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Best Tent Camping near Watertown Town, MA

664 Reviews

Public lands surrounding Watertown Town, Massachusetts offer several tent camping options within a short drive. Boston Harbor Islands State Park Campground, located in Hingham, provides rustic tent sites on several islands including Peddocks, Lovells, Grape, and Bumpkin. Camp Nihan Education Center in Saugus offers walk-in tent sites with a blend of rugged terrain and convenient facilities. Cape Ann Camp Site in Gloucester features wooded tent campsites with more seclusion than their RV areas. Shady Point Beach & Campgrounds provides additional tent-only camping options within driving distance of Watertown.

Most tent campgrounds in the region require advance planning, particularly for Boston Harbor Islands where reservations open six months ahead and fill quickly. Tent campers need to bring their own water to most primitive tent sites, though Peddocks Island does have running water available. Access varies significantly between locations, with Boston Harbor Islands requiring ferry transportation from either Long Wharf in Boston or Hingham. Cape Ann Camp Site features dirt roads that can become muddy after rain. Facilities range from composting toilets on the islands to renovated bathrooms with showers at Camp Nihan. Fire regulations differ by location, with Boston Harbor Islands allowing fires only below the high tide line.

According to reviews, tent sites at Cape Ann Camp Site offer greater privacy than RV areas. One camper noted, "The tent sites are surrounded by trees so it felt pretty private." At Boston Harbor Islands, visitors appreciate the remote experience despite logistical challenges. A camper reported, "Camping at Boston Harbor Islands requires planning, but you get the benefit of a remote island with minimal company." Camp Nihan receives praise for balancing accessibility with a wilderness feel. A visitor mentioned that "the group site is super close to parking yet the terrain is rugged enough that it always felt like we were really in the woods." Tent campers frequently use these locations as bases for hiking, swimming, and exploring historic sites, with Boston Harbor Islands offering inter-island ferry service for day trips.

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Best Tent Sites Near Watertown Town, Massachusetts (7)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Watertown Town, MA

21 Photos of 7 Watertown Town Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Watertown Town, MA

664 Reviews of 7 Watertown Town Campgrounds

  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 2, 2021

    Fearing Pond Campground — Myles Standish State Forest

    Wooded sites near a pond

    There are 2 Fearing Pond loops at Myles Standish State Forest, the H & I loops. The H loop entrance is closer to the Charge Pond loops and is higher above pond. This loop is better suited to the larger trailers/tents with more space to drive around a loop , but some spots have slopes. The I loop's best feature is a small beach that is easily accessible from all sites. They've done a lot of site restoration and the fact that it didn't open in 2020 helped. In spite of that, many of the sites have awkward approaches and there is a large parking lot closer to the bathroom. There are no hookups, but there is a dump station available. Water is available, but no electric hookups. Fire rings and picnic tables provided.

    The forest has miles of biking trails, ponds for swimming, fishing, and boating, and even cranberry bogs to explore (though harvest is late in the camping season and this section is not open at that time).

    Cell phone coverage is poor to absent in the forest, so download maps for offline use prior to your arrival.

    Plymouth is nearby for a any forgotten provisions and for sightseeing. Erickson's ice cream cafe is near the entrance if you need a treat!

  • Migdalia G.
    May. 29, 2019

    Lorraine Park Campground — Harold Parker State Forest

    Nice Wooded Campground in Awesome Area

    We stayed at Harold Parker State Forest Campground during Memorial Day Weekend. Reservation through Reserve America was a breeze. Check in till 9:00 pm was convenient. Checkout by 11:00 am but we paid for an additional night to be able to leave at night the day we checked out. Totally worth it!

    Nice large campsites. The sites’ privacy is very diverse. 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. All have a fire pit/box, charcoal bbq and a picnic table. Most of them are drive in. 

    Quiet hours from 10 am to 7 am. No alcohol allowed (although I didn’t see an actual enforcement of this rule and guess it’ll happen only if people act out). Rangers are constantly patrolling. Felt pretty safe at night. You can’t bring wood. Bundles are $5 each and it burns really well. 

    Lots of biking/hiking/walking trails, a nice small pond/beach, boat access, a few basketball courts, a volleyball court and a common huge fire pit added to the fun. A ranger ran a program to teach about the area fauna which was pretty interesting for kids and adults alike. 

    Bathrooms were fairly clean although small and showers were free! Some sites were right in front of a lovely pond and there were many group sites available as well. 

    The location is pretty good. Salem, Andover, Boston Are accesible while staying here. Close proximity to Richardson Ice Cream which you CANT miss if you decide to stay.  They have cheap but amazing ice cream, mini golf and battling cages which was entertaining for my whole crew. 

    It rained a lot during one night of our stay and the site (301) did not flooded at all. All sites seemed in pretty good shape the morning after as well. 

    Beautiful and will recommend to families with small kids, groups and couples too.

  • 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.

  • Sable W.
    May. 16, 2018

    Lorraine Park Campground — Harold Parker State Forest

    Spacious, Quiet, Clean and Conveniently Located

    Five friends and I decided to compete in Questival, which came to Boston for May 11-12, 2018. There aren't many campgrounds open in Massachusetts this early in the season, but Harold Parker State Forest was! I snagged a group campsite since we'd have four tents. We had to set up after dark, so we wound up congregating in one corner of the group site. When we woke up we could see just how HUGE the group site was! We had 4 two-person tents; you could easily fit 3x that number of tents. PLENTY of flat ground to set up on, and we were far enough back from the road that we never heard or saw other campers arriving, even though we know most other Questival competitors stayed at this campground. It was about a 5 minute walk to the bathrooms and showers, and potable water was available right on the site. Even though it was early in the season and not very leafy, we could only occasionally see our neighbors' headlamps. There were 4 or 5 fire pits, 5 large picnic tables, and 3 driveways that could fit two cars each. Great value for the cost! We were pleased with the privacy, space, cleanliness, and amenities.

  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 2, 2021

    Barretts Pond Campground — Myles Standish State Forest

    Small campground near a small pond at Myles Standish

    This campsite loop at Myles Standish State Forest is closest to the headquarters and borders a small pond with beach. In addition to tent/RV sites, there are 3 yurts available with bunks. Sites that appear to be near the pond are pond view rather than pondside. Approaches to Yurt JC and J5, J 26, J27 are sloped. J14 is a little awkward. J33 is probably among the largest and nicest with a pond view. The sites aren't as large as those in the Charge Pond loops, but it's a smaller campground.

    The loop has flush toilets and showers. Water is available, but no electric hookups. Fire rings and picnic tables provided. Cell phone coverage throughout the forest is poor to absent; download maps for offline use if you want to be sure to know where you are or find directions. There are miles of bike trails and ponds for fishing, swimming, and boating. There's a larger beach and picnic area at College Pond.

  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 15, 2021

    Tidewater Campground

    Large campground near, but not on the beach

    First of all, the location is a little quirky and I think I only arrived once without a wrong turn! Watch the GPS carefully. That said, it’s very close to Hampton Beach and you can easily drive or bike over. The campground is parallel to US1, so there is some road traffic noise. Some of the tent sites overlook the marsh. The tent sites are definitely tighter than trailer sites. Some sites back up to each other and it takes a moment to understand where one ends and the next begins. 

    I was here early in the season and placed in a seasonal site with water/electric. Site was level. Neighbors were friendly. The bathroom was a short walk away and spotless. I did notice that in the tent areas, the main bathrooms are supplemented with portable toilets. Sites are mostly wooded, which will offer nice relief from the heat. It's a nice base for exploring the area.

    There’s a gated entry and turtle-speed limit that they take seriously. The pool was not yet open. There’s a small store onsite for ice and essentials. All the big box stores and a number of restaurants are nearby. For a change of pace from seafood, I picked up Shane's Texas Pit BBQ and brought it back to my site. 

    You may request a reservation online, but you have to confirm and pay for it via the phone. You’ll need to arrive before 9pm to check in. Bring $10 for a cash deposit on the gate card. Only 1 vehicle and 1 camping unit (tent or trailer) allowed on a site.

    Downside: They charge for showers, the amount and duration is unclear and the duration varies depending on which shower you choose! Given the rates they charge, this seems petty.

  • Meg T.
    Jul. 30, 2025

    Salisbury Beach State Reservation

    Seagulls hungry for Egg Rolls and sunsets galore!

    Stayed here with my partner for her birthday while we were up in the Plum Island/Rockport area. Beautiful ocean access and great facilities. We stayed in a site right next to a large bathhouse with showers, plentiful stalls, and water bottle fill-up and rinse off station. We were situated next to a kind family who lent us fire starter and offered us some of their snacks they were making when we arrived, while we were setting up we did lose some egg rolls to a hungry seagull but I think he needed them more than we did. Not very private and sites are packed close together, but that is what I expected based off the map! I would absolutely return again, this time to check out the beach and surrounding 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

  • Anna C.
    Oct. 15, 2019

    Pawtuckaway State Park Campground

    Ranger Review: Red Ledge Rebel Shell Rain Pants at Pawtuckaway State Park

    *CAMPGROUND REVIEW*

    This campground is definitely a dazzler and I was fortunate to visit on a quieter weekend. I was able to enjoy an especially picturesque sunset over the lake and I would definitely visit this spot again, especially with how accessible the campground is. There is a nice stretch of sandy beach at the campground as well as canoes and kayaks for rent. The convenience store at the campground had essentially everything you would need for a good camping trip. Definitely do your research on the different site numbers because some sites are much more private and scenic than others. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and fire pit as an added bonus.

    Pros: 

    -Within a short driving distance from the Boston area 

    -Lakefront sites available 

    -Canoe and kayak rentals available 

    -Well stocked convenience store 

    -Reasonable cell reception

    Cons: 

     -Can get busy during peak camping times 

     -Some sites have a lack of privacy

    *PRODUCT REVIEW*

    As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time. During this trip, I took out a pair of Red Ledge Rain Pants. While it didn’t rain during my camping stay (great from a camper perspective, not so great from a reviewer perspective), I was able to try out the general fit of the pants. They have a nice stretch fit to them and a certainly one of the more stylish options as far as rain pants go. As is true for most waterproof gear, they run on the warmer side and don’t have a ton of ventilation so they may not be the best choice for hotter weather. Although I didn’t get to test out the pants in a camping setting, I did wear them a few days ago while making the 1.5 km evacuation route trek from my apartment to the flood shelter during one of the biggest typhoons to make landfall in Japan. After about 25-30 mins of walking in record breaking-ly heavy rain, the pants started to saturate around the knees and the upper thigh area started to get a bit soggy. That being said, this is probably the most extreme possible test setting and they did hold up reasonably well. Due to the aforementioned, I would recommend using these pants as a waterproof option when skiing/snowboarding in warmer weather where you still want a snow barrier but may not necessarily need the insulative warmth offered by actual snow pants.

    Pros: 

    -Stylish look 

     -Stretch fit 

     -Waterproof 

     Cons: 

     -Trap heat 

     -Not typhoon proof

Guide to Watertown Town

The Boston Harbor Islands offer tent campsites near Watertown Town, Massachusetts with more accessibility during summer months when ferry service operates daily. This coastal camping region sits within 30 miles of Watertown and experiences typical New England weather patterns with summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F during peak camping season. Many campgrounds near Watertown combine wooded settings with water features.

What to do

Explore historic islands: Boston Harbor Islands State Park Campground provides access to multiple islands with military fortifications. "While you're out on the islands, take time to explore one of the others…look for sea glass on Spectacle Island and climb the hill for a view of the Boston skyline, explore the old forts and visitors centers, earn a Junior Ranger badge from the National Park Service," notes Jean C. in her review of the Boston Harbor Islands State Park Campground.

Beach activities: Cape Ann Camp Site offers direct access to swimming beaches within walking distance. "Beach down the street was big, beautiful and low tide was unexpected as you could walk for ever," reports Ron C. after staying at Cape Ann Camp Site.

Wildlife observation: Multiple camping areas provide opportunities to spot local wildlife. "Very nice folks, great sites with A LOT of space between them. Spectacular views and wild turkeys, deer, etc.," shares John S. about his camping experience.

What campers like

Island seclusion: The remote nature of island camping creates a unique experience despite being near Boston. "This campground has 6 yurts and 6 tent sites. The island is beautiful and has an old fort to explore as well as a lot of Rocky shoreline and trails. You can build bon fires and see gorgeous sunsets," explains Martha H. from her stay at Boston Harbor Islands State Park Campground.

Wooded tent sites: Campsites with natural separation are highly valued. "Cape Ann Campground is located close to Gloucester and Rockport. The campground is clean and quiet with beautiful tent sites. The RV sites are not as secluded as the tent sites," notes Della S. after camping at Cape Ann Camp Site.

Nature access from urban areas: Campers appreciate natural settings within proximity to Boston. "We went camping here with our SpiralScout Circle, kids aged 4-8. 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," reports Michael V. about Camp Nihan Education Center.

What you should know

Ferry logistics: Transportation to island campsites requires advance planning. "Getting to the island was a bit of a hassle. We live in Boston and took all of our gear on the T to the harbor by the aquarium. We then took the ferry to Georges Island. After that we waited and got on a much smaller island to Lovells," explains Jess G.

Site conditions: Many campgrounds feature natural rather than developed surfaces. "The sites are all dirt. There is no concrete pads," notes doris C. about Cape Ann Camp Site.

Water availability: Water access varies significantly between locations. "Peddocks has running water available, but otherwise you'll need to bring gallon of water/person," advises Jean C.

Tips for camping with families

Swimming options: Multiple locations provide family-friendly water access. "The camp is also adjacent to Breakheart Reservation, which had a great shallow pond with life guard on duty as well as bike trails and a range of different hikes," shares Michael V. about his experience at Camp Nihan Education Center.

Consider island campsite logistics: When camping with children, factor in transportation requirements. "If you have a folding wagon, you may appreciate having it to carry items on and off the ferry and to your site on the island. There may or may not be carts available on the island," advises Jean C.

Plan for shower facilities: Understand shower availability and requirements. "25 cents per 5 minute hot shower is offered in the public restroom," notes doris C. about facilities at one campground.

Tips from RVers

Road conditions: Access roads at some campgrounds present challenges. "It doesn't look like much but it is absolutely lovely when you actually pull in! We had a nice perfectly level site in a beautiful wooded area," reports Cristina P. about her experience at Buck Hill Campground.

Limited hookups: Services for RVs vary considerably between locations. "We paid $60 a night for a 30 amp spot with water," notes Ben E. about his stay at Cape Ann Camp Site.

Site spacing: RV sites typically offer less privacy than tent areas. "Love this campground. The staff is awesome. Very helpful. The sites are nice and wooded. All size RVs and tents are welcome. They have water, sewer, and electric hookups," reports Lajaun C.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Watertown Town, MA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Watertown Town, MA is Boston Harbor Islands State Park Campground with a 4-star rating from 8 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Watertown Town, MA?

TheDyrt.com has all 7 tent camping locations near Watertown Town, MA, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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