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Best Tent Camping in Massachusetts

897 Reviews

Massachusetts offers a diverse range of tent camping experiences, from walk-in sites in state forests to primitive backcountry options along the coast. Alander Trail Campground in Mount Washington State Forest provides free primitive tent sites accessible via a 1.5-2 mile hike from the trailhead. Sandy Neck Beach Park features primitive tent campsites that require either hiking through sand or utilizing boat-in access, offering a unique coastal camping experience. Tully Lake Recreation Area provides drive-in and walk-in tent sites with amenities like picnic tables, drinking water, and fire rings.

Most primitive tent camping areas in Massachusetts feature minimal amenities but essential services. At Alander Trail Campground, campers find semi-flat tent areas, fire pits with grill racks, picnic tables, and shared bear boxes for food storage. No drinking water is available at primitive sites, requiring campers to carry in their supplies. According to one visitor, "Each spot is easy to find off the trail. They also have bear boxes at each site!" Walk-in tent sites often require packing gear some distance from parking areas. The terrain at many Massachusetts tent campgrounds consists of forest floor with varied ground conditions depending on recent weather.

Tent camping in these areas offers solitude and natural experiences not found at developed campgrounds. Sites at Mount Washington State Forest provide true wilderness immersion with considerable privacy between campsites. A visitor commented that "it usually isn't too busy since most people don't like having to carry all their stuff in that far." Sandy Neck's tent campsites offer remarkable beach access where fires are permitted on the beach, providing sunset views over the water. Seasonal considerations affect the tent camping experience, with summer months bringing higher humidity and potential for insects while fall offers cooler temperatures and fewer crowds. Many tent-only areas remain open year-round but access becomes more challenging during winter months, particularly at higher elevations.

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Best Tent Sites in Massachusetts (18)

    1. Cape Ann Camp Site

    16 Reviews
    Gloucester, MA
    Website
    +1 (978) 283-8683

    $36 - $44 / night

    "Location works well. Very narrow road coming in after 128. More for smaller RVs and tent camping. Picnic tables could be replaced."

    "No wifi. There is a nice little store on-site for anything you forgot. It is also close enough to stores if you need more. Very close to a nice beach too."

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

    9 Reviews
    Royalston, MA
    +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."

    3. Boston Harbor Islands State Park Campground

    8 Reviews
    Hull, MA
    Website
    +1 (781) 740-1605

    $8 - $55 / night

    "Campground review: Camping at Boston Harbor Islands requires some planning, but you get the benefit of a remote island with minimal company."

    "This campground has 6 yurts and 6 tent sites. The yurts have bunk beds, a floor lamp, a table inside, a picnic table outside and a grill. Just getting to the island is a fun adventure."

    4. Sandy Neck Beach Park Primitive Campsites

    4 Reviews
    West Barnstable, MA
    Website

    $20 / night

    "This is a really cool option for those interested in visiting Cape Cod and also backpacking. The park has 5 dispersed sites located 3-4 miles from the trailhead with picnic tables and an outhouse."

    "Took one more trip down for the end of the season, great weather but VERY windy"

    5. Wellfleet Hollow State Campground

    4 Reviews
    South Wellfleet, MA
    Website
    +1 (508) 349-3007

    $22 - $55 / night

    "A quiet campground in mid June - sites are close together but not many people this trip, quiet and friendly neighbors. Right on the rail trail."

    "We've been camping at Wellfleet Hollow (formerly Paine's Campground) for close to thirty years. "

    6. Zoar Outdoor

    4 Reviews
    Charlemont, MA
    Website
    +1 (413) 339-4010

    7. Alander Trail Camground — Mount Washington State Forest

    3 Reviews
    Mount Washington, MA
    Website

    "Absolutely love this spot and highly recommend if you’re looking for a super private, true primitive camping experience."

    "Each spot is easy to find off the trail. They also have bear boxes at each site!"

    8. Camp Nihan Education Center

    2 Reviews
    Saugus, MA
    Website

    "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."

    9. Laurel Ridge — Mount Everett State Reservation

    2 Reviews
    Taconic, CT

    "We actually started this hike in by Race Brook Falls area, and ended it where the GPS coordinates are noted. See the map in my photos marked with yellow lines."

    "We packed on our backpacks early in the morning and arrived there mid-afternoon. Very beautiful view, and an awesome spot! No fires allowed, however."

    10. Barton Cove Campground

    2 Reviews
    Greenfield, MA
    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"

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Recent Tent Camping Photos in Massachusetts

41 Photos of 18 Massachusetts Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews in Massachusetts

897 Reviews of 18 Massachusetts 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 :)

  • 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!

  • 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!

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 27, 2020

    Scusset Beach State Reservation

    Coastal campground open late in season

    Scusset Beach offers an extended camping season, although the extended season is restricted to self-contained units as the restrooms are turned off.  Also, there are only 5 designated tent sites during the peak season, so if you want to tent camp here, you'd best make a reservation well in advance.. You cannot reserve an RV site for a just a tent, though if you have a trailer, you may also have a tent on the site. The 5 tent sites have their own fire pits, but the RV sites must use a community fire pit, though in mid-November, just before the campground closed for the season, RVers used the firepit at a tent site that provided some additional protection from the wind.

    The RV sites have paved parking pads and picnic tables, but the area to the side of the parking pads sometimes slopes away, so it's less usable for chairs, etc.  In the 2020 camping season, every other campsite was closed (thus the picnic tables across the entrance of the parking pad). Some of the sites, 32 34, 36, are along the back of the campground closer to the trees/scrub, and so have some degree of privacy and protection as compared to the others in the wide open park.

    The campground is on the north shore of the Cape Code canal and provides access to a sandy beach, a jetty, and the Cape Cod Canal Trail for biking and walking. There's a nice playground for youth. You can fish from the shore or jetty, No need to cross the bridge to the Cape. Plymouth is also nearby to explore.

  • Erin B.
    Sep. 11, 2019

    Clarksburg State Park Campground

    low key and beautiful fall getaway

    Keep in mind that this review is written after camping sept 8th (the week that school started for many) so it might not be relevant to peak camping season. We were pleasantly surprised with our weekend getaway to Clarksburg State Park. Nestled in the Berkshires and basically walking distance to Vermont, Clarksburg State Park provides a comfortable and semi-private tent site. Several spots (including ours 6) were very close to the rather large pond. While the trees obstruct the views, the site was waterfront and we were able to walk a few yards downhill to the waters edge where we launched our kayaks (there is a designated launching spot elsewhere). No electric and water hookups are provided but we were totally okay with that. Bear boxes were provided on each site so that you don’t have to keep stinky food or garbage in your car! Each site also had a fire pit with a grate so that you can cook right there on the fire. The bathrooms were some of the cleanest campground bathrooms and showers i’ve experienced (no bugs or webs also) and there was a dishwashing station on the side. The sites were large and well spaced but they had trees in between so that you felt privacy. The campground itself had plenty of sites, firewood for sale in the front and a pavilion and beach area on the day use side. There are plenty of trails you can hop on right outside your tent site and very little light pollution for optimal star gazing. We really enjoyed our time here and will definitely be back!

  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 30, 2020

    Wellfleet Hollow State Campground

    Newer rustic state campground for tents and small trailers

    Formerly Paine's campground, this is now under the Massachusetts DCR. It offers inexpensive, rustic camping on the Cape, though rates are much higher for out-of-state guests than for instate. Many sites are small, some require walk-in, and parking may be separate from the site; in some instances it is across or near the site, and for others it is closer to the park entrance. Under the new ownership they've paved some of the roads, but the roads are narrow and with curves. All of the conditions have led them to limit campers to tents and short trailers/campers only, with length <15' and only 1 unit/vehicle per site. There is 20A electric on a number of the sites. When you read site descriptions, it will indicate 'compact loop' or 'petite site' and those are accurate!

    Sites are largely shaded. Some of the sites back up to neighboring yards (9-12 area). Walk-in distance to some sites can be substantial (see sites 49, 59, 61, etc.) so be sure to read site descriptions carefully, but 61 in particular offers greater privacy. The sites aren't always level. There are no photos on the reservation website, so I've tried to capture most, but not all, here.

    No alcohol or pets allowed. 

    The are nearby beaches, hikes, Cape Cod Rail Trail and other biking opportunities are nearby. If you don't have a bike, you can easily rent one from nearby shops.

    It won't be for everyone, but if you want a campground that is less expensive, caters to tents and trailers rather than the big rigs, this may be for you!

  • Our Greight Escape ..
    Oct. 27, 2020

    Bourne Scenic Park

    Wonderful campground!

    We stayed here for a season and loved it! The staff from the front desk to the front gate are incredibly friendly and welcoming!

    Pros-

    Front office is open late (9pm)

    Offers wood, ice, fire starters, hoses and adapter cap for gray water drain.

    Country Store

    Ice Cream

    Amazing views of the canal.

    Bike path along the canal, easy access.

    Lots of playgrounds for different ages

    Bounce pad (in-ground)

    Pool

    Stair access to canal bike path.

    Dump station

    Inexpensive to have visitors\

    Located near so much! Walmart, Market Basket, Target all within 15min.  

    Cons-

    No on site drainage for black water (grey takes an adapter). You will need a poop tote.

    Lots of tight spaces

    Anyone can pay to access canal, so they can access any campsite even without staying there. 

    Highway noise.

    BRIDGE TRAFFIC- if you know you know.

Guide to Massachusetts

Tent camping in Massachusetts offers a diverse range of experiences, from serene forest settings to coastal views, making it a perfect getaway for nature lovers.

Tent campers should check out Lorraine Park Campground

  • Enjoy spacious and shaded sites at Lorraine Park Campground, where families can relax in a clean and friendly environment.
  • This campground features well-maintained facilities, including clean bathrooms and showers, ensuring a comfortable stay.
  • With a lovely pond for swimming and a playground for kids, it’s an ideal spot for family camping adventures.

Tips for tent camping near Winter Island Park

  • Winter Island Park provides easy access to Salem, making it a great base for exploring the city during Halloween festivities.
  • The campground offers a beautiful view for sunrise, perfect for early risers looking to enjoy nature's beauty.
  • While the sites are open and lack privacy, the proximity to the beach and local attractions makes it a worthwhile choice.

Tent campers like these nearby activities at Willard Brook State Forest

  • At Willard Brook State Forest, campers can enjoy hiking trails and swimming at the nearby pond, providing a refreshing escape into nature.
  • The campground is known for its quiet atmosphere, making it a great spot for those seeking solitude and relaxation.
  • With a large yurt available for group camping, it’s a unique option for families or friends looking to experience the outdoors together.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best tent camping locations in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts offers excellent tent camping experiences throughout the state. Tully Lake Recreation Area (MA) — Tully Lake is a standout option in central Massachusetts near the New Hampshire border, featuring waterfront sites where you can paddle or walk in. The campground provides cart assistance for gear, canoe/kayak rentals, and beautiful lakeside views. For a more rugged adventure, Laurel Ridge — Mount Everett State Reservation offers primitive backcountry sites with spectacular views after a rewarding hike. The Berkshires region provides peaceful forests and mountain terrain ideal for tent campers seeking solitude. Most popular Massachusetts campgrounds fill quickly during summer weekends and holidays, so advance reservations are highly recommended.

What beaches in Massachusetts allow tent camping?

Sandy Neck Beach Park Primitive Campsites on Cape Cod offers a unique beach camping experience with five dispersed sites located 3-4 miles from the trailhead. Each site includes a picnic table and access to an outhouse. Be prepared for a challenging hike through sand to reach these sites. Boston Harbor Islands State Park Campground provides another coastal tent camping option, where you can enjoy island camping with ocean views. Both locations require packing in all supplies and adhering to Leave No Trace principles. Beach camping in Massachusetts typically requires advance permits, has seasonal restrictions (generally Memorial Day through Labor Day), and strict fire regulations to protect the sensitive coastal environment.

What is the average cost of tent camping in Massachusetts?

Tent camping costs in Massachusetts typically range from $15-35 per night for state-operated campgrounds, with variations based on residency status and amenities. Wellfleet Hollow State Campground charges significantly higher rates for out-of-state visitors compared to Massachusetts residents. Cape Ann Camp Site represents the private campground category with generally higher fees but more amenities. Most state parks charge reservation fees ($7.50-10) in addition to nightly rates. Primitive backcountry sites often cost less than developed campgrounds. Discounts may be available for seniors, military personnel, or with memberships like the Trustees of Reservations. Many campgrounds also charge additional fees for extra vehicles, firewood purchases, or specialized amenities, so budget accordingly.

Are there any tent-only campgrounds in Massachusetts?

Alander Trail Camground — Mount Washington State Forest offers a true primitive tent-only camping experience. You'll need to hike 1.5-2 miles with all your gear to reach multiple secluded sites. This campground provides complete privacy and an authentic backcountry experience. Barton Cove Campground is another option with tent-focused sites. Many Massachusetts state forests and reservations maintain walk-in tent sites that effectively function as tent-only areas even if not exclusively designated as such. These areas typically provide more spacious sites, natural surroundings, and quieter experiences than mixed-use campgrounds. Tent-only areas generally have basic amenities (vault toilets, picnic tables, fire rings) but lack electricity hookups, dump stations, and other RV-oriented facilities. Advance reservations are recommended, especially during peak seasons.

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