Looking for the best pet-friendly campgrounds near Beebe Plain? Finding a place to camp with your dog in Vermont has never been easier. You're sure to find the perfect pet-friendly campsite for your Vermont camping excursion.
Welcome to Brighton State Park, located on the shores of Spectacle Pond. The outstanding attraction of this area is its remoteness: mountains with tree-covered slopes, fast running streams, and clear lakes. It is common to hear loons calling at night. The wild lands to the northeast and southeast of the town of Island Pond are suited to the angler, the hunter, or the outdoor lover who likes to roam away from developed roads or towns. Logging roads into the deeper reaches of this area offer adventurous side trips.
Island Pond enjoyed a heyday from the late 1800's until the Depression years, along with the fortunes of the Grand Trunk railroad between Montreal, Canada and Portland, Maine. Island Pond was the site of the first international railroad junction in the United States. At the height of the town’s population, its streets were lively with railroad men and loggers, most of whom rode in on one of the 13 rail tracks that passed through town. A mere two tracks remain today. The unique wooden bridge, which once held all 13 tracks, is gone, but the heritage of railroading is still evident in the well-kept train station and a few associated structures at the north end of town.
Cabin at Brighton State Park The park has five cabins available to rent There are 5 cabins, 54 tent/RV sites and 23 lean-to's. All three restrooms have flush toilets, hot and cold running water and coin-operated hot showers. A sanitary dump station is available, but there are no hookups. There are hiking trails, a campers' beach with boat rentals, a nature museum, an amphitheater, a garage theater, and a play area. At the nearby day use area (at the southern end of Island Pond) there is a long, sandy beach, a bathhouse with restrooms, and boats available to rent.
There are 5 cabins at the park that are available to rent. They are all located near the waterfront.
$20 - $50 / night
$33 - $75 / night
$29 / night
This popular state park, located in Vermont, is a narrow passage that leads through the Green Mountains. In 2003, the park was relocated to allow room for expansions, including an updated campground and sites featuring alternative energy. Despite this, great care was taken to relocate and restore the original structures that were built there by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The site originally housed the many young men looking for work during the Depression era, so it was important for their work to be preserved as much as possible.
Visitors report satisfaction with the new renovations, as the new campground has sites that allow for much more room than before, and ample thought was given to the facilities operating on alternative energy. Campers can now enjoy hot showers, firewood and ice for sale, as well as a new location that provides easy access to Bingham Falls.
Before planning a stay at the park, travelers should be aware that most sites in the park are first come first serve, and not easily accessible by vehicle. Because of the limited space and narrow geography, there are only a small number of sites that can accommodate a trailer or RV. Animal lovers are welcome to bring their furry pals for a visit to the park as well.
Day use of the park consists of a variety of recreation and fun. There's a wetlands boardwalk near what's called the Barnes Camp Visitor Center. Bouldering and cave exploring commonly take place here as well, and when the weather allows it, some try their hand at ice climbing. Day use of the park comes with an entrance fee of $4 for adults, $2 for kids 12 and younger, and children ages 0-3 enter the park free of charge.
$20 / night
$42 - $100 / night
Will-O-Wood is a family campground located in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom overlooking Lake Willoughby.
$55 - $70 / night
Legend
General: Large state park with two loops, both of which are lakefront. A mix of primitive sites (no w/e/s), lean-tos, and two cabins, one in each section. Sites/lean-tos are designated premium (lakefront) or non. There is also an ADA-accessible lean-to. Upon check-in, you are given a gate code to enter.
Site Quality: Our site, like all others, was generous in size and a back-in site. Most sites don’t have clearly defined camper pads, and the surface is grass/dirt (or mud if it has rained recently). A large wooden picnic table and fire ring complete the site. There are plentiful trees, so each site has at least some shade and some are very shaded. Lakefront sites have a filtered view of the lake through the trees.
Bath/Shower House: The one closest to us was very clean. Three stalls and one shower. Cold water only at both the sinks and the shower (at least I didn’t get any hot water). The showers do take quarters and although you get five minutes for each quarter (up to 15 quarters, although I can’t imagine taking that long of a shower), it was quite possibly the wimpiest shower I’ve experienced in quite some time. But, after I finished, I saw my quarter had been returned. The toilet paper was so thin, it was nearly transparent!
Activities: Although swimming is allowed, the “beaches” are very small and there was a bacteria warning in place when we were there advising against swimming. There are two boat launch areas, one in each loop. Great for kayaks, and canoes, and we saw what looked like a fishing boat. There was one very annoying motorboat revving its engine while doing circles in the lake. The day-use area has a small, dated playground, fire pit, horseshoe pit, and volleyball net. There is a short nature trail and one other small walking trail. Nearby is access to the Missisquoi Rail Trail.
A surprise was a family of ducks who visited our site when I was outside reading! Our stay was very quiet during the week after Labor Day, but I imagine the vibe is quite different during summer weekends, especially given the sign in the restroom stating that quiet hours are strictly enforced. We were annoyed by one loud boat so I can’t imagine what it would be like if the lake was filled with boaters. This is why we prefer shoulder-season camping!
Scout
I stayed at Art and Health Chill Camping recently, and it was a truly relaxing experience—just nature, art, and fresh air all around. The only thing I’d advise is to come prepared if you're concerned about health safety. When camping in remote areas, it's always wise to have a few essentials, especially if you’re camping with a group. Personally, I’d recommend taking a rapid STD/STI test on https://readyhelp.it/rapid-std-sti-test/ beforehand. It’s quick and easy, giving some extra peace of mind.
Legend
Nice and quiet
Legend
I scouted this area a couple of years ago and stayed in one of the lean-tos, this is a great area in the winter when no-one else is around.
There is a parking lot near the main road where you can park. The hike around the pond is nice, but wet, rocky and you need to be a sure-footed person. Views are great, the pond is amazing, and the campsites are well maintained.
Most sites have a lean-to and a well-built fireplace as well as an outhouse. Keep in mind this is a pack in pack out location. You are not allowed to cut wood, and only fallen dead is available for use.
ScoutPretty pond, good lean-to's, nice toilets, central put-in for canoes and kayaks, friendly people. Big groups in one area, individual remote sites far enough away to be private. Nicely maintained, friendly staff when you do see them. Went September 6 and 7 2024. Only 3 hours from Boston.
Legend
This easy-to-access campground has made it on my list of places to stay.
There are two loops of sites, some deep in the woods with great-looking trees, others in a field, and some in between. There are even sites with stalls if you're into horses.
The bathhouse looks typical and clean.
Not much cell service, but some in places.
Easy access to a lake and a picnic pavilion.
Noticed more than a few sites that I could hang at.
Legend
This is a small campground, really it's an extension of Stillwater just up the road. Check-in happens at Stillwater, purchase your firewood and drive the 2 min down to Big Deer.
For Vermont, these sites felt close, but we could still get privacy. We did have to change sites due to our neighbors yelling at their kids and using less-than-appropriate language to do so. We could still hear them on the other side of the campground :(
The site itself was nice, even though it lacked privacy.
Boulder Beach Road is an easy dirt road access to these campgrounds.
We had 1 bar of AT&T service.
The bathrooms were adequate, nothing special
But we made a last-minute decision to camp and this was a decent location for that. I would camp here again, but it wouldn't be my first choice.
ScoutOur first time in Vermont, we were coming from Montreal, Quebec. And while there are many nice campsites to visit in Quebec... we've done them all, within a 2-hour radius. Well, guess what? Lake Carmi in Franklin (Enosburg?) Vermont, is less than 1 1/2 hours from Montreal! I think it must be the closest campsite to Quebec, in Vermont. The drive there was really pleasant too. It wasn't all highway. It took us mostly through very scenic routes in both Quebec, and Vermont.
After booking, I had read some bad reviews about the place - which gave me second thoughts. About the staff being very unpleasant, etc. Well I'm happy to say, that turned out to be absolutely untrue! To say that Kathy, Daniel and really, the entire staff that we met, was very friendly to us, is an understatement. They literally saved our bacon!
It's a long story, but in short... our car broke down at one point, and we had to get it towed. Our phone wouldn't work, and it was by the good graces of the Lake Carmi rangers and staff, and the use of their wireless, that we were eventually able to return back home to Canada. I don't know what we would have done, if they weren't there to help us! So - big thanks to the amazing staffers at Lake Carmi.
We had reserved a site by the lake, and saw that the campground itself was quite nice. Just acres and acres of lush green forestation. Clean grounds and washrooms. A beautiful sunset over the lake. No electrical 'pollution'. No noise pollution - except for crickets, in the field. Other than the car trouble - quite a pleasant stay! We'll be returning next year.
Legend
I come back to this area every year; I missed my spring trip this year though. A friend was camping and invited me to join them. We had a site on the B loop, I have only camped on the A loop...
The site was nice with some great rock features, the sites have enough space between them to give privacy, but you know you're not alone. The facilities on the B loop are vintage 1950s, simple clean but not new or the same caliber as the facilities on A loop. Plenty of water faucets on the B loop.
Both A & B are easy to get around on, all of the roads are dirt but well maintained. Both loops have their own Trash and Recyling. The access road into the park is a well-maintained dirt road and about 5 miles long. Look for the bears, and other cutouts creatures in the clearings on the way in.
This campground is remote and it's about 45 min. to the nearest town. There is no cell service, even with a booster. The lake is wonderful.
Scout
We spent the night at this beautiful campsite with a magnificent view of Mount Mansfield. The small amount of camping space made the experience quite unique and private. The host, Dianne, was really friendly. Many amenities such as wood, water and outhouse nearby. Very nice experience.
Scout
Spent a few nights here as a base camp while hiking some of the mountains in the area. Camp spots were far enough away from one another, trees helped with privacy, and the tent site had a great area to setup the tent.
Facilities were accessible and clean. Quiet hours were definitely observed. Easily one of the best camp sites I’ve stayed at.
Guide
The first thing that happened is you go over the train tracks to go to the office to register and you have to turn your rig around to go to Riverside which the sites are extremely small had a 42 foot fifth wheel and took me 15 minutes to get set so I could disconnect. good thing there was no one next to me on both sides so I had room to move around otherwise I would’ve never made it in there. The view is beautiful. The lake is pretty. They have seasonals set up on the lake and when we were there, they were pretty obnoxious and loud cursing every two seconds no one came around to check anything. They have a lot of rules, but they don’t enforce any of them. If you want to go to pull through you go on the other side of the camp where you have to climb a huge hill and then maneuver around to get into a pull through that’s only about 10 foot wide. So my suggestion would be if you have a small camper great if you have anything over 30 feet find somewhere else.
Legend
Pros: Full hookup (sewer, water, 50 AMP) 1.7 mile from #7 Ranked World's Best Disc Golf Course: Fox Run Meadows New fire ring New picnic table Gorgeous Mountain View
Cons: Grass site No amenities No Wi-Fi Soft ground, sinked during setup
Guide
Couple-owned and very attentive. He assisted me backing into a spacious wooded site. You can also be on a nice field or on the edge. Pool was damaged during winter and not available. 2024
Guide
There are a number of nice campsites right on the lake, but even if you don’t have a waterfront site, there is a public boat launch. There is a dishwashing station, laundry facilities, showers, and bathrooms, all very clean. Perfect for fishing, hiking, and kayaking.
ScoutBeen camping here since I was a kid and will forever continue the tradition! So peaceful and beautiful
LegendThere are hiking trails right from the campground, which we always appreciate. You can also go down to the water and rent a kayak or canoe from the rangers. Camp fees are $28/night, plus $5/day per adult for state park fees.
There is a dump station and drinking water on site, but the spigots for the water are not threaded. We tried our water bandit, with messy wet results. (Apparently you can’t use those if the other end of the hose is pressurized.) Luckily, we found we could unscrew the head of the hose at the dump station and had no problem filling our tank with potable water.
Each site is so different and may or may not fit an RV. Some sites are so sloped I don’t even know how a car would camp there. Some sites are out in the open grass where you just find a spot within the site that works for you. We saw fresh moose poop on a hike but sadly no moose or other wildlife. There are bears around the area though so please be bear smart when camping here.
Showers are something like $1 for 8 minutes, quarters only. The lean-to sites are really cool, and if I was tent camping I think they’d be so fun to sleep in. They have food compost bins here, but the rangers keep forgetting to unlock the bin, so you just have to ask them. There’s also a book exchange library and adorable little gnome habitats set up in the campground. We had a pleasant stay here.
Scout
Great spot if you are looking for a simple place to stay. Amazing location. Can walk right into town and never use your car the entire time you are there. Bike trails are right off the campground.
RangerNice, wooded sites. Staff was great and very helpful. I didn't see the restrooms with the showers on the one end of the campground, but the restrooms I did see on the end that I stayed were like outhouses but with flushable toilets--kinda meh.
Guidewe camped here in early October and it was gorgeous. Well spaced out sites. Friendly staff , flush toilets, showers, Quiet and peaceful. Good spot to summit Mansfield from.
LegendWe made the mistake of camping here for the 4th of July and should have known better, especially with a dog terrified of fireworks! While they aren't allowed in the State Park, much of the lake is private property...so between the rule breakers and the private land owners this was a cacophony of noise for days. The other bummer about this park in particular is that many of the sites were marked as reserved even though they sat empty for the three nights we were there and many of them were lakeside. Sadly, no shows don't forfeit their sites which was frustrating.
Our site, though not on the water, was nice and had a lean-to. The nice new bathhouse was also very much appreciated. Though it seemed that the drainage system could use some work, as the showers continually backed pretty far up. Thank goodness for shower shoes!
The campground employee was incredibly talkative and a little nosy but we didn't mind it so much sense we are generally well behaved campers.
Our site was spacious and we enjoyed having a lean-to for some shade. It easily accommodated two vehicles, two canoes, three dogs and four humans. Firewood and ice are readily available. Be prepared to drive a fair distance down gravel roads to get there.
There are a few hiking trails available in the park as well as several public access points to the lake. There is also a small swimming area/beach.
Legend
This is another beautiful site along the CT River Paddler's Trail. It is well maintained and tucked on a knoll in a pine forest. There is a picnic table, fire ring and composting toilet box seat. The takeout is easy to miss if you aren't looking as it sits right in the bend of the river. There is a set of wooden steps that go down into the water at a relatively steep angle. Be sure you tie your boat up while unloading as there is a fair amount of current sweeping around the bend. Use caution moving up and down the steps.
There is a flat area at the top of the steps where you can tie up your boat for the evening. Follow the path along an electric fence (be careful if you have dogs with you) up into the campsite. There you will find a nice shady spot with plenty of flat space for tents. Beware the ticks! They weren't the worse I've seen, but they are definitely around.
Aside from the tricky loading and unloading on the water, this site is pretty dang perfect!
Legend
While reservations are not required, there is a registration page on the CT River Paddler's Trail Website that they ask folx to complete just so spots don't get overcrowded.
There are several sites available here and a really nice rocky beach with easy access fo loading and unloading. It's also a nice spot to fish from. There is a site perched high on the hill where there is a picnic table and fire ring. There is also a spot lower down that is nice and flat and probably better spots for tents. We did have an ATV almost run over us at 1:00 a.m. that scared the dickens out of us. They were clearly unaware and intoxicated, it was a scary moment. But aside from that, it's a wonderful site. If you walk through the campsite, there is a massive cornfield, just beware that the ticks in the field are insane! They weren't bad in the campsite but in the grass, they were epic. There's nice shade available as well.
Legend
We started a multi day canoeing trip from this spot. While close to the road, it's not highly trafficked and the road noise is almost non-existent which was a nice surprise. The riverbank is a great spot to fish from and enjoy the afternoon sun. The top site is well maintained and the lower site could use a little work. Sadly there is no picnic table at the top spot but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. While we saw other folx on the river, we were the only ones in the camping area. Nice vault toilet also available.
Guide
Wooded sites, some a bit less private than others. Beach for swimming / paddling. Lean to options. There were some larger groups while there. Staff very helpful.
Traveler
Our stay at Moose River Campground was so nice and peaceful. Our site was pristine and backed by the river. Extremely clean and well kept Campground. The owners are wonderful and very friendly. We would be thrilled to go back.
Guide
I really liked the campground but I was upset that they didn’t say anything about flood damage to their beach . It’s a beautiful spot and the area is great but the beach and boat dock are gone so you need to rent a boat to go swimming.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Beebe Plain, VT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Beebe Plain, VT is Brighton State Park Campground with a 4.9-star rating from 12 reviews.
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