Best Tent Camping near Moscow, VT

State parks and national forests surrounding Moscow, Vermont offer diverse tent camping options ranging from established campgrounds to remote backcountry sites. Underhill State Park Campground provides walk-in tent sites with privacy among the trees, operating from Memorial Day weekend through mid-October. Camel's Hump State Park features primitive tent campsites accessible via a 1.5-mile hike, making it ideal for backcountry tent camping enthusiasts. For water-oriented experiences, Waterbury Reservoir Remote Sites and Green River Reservoir State Park offer boat-in tent-only camping with secluded shoreline access. Black Creek Maple's Nature Escape provides a dedicated tent haven with basic amenities for those seeking a more structured experience.

Most tent campsites in the region feature dirt or gravel pads with minimal grading. Campers should bring water filtration systems, as potable water is limited at primitive sites. Composting toilets or pit privies are common at established campgrounds, while dispersed camping areas in Green Mountain National Forest require proper waste disposal practices. Fire rings are provided at most designated sites, though seasonal fire restrictions may apply during dry periods. Reservations are essential for state park campgrounds, particularly during peak summer months when tent sites fill quickly. Indian Brook Reservoir offers tent platforms accessible by foot or boat, with shared privy facilities among the sites.

In early fall, tent campers experience fewer crowds and cooler temperatures at higher elevation sites. A visitor to Underhill State Park noted, "Camp spots were far enough away from one another, trees helped with privacy, and the tent site had a great area to setup the tent." At Camel's Hump, one camper described the primitive camping area as having "about 10-12 sites" with "a shared area for eating and food storage" due to bear activity. The walk-in tent sites at Mount Philo State Park, though limited in number, provide excellent access to hiking trails with views of Lake Champlain. Tent-only areas throughout the region offer a more authentic outdoor experience with natural surroundings and wildlife viewing opportunities not available at developed campgrounds.

Best Tent Sites Near Moscow, Vermont (37)

    1. Underhill State Park Campground

    6 Reviews
    Underhill Center, VT
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 899-3022

    "Camp spots were far enough away from one another, trees helped with privacy, and the tent site had a great area to setup the tent.
    Facilities were accessible and clean."

    "Very primitive and quiet campground. Great staff and campsites. No shower but one of the best weeks I had camping in a while. Will definitely go back this year."

    2. Waterbury Reservoir Remote Sites — Waterbury Center State Park

    2 Reviews
    Waterbury Center, VT
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 585-4855

    "The bathroom is a composting toilet that you’ll share with fishing spiders the size of your hand, slam the lid before use!"

    "Little river st park wide flat camp sites no hookups limited gen. Use hours 8am/10am and 4pm/6pm. Rough road coming5th to campground. Very quite. cell phone t mobile works fine."

    3. Camel's Hump State Park — Camels Hump State Park

    2 Reviews
    Bolton, VT
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 879-6565

    $10 / night

    "This is a short and sweet hike to one of the higher points in Vermont. It is a beautiful scenic (somewhat strenuous) hike to the summit. The views are pretty epic though."

    "Great tent site, site 1 can have 3 platform and fire pit"

    4. Green River Reservoir State Park Campground

    3 Reviews
    Hyde Park, VT
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 888-1349

    $20 - $50 / night

    "It’s a primitive park, perfect for paddling, wild camping, swimming, and watching wildlife. The reservoir is 653 acres with 19 miles of shoreline. There are 27 campsites and two group camspites."

    "I love this location because you have to paddle out to a site for camping. It‘s private, quiet, and really gives you that “forest bathing” escape."

    5. Black Creek Maple's Nature Escape and Tent Haven

    2 Reviews
    Jeffersonville, VT
    19 miles
    +1 (802) 923-6698

    $35 - $45 / night

    "Weather was not cooperative and my fiancé and I were able to rent one of the cabins for our second night. We will definitely recommend it to others and we will be back again."

    "The small amount of camping space made the experience quite unique and private. The host, Dianne, was really friendly. Many amenities such as wood, water and outhouse nearby. Very nice experience."

    6. Mount Philo State Park Campground

    10 Reviews
    Charlotte, VT
    27 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 425-2390

    $23 / night

    "apparently this is the first state park in Vermont. Only 8 campsites so try to book early. Nice trails that lead to scenic views of Lake Champlain. Bathrooms and showers were clean."

    "There are less than 20 sites total, and all sites are near walk-in paths to excellent views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks or the Green Mountains. The facility is small, but adequate."

    7. Indian Brook Reservoir

    2 Reviews
    Essex Junction, VT
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 878-1342

    $21 - $36 / night

    "There is an extensive trail system that is easy to navigate. Nestled in the woods are several tent platforms that you can access by foot or by boat. They are spacious but not too private."

    "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."

    8. Molly’s Falls Pond State Park Campground (Remote Hike In Sites)

    1 Review
    Marshfield, VT
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 476-0170

    "Route 2 traverses the northern edge of the property and there is a dam at the western end of the reservoir that is owned by Green Mountain Power Company. "

    9. Green Mountain National Forest FR25 - Dispersed Camping

    4 Reviews
    Warren, VT
    27 miles
    Website

    "All the sites were full when I visited (6 to 8 sites, approximately, but i didn't go down a couple little gravel paths to check each spot as you couldn't turn around easily) , so I didn't get to camp there"

    "Beautiful sites on the River but with the wet summer, we just couldn’t dry out. Make sure to lock you valuables. Our Jackery, Solar panels & toilet were stolen."

    10. Route 100 Dispersed Camping

    5 Reviews
    Warren, VT
    27 miles

    "Right off the road, a small handful of camp sites, some picnic tables, presumably some fire rings although with snow coverage I didn’t see any."

    "This is right next to Mad River with a area to walk down into a swimming hole. Great place."

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Tent Camping Reviews near Moscow, VT

584 Reviews of 37 Moscow Campgrounds


  • Beth R.
    Jun. 27, 2024

    Smugglers Notch State Park Campground

    Newly Developed … Work in Progress

    Pros: Full hookup (sewer, water, 50 AMP) 1.7 mile from #7 Ranked World's Best Disc Golf Course: Fox Run Meadows New fire ring New picnic table Gorgeous Mountain View

    Cons: Grass site No amenities No Wi-Fi Soft ground, sinked during setup

  • Amber A.
    Jul. 25, 2016

    Ausable Point Campground

    Ranger Review: Crazy Creek Air Chair Plus at Ausable Point Campground

    Campground Review: Lakeshore camping! Beautiful little peninsula where you can watch the sunrise/set. Lovely in autumn. Good birding, water activities, sunsets, geology/gorge, short easy forest hikes, beach walking, all the good stuff you expect from this part of New York. Most of the site is off limits because of wildlife preserve, still a lot to explore. Good as base camp for a few days in the area. Get the tents sites near the lake! Popular for day use area (picnics, birthday parties, etc). Stay here and you can say you camped in Peru! (Lots of upstate NY towns are named for countries.)


    Gear Review: As a The Dyrt Ranger I receive products to test and review. I won the Crazy Creek Air Chair Plus in a campground review contest in June 2016. I had been thinking of purchasing both a camp chair (for camping) and an air mattress (for camping & backpacking), as on my last few trips I got pretty sick of sitting on my closed-cell foam mat and a recent knee injury was making me rethink my open-cell foam ultralight sleeping pad. Well, this Crazy Creek Air Chair Plus does both and does them both well. It starts out as a camp chair (adjustable angle, typical back height) and flips open to a full size air pad made by Klymit. Sounds great right? I flew to NY for a whirlwind family/business/camping trip soon after receiving the chair and had ample opportunities to try it sleeping on friends’ floors and in tents. The chair portion was super comfortable, way better than any simple camp chairs I’d used. I was nervous about sitting on more rugged surfaces (I’m just paranoid about inflatables!) but so far so good. You can also flip open the bed part while you're sitting and have an extended leg rest to protect against hot sand or dirt. The conversion to the sleeping pad was simple. It inflates fairly easily, but at high altitude after a long day of hiking you might be a little annoyed puffing it all up. Sleeping on it was great: my knee and back were happier than with my open-cell foam mats (similar to the typical Thermarest). The one issue I had was that there’s a big dip/joint where the mattress flips out in the conversion from chair to bed---it’s not really that intrusive but I guess my side-sleeping and height (5’4”) conspired to annoy me a bit. Also the R value is very low (it’s not insulting) just like every other air pad but in the summer that’s fine with me. All the other aspects of sleeping on it were similar to other pads I’ve used (it’s kind of narrow, your bag will slide around a bit, etc). Doesn’t pack down too small & isn’t ultralight, but you could remove the chair aspect to help with that. In sleeping mode it’s 20” wide, 70” long, 2.5” thick, 2 lb 13 oz (according to packaging). So while this is my very first camp chair and air mattress, I’m really happy with it after 7 nights sleeping on it and many hours in the chair. It’s not gimmicky at all!

    PS: Can you tell I’m way more picky about gear than campsites? :)

  • Craig F.
    Jul. 23, 2018

    North Beach Campground

    Amazing Location!

    We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at North Beach Campground.

    We spent 4 days in a full hookup site. The site was spacious, tree covered, and hard packed grass/dirt. Overall the site was very level with good water pressure. The water/electric sites in the middle of the campground were a bit snug. The campground is a city operated campground and we were impressed with the upkeep, maintenance and friendly service during our stay. The camp office is small, but has information on area attractions, Ice, and fire wood. The bathhouse/restrooms were well kept during our stay even with the volume of campers at the site.

    Location, Location, Location is the main reason to stay at North Beach. The campground is literally along the Island Line bike/walking trail and had direct access to the beach on Lake Champlain (life guards, snack bar, and patio bar). The city center of Burlington is only 1.5 miles along the bike path from the campground. Most days we either walked or biked into town (which has ample bike racks to park your bike).

    While we stayed in our camper, as a former die-hard tent camper, I was impressed with the number of tent friendly sites, because most campgrounds see tenters as “second class”. The tent sites were spacious, level, and not located in some obscure location.  

    We loved North Beach and plan to camp here in the future!

  • Kate K.
    Aug. 1, 2019

    Camel's Hump State Park — Camels Hump State Park

    Amazing Hike! Great Campground

    This is a short and sweet hike to one of the higher points in Vermont. It is a beautiful scenic (somewhat strenuous) hike to the summit. The views are pretty epic though. The designated primitive camping area is about 1.5 miles into the hike. If I recall it had about 10-12 sites. The area had a host who was there 24/7 and a shared area for eating and food storage (I guess Bear’s are a problem there). We hiked all day, so we didn’t have a fire and to be honest I can’t remember if there was a shared spot for them or not. Either way, this hike was gorgeous and so was the camping. I would love to go back!

  • J
    Sep. 24, 2018

    Lazy Lions Campground

    Adults only, comfortable but lacking excursions

    Lazy Lions is a comfortable campground with an adults-only policy. Having spent time in plenty of campgrounds with screaming or unwinded children, I could see this as a positive draw for the RV'ing crowd. I think we were the only tent campers the night we stayed.

    Our tent site was level and on comfy plush grass, well maintained and either a beautiful addition of two (plastic) adirondack chairs at our fire pit with grill. This was especially welcome because we hadn't really planned on cooking but when we saw the great fire set up not only did we save time and energy by not having to take out (and put away!) our camping chairs, I was able to turn our chips and salsa into nachos using some amazing Vermont cheese we'd picked up earlier. My boyfriend has declared this was his favorite camping meal ever so thanks Lazy Lions for the unexpected awesomeness.

    Our check in was smoothe, there was plenty of room at this campground, perhaps due to the fact that there isn't too much to do other than set up and sleep. It did have a pool.

    On check in we found the front desk (owner?) to be less than warm, and at $7 to firewood a little pricey. We were warned to be careful with our food because of "critters" and when I asked what kind of critters the man responded, "all of them". Less than helpful. In hindsight we believe we found bear scat on our site.

    We slept well, bathroom facilities were clean and well stocked. Showers, which we did not use, we $0.25 for four minutes. There was a microwave and wash sink as well for dishes, we didn't use either.

    We met lovely people and had a fine night, there was just nothing particularly special about the place

  • J
    Aug. 5, 2019

    Prouty Beach Campground

    RV campground w some tent spots

    This is an RV campground w a handful of tent spots. We stayed at T4, a site w electric right on the lake. I was initially very excited to be so close to the lake but my enthusiasm waned a little after a swim- the lake bottom was murky sticky mud which is fine it’s just not my favorite. My fiancé went swimming and got a leech or leech-like thing on his foot so swimming for him was pretty much over. Being at the lake meant a lot of noise from others including the campers that use the facility, I mean like actual camp, like groups of kids and counselors. I don’t mind kids but others might. It was the usual kid squealing and stuff. When we arrived a counselor was using our site and picnic table, spilling cheese-it’s all over the place which made us popular with the many many seagulls. She left when she saw us pulling in but left the mess behind so the birds were an issue. They continued to be an issue the whole 3 days we were there- every day we’d come back to our tent to find our stuff scattered a bit- not a huge problem but a present nuisance nonetheless. We tried to keep our things contained but still they tried to carry some stuff away. On the lake shore was a lot of seagull feathers and goose presence, poop, it’s not my favorite way to swim. The bathrooms were ok, pretty basic, very much reminiscent of when you get sent to camp as a child, bare bones. The stalls in the bathroom are uncomfortably short so when you stand up your head is poking out over the door, you can make eye contact w everyone else in the room which is just weird! We went two days without paper towels being restocked to dry your hands, I finally had to call the office. (Everyone in the office was super awesomely nice, always!) Sunday morning there is a group that makes breakfast in the pavilion I guess for donations which they use to beautify the campground. This is a lovely gesture. However the pavilion is right next to the tent sites and the group started setting up about 6:30 AM, which included honking their car horn, and talking very loudly with complete disregard for quiet hours or the full row of tent sleepers. My fiancé finally approached them and told them they must be unaware of how much their voices are carrying but that everyone was still sleeping. They didn’t apologize or say anything and honestly I don’t think they cared or lowered their voices at all. Our site was comfortable, water and electric worked fine, clean fire ring, we didn’t use it. The group next to us talked late past quiet hours (I didn’t not approach the campground about it we just dealt w it), and used a drone which was extremely uncomfortable, loud, and disruptive. I did call the office about that the next day and asked if there was a drone policy, she said there was not but that she would address it if they used it again, they ended up leaving so it wasn’t a problem but there should definitely be a policy about it. All in all, people were nice but the lake location meant a LOT of additional noise from other users and there did not seem to be any reminders about quiet time. Don’t come here if you’re looking for solitude but do come here if you’re looking for a great location in northern Vermont close to a cute town and amenities. Just set your mindset that it’s not a secluded or quiet spot but a spot w stuff to do and lots of people to interact w. We did not use the boat rentals or tennis courts or other stuff.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 10, 2024

    Lake Carmi State Park Campground

    Quiet lakefront camping post Labor Day

    General: Large state park with two loops, both of which are lakefront. A mix of primitive sites (no w/e/s), lean-tos, and two cabins, one in each section. Sites/lean-tos are designated premium (lakefront) or non. There is also an ADA-accessible lean-to. Upon check-in, you are given a gate code to enter. 

    Site Quality: Our site, like all others, was generous in size and a back-in site. Most sites don’t have clearly defined camper pads, and the surface is grass/dirt (or mud if it has rained recently). A large wooden picnic table and fire ring complete the site. There are plentiful trees, so each site has at least some shade and some are very shaded. Lakefront sites have a filtered view of the lake through the trees. 

    Bath/Shower House: The one closest to us was very clean. Three stalls and one shower. Cold water only at both the sinks and the shower (at least I didn’t get any hot water). The showers do take quarters and although you get five minutes for each quarter (up to 15 quarters, although I can’t imagine taking that long of a shower), it was quite possibly the wimpiest shower I’ve experienced in quite some time. But, after I finished, I saw my quarter had been returned. The toilet paper was so thin, it was nearly transparent! 

    Activities: Although swimming is allowed, the “beaches” are very small and there was a bacteria warning in place when we were there advising against swimming. There are two boat launch areas, one in each loop. Great for kayaks, and canoes, and we saw what looked like a fishing boat. There was one very annoying motorboat revving its engine while doing circles in the lake. The day-use area has a small, dated playground, fire pit, horseshoe pit, and volleyball net. There is a short nature trail and one other small walking trail. Nearby is access to the Missisquoi Rail Trail. 

    A surprise was a family of ducks who visited our site when I was outside reading! Our stay was very quiet during the week after Labor Day, but I imagine the vibe is quite different during summer weekends, especially given the sign in the restroom stating that quiet hours are strictly enforced. We were annoyed by one loud boat so I can’t imagine what it would be like if the lake was filled with boaters. This is why we prefer shoulder-season camping!

  • S
    Mar. 27, 2017

    White Caps Campground

    We were so surprised that this was such a dump!

    We made a single nights reservation, for a tent, based on recommendation from Kingdom Trails website. The campground is located in a beautiful area of Vermont, but....the tenting campground, a bit dismal. We arrived to find a teeny tiny space, right next to other spaces...in fact, had we set up our small tent, we would be less than ten feet from adjacent tents. Within less than 20 feet across the dirt path were side by side tent trailers and rvs. We would not have been able to use the metal fire ring because the fire would have been within 6 feet of our small tent. When we backed our car onto the narrow space, it was within a foot of the picnic table. Basically, it would have been like camping in a WalMart parking lot on a Saturday morning...if the parking lot was a treeless dirt lot. Within 3 minutes, we decided there was no way we could stay here, we were just not that desperate! We stopped at the rest room on the way out...gross! Smelly, wet, dirty, dingy. As we left, we decided that this was the best 25.00 we ever wasted...in fact, you could not have paid us to stay there . We cannot believe Kingdom Trails continues to suggest this disaster. I will add, the girl at the store/office was quite friendly...but she did not seem surprised when we returned for our bathroom key deposit so quickly! We were fortunate in that we could just head home...but if you are planning on a peaceful nights rest after mountain biking or hiking, this is not the place. There are beautiful state parks that we could recommend, and we just don't want folks that end up here to think that this is typical for Vermont camping!

  • Lauren S.
    Jul. 27, 2020

    Moosalamoo Campground

    Hidden Gem

    Tucked down a gravel road in the Green Mountain National Forest is this hidden treasure. Large sites, friendly campground host, the moosalamoo trailhead right next to campground. The trail connects to many others. You will pass several trailheads on your way up to the campground. Many of the sites are reservable, others are first come first serve. You will find a pay station as you enter the campsite. The camp host is at site 1. 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. Behind the parking spur at the site there is gravel with picnic table and fire pit. Beyond that in the trees was a spot for the tent. I didn’t experience many bugs, no mosquitoes, what I saw the most of were caterpillars. But If you needed bug spray or forgot anything back in town a few miles Ripton grocery has you covered.


Guide to Moscow

The Moscow, Vermont area sits at elevations ranging from 800 to 2,500 feet in the Green Mountains, creating varied camping experiences with temperature swings of 20°F between day and night in summer months. Tent camping near Moscow offers both shoreline sites on bodies of water and mountain terrain options within Green Mountain National Forest, with camping seasons typically running from late May through mid-October.

What to do

Swimming in secluded reservoirs: At Waterbury Reservoir Remote Sites, the remote boat-in sites provide direct access to swimming areas. "These remote sites are so peaceful. Be sure to launch from cotton brook road if your site r11-27," advises Julia S., who notes the paddle takes "about 30 minutes from the cotton brook launch to the site."

Hiking to mountain viewpoints: Mount Philo State Park Campground connects to short hiking trails with views of Lake Champlain. Kaelin P. mentions, "Only 8 campsites, dispersed in the trees. $23/night. Picnic table and fire pit. Moderate cell service. Nice hikes and cool views of the area!"

Fishing for various species: Molly's Falls Pond offers diverse fishing opportunities at no cost. "Anglers will find a variety of fish including rainbow trout, brown trout, northern pike, pickerel, smallmouth bass and yellow perch here," according to one reviewer, who notes the 411-acre lake is "largely undeveloped."

What campers like

Private, wooded sites: Black Creek Maple's Nature Escape provides secluded tent camping with scenic views. Émylie B. describes: "We spent the night at this beautiful campsite with a magnificent view of Mount Mansfield. The small amount of camping space made the experience quite unique and private."

Platform camping near water: Indian Brook Reservoir offers tent platforms accessible by foot or boat. "Nestled in the woods are several tent platforms that you can access by foot or by boat. They are spacious but not too private. There is a shared privy among the sites," reports M.A.D. P.

Wildlife viewing opportunities: The paddle-in sites at Green River Reservoir are known for animal sightings. Tara S. recommends: "Be sure to paddle out to the Beaver Meadow - we have seen moose there several times." She notes the reservoir is "653 acres with 19 miles of shoreline" with "27 campsites and two group campsites."

What you should know

Bear activity precautions: Some areas require proper food storage due to bears. At Camel's Hump, Kate K. explains the campground has "a host who was there 24/7 and a shared area for eating and food storage (I guess Bear's are a problem there)."

Limited facilities at remote sites: Green Mountain National Forest FR25 offers dispersed camping without amenities. Gerald P. notes there are a "small number of sites and a bit hard to find," while Helen P. observed "NFS sign along FR-25 posted asking people to clean up after themselves (litter and human waste)."

Seasonal closure dates: Most tent camping sites near Moscow close by mid-October. At Mount Philo, the season runs "Memorial Day weekend to Columbus Day weekend," with Underhill State Park operating on a similar schedule closing on "October 16."

Tips for camping with families

Look for walk-in sites: Families with older children might enjoy the privacy of walk-in camping. At Underhill State Park, Ali T. shares: "This is the best of car camping - you get the feel of really being out in the woods, with your car a short distance away. They provide wheelbarrows for easy moving of your stuff."

Pack light for hike-in sites: Some family-friendly sites require a hike to reach. Erin B. advises about Indian Brook Reservoir: "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."

Verify swimming options: Not all sites offer swimming access. At Green River Reservoir State Park Campground, Tara S. mentions the "swimming and fishing are awesome here" but recommends "trying to reserve for a weekday, or in the off season" to avoid crowds.

Tips from RVers

Limited RV options: Most tent camping near Moscow lacks RV hookups or accommodations. Mount Philo State Park "is not suitable for RVs" because "the road is steep and winding," according to reviews.

Dispersed options for small rigs: Small RVs can utilize some dispersed camping areas. Route 100 has "3-5 campsites right off of route 100" that can accommodate smaller vehicles, but Chris D. warns, "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."

Alternative RV campgrounds: For full RV facilities, campers need to venture to larger campgrounds beyond the immediate Moscow area. Michael V. describes Underhill as "Very primitive and quiet campground" that works for some RVs but notes it has "No shower but one of the best weeks I had camping in a while."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Moscow, VT?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Moscow, VT is Underhill State Park Campground with a 4.8-star rating from 6 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Moscow, VT?

TheDyrt.com has all 37 tent camping locations near Moscow, VT, with real photos and reviews from campers.