Best Tent Camping near Wendell, MA
Tent campsites near Wendell, Massachusetts offer a mix of walk-in and waterfront options within a short drive of town. Tully Lake Recreation Area provides tent-only camping with sites that require campers to park and walk in, using provided carts to transport gear. Federated Womens Club State Forest, located in Petersham, offers more primitive tent camping with walk-in sites and minimal amenities.
The tent camping experience at Tully Lake features spacious sites with picnic tables and fire rings, but no direct vehicle access. Campers must use wooden wheelbarrows provided at the entrance to transport their equipment to their chosen site. The central bathhouse includes flush toilets, coin-operated hot showers, and outdoor sinks for washing dishes. Some waterfront sites offer direct lake access for swimming and paddling, while others are set on bluffs or further inland. A ranger station sells limited supplies and firewood, which must be purchased on-site. One camper noted, "The sites are spacious and though there is not a bad site, some are better suited for certain purposes like group camping."
Walk-in tent sites throughout the region provide varying levels of privacy and amenities. At Barton Cove Campground, tent platforms come with grills, fire pits and picnic tables, though the check-in process involves unlocking gates and returning keys. Federated Womens Club State Forest requires campers to check in at Erving State Forest first and features composting toilets near the group site. Cell service is limited or non-existent at most tent campgrounds in the area, so downloading maps beforehand is advisable. A review from The Dyrt mentioned, "Site 1 at Tully Lake was HUGE and extremely private. Sites closer to the water were less private, but still very peaceful and spread out. No cars at all at the campsites, which was great for peace of mind as our toddler roamed around."