Best Campgrounds near Hardwick, VT

Join the fun near Hardwick. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Hardwick is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.

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Best Camping Sites Near Hardwick, Vermont (177)

    1. Elmore State Park Campground

    7 Reviews
    Lake Elmore, VT
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 888-2982

    $19 - $28 / night

    "Our lean-to, Hickory is situated in a lovely meadow, but quite close to other campers and a view that overlooks the campground road. There is very little shade and no privacy."

    "Great hiking trails from easy to difficult. Early and late seasons are quiet. It's quite busy during the summer months as the lake is great for families and swimming."

    2. Mountain View Campground

    7 Reviews
    Lake Elmore, VT
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 888-2178

    "It can get a bit noisy due to the proximity to the highway, but it's still a good option for car camping in this part of Vermont."

    "Nice grass site with a large field behind, and Just a short walk to the river. Clean facilities and proximity for exploring Stowe and surrounding areas. Would love to camp here again."

    3. Smugglers Notch State Park Campground

    23 Reviews
    Stowe, VT
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 253-4014

    $20 / night

    "I’d say this was one of Vermont’s best kept secrets, except I don’t think it’s exactly a secret. Even in October, the Park seemed full with visitors and Stowe was hopping!"

    "They don't have all the usual amenities its more of a primitive set up. has great clean sites with multiple ways to access mount mansfields trail system which is the highest mountain in the state of Vermont"

    4. Little River State Park Campground

    24 Reviews
    Waterbury Center, VT
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 244-7103

    $19 - $28 / night

    "Little River State Park is located just outside of Waterbury Vermont so it’s an ideal location for jumping off on other adventures!"

    "We came here to hike the Dalley Loop Trail (which is a great trail full of history), but we wish we had camped here instead of the private campground 45 minutes away where we did stay."

    5. Kettle Pond State Park Campground

    9 Reviews
    Marshfield, VT
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 426-3042

    "Remote campsite #9 was a bit wet this spring but in truth everything has been wet here in Vermont this year. 3 night get away with son, and first time on Kettle pond."

    "Kettle Pond is a classic northern pond set in Vermont's Groton State Forest."

    6. Ricker Pond State Park Campground

    14 Reviews
    Groton, VT
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 584-3821

    $19 - $110 / night

    "This campground is easy to access, though owing to that one can hear traffic on the nearby road. The lake is beautiful, clear and clean, and there is a beach with sand for swimming."

    "The campground has a small beach, boat launch and it's right on the Cross Vermont Trail. I stayed in October and it was really quiet and relaxing."

    7. Art and Health Chill Camping

    3 Reviews
    Marshfield, VT
    9 miles
    Website

    $35 - $75 / night

    "It is a private landowners land, and she has various camping options including a cabin, hives, or open locations for rv or tent camping.  "

    "It's great to see how getting outside and connecting with nature can have such a positive impact on our well-being."

    8. Sugar Ridge RV Village & Campground

    6 Reviews
    St. Johnsbury, VT
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 684-2550

    $50 / night

    "They have a great little store and now they have Vermont Maple soft serve ice cream from my understanding. Kids love to play here and mini golf on site makes it even better."

    "We truly enjoyed this park most sites are spacious and some good ones with privacy as well you have walking trails local stores, and a pond too !! We will be back 100%"

    9. New Discovery State Park Campground

    6 Reviews
    Marshfield, VT
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 426-3042

    $20 - $38 / night

    "Easy access to a lake and a picnic pavilion.

    Noticed more than a few sites that I could hang at."

    " There 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."

    10. Groton Forest Road Campground

    4 Reviews
    Marshfield, VT
    11 miles
    +1 (802) 426-4122

    $35 / night

    "The lake was gorgeous to swim in and had different rafts and stuff in the water for public use. The bathrooms were well maintained along with the showers."

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Showing results 1-10 of 177 campgrounds

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Recent Reviews near Hardwick, VT

799 Reviews of 177 Hardwick Campgrounds


  • Erin D.
    Sep. 1, 2025

    Lost River Valley Campground

    Dirty and Disappointing

    Here’s the revised version of your review with the laundry issue added in seamlessly:⸻ I came to this campground after seeing it advertised in a New Hampshire magazine, noting that it had once been recommended by Yankee Magazine. Unfortunately, it seems that recommendation must have been from many years ago, because what we experienced was nothing like what was promised. From the moment we arrived, it was clear the property was extremely rundown. The entrance and camp store were full of broken wood, broken signs, and musty smells. The bathrooms were absolutely atrocious—filthy, smelly, and clearly not maintained. They may not have been updated in years, but they could at least be kept clean, and they were not. The playgrounds—despite this being advertised as a family-friendly campground—were unsafe and neglected. Structures were practically falling down, weeds were everywhere, and one so-called playground was nothing more than a tarp on the ground with a tiny jungle gym. The game room was equally disappointing: dirty, moldy, and unusable. We had also looked forward to using the laundry facilities, but they were completely out of order and appeared to have been that way for quite some time. This was extremely disappointing and added to the sense that the entire campground is neglected. The swimming area was also a major letdown. The water was murky and uninviting—I wouldn’t even consider kayaking or putting my feet in it. Calling it a“beach” is misleading; it was unkempt and unpleasant. Overall, this campground was an extreme disappointment. It felt neglected, unsafe, and unhygienic in every way. I will not be returning, and I would strongly caution others to look elsewhere for a true family-friendly New Hampshire camping experience.⸻ Would you like me to shorten this into a punchier version(since some review sites have word limits), or keep it as a full detailed account for maximum impact?

  • Josh S.
    Aug. 31, 2025

    Mountain Lake Camping Resort

    Great campground for families!

    If you're looking for a safe, family friendly, quiet campground this is it.

    Pool with water slides for kids, Kayaks, paddle boats, canoes, playground with slides and a pirate ship.

    Strict quiet hours at 1030 make it very quiet in the evening with no worry of loud parties keeping you up.

    Super clean restrooms and sites and a camp store with about everything in it.

    10 minute drive to the cute town of Lancaster which has coffee shops, brewery, restaurants, bakery and groceries.

  • Greg D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 22, 2025

    Lazy Lions Campground

    Nice quiet place

    Nice campground with plenty of shade, well maintained and decent restrooms. The showers are ok and cost a quarter for 4 minutes. Our site was level and along with a picnic table, they also provide two Adirondack chairs (plastic) and a fire ring.

  • K
    Aug. 11, 2025

    Mount Philo State Park Campground

    Hidden gem!

    Great little campground at a beautiful state park. The campground had widely spaced wooded sites and was exceptionally quiet. Very well-maintained! Recommend nearby Charlotte town beach for swimming ($10 for non-residents).

  • Jim S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 10, 2025

    Happy Hill Maple Farms

    Offseason

    Quiet spot just off the Hwy. you can hear traffic but not many cars out this time of year(August). They had a fire pit and picnic table . No electricity so we used the generator. We the only one here so the noise should not bother anyone. Great pace for fall visits

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 9, 2025

    Lost River Valley Campground

    Great Location

    The best thing about this campground is definitely the location. Perfect place to explore the White Mountains. We stayed in a basic cabin. It was clean, but did smell very musty. It was still comfortable. The sites on the river look amazing. Unfortunately my tent is a little too big for some of those sites, but I could still hear the steam from my cabin/site. Bathrooms were okay. Not as clean as they could have been, but they not bad. Again, the location can’t be beat though. And the sites next to the stream look very nice.

  • E
    Aug. 7, 2025

    Indian Brook Reservoir

    Family of 4 tent camping

    I mistakenly assumed they had drive up campsites. They do not. It was a 15 minute hike to the site, so pack light. If you have a kayak, you can transport your stuff over. Site was gorgeous and private, right on the reservoir. Really lovely setting!

  • Snooz H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 5, 2025

    Shelburne Camping Area

    Oh My God. NO!

    Electricity would not work. We got an error on our control panel that said stop! Power source is not correct! Dan, one of the owners, said that somebody must have tried to hook a 50 amp into the 30 amp. box. He went about a half block to check breaker said that it was not flipped but it was wobbling pretty loose in there.

    My husband is a licensed electrician and of course had his own testing equipment. It showed 25 amp coming out of it. So he said move to spot 50. Well before we moved our vehicle, we went down there and checked it. He took off before we could. And guess what the exact same problem. We did not even hook into the second one. (#50)
    So he proceeded to tell us that it was our equipment that had gone bad. Even though we never plugged into spot 50!

    I had planned on one night thank God! He did refund our $52. we had to drive down the road and try to find someplace else at 7:00 in the evening. Another thank God, the Walmart about 10 or 15 miles down the road would allow overnight.

    So we are now on our way to our next location which is about a 7 hour drive. We are just hoping that they did not damage our equipment. It has been extremely stressful if you go there you better watch out!

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 4, 2025

    Meadowcrest Campground

    Meadowcrest

    Very nice place . Quiet the staff are very kind people . It was hard to book over phone but messages worked well . I was tent camping on the river . Very private


Guide to Hardwick

Camping near Hardwick, Vermont, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking to pitch a tent or park your RV, there are several campgrounds that cater to different needs and preferences.

What to do:

  • Hiking: There are numerous trails nearby, perfect for exploring the stunning landscapes. One camper mentioned, "The campground is only a short drive away from an endless amount of hiking options," highlighting the accessibility of trails from places like Hancock Campground.
  • Fishing: Many campgrounds are near rivers and lakes, making them great spots for fishing. A reviewer at Moose Brook State Park Campground shared, "Nice access to rivers for fishing. Pulled an 8” brook trout out of a 10’ wide stream onsite."
  • Swimming: Enjoy refreshing dips in nearby swimming holes. One camper noted, "They have an honest-to-goodness swimming hole with fresh water running off of the mountain," at Moose Brook State Park Campground.

What campers like:

  • Clean facilities: Campers appreciate well-maintained restrooms and showers. A visitor at Dry River — Crawford Notch State Park said, "This campground has a lot of amenities like showers and washer/dryers (all coin operated)."
  • Friendly staff: Many reviews mention helpful and friendly staff. One camper at Lost River Valley Campground said, "The staff in the office and store has been friendly."
  • Scenic views: Campgrounds like Grand Isle State Park Campground offer beautiful views of Lake Champlain, which campers rave about. A reviewer stated, "This is one of the most beautiful and peaceful parks I have stayed in."

What you should know:

  • Noise levels: Some campgrounds are near busy roads, which can lead to noise disturbances. A camper at Crawford Notch Campground mentioned, "The sites are all nice... but the noise from cars and trucks zipping by on route 302 is loud."
  • Privacy concerns: Many sites are close together, which might not suit those seeking solitude. A visitor at Hancock Campground noted, "Most sites are close together with very little privacy."
  • Limited amenities: Some campgrounds may lack certain amenities like electric hookups or markets. A reviewer at Dry River — Crawford Notch State Park pointed out, "Some of the sites have a view of the road, which isn’t too pleasant."

Tips for camping with families:

  • Choose spacious sites: Look for campgrounds with larger sites for more room to play. A camper at Lost River Valley Campground mentioned, "The sites are large, wooded, and private."
  • Plan activities: Make sure to have a list of family-friendly activities. One family enjoyed the "Tinker Bell walk and other activities" at Lost River Valley Campground.
  • Bring games and toys: Keeping kids entertained is key. A reviewer at Moose Brook State Park Campground suggested, "Lots of trees, and quiet sites make this camp a peaceful retreat."

Tips from RVers:

  • Check site sizes: Make sure your RV fits the site. A camper at Dry River — Crawford Notch State Park noted, "Some walk-in sites with platforms are further from the road."
  • Be prepared for limited hookups: Many campgrounds don’t offer electric or water hookups. A visitor at Moose Brook State Park Campground mentioned, "This is a no electric hookup and no dump station park."
  • Plan for waste disposal: Make sure to know where the nearest dump station is. A reviewer at Hancock Campground pointed out, "There are several dumpsters and bear boxes throughout the campground."

Camping near Hardwick, Vermont, has something for everyone, whether you're looking for adventure or relaxation. Just be sure to check out the specific campgrounds to find the best fit for your needs!

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any free camping areas around Hardwick?

Free camping options around Hardwick are limited, but there are some possibilities. Woods Island State Park Campground is not free but offers a unique island camping experience at a reasonable price point. For those willing to venture a bit further, Groton Forest Road Campground offers some of the most affordable camping in the region. True free camping (dispersed camping) may be found in Green Mountain National Forest areas, though you'll need to follow Forest Service regulations including camping at least 200 feet from trails, roads, and water sources. Always check current regulations with the local ranger district office before attempting dispersed camping, as rules can change seasonally and permits may be required in some areas.

What are the best campgrounds near Hardwick?

Several excellent campgrounds are located near Hardwick, Vermont. Mountain View Campground is a family-friendly option nestled between Route 15 and the Lamoille River, offering tent sites along the water and activities for children. For a more nature-immersed experience, Little River State Park Campground near Waterbury provides a perfect base for exploring the region with proximity to local restaurants and attractions. Other notable options within driving distance include Ricker Pond State Park and New Discovery State Park, both offering peaceful woodland settings with water access and basic facilities for campers seeking a more serene experience in Vermont's natural landscape.

What amenities are available at Hardwick campgrounds?

Campgrounds near Hardwick offer a range of amenities to suit different camping styles. Art and Health Chill Camping provides diverse accommodation options including cabins, hives, and open spaces for RVs or tent camping on private land. For more traditional campground amenities, Jacobs Brook Campground offers clean, quiet wooded sites with separate areas for seasonal and short-term campers. Amenities at area campgrounds typically include restrooms, showers, potable water, picnic tables, and fire rings. Some larger facilities like KOAs and state parks may provide additional features such as swimming pools, camp stores, electrical hookups, dump stations, laundry facilities, playgrounds, and Wi-Fi access. Most campgrounds require reservations, especially during peak summer season.