Camping options near Hartland, Vermont include established campgrounds within 15-30 miles of town. The region sits along the eastern edge of Vermont with elevations ranging from 300-3,200 feet, creating varied camping experiences from riverside sites to mountaintop locations. Summers average 75-80°F with cooler evenings, while spring camping often requires preparation for muddy conditions on forest roads and campground entrances.
What to do
Hiking at Mount Ascutney: Mount Ascutney State Park Campground offers multiple trails of varying difficulty. "There are four different trails up the mountain of varying levels of difficulty. You can also drive right to the top and hike around on the summit trails, which are really pretty and pop out onto ledges with gorgeous vistas," notes a camper who appreciated the multiple route options.
Mountain biking access: Mount Ascutney State Park Campground maintains its own beginner-friendly trail loop accessible directly from the campground. "The campground maintains its own mountain biking trail loop, which accessible directly from the campground. It is a 3 mile beginner friendly loop, with some nice rollers and moderate terrain," mentions a reviewer who explored the trails.
River activities: Wilgus State Park Campground provides direct Connecticut River access with boat rentals. "The best part about camping here is getting out on the water. You can rent kayaks and canoes, and the river moves slowly enough to paddle up stream," explains a visitor who enjoyed time on the water.
Seasonal attractions: Fall foliage viewing draws many campers from late September through mid-October. "We hit this campground for one over night as we past through. Good spot with easy access to the Gorge. Bathroom were clean and the grounds were quite at night," shares a camper at Quechee State Park who visited during foliage season.
What campers like
Large, private sites: Tree Farm Campground in Springfield offers spacious wooded campsites. "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," notes a satisfied visitor.
Clean facilities: Campgrounds throughout the region maintain well-kept bathrooms and shower facilities. "The shower was clean and plenty of water pressure. We were advised that there was an active bear in the campground, but we took the advice of Sean the park ranger," reports a camper at Coolidge State Park who appreciated the maintenance and safety information.
Proximity to breweries: Several campgrounds offer easy access to local breweries. "The campground is a quick drive to Harpoon Brewery, which is situated in a plaza with a craft spirit, ice cream and accoutrements shops," mentions a reviewer who enjoyed exploring area businesses during their Mount Ascutney stay.
Ranger-led activities: Quechee State Park Campground offers organized events for campers. "Rangers also run fun programs for children- my children churned butter and made popcorn over the campfire one night, and made tie dyed T-shirts the next (for no fee)," shares a parent whose family enjoyed the educational opportunities.
What you should know
Seasonal operation: Most campgrounds in the area operate from early May to mid-October, with precise dates varying by location. "Just finishing up a week in Quechee State Park campground and have to say the place is really really nice. The sites are nicely spaced and seem to accommodate big rigs rather well," notes a late-season visitor.
Road noise considerations: Some campgrounds experience highway noise due to their proximity to main roads. At Coolidge State Park Campground, a visitor mentions, "I cannot give this a 5 star rating solely for the fact of road noise. We were in site 27 and it was a beautiful site but the road noise from interstate 91 was extremely loud."
Limited cell service: Coverage varies significantly by location and carrier. Verizon generally provides the most reliable service, but signal strength decreases in more remote campgrounds and at sites located in valleys.
Reservation requirements: Advance bookings are essential, particularly for weekend stays from July through October. Memorial Day through Labor Day weekends typically fill 3-6 months in advance.
Tips for camping with families
Swimming options: Crown Point Camping Area offers a family-friendly swimming lagoon. "They have a lagoon for kids, with built in water rafts in the middle for kids to jump in. They have scheduled events that occur including family and adult only fire truck rides around the campground," explains a visitor who enjoyed the family amenities.
Educational experiences: Several campgrounds near Hartland feature interpretive trails and nature programs. "There is a sweet little nature loop in the campground with signs identifying different trees," mentions a visitor at Mount Ascutney who took advantage of the educational opportunities.
Playground access: Multiple campgrounds offer dedicated play areas for children. "They have a playground with a large tent for parents to sit under with picnic tables. Overall it is a fantastic place to stay," shares a family camper at Crown Point Camping Area.
Tips from RVers
Hookup availability: Most Vermont state parks near Hartland lack electrical hookups, while private campgrounds typically offer full service sites. "They have campgrounds for all types of camping and they have Cabins for people who act like they enjoy camping but would rather be in a cabin then on the ground," notes a visitor to Quechee-Pine Valley KOA.
Site leveling challenges: Several campgrounds in the area feature sloped sites requiring leveling blocks. "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," mentions a visitor to Gifford Woods State Park.
Big rig considerations: Larger RVs fit best at Quechee-Pine Valley KOA and Quechee State Park. "The park is a large park that is terraced since it is in a pretty hilly area. There is the range of sites from pull-thrus, pull-ins and back-in sites and can accommodate RVs of any size," advises an RVer who stayed at the KOA.
