Best Campgrounds near Jericho, VT
State parks and private campgrounds surround Jericho, Vermont, creating a diverse camping landscape within the Green Mountains. Smugglers Notch State Park, located about 20 miles northwest near Cambridge, offers highly-rated tent sites and lean-tos with exceptional privacy and shade. Underhill State Park sits closer to Jericho and features walk-in tent sites with more primitive amenities. For those seeking full hookups, Lone Pine Campsites in Colchester provides spacious RV sites with electric, water, and sewer connections. The region includes both waterfront options along Lake Champlain and mountain settings with forest cover, typically operating from mid-May through mid-October when Vermont's camping season peaks.
Most Vermont state parks require advance reservations, particularly for summer weekends and fall foliage season when sites fill quickly. Cell service varies significantly throughout the region, with mountain valleys often having limited coverage. According to one visitor at Smugglers Notch State Park, "Even in October, the Park seemed full with visitors and Stowe was hopping! The grounds were absolutely spectacular with breathtaking foliage." Weather conditions can change rapidly in the Green Mountains, with cool nights common even during summer months. Spring camping may encounter muddy conditions as snow melts, while fall brings spectacular foliage but requires warmer sleeping gear as temperatures can drop into the 30s overnight.
Campers consistently praise the privacy of sites at state parks near Jericho. At Smugglers Notch, sites are "well dispersed throughout the grounds" with "not a bad site within the entire vicinity." The area offers excellent access to hiking trails, with multiple state parks providing trailheads directly from campgrounds. Mountain View Campground, situated between Route 15 and the Lamoille River, provides "great car accessible tent sites right on the water and plenty of amenities that kids will love." Fall camping receives particular attention in reviews, with visitors noting the spectacular foliage displays. Winter camping options are extremely limited, with most facilities closing by mid-October and not reopening until May, though Shelburne Camping Area remains open year-round.