Lake, "The bathrooms are located near the entrance to the Park, and include flush toilets as well as coin operated, hot showers, open 24/7. From some of the sites, this will be a long walk during the night."

Tips from RVers

Site selection by RV size: Not all campgrounds accommodate larger RVs. At Woodmore Family Campground and RV Park, "Sites in back are ok with trees and different levels. Sites are a little closer than I usually find. Neighbors are very considerate on site privacy."

Utility hookup challenges: Electric connections can be problematic at some campgrounds. A camper at Spacious Skies Minute Man mentioned, "Good level site water and electric (full hook ups also available) electric box a little far from parking site had to use an extension cord."

Roads and navigation: Campground layouts aren't always straightforward for RVs. "Roads are a little interesting to navigate, and definitely aren't the straight lines on their map!" noted a visitor to Spacious Skies Minute Man.

Service amenities: Dump stations and other RV services vary by location. One camper noted, "Dump station and additional swimming/water activities are a little farther down the road at Lake Dennison."

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Templeton, MA?

According to TheDyrt.com, Templeton, MA offers a wide range of camping options, with 135 campgrounds and RV parks near Templeton, MA and 2 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Templeton, MA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Templeton, MA is Lake Dennison Recreation Area Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 14 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Templeton, MA?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 2 free dispersed camping spots near Templeton, MA.

What parks are near Templeton, MA?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 15 parks near Templeton, MA that allow camping, notably Tully Lake and Edward MacDowell Lake.