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Best Tent Camping near Pawtucket, RI

775 Reviews

Tent camping options near Pawtucket, Rhode Island include several established campgrounds within driving distance of the city. Buck Hill Campground offers rustic tent sites along Wakefield Pond in a heavily wooded setting, while Water's Edge Campground in Coventry provides tent sites with amenities including fire pits, picnic tables, and access to showers and toilets. The Arcadia Management Area, approximately 30 miles southwest of Pawtucket, contains multiple tent camping areas including Arcadia Backpack Camping Area and Frosty Hollow Camping Area.

Most tent sites in the region require advance reservations, particularly during the peak summer season from May through September. Drive-in access is common at established campgrounds, though some areas like Arcadia Backpack Area cater to hikers seeking more remote experiences. Facilities vary significantly between locations, with some offering electric hookups, drinking water, and shower facilities, while others maintain a more primitive camping experience. Fire regulations should be checked before arrival as seasonal restrictions may apply, especially during dry periods.

Tent campers in the Pawtucket region often appreciate the wooded settings that provide natural shade and privacy between sites. The Boston Harbor Islands State Park Campground, though requiring a ferry ride, offers a unique tent camping experience on islands with views of the Boston skyline and opportunities for swimming, hiking, and exploration of historic sites. A review described Buck Hill Campground as "a great rural no frills campground" where campers can "just come and unwind, fish, cook" in a natural setting. Water access is a highlight at several locations, with ponds and small lakes suitable for paddling, fishing, or swimming during warmer months.

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Best Tent Sites Near Pawtucket, Rhode Island (11)

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20 Photos of 11 Pawtucket Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Pawtucket, RI

775 Reviews of 11 Pawtucket Campgrounds

  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 1, 2020

    Burlingame State Park Campground

    Huge campground, not many level sites.

    I've never camped in Rhode Island, so I was curious to see what a state park campground had to offer. Rates are reasonable for state residents, but quite high if you are out-of-state, given the amenities. There are no hookups, but dump stations are available. Bathrooms have flush toilets and coin-operated showers. There's a small beach at the pond, a boat ramp, and proximity to wildlife refuges and the ocean. It's a HUGE campground, with 700 sites and 20 cabins. Canoes are available to rent.

    There's a nice playground, a camp store, and a naturalists cabin. Trails are available for hiking and biking. The beach is sandy and there's a small parking lot there, but I suspect most people walk to it. No alcohol allowed. 

    I didn't see more than a handful of level sites, with varying degrees of slope, but many are quite large. If you have an RV, plan to level; if you have a tent, be sure to bring good mattresses to protect you from the roots and rocks and orient your head to the uphill side. Most of the sites have some degree of visual separation from their neighbors, but there are places where it's hard to tell where one site ends and the next one starts. Site have fire rings and picnic tables, but if you plan to cook over the fire, bring your own grate or plan to use sticks and/or aluminum foil. 

    If you don't have a tent, consider reserving one of their rustic cabins. These offer two sets of bunks (no mattresses) and a small porch with a picnic table and fire ring outside. Some are located along the pond.

    3-4 bar cell phone coverage. No road traffic. East Beach is nearby, but parking fills early.

  • 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!

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • K
    Aug. 20, 2022

    Fort Getty Campground

    No shade no rule enforcement. Great place for a big group to party if that’s what you want.

    Loud campers in large groups.

    Rules regarding quiet hours, no generators, number of tents per site and late arrival and setups were not enforced.

    People next to us crammed 8 tents on 3 sites. I counted a group of at least 20.

    There is no privacy, people were constantly walking through our site and stepping over our tent guy lines.

    People partied until 2:00am and woke up at 5:30am shining headlights and idling cars.

    Bathrooms were dirty, sites boundaries not marked and crammed together. No shade.

    Beautiful location, rangers were nice.

    RV folks were surly, seemed like a lot of them stay there for the entire season. One said hi, the rest stared when we drove by.

    We booked and paid for two nights and left first thing after just one night.

  • 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.

  • Laura M.
    Aug. 25, 2018

    Burlingame State Park Campground

    Nice campground

    Super large sites, store is adequately stocked, nice lake/pond. I came here because of the location. Super close to the beach. This is a state park, no alcohol is allowed, quiet time strictly enforced. Nice family campground. No hookups.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 7, 2024

    Burlingame State Park Campground

    HUGE state park

    General: HUGE state park with over 700 sites. It does not fully open for the season until May 1 and when we were there in mid-April, only two sections, Fish Camp and Mills Camp were open. The Ranger station is staffed 24 hours a day, with a ranger on site until 11 pm. You need to show your pass to get inside the gate leading to the campsites. There are no hookups in any site (as far as I could tell). Sites are designated for tents, small trailers, large trailers, and RVs. As with other RI state parks, non-residents pay double the price of residents which kind of ticks me off (I don't mind a nominal upcharge but double is excessive IMO).

    Site Quality: The site numbers throughout the park are painted on rocks but the sites themselves are not very clearly defined. There is no designated camping pad. Our site (114) had a water view but was not level. It was large enough for us to park horizontally and make it work for one night. Some sites had excessive roots and also were not level. Some picnic tables have been replaced with new ones, but others badly need it.

    Bath/Shower house: The one in Fish Camp was adequate and clean. There is hot water, but you need to run it for a while before you get any. There was no garbage receptacle, and the toilet paper is so thin, that you can see through it. Showers are $.75 to get it started for the first three minutes. After that, the amount per minute increases to $1, $1.25, $1.50, and so forth. Machines take up to 22 quarters. There is a change machine at the Ranger Station. I did not use the shower so I cannot comment on how well they work. 

    Activities/Amenities: There is a camp store that offers wood, ice, coffee, basic groceries, propane, and canoe rentals. It was open with limited hours during our stay. Fishing, boating, swimming - all in season. Even though the park was only about 10% occupied, there was a strong Ranger presence. He circled our small loop three times just before check-out time and wanted to make sure we were leaving not a minute past the designated time. 

    This was just an overnight stay for us in a convenient location but there is no way I would stay at the height of the season!

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 16, 2019

    Fishermens Memorial State Park Campground

    Not the bargain it used to be!

    I read the reviews and was excited to be in a state park near the water for such a reasonable price. Imagine my surprise when we found out that a water/electric site for an out of state camper was $45 per night! This was our first visit to a Rhode Island State Park so not sure if they are all like this but this one definitely caters to Rhode Island residents who camp in large RVs! The sites with the best views are the full hookups (water/electric/sewer) and the rates for out of state campers are significantly more than for residents. I’m used to paying $5 or even $10 more for being from out of state but here the fee is double or more for out-of-state campers. Geez– way to make us feel welcome! 

    There are four areas, and each has advantages and disadvantages. Area One has the best views and full hookups but there is no bathhouse; Area Two also has full hookups, no view and some of the sites (55-65) are decidedly not level; Area Three is for tents only with no hookups but is close to the bathhouse; Area Four has water and electric hookups, the pads are not paved (as in the others) but most of the sites have more separation than in the other sections. See the photo below to understand the different areas. 

    No matter where you camp, there are noise issues. Road noise continued throughout the night and there is a wind turbine on the property. I’ve never been this close to one and yes, there is noise, although the road noise bothered me more. Alcohol is prohibited throughout the campground. There are pay showers available. There are the remains of two bunkers but other than walking by them, you cannot go inside. One (in Area One) is a grassy knoll with stairs to a lookout. 

    On the plus side: The bathrooms were clean, there is excellent cell service, Judith Point lighthouse is nearby, it is close to the ferry to Block Island, and there are numerous recreation options available (playground, tennis courts, volleyball net, and basketball courts). Also, the grouchy staffer I read about in reviews was not there the night we arrived and, in fact, the two staffers were very friendly and even recommended a good restaurant in the nearby town.

Guide to Pawtucket

Tent camping near Pawtucket, Rhode Island requires travel to surrounding areas, as the city itself has no dedicated campgrounds. Most sites lie within 20-30 miles of the city, with campgrounds scattered throughout neighboring communities in both Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts. Summer temperatures typically range from 65-85°F with occasional thunderstorms, while spring and fall camping offers cooler temperatures and fewer crowds.

What to do

Water activities: paddle on calm waters at Washburn Island Campsites, where one camper noted, "Small island with 10 camp sites (one group) all with views of the water very quiet at night." Bring your own canoe or kayak for the short crossing.

Explore historic structures: The Arcadia Management Area offers multiple camping locations including Arcadia Backpack Camping Area, providing access to numerous trails with remnants of old stone walls and foundations throughout the forest.

Urban adventure day trips: From campgrounds near Pawtucket, visitors can take day trips into Boston. A camper at Boston Harbor Islands State Park Campground mentioned that "the island is beautiful and has an old fort to explore as well as a lot of Rocky shoreline and trails. You can build bon fires and see gorgeous sunsets."

What campers like

Peaceful natural settings: Many campers appreciate the secluded nature of sites. One visitor to Camp Nihan Education Center shared that "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."

Island camping experiences: Some campers enjoy the added adventure of boat-access sites. A camper at Washburn Island noted they "camped there May 20-25 2018 and there were only 1-2 other sites being used," highlighting the tranquility of off-peak camping.

Swimming opportunities: Several campgrounds offer swimming options. Camp Nihan is "adjacent to Breakheart Reservation, which had a great shallow pond with life guard on duty as well as bike trails and a range of different hikes."

What you should know

Reservation timing matters: For popular sites, planning ahead is crucial. A camper noted that Boston Harbor Islands "sites book quickly, so you should try to book 7 months to the day in advance. That said, you can also look for last minute openings."

Transportation logistics: Getting to island campsites requires planning. One camper explained their journey to Lovells Island: "We live in Boston and took all our gear on the T to the harbor by the aquarium. We then took the ferry to Georges Island. After that we waited and got on a much smaller island to Lovells."

Facilities vary widely: Before setting out, research the specific amenities at your chosen campground. Some sites have minimal facilities—a camper at Buck Hill Campground mentioned "a few rough restrooms and some porta-potties" while others have more developed infrastructure.

Tips for camping with families

Choose sites with beginner-friendly terrain: For families with small children, Water's Edge Campground in Coventry offers accessible tent sites with amenities that make camping with kids more manageable, including fire pits and picnic tables.

Look for educational opportunities: Camp Nihan provides environmental education programs during summer months, making it ideal for family camping. A visitor called it the "perfect blend of rugged and convenient for small kid camping," noting they "went camping here with our SpiralScout Circle, kids aged 4-8."

Consider proximity to urban areas: Some campgrounds offer a wilderness experience while remaining close to city amenities. As one camper at Camp Nihan noted, "All of this right in Saugus MA, less than 30 minutes from Boston."

Tips from RVers

Limited RV options near Pawtucket: Most tent camping areas near Pawtucket have few or no RV hookups or are unsuitable for larger rigs. For tent campers, this often means more secluded, quiet camping experiences away from RV sections.

Consider seasonal closures: Many campgrounds in the region close during winter months. Frosty Hollow Camping Area and similar sites typically operate from May through September or October, with limited or no winter camping options.

Research road access: When tent camping in more remote areas like Arcadia Management Area, be aware that some access roads may be unpaved or narrow, requiring careful driving even when not in an RV.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Pawtucket, RI?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Pawtucket, RI is Buck Hill Campground with a 4-star rating from 1 review.

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