North Hartland Lake sits at an elevation of 425 feet above sea level in Vermont's Connecticut River Valley, offering cabin accommodations across varying terrain within a 30-mile radius. The area experiences distinct seasonal changes with fall foliage typically peaking in early October, while summer cabin rentals should be secured 2-3 months in advance during peak season when temperatures average 75-80°F.
What to do
Hiking the Appalachian Trail: The AT passes near several cabin accommodations in the region, offering day hikes for cabin campers. At Winturri Backcountry Shelter on the AT, one hiker noted, "The shelter is on the larger side and could fit maybe 6-8 folks. There were lots of tent camping spots as you worked up the hill perpendicular to the shelter."
Swimming at Echo Lake: Located 25 miles from North Hartland Lake, Camp Plymouth State Park provides a beach area with cabin access. As one visitor described, "Camp Plymouth has a huge beach and picnic area with a snack bar and boat rentals. This Park is especially clean and the staff extremely friendly."
Kayaking on local waterways: Several cabin rental locations offer water access for paddling. The Crows Nest Campground features "nice, quiet, shaded riverside sites" according to one camper, who added that "pallets of firewood are delivered to your site and reasonably priced."
What campers like
Cabin privacy: Many visitors appreciate the spacing between cabins at various locations. At Gifford Woods State Park, a camper remarked, "Each site had a fair amount of isolation and trees surrounding it, and the mosquitoes aren't too bad there either."
Clean facilities: Cabin campers consistently mention facility cleanliness as important. A visitor to Gifford Woods stated, "The facilities are great for a state park and the sites are large. It's a smaller campground which is really great."
Trail access: Direct access to hiking trails ranks high on camper preferences. One Gifford Woods visitor explained, "The campsite lies directly on the Appalachian trail, so for a shorter or less-intensive hike, walk about 2.5 miles to the Deer Leap Overlook for some incredible views."
What you should know
Seasonal operation: Most cabin facilities near North Hartland Lake have limited seasons. A camper at Quechee-Pine Valley KOA advised, "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."
Road noise: Some cabins experience traffic sounds. One visitor to Gifford Woods cautioned, "Initially we pulled up to the site 'Poplar' after driving 4+ hours and I could have cried, this site faces a large DOT/Parks Dept. parking lot with a huge building and trucks everywhere."
Firewood regulations: Most cabin locations require purchasing firewood on-site to prevent the spread of invasive species. At Crows Nest Campground, a reviewer mentioned firewood was "delivered to your site and reasonably priced."
Tips for camping with families
Ranger programs: Some parks offer educational activities for children. At Good Night Moon Vintage, a visitor found "The trailer is very clean and the communal kitchen area is well appointed. Juli and Jim go out of their way to make everything awesome!"
Swimming access: Families should consider cabins with swimming options nearby. Camp Plymouth State Park offers "a huge beach and picnic area with a snack bar and boat rentals."
Playground availability: Not all cabin locations provide playground equipment. At Quechee-Pine Valley KOA, a camper noted, "Like many KOAs there are tons of amenities and things for kids to do – swimming pool, fishing ponds, bike rental, scheduled activities, propane sales, camp store, fire wood delivery, and more."
Tips from RVers
Site accessibility: RVers seeking cabins should check road conditions to cabin sites. At Caton Place Campground, one RVer warned, "The roads aren't wide enough to take a motorhome into. The pull through site is not level and is barely long enough to fit my 43' rig."
Hookup options: Many cabin locations also accommodate RVs with varying hookups. At Quechee-Pine Valley KOA, a camper explained, "Some sites are full hookup while others are not and that is reflected in the cost. We paid $57/night for our full hookup site."
Site leveling: RVers note terrain challenges at some locations. One Caton Place visitor cautioned, "Driving out of the site was just as bad. You have to go down a small hill and bottom out the front and then drag the backend out of the dirt."
