Nice little weekend getaway. Clean bathrooms, roomy tent sites, nice staff. Fun playground and nature area for kids. Very family friendly place with beautiful hikes to Hamilton falls.
Site wise it’s more of a rv camp but they do have some tent sites. I would recommend mosquito repellent.
Tent camped here with my dog for two nights. Was sold absolutely green wood that would not burn (why do campgrounds always do this??). First site I was given was out of view of the river, which was entire reason for visiting. Campground owner was accommodating and found me a spot that overlooked the river (why not do that from the start?). There is no privacy whatsoever to the sites, and sites are one on top of the other (my tent was basically uncomfortably close to neighbor's fire pit, but there was no other option for pitching elsewhere). The nights were very loud with kids screaming and people partying. It's a mishmash of sites too -- my tent was squished in between a permanent trailer and a weekend fifth wheeler. But the river was magnificent and I could hear it babble by all night; very relaxing once the place quieted down. Very close to Townsend State Forest and a beautiful hike up Bald Mountain, which looks to have really nice, spacious and quiet tent sites (already booked for next year).
Intro:
On a whim back in August, our family decided we wanted to camp for a night and discover some new mountain biking trails. I did some research and poking around on the interwebs, and discovered Mt. Ascutney State Park in Windsor, VT. The state park had everything we were looking for: close proximity to mountain bike trails, beautiful hiking trails, available leantos, and less than two hours from our home.
Campground Review
I am going to talk about the positives first, and then lay out the few negatives at the end. Sound good? Great!
The state park is located off of a paved road, about 15 minutes from the closest interstate exit. It is situated on the side of Mt. Ascutney, a 3200+ mountain. There is actually an toll-road that goes up the mountain. The campground has two distinct loops. We stayed in the loop to the left of the entrance in one of the lean tos. Our campsite was a prime site. It was very large, and quite private. As a bonus, it even had direct access down a path to a large recreation field that included a volleyball net. Our children and their friends loved biking around the field and exploring it while waiting for meals, etc. The lean to was very clean, and recently painted. It had ample room for 6, and could fit 8 as well. The lean tos come with a bench that can be used inside, or out by the fire which was a nice touch.
Our site was situated under large pine and hemlock trees, with some small deciduous trees mixed in. This kept the site shady, but rays of sunshine did break through at times. Our lean to faced east, so we had a view of the sunrise in the morning.
The bathroom was clean, and the shower area was recently tiled with nice tilework. Outside of the bathroom there was a little library book case with books for campers to borrow. Such a fun idea!
The state park maintains its own mountain biking trail loop, which accessible directly from the campground. It is a 3 mile beginner friendly loop, with some nice rollers and moderate terrain. Down the road about 10 minutes at the Mt. Ascutney Outdoor Center, there is a whole network of mountain biking trails that range from novice to expert. I checked out some of the trails there, and particularly enjoyed the trails in the Mile Long Field. Beautiful switchbacks traversed an idyllic Vermont field.
The hiking trails are also pleasant--there is a sweet little nature loop in the campground with signs identifying different trees. There are also other trails that lead to the summit of Mt. Ascutney. We decided to drive up Mt. Ascutney to see the sunset our first night. Sunset was at 7:30. HOWEVER, the toll road also happened to close at 7:30, which we had ignored on the sign. Well, the state park staff enforce their rules, and they came up to the top before (sadly) the sun had set to tell us we had to drive back down. Half of our group decided to stay at the top and watch the sunset and then hike down in the dark. It was quite the adventure--thankfully we always carry headlamps and flashlights in our car.
It was a bit disappointing that the auto road closes before sunset, but I understand that the park needs to have rules to keep folks safe. There are 6 cabins that the state park rents out that are partially up the mountain on the auto road. Folks who rent those sites actually do have access to the summit at sunset. So if you are looking for an easy sunset experience, that would be the way to go.
Overall, our experience at the campground was fantastic. The other campers were quiet, everything was clean, and access to local recreation was convenient.
CONS:
The road nearby is noisy. Because of its location, you can hear both the local highway and I91. If being in the quiet wilderness is important to you, than this campground might not work out.
Gear Review
From time to time, as a Dyrt Ranger, I am given gear to test out and review. On this camping trip, we tested out a Gregory Endo 15 3D Hydro Pack. Gregory specifically designed this pack for mountain bikers. We chose the one in Carbon Black. Our first impression of the pack was that it was made out of sturdy, rugged materials, which is important for a pack that has to take the abuse of mountain biking. Our second observation was that it didn't have any external water bottle pockets the way a regular day pack would. This of course makes sense as water bottles would easily fall out while biking. The waist belt is unique as it can slide into a few different positions in order to change how the pack rides on your back. The back panel is lifted away from the users back, which provides excellent ventilation. Inside the pack are sever pockets, including a removable pouch ideal for storing bike tools. My husband really appreciates that feature as it makes it much easier to find his tools on the go. The included reservoir is easy to fill, and we like that it is also very easy to hang to dry. It seems to dry faster than the reservoirs that we have from other brands.He has also used the pack a few times on hikes, and it is comfortable for that as well. The straps are low profile, so it doesn't work for carrying super heavy stuff.
My husband says the pack is comfortable. He says it does bounce a bit while descending rougher trails, and he wished there was a way to prevent that. Overall, it does its job well, stays out of the way, and holds the gear and water that he needs when biking. It is great that companies are starting make mountain biking specific packs.
Some of the sites are a bit too close to each other but there are some that are nice and private. Mountain biking is awesome here, can ride right off the campground and onto the trails! Will def be coming back
Small but well organized campground. TT members will find all th e comforts of home. Staff is pleasant and helpful. Quiet during the weekdays, picks up over weekends but not to overbearing. Sandy beach by the water has plenty of room to relax out in the sun as well as launch areas to set out in a paddle boat, canoe or row boat, all available on site. Mostly a 5th wheelers park but you can see a 34 foot class A here and there so don't fret, there is room.
Friends and I camp here every June, and we love being close to the river. We sleep in tents so the sound of the river put you to sleep at night. Excellent campground for cooking delicious meals over the fir and sitting around the fire later. We also tube down the river. Very clean restrooms and nice staff.
Chuck and Laura are wonderful hosts and always available to help. The campground is clean, quiet, with plenty of open sites as well as sites in the woods. Sites big enough for our 42’ 5th wheel and 2 cars. Sites in the woods have water and 50 amp service, no sewer. Most of the open sites have 30/50 amp service with full hook-ups. River view sites available. Canoe rental available. Clean bath houses, laundry, dump station gameroom, and camp store. One of the best in the area!
Nice campground that has a gorge trail attached to the campground! This was nice to do right before dinner. The campground has full showers and bathrooms. Also, they have a community bonfire on Saturdays with s’mores, which was nice!
I was looking for a campground near the Suncook Valley Rotary ballooon festival in August and the fact that the Lazy River was just a short drive away and offered a river for tubing and swimming, too, made this my choice. I really wanted to love this place (I've been on a quest for a campground with tubing this summer), but the downsides keep me from giving it 4 stars.
The good:
- location in the middle of the state, so it is a relatively quick getaway from the city or southern NH
- a newly built store and game room with a friendly welcome from staff
- the river offers a beach and tubing without having to drive anywhere; the water was on the low side late in the season, but there were still people tubing
- beautiful pool, very popular with families; there's a kiddie pool, too
- All the sites include electric
- nice playground with an open field
- riverfront sites
- Fields and equipment for volleyball, horseshoes, etc.
- Laundry
The opportunities:
Folks will tell you that a bathroom makes or breaks a campground and, here, the bathrooms hurt. One of the 3 bathhouses was out of order with a sign directing you to the one in the playground field. That one was clean, but there were no latches on any of the doors on the women's side. To get a shower, you have to journey over to the seasonal loop, which may be a bit of a walk depending on your campsite location. Once there, there's no guarantee a shower will work. The first day I found a shower that worked (coin operated), but the next day none of the 3 seemed to be working (one with an error on the meter, others wouldn't turn). Another camper was there and she couldn't get anything to work, either. Ventilation isn't great in that bathroom, so the ceiling is a bit mildewy. It does have a nice long counter with sinks.
Camp roads would benefit from grading, but they're navigable.
If you're on the river, you may hear some traffic noise from 28 on the other side of the Suncook River. It didn't bother me, but I can sleep through anything!
Some of the seasonal sites look cluttered.
Would be nice if you could make reservations online, but had no problem getting through on the phone.
All in all, great place to hang out on the water, whether the river or the pool, but would be even better with bathroom improvements.
Very family centric, 7 pools which (include 2 hot tubs, a small 2x2 pool for kiddos, 1 adult only pool and 3 family pools). We went for halloween weekend in August and their haunted house was incredible for a campground! Nicely landscaped although the roads are very narrow. Made it hard to back in our spot. Will be coming back!
Owner Ross was very rude to everyone, Pool has a scum rim around it, and there are no wooded sites
Super easy hike, will take a few hours! A great little campground like all state parks around! I'd recommend it, downside, no dogs allowed
Family oriented can ground, has a nice playground. There's a beautiful waterfront with a swimming area and boat rentals. One of our favorite things was an archery walk through the woods and a little pond for fishing! Definitely worth the stay
My girlfriend and I went here on a thursday and stayed till Saturday, so the camp was a little more empty then normal but it was a great little place. Nice views of the lake, swimming, wide open sites, not too over crowded! I'd definitely go back! Close by to Miller state park (NHs oldest state park), Garwin falls (beautiful little water falls you can swim in)
This campground has nice, quiet, shaded riverside sites and other sites options as well. Showers are $0.25 for 8 minutes. Modest camp store. Pallets of firewood are delivered to your site and reasonably priced. Nice pool. Port-a potty by the river needs to be replaced.
Nice group camping area on Connecticut River with tent and lean to options. Ranger Eric and staff were awesome.
Had a great hike and lunch at top of mountain. Climbed weather tower and was an awesome experience.
High up on a hillside. The prime lean tos have great views. Sites for tents offer some set away but further from water and toilet. Other sites closer, but also closer together. Firewood available. Take a walk to the picnic pavilion which has a great view. Trail around Slack Hill has view of Ascutney. Pavilion and some shelters look over to Kiliington. CCC trail cuts through. Ash and maple woods. Clean, well kept.
I usually use #reserveamerica to book camp sites ahead of time and I mean months in advance. Which is great you can see the campsites but more importantly if they are taken already or not especially if you want to camp next to friends and family. My problem is you need to call into this campsite Everytime you find something you might want to book just to see if the sites are open or not.everytime!!! If one is open and the others are taken you now need to find all the other families and see if they want another spot. It's just a hassle that you cannot book online when you are coming from several dates away to meet up with friends or family
Lots of room; nice pool and a playground; right on the Connecticut River
We made reservations to hammock camp at a site here. Received confirmation of everything and was told I didn’t need to put money down. We drove all the way from Massachusetts and arrived to find out that our reservation was canceled! The lady at the counter was nice and trying to figure out and had the owner come down who turned out to be awful. He said that he was the one that canceled it because I didn’t return his phone call and didn’t put money down. When I tried to explain to him that I talked to someone on the phone two different times about the reservation he claimed I was lying! The site was open so he gave it to us but then sold us wet wood. Got to the campsite and the couple next to us said they had to sleep on the ground because the owner wouldn’t fix the electrical box that night and wouldn’t let them move to the next site over that was free. Def a campground for RVS and seasonal people only
It seemed like there were a lot of restrictive rules compared to other campgrounds that made camping more stressful.
We went camping with a group of 5 people spread out onto two sites. We arrived after dark and our friends were able to pick up a parking pass for us ahead of time. It was easy to find the campground and our site.
Restrooms are easy to reach throughout the campground and there is a shower house near the entrance to the campground (no quarters necessary). Stores for extra food or forgotten materials can be picked up in town a 10-15 minute drive away. We enjoyed our time here and will be back!
I was looking for a riverfront campground where I might be able to do some tubing, so I stopped by here to check it out. I had called the day before, but didn't get an answer, so I made reservations elsewhere, but they let me take a look around.
The good: they have a wide sandy beach and volleyball nets along the river. It's also just a short distance from a covered bridge with additional sandy beach and boat access. The river was slow and low in early August, but in early May they have the Baker River Regatta with some quickwater. There's an assortment of grassy and sandy sites, with and without hookups. There is a dumping station.
Areas for improvement: I almost turned around and walked right back out because the first part of the campground is seasonal and there are trailers there that look like they've been in place since the campground opened in the 60s. Seasonal sites can run the gamut from neat and well kept to dumpy…these were dumpy. The bathrooms were in sad shape…there was little to no toilet paper, toilets unflushed (it was early afternoon, usually the cleanest time of the day), and signs warned not to mess with the faucets or they'd take them out, etc. You don't want to linger there! They're also the reason for the 1* review. The showers are in a separate building, coin operated, no frills. If you're in a self-contained unit, this may be a decent place to stay on a sunny summer weekend. Some of the sites were neat, but others were littered with downed branches.
This campground is easy to navigate. It’s family friendly with a large field for volleyball, badminton, etc…
Nice and relaxing. Right next to Quechee Gorge where you can hike down to the gorge and go swimming or just sit on the rocks in the sun. Very relaxing and fun!
This was an amazing campground, but was heavily damaged in Hurricane Irene and is now permanently closed.
Nice rustic ,small all amenities park.Great place to explore Vermont ,hundreds of things to do and see in the area. Really like this park.
Awesome campground with two of the greatest host/owners Chuck and Laura. We have been coming here for years and always enjoy the time spent here. Beautiful river to float down or paddle up. Saw a bald eagle this past weekend while paddling up past the campground. Some site on the river,some in the woods and some in a field.