Looking for the best Cavendish pet-friendly camping? Camping is an adventurous and unique way to escape the city—and you can bring along your furry friend. These scenic and easy-to-reach Cavendish campsites are perfect for camping with dogs.
The land of Wilgus State Park was given to the state of Vermont in 1933 by Colonel and Mrs. William Wilgus for the creation of Wilgus State Park.
The original park, constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps, consisted of a picnic area with large flue-type stone fireplaces and picnic tables, and the ranger's quarters.
The campground was developed and expanded between 1960 and the present time. Wilgus State Park is a very popular park for canoes and kayaks, since it is located on the Connecticut River.
This park provides day use access to the Connecticut River and the Pinnacle Trail hike provides a scenic vista of the Connecticut River Valley.
Facilities / Amenities There are 4 cabins, 15 tent/trailer sites and 6 lean-to sites which overlook the Connecticut River. There are two restrooms with flush toilets, hot and cold running water and coin-operated hot showers. There is a picnic area and 3 lean-tos in the Group area. Canoe and kayak rentals are available at the contact station as well as a WiFi connection. A trailer sanitary station is located near the ranger's quarters. There is also a small picnic shelter for campers.
$20 - $30 / night
140 acres white pine forest. Large pullthrough RV sites, full hookup RV and tent sites, quiet, cool, relax atmosphere. Cable and wifi available. Dogs welcome
$26 - $36 / night
NOTICE: Due to damages sustained during the 2023 floods, in addition to planned infrastructure upgrades, the Winhall Brook Camping Area will be closed for the entirety of the 2024 Recreation Season. We are unsure at this time how long we will be closed and will update as soon as possible. (Updated October 23, 2024) Winhall Brook Camping Area is nestled in the Green Mountains of Vermont along Winhall Brook and the West River, seven miles from Ball Mountain Lake. The campground has strong appeal to the outdoorsman at heart, offering hiking, biking and fishing opportunities in a beautiful natural setting.
The campground offers several waterways in which to fish and play. The West River and Winhall Brook are home to brook, rainbow and brown trout. Hiking and biking are popular summer activities with cross country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter. The West River Trail stretches 16 miles along parts of the long-since-abandoned West River Railroad, providing a safe and scenic route for hiking, biking and cross country skiing in the winter months. The trail connects the villages of South Londonderry, Jamaica and Townshend. Ball Mountain Lake is nearby with fishing, boating, hiking and scenic overlooks. You can access the lake at our car-top boat launch which also provides shore fishing access. Hiking trails offer great views of Angel Falls to the north and Hamilton Falls to the south along the West River Trail. Water is released from the dam to create whitewater opportunities for rafting and kayaking the first weekend in May and the last weekend in September.
Winhall Brook consists of broad grassy meadows surrounded by heavily wooded areas. The campground lies among a beautiful northern hardwood forest, which provides outstanding fall color and wildlife habitat. Visitors enjoy catching glimpses of the region's wildlife which may include moose, white-tailed deer, black bear, bald eagles, owls, osprey, woodpeckers and a wide variety of songbirds.
For local information, please call (802) 824-4570 or call (978) 318-8914 for general information.
Please see Recreation.gov changes and cancellation policy at the link below: Changes and cancellations
$24 / night
Guide
Access to campground is on a gravel road but my van did okay. It is small and primitive and there is a camp host who is very nice. Within walking distance from the campground are accesses to hiking / biking trails. Sites are spacious and shady.
Guide
Went on a Wednesday night late October and had to drive about 4 miles down the dirt road to find a suitable spot. After what was very quiet and a peaceful place to be. Many pull offs but a lot were too wet for my van and I was afraid of getting stuck. The road itself was in great condition though.
Legend
What a beautiful and well maintained CG! Great owners, facilities, and amenities. Gravel roads and relatively level gravel sites. There are W/E sites, dry sites, and many secluded tent sites. There are two lakes and another nearby. It is close to many hiking trails. We arrived an hour after the water was turned off due to freezing temps. We were allowed to fill the fresh tank from the lodge. We woke the next day to heavy fog. We would definitely stay here again - for longer than an overnight stay!
TravelerThe entrance to the road had a sign that said “road closed ahead”. We chanced it and was able to find a really nice open spot right before the road closure. Was a great spot!
Scout
It was a very quiet location. There was plenty of room between sites. The roads going in and leaving were well maintained. I accidently booked a tent site, and my popup camper and truck almost didn't fit. We will have to go back and get a shelter site. This way we can get the beautiful views of the mountains. We both enjoyed the Coolidge State Park
Scout
This is a picnic area that people insist on camping there and because of this kind of stuff is why we keep loosing free camping sites
Scout
There are a lot of camping sites for tents at this location. Quite a few lean-tos to rest . Restrooms with coin operated showers. Every site has a picnic table.
Scout
Site 47 pull thru. Nice clean campground ! No neighbors left and right. Staff very nice. Very noisy tho in sites by the river due to Rte 10. We enjoyed the campground. Small and cozy. Nice size sites
Scout
I just got here. Road was quite good. I believe I have the last of 4 sites. Nice camp fire area.
Scout
No camping signs. Private property
Scout
I needed a place to stop, been traveling for 6 hours. Nice enough for me. Everything was wet from last night's rain. Everyone was pleasant.
Traveler
small number of sites and a bit hard to find
Legend
There are a handful of sites to camp at along the river here, each offering a slightly different experience. The dirt road along the river is an easy drive, though it is single lane in a few locations, so be aware of oncoming traffic. Some of the sites are drive in, some are walk in, but all are primitive.
There is no electricity, no cell coverage, not outhouses in this area. Be prepared to pack out everything you bring in.
This area is being heavily use and some spots are being shut down from abuse, please be aware that you have a lot of impact, and that impact can be positive or negative. Choose Positive!
This area is closed in the winter due to snow, by the GMNF
Scout
I strongly urge anyone considering Getaway Mountain Campground to stay far away. Our experience here was nothing short of appalling. From the moment we checked in, the owners were extremely rude and unwelcoming. After staying for the weekend, we extended our stay due to the campground’s cleanliness, thinking it would be perfect for our family, including our three children with special needs and our service animals.
Unfortunately, the owner’s behavior quickly escalated. One day, the man running the office drove by on his golf cart and began yelling and swearing at me, accusing us of not picking up after our dogs. I explained that we always clean up after them, but he refused to listen. We decided to leave for the weekend to avoid further conflict, but when we returned, we found piles of dog poop deliberately placed near our motorhome. Things worsened when one of our children, who is nonverbal, picked up a pile of the mess.
When we addressed the issue with the office, the owner’s wife not only refused to acknowledge their behavior but also accused us of lying. The man’s hostile behavior escalated again, yelling and swearing at us in front of our children. He threatened to have us thrown out by the police, which he followed through on. The officers who responded could see that this was a personal issue and were baffled as to why they had been called. We were told to leave, but not before being denied a refund for the remaining days we had already paid for.
To make matters worse, we’ve since learned that the owners of Getaway Mountain Campground have been actively calling around to other campgrounds, slandering our name. They falsely claim we don’t pick up after our dogs and that my husband chased the owner with a 2x4—an outright lie. The current campground we’re staying at informed us of this and has stated that they’ve seen no issues with us or our pets. In fact, the surrounding campers have no complaints, and the campground owner is willing to write a statement about the situation, including notifying the authorities of this baseless harassment.
The entire experience left us feeling targeted and mistreated. We have traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and have never encountered anything like this. Save yourself the trouble and avoid this campground at all costs.
Verdict: AVOID Getaway Mountain Campground.
Ranger
Came in on a Wednesday afternoon in late September and found several available camp sites.
There are no amenities at this campground. It is an open field on the left side of the road with two or three sites on the right side of the road that are walk in sites.
The scenic beauty of this place is amazing. There was some color in the forest but most of it was still green. There are wide open views of 3 mountain ranges. There are many flowering plants, wild apple trees on the right side of the road. Lots of birds, butterflies, and bees (they were not agressive).
The campground was very quiet at night except for an occasional owl hoot.
We were fortunate to have perfect weather for our stay. This would be an awesome place to see the fall colors.
Scout
Paid in full for a week in July, we stay here every year. Learned in May that I had cancer and would need surgery and weekly chemo until the end of September. Contacted Forest Lake Campground in May to cancel reservation, discussed options and was told we could carry our week over for later. Just received the all clear from my Dr today. Called to make reservations and was told they would not honor our already paid week. They said we would not get our money back either. Won’t stay here again as they are not people of their word.
Scout
In addition to the descriptions of this campground in other reviews, I add charm and utility of site design, and the friendliness and intelligence of the staff. Enjoy the serenity of the forest surrounding you, while you glimpse stars, and warm your innards beside a fire.
Scout
Owners were very welcoming and helpful. The bathrooms were cleaner than mine at home. Nostalgic feel with playground, pool, and rec hall.
ScoutGreat spot for quiet desolate camping. Several spots to choose from.
Traveler
Nicely spaced sites, level and welcoming hosts. There are a few trails around the campground and it is close to Mt Ascutney which if you are feeling a bit lazy there is an auto rd that goes about 3/4 of the way up. 3 mi. Away Springfield as all the services you might need.
Ranger
Only the first section of the campground was open due to flooding. As a result, there were puddles everywhere.
Campsites are listed as disbursed but there are only 7 trees to separate 9 camp sites. The campsites are all next to the road and have fire circles.
There is a single pit toilet at the end of the camping area. No garbage service, no water, no cell service. Basically a camp site where you can share a fire with the neighbors.
ScoutThere seems to be a little confusion about where restricted day use ends and overnight dispersed sites begin. Some folks were camping in the picnic area. Past the gate at the end of the Texas Falls recreation area we found several sites with only a fire pit along the brook. They were well used with some litter. We packed out what we could find. There are posted signs on the opposite bank so we stayed on our side. Brook water filtered fine and was tasty. Relatively short walk to waterless toilets was welcome. Very pretty area.
Scout
Had a pleasant stay at Woodford State Park. Sites near T38 have a great elevated view of the reservoir. Also a nice loop trail for those looking to do a little bit of hiking.
GuideLarge, well organized camping spots along the road. The spot I chose had a beautifully built fire pit. It was a little muddy from rain.
Scout
The owners are very nice but the sites are super close together. We had neighbors that had a large party 4 ft from our camper for two days. The showers cost .50 and are luke warm, definitely not hot. Only 4 shower stalls (2 men 2 female) for the whole campground. The bathrooms weren't cleaned during the 2 days we were there. The country side is beautiful and Newport is a cute little town. We won't stay at the campground again.
ScoutThis site was lovely, but signs say No Camping. There were a few spots with fire rings and picnic tables and would be a great place to camp though! Not sure how strict that is. There was someone camping for a least a week given their tent was there the whole week I was in the area. So I guess it's not that strict. Signs indicate this offshoot road where these sites are is also FR-25, then FR-25 picks up again as a spur off of VT 100 a little farther south down 100 where there were permitted (but full) camping sites.
ScoutAll the sites were full when I visited (6 to 8 sites, approximately, but i didn't go down a couple little gravel paths to check each spot as you couldn't turn around easily) , so I didn't get to camp there. There was a NFS sign along FR-25 posted asking people to clean up after themselves (litter and human waste) as there'd been complaints to the extent that they were considering closing the sites if people didn't do better. There were some fire ring sites along Vermont 100 where FR-25 intersects it, but those are marked as No Camping (though one tent had been there at least a week). That area along 100 is supposed to be a day-use picnic area.
The sites looked lovely though. Some people were really entrenched with string lights etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
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