The Green Mountain National Forest surrounds Forest Dale, Vermont with diverse camping options, from established campgrounds to dispersed backcountry sites. Moosalamoo Campground and Silver Lake Campground provide tent and RV accommodation within the national forest, while Branbury State Park offers cabin camping along Lake Dunmore. Most camping areas operate seasonally from Memorial Day through Columbus Day weekend, with Silver Lake Campground particularly noted for its clean swimming areas and family-friendly environment.
Road conditions vary throughout the region, especially during Vermont's mud season in early spring when access to more remote sites becomes challenging. Most established campgrounds require reservations during peak summer months, while dispersed camping in areas like Green Mountain National Forest FR207 operates on a first-come basis. "This is one of our favorite places to camp in Vermont. The sites are fairly private without being built too close together," notes one visitor about Silver Lake Campground. Cell service can be inconsistent in mountainous areas, with better connectivity near larger towns like Rochester and Salisbury. Winter camping opportunities are limited as most facilities close after the fall foliage season.
Waterfront camping receives consistently high ratings from visitors, with Lake Dunmore and Silver Lake offering popular swimming areas. Campers particularly value the concrete dock at Silver Lake, which reviews indicate is "clean and has a great concrete dock that the kids love to jump off." Chittenden Brook Campground and Moosalamoo Recreation Area provide more secluded forest settings with access to hiking trails and mountain biking routes. Sites with fire rings and picnic tables are standard at most established campgrounds, though amenities vary significantly between locations. Many campers use these sites as base camps for exploring nearby attractions, including waterfalls, swimming holes, and scenic trails throughout the Green Mountains. Tent camping areas typically offer more privacy than RV sections, which tend to have closer spacing between sites.
$15 / night
"there are no amenities other than cascading waterfalls, mountain views, incredible swimming hole, a nearby lake, a picnic table and a fire ring. the easiest access to sites one and two is the Silver Lake"
"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."
"The site was so scenic with a little waterfall and stream nearby. The camp staff was so nice. They kept the the bathrooms and areas so clean."
"Love to lake access, secluded camping, the hiking and remote area. Planning on revisiting next summer, even in august the nights get to a good sleeping temperature a vast majority of the time."
$10 / night
"This is one of our favorite places to camp in Vermont. The sites are fairly private without being built too close together. Lake is clean and has a great concrete dock that the kids love to jump off."
"Lovely place, free camping, fire pits at the campsite, and access to the water. We camped in the off season, but in the on season there are pit toilets and campground stewards."
"Decent bathroom situation--I've seen better and I've seen worse in Vermont."
"The park is amazingly clean, well run, located just of RT 4 and very near to Killington, Vermont. It has multiple lean-to sites which are in wooded areas."
$22 - $172 / night
"For the last three years, we have traveled with dozens of friends and families to Rogers Rock Campground, which is tucked into the north end of the gorgeous 32 mile-long oasis that is Lake George."
"Ive been coming to this spot nearly every year since I was a little girl."
$15 / night
"Nice hiking trails close to long trail, really tucked away a few miles off 73. Great if you’re looking for some solitude."
"Well maintained, and nice access to trails right from the campground."
"No ATM on site to get cash… The sites are spacious enough, but are very close to each other. Zero buffer between neighboring sites means encroaching slide outs."
"family camping Kabins, rv, and tent sites, arcade, store, ice cream, and Lake Bomoseen. Easy to get to, close to Castleton, Rutland, and Hubbarton Battlefield. Great spot for a family get-a-way."
"Bomoseen State Park is right down the road, but I recommend staying at Half Moon and taking advantage of the large swimming area at Bomoseen, as well as all the cool ponds, lakes, and hiking trails nearby"
"The pond is clean and swim-able and great for kayaks/canoes (near Glen Lake and Lake Bomoseen for boating and more kayaking/canoeing)."
"If you're considering a spot in Vermont to camp, come here! Also, make sure your car has a bit of clearance as some sports have dips in the ground."
"Able to see sunrise/sunset/moonrise over the surrounding rolling hills and crests. Upper meadows accessible with 4WD / high clearance vehicles."
"I stayed at this campsite located at the end of upper Michigan road. It is winter and there is a lot of snow. The main road to the parking lot is plowed and sanded."
"Few nice ones near the creek. I stayed at one on top of a lots of space at mine."
GuideRight along the road (so if anything happens you can get help) also has wifi signal. It’s right along a creek that’s clean and beautiful. Crisp air and calming flowing river noises all night made it so I slept like a baby!
GuideDrove all the way here just to pull in and see signs that say “no overnight camping”
ScoutPublic Lands with about 8 semi private sites, each with nice views west or easterly. It's a large meadow and with a breeze, it will keep bugs away. Lacking a breeze, it is tough but still beautiful
ScoutPam met us outside as she said ‘dodging rain drops’ to stack wood. She was warm and friendly. You can tell she runs a tight ship immediately telling us when quite hours were, and letting us know the dogs needed to be on leash and under our control. We brought our 2 labs with us. Only 2 vehicles per site is allowed. You do need tokens to use the shower. 2 tokens was more than enough for me to shower and not feel rushed. The bathrooms are AMAZING! I am looking forward to coming back!
ScoutHad a site booked for Memorial Day weekend but had a complication to my 5th shoulder surgery in 2.5 years and had my 6th which was a 3rd attempt at rotator cuff repair in mid-May. Called to see if I could change my reservation since I cannot drive due to Dr.'s orders but no dice. Could care less and told me too late due to policy. Offered to provide doctors documentation but didn't matter. I did not ask for refund just to change the date. Rude, dismissive and unwilling to work with me. Sad that a family-oriented place is run this way. End result I am out over$600 and they are smiling. As a business owner myself I would be out of business if I treated my customers this way.
ScoutDEC has designated and constructed 12 camp sites in areas around Shelving Rock Road and Dacy Clearing Road. Camping will only be allowed at the designated campsites or more than 500 feet from the Shelving Rock and Dacy Clearing Roads.
ScoutAs noted by others, most of the sites have a fire ring and nothing more. A little more than half of the sites can be driven to and others require a very short walk (50 ft?). The toilets mentioned are at Texas falls area and are not a practical walk from most of the campsites.
There are no showers.
Aside from the loop trail at the falls there are also a couple of snowmobile trails that cross the area.
GuideWe emailed twice and traveled five hours to only find out they have a list of dog breeds they don’t accept. The list has no rhyme or reason. Our 7 year old 95lb Great Dane was not allowed. Ridiculous
RangerStayed here for a week. Josh and Dori were super nice and helpful. Level grass field with water and 30amp hookup. Fire pit port o potty, creek across the street. Very pretty setting. Dark sky area. Cell att and Verizon we decent enough to work plus they had WiFi if needed.
Camping opportunities near Forest Dale, Vermont extend throughout the Green Mountains, with elevations ranging from 800 to 3,500 feet creating distinct microclimates at various campsites. Summer temperatures typically range from 50-80°F, with mountain nights cooling significantly even during July and August. The region receives approximately 43 inches of precipitation annually, creating lush forests but also challenging ground conditions during wet periods.
Hike to mountaintop views: Moosalamoo Campground offers direct access to numerous trails. "Moosalamoo campground has awesome bike trails with smooth trail beds and nice rolling bumps. The kind campground hosts can tell you all about the hiking and biking trails within Mossalamoo National Forest," reports one visitor. The Moosalamoo trailhead connects to a network of paths throughout the recreation area.
Kayak on secluded ponds: Half Moon Pond State Park provides calm waters perfect for beginners. "We were easily able to go straight from the tent to our kayak, which was so awesome," notes a camper. The park rents kayaks, canoes and paddle boats for those without their own equipment.
Fish in mountain streams: Multiple camping areas provide access to stocked waterways. At Half Moon Pond, one visitor reports: "We fished and kayaked right from our site. Oddly, our fire pit faced the neighboring site rather than the pond." Brook trout fishing remains particularly productive in early summer before water temperatures rise.
Private, spacious campsites: Chittenden Brook Campground receives praise for site layout. "There's quite a bit of space between each site so you can't really see your neighbors which is excellent," notes one camper. Another adds, "Great tent camping area with good privacy at sites. Would be tough for any but the tiniest RV."
Clean facilities even in remote locations: Gifford Woods State Park maintains high standards. "Bathrooms are super clean. Staff is friendly. Seasoned firewood available for purchase ($6 a stack)," mentions a visitor. Even vault toilets at more primitive sites receive attention: "The vault toilets were surprisingly clean besides the expected smell/flies."
Stargazing opportunities: The remote location creates exceptional night skies. "At night, you can go out to the bicycle pump track and lay a blanket on the grassy hill against the track and look at stars in COMPLETE darkness," reports a Moosalamoo Campground visitor. Another camper at a dispersed site noted: "Beautiful sunsets, night skies and scenery. Extremely calm and peaceful."
Access road conditions vary significantly: Many campgrounds require traveling unpaved roads. At Chittenden Brook, "There's a 2.5 mile dirt road with a steady incline into the camp, which my subie had no issue with, but not sure how well an RV would fair." For dispersed camping at Green Mountain National Forest FR207, "This is not a place to go without at least 9" of ground clearance. Views are spectacular."
Cell service limitations: Coverage varies dramatically by location and carrier. At Lake Bomoseen KOA, "Cell service is very limited. Very remote... the WIFI didn't even work at the office." However, at Green Mountain sites, some report "2 bars USCellular LTE" at higher elevations.
Reservations essential for peak periods: Most established campgrounds fill quickly between late June and early October. "We arrived on a Tuesday with no reservations. We had our pick of sites and no issues staying for 2 days. There were several sites reserved starting Thursday and Friday so the weekend looked to be busier."
Swimming areas with safety features: Branbury State Park offers supervised water access. "Spacious sites, hiking trails, biking trails, nice beach and grounds. Fishing, kayak, canoe, paddle boat and paddle board rentals. There's a nature center with all kinds of information and activities. A large playground," reports one family. The beach area includes lifeguards during summer months.
Educational opportunities: Several campgrounds offer nature programs. "There's a nature center with all kinds of information and activities," notes a Branbury visitor. At Silver Lake, campers mention "nature tours on the lake led by the state park faculty."
Protected play areas: Campgrounds with central common spaces allow supervised recreation. "There is a grassy area in the center of the campground—great for kids, gatherings, etc.," mentions a Moosalamoo visitor. At Rogers Rock Campground, "The day use area has shady spots and grills, nice for the kids."
Limited hookup availability: Most Forest Dale area campgrounds have minimal RV amenities. "No hookups but the bathrooms are clean and the showers ($) are hot," reports a visitor at Half Moon Pond State Park. For those needing full services, Rogers Rock Campground offers "electric-hookups, fifty-amp-hookups, thirty-amp-hookups, sanitary-dump, sewer-hookups, water-hookups."
Tight turning radius at some campgrounds: Site access can be challenging for larger rigs. "It was a little tight for our 36ft 5th wheel but managable. The sites are a good size and relatively level," notes a camper at Lake Bomoseen KOA. At Chittenden Brook, sites are described as suitable for tents but "would be tough for any but the tiniest RV."
Seasonal access considerations: Many forest roads become impassable for larger vehicles during spring thaw. "Make sure to have a backup plan during the mud season," advises a visitor to Green Mountain National Forest dispersed sites. Most established campgrounds with RV sites close by mid-October.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Forest Dale, VT?
According to TheDyrt.com, Forest Dale, VT offers a wide range of camping options, with 202 campgrounds and RV parks near Forest Dale, VT and 23 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Forest Dale, VT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Forest Dale, VT is Moosalamoo Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 16 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Forest Dale, VT?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 23 free dispersed camping spots near Forest Dale, VT.
What parks are near Forest Dale, VT?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 13 parks near Forest Dale, VT that allow camping, notably Green Mountain & Finger Lakes National Forests and Green Mountain National Forest.
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