Best Tent Camping near West Brookfield, MA

State forests and public lands surrounding West Brookfield, Massachusetts provide several tent-only camping options within a 30-mile radius. Tully Lake Recreation Area in Royalston offers walk-in tent campsites managed by the Trustees of Reservations, with some sites providing direct lake access. Federated Women's Club State Forest in Petersham features primitive tent camping with walk-in access and basic amenities. Barton Cove Campground in Gill provides rustic tent sites with tent platforms along the Connecticut River, operating seasonally from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Most tent campgrounds in the region require campers to park in designated lots and transport gear to their sites. At Tully Lake, wooden carts are provided for hauling equipment distances ranging from 50 yards to nearly a mile. Sites typically include fire rings and picnic tables, but amenities vary significantly between locations. Federated Women's Club State Forest offers only composting toilets and requires visitors to bring their own water. Cell phone coverage is limited or non-existent at most backcountry tent sites, making offline map downloads essential for navigation. Fire restrictions may apply during dry periods, and reservations are strongly recommended for weekend camping, particularly at Tully Lake where sites fill quickly.

Tent campers frequently note the peaceful atmosphere created by the absence of vehicles at campsites. According to reviews, Tully Lake's Site 1 is "huge and extremely private," while waterfront sites offer less privacy but direct water access. One camper observed that Tully Lake is "meant for people who want to be outdoors in the woods" and tends to be quieter because it's not ideal for families seeking convenience. At Onion Mountain Park in Connecticut, approximately 40 miles southwest of West Brookfield, primitive tent camping spots can be found along hiking trails, with one visitor noting they found "a very primitive spot off the blue trail" with an established fire pit. Most walk-in tent sites throughout the region offer good tree cover, providing shade during summer months.

Best Tent Sites Near West Brookfield, Massachusetts (20)

    1. Tully Lake Recreation Area (MA) — Tully Lake

    9 Reviews
    Royalston, MA
    28 miles
    +1 (978) 249-9150

    $40 / night

    "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."

    "Tully Lake Campground is located in Royalston, MA, which is a northern part of Central Massachusetts, near the New Hampshire border."

    2. Federated Womens Club State Forest

    1 Review
    Petersham, MA
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (978) 939-8962

    3. Buck Hill Campground

    1 Review
    Thompson, RI
    26 miles

    "All the sites are in large clusters (each can accommodate 10+ tents). many of the sites are also along Wakefield Pond (big enough lake for canoe/kayak/etc."

    5. Barton Cove Campground

    2 Reviews
    Greenfield, MA
    33 miles
    Website
    +1 (413) 863-9300

    $22 - $30 / night

    "The office was super helpful when I called to make reservations, making sure to ask questions about how big my tent was, what kind of view/privacy we wanted etc so they could help me find the perfect campsite"

    6. Sodom Mountain Campground

    1 Review
    Southwick, MA
    35 miles
    Website
    +1 (413) 569-3930

    "I wasn't going to come back again but it is very close to my grandkids. All roads are dirt and all potholes have been repaired.  The clubhouse is being renovated and activities are now back. "

    7. Onion Mountain Park

    3 Reviews
    West Simsbury, CT
    45 miles
    Website

    "We arrived at the parking lot of Onion Mountain Park at around 2 pm and proceeded to get our bags packed for the hike."

    "Very peaceful overnight camping, no permit required. Small campsite, first come first served basis. Other posts claim you can park right the site, but you can not."

    8. Zoar Outdoor

    3 Reviews
    Charlemont, MA
    46 miles
    Website
    +1 (413) 339-4010

    9. Chester Railway Station

    1 Review
    Chester, MA
    43 miles
    Website

    $50 - $100 / night

    "The caboose is stationed on a big grassy field, near a real railroad. It sleeps 4 and you can set up tents outside too.  You hear the trains running at night. Very clean and comfortable."

    10. Maple Ridge Farm

    1 Review
    Vernon, VT
    44 miles
    Website

    $25 - $30 / night

    "Very lush campground, plenty of space and privacy between sites. They'll drive you in an ATV up to some of the sites that are further away from the parking lot."

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Tent Camping Reviews near West Brookfield, MA

590 Reviews of 20 West Brookfield 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 :)

  • Nicole G.
    Aug. 24, 2025

    Tolland State Forest Campground

    Great Lakeside Campground

    This was only my second camping trip ever (and first tent camping) so grain of salt here - We had a great time at Tolland. The site was spacious and equipped with a bear box, fire ring, and picnic table. The ground at the site was large gravel which was not great in the tent, but walking around it looks like most sites are more dirt and pine needles.

    The swimming area is small but sandy, great for kids, and my daughter loved thethe campfire and nature talk given on Saturday night by park staff.

  • Ryan A.
    Jun. 12, 2024

    Mohawk Trail State Forest Campground

    Great Campground in Western Mass

    This is a great campground located off of highway 2 in western Mass. I stayed in site 51 and luckily the campground was mostly empty(it was on a Thursday though and was supposed to be full for the weekend.) Each campsite has a bear box and fire ring, there is easy access to hiking trails and flush-toilet bathrooms with sinks are located throughout. There is only one dumpster though and it’s a walk to get to – store your trash in your car or drive it each night, or enjoy the walk. 

    The campsites are very close together without much brush for privacy, so you should expect to see your neighbors up close and personal. Some of the sites are on Cold River(which is more like a creek). The bugs were awful, especially the gnats and I did see a large tick on my fire grill, so be prepared. The best sites are on the lower loop around the water. Avoid any site next to the bathroom as the lights stay on all night and will shine directly into your tent. 49 looked really nice and seemed dark. The hike-in sites were also close together, 22 is the most private. There are baskets with wheels provided. 

    The rangers are friendly and sell firewood in case you need any. You’ll need to check in before going to the campsite, they’ll give you a map and they take good care of the sites. Would definitely camp here again.

  • 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!

  • Crissy H.
    Jul. 11, 2018

    Mohawk Trail State Forest Campground

    Swim in the forest!

    It is beautiful, lots of shade, and you can camp right beside the river!! Don't count on phone service, and no showers. The bathrooms were clean. Every site has a bear box to keep anything edible. Easy to find.

  • 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.


Guide to West Brookfield

Tent camping near West Brookfield, Massachusetts, offers a variety of scenic locations and unique experiences for outdoor enthusiasts. Whether you're looking for a rustic getaway or a family-friendly environment, there are several options to explore.

Tent campers appreciate these amenities

  • At Tully Lake Recreation Area, campers can enjoy drinking water, picnic tables, and firewood for a cozy evening around the campfire.
  • Willard Brook State Forest provides a peaceful setting with flush toilets and a dishwashing sink, making it a convenient choice for families.
  • Barton Cove Campground features tent platforms and a grill, ensuring a comfortable camping experience.

Some prices for tent camping range from $20 to $40

  • Camping at Federated Womens Club State Forest is budget-friendly, with prices typically around $20, perfect for those looking to save while enjoying nature.
  • Buck Hill Campground offers a no-frills experience at a similar price point, ideal for scouting groups or those wanting a rustic retreat.
  • For a slightly higher price, around $40, Willard Brook State Forest provides a more developed camping experience with additional amenities.

Tips for tent camping near West Brookfield

  • When visiting Tully Lake Recreation Area, consider renting a kayak to explore the lake and enhance your camping adventure.
  • At Barton Cove Campground, be prepared for a bit of a hassle with check-in procedures, but the serene environment makes it worthwhile.
  • If you're heading to Sodom Mountain Campground, enjoy the quiet atmosphere and friendly staff, perfect for a relaxing getaway.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near West Brookfield, MA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near West Brookfield, MA is Tully Lake Recreation Area (MA) — Tully Lake with a 4.7-star rating from 9 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near West Brookfield, MA?

TheDyrt.com has all 20 tent camping locations near West Brookfield, MA, with real photos and reviews from campers.