The Green Mountain National Forest surrounding Hancock, Vermont provides a range of camping experiences from established campgrounds to dispersed sites. Moosalamoo Campground in Rochester offers tent and RV camping with amenities like drinking water and picnic tables, while Green Mountain National Forest FR207 provides free dispersed camping areas for those seeking a more primitive experience. Several campgrounds in the area feature cabin options, including Silver Lake Campground and Gifford Woods State Park, which also offers glamping accommodations. Most established sites are concentrated along Route 100 and within the national forest boundaries.
Camping seasons typically run from Memorial Day through mid-October, with most facilities closing after Columbus Day weekend. "The campground is right on the shoreline of Waterbury reservoir so there is boating (rentals available) and plenty of fishing. There is also ALOT OF HIKING!" noted one visitor about a nearby state park. Road conditions vary throughout the region, with some dispersed camping areas requiring high-clearance vehicles, particularly during spring mud season. Cell phone coverage can be spotty, especially in more remote areas of the Green Mountain National Forest. Many campgrounds require reservations, particularly for cabins and during peak foliage season in late September and early October.
Waterfront camping locations receive consistently positive reviews, with Silver Lake Campground and Branbury State Park providing lake access that appeals to families. A camper described Silver Lake as "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." Proximity to hiking trails represents another highlight, with the Appalachian Trail passing directly through Gifford Woods State Park. Campers frequently mention the area's quiet atmosphere and natural beauty as primary draws. For those seeking solitude, the dispersed camping areas in the national forest provide more privacy but fewer amenities than established campgrounds. Winter camping is limited primarily to backcountry areas for experienced winter campers.
$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."
"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."
"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."
"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."
"It is located in the mountains of Vermont and right next to a beautiful river. The only con was the highway noise since it's pretty close to the road."
"Entrance and exit are a little steep and tricky in the winter, lot wasn’t plowed so AWD/4x4 and good ground clearance are recommended."
$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."
"A great peaceful spot right next to the river."
"Loved camping next to the water and hearing the river as we slept. There are fire rings. No bugs."
$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."
"A little more than half of the sites can be driven to and others require a very short walk (50 ft?). "
"Relatively short walk to waterless toilets was welcome. Very pretty area."
"All pretty much have access to the streams. Nice fire rings. Keep it clean!"
"This area is right next to FireRoad 25 rd. We did not camp here we camped on FR25."
LegendWe camp here a lot. We recently scored the Cherry lean-to, and I think it has the best view in the park! Bugs were bad this spring, but the sunsets made up for it. We hiked the Stevenson Brook Trail (amazing), swam in the 55-degree water (exhilarating), and cooked lots of yummy food (campfire nachos!).
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!
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.
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.
RangerOur favorite campground in the area is Winhall Brook, but it has been closed for about 3 years since the flooding in VT. Hapgood Pond is a good alternative. It is a little more primitive with pit toilets in most of the campground except the bath house. We appreciate the pond for swimming and the nice easy pond loop trail for hiking. Hapgood is in close proximity to Manchester and near the Appalachian Trail.
Dispersed camping near Hancock, Vermont offers both free and established options within the Green Mountain National Forest. Most primitive sites lack facilities beyond fire rings. The elevation ranges from 850 to 2,300 feet throughout the region, creating significant temperature variations. Spring camping often encounters mud season conditions from late March through mid-May when forest roads may become impassable.
Hiking to waterfalls: Access Falls of Lana from Moosalamoo Campground trails. "There is some decent hiking from the campground, one hike of maybe 2 miles (one way) to a reservoir, and another of 3 miles (one way) to the 'Falls of Lana' (or something like that), which is really just a cascade, but nice nonetheless," notes one camper about Moosalamoo Campground.
Mountain biking: Try the pump track at Moosalamoo Recreation Area. "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 Moosalamoo National Forest," writes a young reviewer.
Star gazing: The limited light pollution makes for excellent night sky viewing. A visitor to Lake Champagne Resort noted it's "a terrific place to enjoy the dark sky and fall foliage." Another camper at Moosalamoo mentioned, "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."
Privacy between sites: Many campgrounds offer well-spaced sites. At Chittenden Brook Campground, "There's quite a bit of space between each site so you can't really see your neighbors which is excellent. The vault toilets were surprisingly clean besides the expected smell/flies."
Fresh water access: Streams and brooks enhance many camping spots. A visitor to Austin Brook described it as "a beautiful little pull off the road right on the river with tables & fire rings." At White River & Gulf Brook, campers appreciated that "We were happy to find some free dispersed camping off route 100 on our fall road trip... Loved camping next to the water and hearing the river as we slept."
Clean facilities: Even primitive sites often have well-maintained amenities. At Moosalamoo, a camper noted, "Surprisingly clean vault toilets. No showers. There are dumpsters on the way out for trash and recycling. I saw bear storage lockers but I did not use them as I had my bear keg with me."
Cell service limitations: Connectivity varies widely by location. One camper at White River & Gulf Brook advised, "Make sure you know your directions ahead of time bc no service."
Vehicle clearance requirements: Some forest roads need high-clearance vehicles. For FR207, a visitor warned, "This is not a place to go without at least 9 inches of ground clearance."
Bear precautions: Food storage is important in this region. At Chittenden Brook, a camper noted, "Didn't see any bear, but take bear food precautions regardless. Each site has a fire pit, tent platform, and picnic table. The sites were well cared for. There were two dumpsters, one for recycling and one for trash, at the end of the loop. They are bear proof and almost me proof!"
Beach access: Lake swimming opportunities enhance family trips. A reviewer at Branbury State Park shared, "The day use section has a wonderful beach with a swimming area and boat launch. Large trees provide shade on a grassy lawn, and grills are available. The concession stand is open during day use hours."
Playgrounds: Several campgrounds have play areas for children. A Branbury visitor noted, "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."
Educational opportunities: Ranger programs offer learning experiences. One camper mentioned, "They have boat rentals and nature tours on the lake led by the state park faculty. When the kids get tired from swimming they're a nice beach area and playground."
Limited hookup availability: Most forest service campgrounds lack RV amenities. At Gifford Woods State Park, "Although many of the sites here are set up to accommodate large RVs and other trailers, there are also more secluded sites up the hill with trees."
Site leveling challenges: Some campgrounds have uneven terrain. A Gifford Woods visitor noted, "Site 16 is one of the smaller sites and is not super level, but we were able to get the Subaru backed in and relatively level for camping."
Road access considerations: Forest roads may pose challenges for larger rigs. A visitor to Chittenden Brook cautioned, "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."
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Hancock, VT?
According to TheDyrt.com, Hancock, VT offers a wide range of camping options, with 198 campgrounds and RV parks near Hancock, VT and 21 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Hancock, VT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Hancock, VT is Moosalamoo Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 16 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Hancock, VT?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 21 free dispersed camping spots near Hancock, VT.
What parks are near Hancock, VT?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 13 parks near Hancock, VT that allow camping, notably Green Mountain National Forest and Green Mountain & Finger Lakes National Forests.
Keep Exploring
