The Dyrt – find campgrounds for tents, RVs, cabins, glamping and more.
Open in App

Best Campgrounds near Winchendon, MA

567 Reviews

The forested areas surrounding Winchendon, Massachusetts feature several established campgrounds, including Lake Dennison Recreation Area and Otter River State Forest. These two neighboring state-managed properties provide designated camping areas for both tent and RV campers within north central Massachusetts. Additional campgrounds within a 30-minute drive include Tully Lake Recreation Area, operated by the Army Corps of Engineers and the Trustees of Reservations, and the Monadnock State Park campground just across the New Hampshire border. Most properties operate seasonally, with availability typically running from May through September or October.

Camping facilities in the region generally feature basic amenities with some variation between properties. Lake Dennison offers waterfront sites with views across the lake, while Otter River State Forest includes more secluded wooded sites. Both properties maintain bathroom facilities, though reviews indicate maintenance quality can vary. The Tully Lake campground provides a more primitive experience with boat-in or walk-in sites and centralized facilities. Many sites require advance reservations, particularly during summer months and holiday weekends. A visitor noted, "Cell phone coverage was nearly nonexistent. We could get maybe 1 bar on Verizon, sometimes 3G, sometimes not even that. Texts took their time going through."

Water access represents a significant draw for campers in the Winchendon area. Several campgrounds offer direct lake or pond access for swimming, fishing, and paddling. Lake Dennison includes designated swimming beaches in both the camping area and a separate day-use section. Tully Lake features opportunities for canoeing and kayaking with rentals available on-site. Hiking trails connect many of the camping areas, with the Doane's Falls trail near Tully Lake being particularly popular. Campers frequently mention the family-friendly atmosphere found at these properties. According to a review, "This campground is clean and well kept. Lots of families here. Swimming in a pond or a short drive to a bigger lake. One of my favorites. It's kind of a hidden gem in north central Massachusetts."

Map showing campgrounds near Winchendon, MassachusettsExplore the Map

Best Camping Sites Near Winchendon, Massachusetts (128)

    1. Lake Dennison Recreation Area Campground

    14 Reviews
    Foster Lake, MA
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (978) 297-1609

    $17 - $35 / night

    "The North loop also has a small beach; for the East loop, you’ll either need to walk to the day use are, which features a larger beach, or drive around to it."

    "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."

    2. Otter River State Forest

    14 Reviews
    Baldwinville, MA
    4 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. Gilson Pond Area Campground — Monadnock State Park

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

    $29 - $45 / 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."

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

    9 Reviews
    Royalston, MA
    9 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."

    5. Woodmore Family Campground and RV Park

    5 Reviews
    Rindge, NH
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 899-3362

    $42 - $65 / night

    "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"

    6. Greenfield State Park Campground

    21 Reviews
    Bennington, NH
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 547-3497

    $35 - $105 / night

    "Easy access to a bathroom (which was very clean). Quiet neighbors, everyone around us observed the quiet hours (10p-7a) and even during the day no one was super loud."

    "Nice views of the lake, swimming, wide open sites, not too over crowded! I'd definitely go back!"

    7. The Pine Campground

    7 Reviews
    Ashby, MA
    13 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."

    8. Ashuelot River Campground

    16 Reviews
    West Swanzey, NH
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 357-5777

    $47 - $70 / night

    "We had easy access to trails that went along the river behind some of the sites with a few paths down to the river.

    Everyone we encountered was friendly and respectful."

    "Large, open campground surrounded by the Ashuelot River. Friendly owners who go around delivering wood and ice to guests given the pandemic right now."

    9. Pearl Hill State Park Campground

    6 Reviews
    West Townsend, MA
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (978) 597-2850

    $17 - $35 / night

    "We really lucked out with getting one of a few sites left on Memorial Day weekend - after walking the campground, I think we would have chosen the same one again! "

    "It was like walking with fur on the bottom of our shoes. The dog also got needles stuck all over and we had to use our COVID alcohol gel to get the glue off. "

    10. Willard Brook State Forest Campground

    4 Reviews
    Ashby, MA
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (978) 597-8802

    $14 - $55 / night

    "This small state forest campground in north/central Massachusetts is just up the hill from Damon Pond. I suggest downloading maps before you head out because cell service is iffy in the area.  "

    "This campground is small - but its conveniently located near a larger city if you decide you want to venture back to civilization. The trails in the park are nice and well maintained."

Show More
Showing results 1-10 of 128 campgrounds

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented byToyota Trucks

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win

Winchendon Contest

Enter to Win

Recent Camping Photos near Winchendon, MA

348 Photos of 128 Winchendon Campgrounds

Recent Reviews near Winchendon, MA

567 Reviews of 128 Winchendon Campgrounds

  • 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.

  • Kenneth P.
    Aug. 28, 2025

    Fort Dummer State Park Campground

    Not So Bad

    We spent one night at site #20 and enjoyed our stay.  It was rather peaceful other than the hum of I-91. The staff was friendly and helpful. The sites were generally wooded, pretty level, and fairly spread apart from one another.  I saw no signs of the problems identified in the June 2025 review.  Yes, I must agree that the restrooms are old, but they were clean.  The other problems might happen anywhere and were obviously brought under control.  Clearly, the writer of the June 2025 post knew way more than any weekend camper would be aware of and this shows that is more to their story that should have been revealed in their post.

  • S
    Aug. 23, 2025

    Cold Springs Camp Resort

    All Around Exceptional

    This place is just great! They have clean, flat sites, easy to navigate and get our fifth wheel in. The facilities are spotless. There are numerous pools and hot tubs, activities and the people that work there are just the nicest! Our kids were never scolded for being loud and neither were the adults. We have booked our return trip already and can't wait to go back!

  • Rachael K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 17, 2025

    Lake Dennison Recreation Area Campground

    Really pretty and chill

    This campground is pretty and offers many private site options. We didn't use the bathrooms so can't speak on that. But overall it's a clean campground.

    There are two loops. 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. The sites by the lake are really pretty, but there's not much privacy. All of the sites are good size and the fire pits are placed well.

    The other loop farther away from the entrance has a lot more lakeside sites. But there's very little privacy. The sites with higher numbers by the lake are all on top of each other with little to no trees or shrubs between sites, and you can't really decipher where one site ends and the next begins. We would not stay on that loop if we visited again. Unless it was site 101 which seemed more private for that loop.

    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. We only had neighbors across from us. The site was spacious , peaceful and pretty. There was a little trail from our site that went down to a marsh. That was absolutely beautiful.

    We will definitely stay here again.

  • gabe N.
    Aug. 16, 2025

    Lake Dennison Recreation Area Campground

    What a gem

    We camped here one night on a pit stop and it exceeded our expectations! 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 :) also cell service was fine with AT&T.

  • Eric LeBoeuf
    Aug. 6, 2025

    Pearl Hill State Park Campground

    Nice place

    Don't expect to go swimming in the so called pond its all weeds and muck dear flies are killer but a little smokey fire takes care of them showers and bathrooms were always super clean id go back

  • Jim R.
    Aug. 6, 2025

    Indian Ranch Campground

    Live Music, Lake Views, and Laid-Back Vibes—One of Our Favorite Campgrounds

    We ended up at Indian Ranch Campground after leaving another local campground under less-than-ideal circumstances… and honestly, it turned out to be one of the best accidental discoveries we’ve ever made.

    From the moment we arrived, the energy here was completely different—welcoming, relaxed, and full of life. The campground is beautifully laid out with well-kept sites, plenty of trees, and easy access to Webster Lake(aka Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg—yes, really).

    🎶 The concerts? Incredible. Being able to walk from our campsite to watch national music acts perform live at the Indian Ranch Amphitheater is a game-changer. It’s like a music festival that doesn’t require you to sleep in a muddy field. Huge bonus for music lovers!

    🛺 Golf cart rentals make exploring the campground easy and fun, especially if you're hauling chairs, coolers, or just want to cruise around and enjoy the views.

    🏊‍♂️ The pool is clean and inviting—perfect for relaxing after a show or just enjoying a sunny afternoon.

    🌅 The lake itself is stunning, with spots to sit and watch the boats, fish, or just take in the view. The vibe is very“lake life meets concert culture,” and it works perfectly.

    🍔 There’s also an on-site restaurant inside the gates with great food, cold drinks, and a laid-back patio atmosphere that completes the experience.

    🤝 The people here? Fantastic. Campers were friendly, staff was helpful, and there was an overall sense of community that you just don’t get at every park. In Summary: Awesome mix of camping+ concerts Clean facilities, full hookups, and spacious sites Golf cart rentals= a must! Pool, lake, and great food on-site Walkable access to live shows= chef’s kiss🎶 We stumbled in… and didn’t want to leave If you're looking for more than just a campsite—if you want an experience—this is it. We'll be back. Probably more than once.

  • Jim R.
    Aug. 6, 2025

    Douglas Forest RV Resort

    Please—Do Your Homework Before You Stay Here

    I wish I wasn’t writing this.

    Truly. But if sharing our experience helps even one person avoid the same mistake, then it’s worth it.

    We booked two full weeks at Douglas Forest RV Resort, drawn in by its wooded setting and supposed family-friendly charm. The photos looked peaceful. The location sounded perfect. But within hours of arrival, we realized we had walked into something completely different.

    Almost immediately, we witnessed aggressive, disturbing behavior—adults yelling and chasing children through the park. At one point, a child was literally being pursued by a vehicle. In a campground. On the roads where people walk, dogs are walked, and kids ride bikes. We were shocked. We kept expecting someone from staff to step in—but no one did. When we brought it up to another guest, they just nodded and said,“Yeah… it’s always like this.” Turns out, management is known to overlook certain behavior from“regulars.”

    As we walked the grounds, we also noticed**several people clearly living out of tents—**not camping, not weekend warriors, but living there long-term. It gave the entire campground an uneasy, off-kilter feel. The line between traveler and transient is not well-maintained here, and it adds to the overall lack of safety and structure.

    We were ready to leave that night, but with tight, poorly lit roads, towing out after dark just wasn’t safe. So we locked up, barely slept, and pulled out at first light. We had paid for 14 nights. We stayed one. And we didn’t ask for a refund—because honestly, we just wanted out.

    And yes, we later discovered that many of the glowing reviews online were written by someone who works at the campground. That’s not just misleading—it’s reckless. Campers rely on those reviews to make informed choices.

    Douglas Forest RV Resort could be something special, but it’s not. Not right now. Not while safety is ignored, accountability is non-existent, and some guests are clearly treated as untouchable. Please, do your homework before booking here.

    We wish we had—just one day earlier.

Guide to Winchendon

Camping near Winchendon, Massachusetts, offers a variety of beautiful spots for outdoor enthusiasts. Whether you’re looking for a peaceful retreat or a family-friendly adventure, there are plenty of campgrounds to explore.

What to do:

  • Hiking and Trails: Many campgrounds have trails for hiking. For example, at Pawtuckaway State Park Campground, visitors enjoy “lots of great spots on the water, easy to put a kayak in from.” The park features trails that lead to scenic views and wildlife.
  • Water Activities: If you love being near the water, Normandy Farms Campground has a “large family beach on the lake” and offers canoe and kayak rentals. It’s a great place to cool off and enjoy some fun in the sun.
  • Wildlife Watching: Campers at Bear Brook State Park Campground appreciate the natural surroundings, with one reviewer noting, “You know you have neighbors all around, but you aren’t tripping over each other.” This makes it a nice spot for observing local wildlife.

What campers like:

  • Spacious Sites: Campers often mention the generous spacing between sites. At Greenfield State Park Campground, one long-time visitor said, “If you like large sites in a wooded setting with many private ones, this is the place.”
  • Clean Facilities: Clean bathrooms and showers are a big plus. A reviewer at Woodford State Park Campground praised the “beautiful bathrooms” and noted that they were “very clean, well stocked with toilet paper and soap.”
  • Friendly Staff: Many campers appreciate the welcoming atmosphere. At Mt. Greylock Campsite Park, a visitor shared, “Pat and Gordon are incredibly welcoming hosts,” highlighting the friendly service.

What you should know:

  • No Electric Hookups: Some campgrounds, like Bear Brook State Park Campground, do not offer electric hookups. A camper noted, “No hookups in the campground,” so be prepared for a more rustic experience.
  • Pets Allowed: Many campgrounds are pet-friendly, but rules vary. For instance, at Pawtuckaway State Park Campground, pets are allowed on trails but not in the campground during peak season.
  • Seasonal Availability: Check the campground seasons before planning your trip. Lorraine Park Campground is open from late May to early September, so plan accordingly.

Tips for camping with families:

  • Kid-Friendly Activities: Look for campgrounds with playgrounds and organized activities. At Normandy Farms Campground, one parent mentioned, “It has so many things for the kids to do,” making it a great choice for families.
  • Spacious Sites for Tents: Choose campgrounds with large sites to accommodate family tents. Greenfield State Park Campground offers “huge, separated from its neighbor, private” sites, perfect for family camping.
  • Plan for Mosquitoes: Be prepared for bugs, especially near water. A camper at Bear Brook State Park Campground warned about mosquitoes, saying, “Watch for that,” so bring repellent.

Tips from RVers:

  • Leveling Blocks: Some sites may not be level, so bring leveling blocks. A reviewer at Normandy Farms Campground mentioned needing “plenty of leveling blocks” for their RV.
  • Dump Stations Available: Look for campgrounds with dump stations. Woodford State Park Campground has a sanitary dump, which is convenient for RVers.
  • Cell Service: Check cell service availability if you need to stay connected. Campers at Mt. Greylock Campsite Park reported decent service, making it easier to stay in touch while enjoying nature.

Camping near Winchendon, Massachusetts, has something for everyone, whether you’re a family looking for fun or an RVer seeking adventure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find tent camping options in Winchendon?

Lake Dennison Recreation Area Campground offers excellent tent camping with waterfront sites available for $17 per night. The campground provides scenic views and access to the lake for recreation. For a more secluded tent camping experience, Willard Brook State Forest Campground is another great option not far from Winchendon. This small campground features level sites surrounded by towering pines arranged around a bisected loop, creating a peaceful atmosphere for tent campers.

What are the best campgrounds near Winchendon, Massachusetts?

The best campgrounds near Winchendon include Otter River State Forest, a clean, well-maintained campground with hiking trails and swimming in a pond. It's considered a hidden gem in north central Massachusetts. Another excellent option is Tully Lake Recreation Area in nearby Royalston, which offers prime waterfront sites with direct water access and paddling opportunities. Both campgrounds are within easy driving distance of Winchendon and provide access to outdoor recreation in the beautiful north central Massachusetts region.

Are there any free or low-cost camping areas around Winchendon?

While there are no free camping areas immediately around Winchendon, there are several affordable options. Mohawk Park Campground & Restaurant offers reasonably priced camping with the added benefit of excellent fishing opportunities. For state-run budget options, Wells State Park Campground in Sturbridge provides camping on Walker Pond with hiking, biking, swimming, and fishing at competitive rates. Massachusetts state parks typically maintain lower fee structures than private campgrounds, making them good choices for cost-conscious campers.

Keep Exploring