Best Campgrounds near Orleans, VT

If you want a place to nomadic camp that is near Stowe, but away from the hustle and bustle, then this place is for you.  It is a private landowners land, and she has up to  5-6 campers at any point in time.  Sites are set up with picnic or other small tables, and randomly spread out across the field.  There is good distance between sites, but all other sites are within view.  There is a porta potty at the entrance to the field.  Dogs are allowed.  The landowner is very responsive and helpful with questions.   Across the street from the camping field is another field with access to water via a hose, and a very large flower garden.  There is also a small store that sells honey

The sites in the field are generally un-level, and we had to really work to level our trailer.  While we were there, there were car campers, tent campers, and a class C rv, in addition to us in our travel trailer.  Dogs are allowed on the property.

In addition to being 20 minutes to downtown Stowe, you can gravel bike right from the field.  We built a number or rides with Ride with GPS, leaving from there site.  There are never ending hiking options, from easy to advanced, in the general area.  

We would gladly return to this camp, even though we had challenges leveling.

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!

Nice and quiet

I scouted this area a couple of years ago and stayed in one of the lean-tos, this is a great area in the winter when no-one else is around.

There is a parking lot near the main road where you can park.  The hike around the pond is nice, but wet, rocky and you need to be a sure-footed person.  Views are great, the pond is amazing, and the campsites are well maintained.

Most sites have a lean-to and a well-built fireplace as well as an outhouse.  Keep in mind this is a pack in pack out location.  You are not allowed to cut wood, and only fallen dead is available for use.

This is a great spot to stop for a night with your RV and enjoy the river for a night.  

Easy to get to, just off of a one-way paved road.

I just found out that Onion River Camground just willingly hosted a MAP(minor attracted person aka pedofile) meeting at their campground. I am so disgusted the owners of Onion River Campground that hosted this meeting allowed my family with two young girls to BOOK a campsite the SAME WEEKEND as this meeting with no warning of what was going on!!!! By the grace of God, we cancelled two weeks ago(for other reasons) and rerouted to another state. I’m sitting here reading this imagining my beautiful kids walking around a campground innocently with nasty individuals looking at them in a sexual way without my wife or I ever knowing what was going on right under our noses. It’s digusting and appalling that the campground owners support these pedofiles and would let ANY family book a stay there without making us aware. I HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS SOMETHING I NEEDED TO LOOKOUT FOR BUT I THINK OTHERS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS. I don’t agree with supporting MAPs at all but if you are then make it an adult only campground for heavens sake.

Pretty pond, good lean-to's, nice toilets, central put-in for canoes and kayaks, friendly people. Big groups in one area, individual remote sites far enough away to be private. Nicely maintained, friendly staff when you do see them. Went September 6 and 7 2024. Only 3 hours from Boston.

Great spot, especially for families, it is a bit expensive, at $30 for tent spot and $40 for lean to. the staff was helpful and kept the grounds clean. We ended paying more for the lean to because it was more secluded and quiet, the rest of the park was busy.

Our spot was right on the brook which was peaceful and beautiful. It also had a fire pit with a grill grate and they sold firewood at the front gate.

This easy-to-access campground has made it on my list of places to stay.

There are two loops of sites, some deep in the woods with great-looking trees, others in a field, and some in between. There are even sites with stalls if you're into horses.

The bathhouse looks typical and clean.

Not much cell service, but some in places.

Easy access to a lake and a picnic pavilion.

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

Our first time in Vermont, we were coming from Montreal, Quebec. And while there are many nice campsites to visit in Quebec... we've done them all, within a 2-hour radius. Well, guess what? Lake Carmi in Franklin (Enosburg?) Vermont, is less than 1 1/2 hours from Montreal! I think it must be the closest campsite to Quebec, in Vermont. The drive there was really pleasant too. It wasn't all highway. It took us mostly through very scenic routes in both Quebec, and Vermont.

After booking, I had read some bad reviews about the place - which gave me second thoughts. About the staff being very unpleasant, etc. Well I'm happy to say, that turned out to be absolutely untrue! To say that Kathy, Daniel and really, the entire staff that we met, was very friendly to us, is an understatement. They literally saved our bacon!

It's a long story, but in short... our car broke down at one point, and we had to get it towed. Our phone wouldn't work, and it was by the good graces of the Lake Carmi rangers and staff, and the use of their wireless, that we were eventually able to return back home to Canada.  I don't know what we would have done, if they weren't there to help us! So - big thanks to the amazing staffers at Lake Carmi.

We had reserved a site by the lake, and saw that the campground itself was quite nice. Just acres and acres of lush green forestation. Clean grounds and washrooms. A beautiful sunset over the lake. No electrical 'pollution'. No noise pollution - except for crickets, in the field. Other than the car trouble - quite a pleasant stay! We'll be returning next year.

This campground is wonderful for camping with kids. It has a great playground and a small but nice and clean pool.

The amenities are clean and well taken care of.

Super nice staff is the finishing touch for this great campground.

Spaces are reasonably spacious and in wooded area.

We would definitely recommend.

I come back to this area every year; I missed my spring trip this year though.  A friend was camping and invited me to join them.  We had a site on the B loop, I have only camped on the A loop... 

The site was nice with some great rock features, the sites have enough space between them to give privacy, but you know you're not alone.  The facilities on the B loop are vintage 1950s, simple clean but not new or the same caliber as the facilities on A loop.  Plenty of water faucets on the B loop.  

Both A & B are easy to get around on, all of the roads are dirt but well maintained.  Both loops have their own Trash and Recyling. The access road into the park is a well-maintained dirt road and about 5 miles long.  Look for the bears, and other cutouts creatures in the clearings on the way in.

This campground is remote and it's about 45 min. to the nearest town.  There is no cell service, even with a booster.  The lake is wonderful.

Great campground with a mix of full hookup and tent sites! Many sites along the river and nice grassy sites near the front. Sites were spacious and well maintained. The campground is perfectly located for access to Franconia Notch. Highly recommend. The only negative was a mini-golf course that was falling apart but they still charged for to use.

DO NOT GO HERE! The rudest and most unprofessional management we have ever encountered. Anywhere. Hands down. I Would need a book to adequately warn people. 1) We were accidentally overcharged and were met with total annoyance by owner when attempting to rectify. Ultimately we were refunded the wrong amount, to the wrong account, which I let slide because the management does not appear to be cognitively able to understand how to compute charges. 2) My bf and his son collected some old dead wood at site to burn(didn’t know it was against rules- not in written policy- although they said it is)and when they were not so warmly reprimanded by the owner on her golf cart full of wine coolers(no judgement here, but, it IS an alcohol free campground. just saying…..), and then immediately radioed for husband for back up in his golf cart(no wine coolers there…) to reprimand us even further! Completely unnecessary, as they had already stopped collecting wood when first told- but he did let us in on a fun fact- that they(the Campground)“let people have fires here,without training!” Which we thought was odd, and hysterically funny. It’s a campground!! We’re supposed to feel grateful they allowed campfires- without training?😂 3) Lastly& most importantly, my boyfriend poked his head in the bathroom at 7 am while the lady was cleaning- not their regular scheduled cleaning time- and he REALLY needed to go, and politely, from the door, asked how long she might be. He just wanted know if he should wait or to look for someplace else to go, and he was absolutely chastised by the cleaning lady when she came out! She was absolutely nasty and rude to him! When we mentioned this incident  we were told by employee(golf cart man) that we had no right to ask her questions! He told us she was going through a rough time in her life(who isn’t?) and that she having personal issues(kind of agreeing that, yes, can be a bitch), and something about somebody’s pregnant and her husband wants to ring her neck? We couldn’t really follow because we were all still trying to process the“you’re lucky we let you have a campfire without training“comment. Obviously, We had already decided we would never be back, and have already made reservations elsewhere for our fall trip- but when I got home today, I opened a scathing email(sent 2 days ago) from the owner ACCUSING my bf of“HARASSMENT” of the the cleaning lady! Who, she claimed, was very fearful because a male popped his head in the door while she was alone, and asked her a simple question! Cleaning lady can rest assured, that if she was the last woman on this planet, my bf wouldn’t touch her with an 10 foot pole. She was most definitely in no danger. The owner then wrote that we are now banned from their campground!!!😂 She also asked us to leave two days early- which I was not aware of until I read the email after I got home! All because my bf asked somebody a question, I asked to be billed to be correctly, and we tried to burn a dead log. That is INSANE! Let’s just say, it would not have been well received and that they are extremely lucky we were blissfully unaware of her email and finished out our stay, because if we had known then that she was falsely accusing my bf of harassment, it would not have gone well for them. Her accusation of harassment is BOLD FACED LIE!!! All of this has been mind blowing, but she really took my anger to a whole new level when she sent me that nasty email- and then she BLOCKED me from responding! She also blocked me from FB- so I couldn’t leave a review there! She took it way too far…. They have had other similar poor reviews in the past, which they respond to by calling the reviewers liars, and then making up ridiculous lies about them- which I fully anticipate they will do here. DO NOT BELIEVE A WORD OF WHAT THEY SAY.We have NEVER had problems like this with any business! Ever. We are LIVID that my bf is being FALSELY accused of harassment, and we do not take it lightly. THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT RIGHT IN THE HEAD.

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. The host, Dianne, was really friendly. Many amenities such as wood, water and outhouse nearby. Very nice experience.

Spent a few nights here as a base camp while hiking some of the mountains in the area. 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. Quiet hours were definitely observed. Easily one of the best camp sites I’ve stayed at.