Tent camping near Randolph, Vermont offers several primitive options within the Green Mountain National Forest, with notable sites including Patterson Brookside Camp on West Hill Road and Green Mountain National Forest FR25 dispersed camping areas. These tent-only sites are situated along rivers and streams, providing natural settings for overnight stays. Michigan Brook Road Camping in nearby Pittsfield also offers tent camping opportunities within the national forest boundary, accessible via dirt roads that may become challenging during wet conditions.
Most tent campsites in the Randolph area are primitive with no facilities. Patterson Brookside Camp features both drive-in and walk-in tent sites along a river, but campers must pack out all waste as there are no outhouses or trash facilities. The area closes in winter due to snow. Green Mountain National Forest FR25 has approximately 6-8 scattered tent sites along a small stream, with established fire rings but no potable water. Route 100 Dispersed Camping provides picnic tables and fire rings, though recent reviews indicate some sites may have "No Camping" signs despite continued use. Cell service is generally unavailable at these locations.
Backcountry tent camping experiences in the region range from streamside forest settings to Appalachian Trail shelters. According to reviews, Patterson Brookside Camp offers "a handful of sites along the river, each offering a slightly different experience," though visitors should note the area "is being heavily used and some spots are being shut down from abuse." The FR25 sites are described as "pretty, scattered sites along small stream" that fill quickly during peak season. For those seeking more established facilities, the Appalachian Trail shelters like Winturri and Stony Brook offer backcountry tent camping with privies and occasional water sources, though these require significant hiking to access. Michigan Brook campsites are noted for being "accessible to Killington" but the dirt roads "get muddy and quite rutted" in spring.
"Includes picnic tables and a fire ring. It is located in the mountains of Vermont and right next to a beautiful river. The only con was the highway noise since it's pretty close to the road."
"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."
"The dirt road along the river is an easy drive, though it is single lane in a few locations, so be aware of oncoming traffic. "
"Be sure to camp at spots with established fire rings! There is no services of any sorts at this location. Mostly local traffic. Peaceful! Gorgeous rock river 💜"
"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."
"I stayed at this campsite located at the end of upper Michigan road. It is winter and there is a lot of snow. The main road to the parking lot is plowed and sanded."
"Few nice ones near the creek. I stayed at one on top of a lots of space at mine."
"Drive in about a mile after the parking lot!! Can use car to get in! There’s 3 camping spots. 1 before the bridge and 2 after the bridge!"
"Note: This is a hike in back country shelter with unreliable water and a pit bathroom. I tented here on a section hike of the AT."
LegendPros: 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
LegendI reviewed this campground last fall after visiting on the final day of the season, but I just had a chance to sty here during a peak summer weekend and have a few additional insights. Fees are now up to $20/night, still a bargain, but it comes with only the most basic amenities, i.e. vault toilets, running water at faucets, picnic tables and fire rings. Although the campground description indicates that the sites are first-come, first-served, this has changed and many of them are available online in advance. I didn't realize this and when i arrived late Friday afternoon I had 5 or 6 campsites to choose from that could accommodate my small teardrop camper; if I were tent camping, I'd have had a couple more sites available to me. The tent only sites require a short walk from the parking area.
When you arrive, each site will be labelled either Reserved or _Open. _ If it is Reserved, the dates it is reserved will be listed and they may not be contiguous. All the sites filled up Friday night.
I had site 24 which I liked. it was very large and level, with ample space for today's large tents. The water spigot was near the site next door. I could see my neighbors, but they didn't bother me. Every host site always seems to look messy with tarp-covered items and wood piles and site 24 will give you a view of the host site, but it's far enough away that you can ignore it.
If I were in a tent, I'd try for site 22. It's a walk-in site that includes 7-8 steps down, but it opens into a large open area and just a bit beyond there is a small brook, too.
The campground is just a few miles west of I-93 and the town of Woodstock. If you want to hike Mooselauke or the Kinsmans, the Appalachian Trail crosses 112 nearby. Lost River Gorge is nearby as are numerous tourist attractions/activities in Woodstock and Lincoln. Take some time to explore Cascade Park in Woodstock if you want to cool off in the river and lounge on the rocks (park on the street or in the lot that is north of 112 just before the traffic light at Rte 3 in Woodstock). While you're there, pick up ice cream at Coneheads; choose among numerous hard serve ice cream made on site (downstairs) or dozens of soft-serve flavors.
This side of 112 seems quieter than the stretch east of Lincoln. Noise level was quite low. Cell coverage is non-existent for several miles around here; you'll start to get a signal closer to Lost River Gorge in the direction of Woodstock.
LegendI tent camped here while doing some fishing in the area.
Baker Rocks had a host of different camping options onsite including tent platforms, yurts, and cabins. I booked one of the tent platforms.
The site had a large tent platform they could fit multiple tents, a brand new picnic table, a fire ring (with a free bundle of firewood), two chairs by the fire ring, and even a few strings of solar lights around the camp area.
The tent sites are within the wooded area around the property and felt very secluded. There was a bit of road noise overnight.
The facilities here were great. There is a full bathhouse with individual rooms for showers and sink/toilets, with running water.
Around the campground there was a little beach along the Baker river. I only caught a few minnows when fishing but that may have been more to do with the angler. Along another bend of the river were two chairs for taking in the scenery.
Check-in was super easy with the camp hosts who were very flexible with timing and wanted to make sure I had a great stay. The property and individual sites are deliberately designed with guests in mind.
I would definitely stay here again if I’m in the area and might try some of the glamping options as well.
GuideWe 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!
LegendNote this is a back country shelter along the Appalachian Trail, so it is 100% long hike in with no guaranteed water and a basic privvy.
I tented along here for a night during a section hike of the AT from Lyme into Vermont.
The shelter was the basic AT 3-sided wood structure and was generally in good shape.
The water source here was dry during my trip which was expected during the drought (August 2022).
The tent camping here was ok, with some slightly slanted spots around the main shelter area.
There was no real view from the shelter. There was also a basic privvy available.
This was a decent shelter to stop at along the AT, but I would not consider it a weekend destination.
There was no bear box onsite.
LegendNote: This is a hike in back country shelter with unreliable water and a pit bathroom.
I tented here on a section hike of the AT. The shelter was a fairly basic 8ish person shelter, but this stop stood out because of a brand new privvy, large tenting areas, and a swimming hole and consistent water just a bit further down the trail (when heading northbound).
For camping, there were a few large tent areas where multiple tents could fit and which looked quite level.
The privvy looked brand new and was more spacious than most on the trail.
There was no water on the shelter, but there was plenty of water at Stony Brook / Mink Brook a bit further northbound. I only explored a bit offtrail down the brook but found a decent swimming hole (could just barely submerge myself) to clean off a bit.
There was also a bear box here, which I hadn't seen at other shelters along the AT in Vermont (heading southbound).
Although the shelter was fairly basic, I would keep this on my list as a go-to place to stop if I was planning to hike in the area.
LegendThis 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!
GuideLazy 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
LegendI tent camped here before doing a section hike of the Appalachian Trail and it was one of the best campgrounds I’ve stayed at before.
The sites have some privacy and woods in between, though the tent sites vs. shelters and cabins were mostly closer to the access road. All sites were super clean and had a picnic table and fire ring. Most sites had a built in cooking fire structure (vs. a fire ring) they looked great for camp cooking, though my site (T01) seemed to be the only without it.
The facilities were well-maintained, there were water spigots everywhere, and though I didn’t get a chance to enjoy, there were lots of activities right there (volleyball lawn, the AT running right through the campground, mountain bike trails).
I didn’t stay in them, but the cabins and lean-tos looked great for group or family options.
Kent Pond was also just across the road for water activities, and I saw at least one fly fisher out.
Killington was also right nearby for restaurants and other needs.
I will definitely be coming back to explore more!
Dispersed tent camping near Randolph, Vermont offers primitive overnight options within the Green Mountain National Forest at elevations ranging from 700-1,200 feet. The White River watershed runs through this region, creating numerous streamside camping opportunities that flood during spring snowmelt. Winter camping access becomes limited after November when forest service roads close due to snow accumulation.
Fishing opportunities: Michigan Brook Road Camping provides access to small stream fishing with native brook trout. According to one visitor, "This area is open for camping year-round but probably only accessible in Spring through early Fall because the dirt road is not plowed."
Swimming holes: Route 100 Dispersed Camping offers natural swimming areas. One camper notes, "This site has 3-5 campsites right off of route 100. This is right next to Mad River with a area to walk down into a swimming hole."
Hiking access: Winturri Backcountry Shelter connects to the Appalachian Trail system. A hiker reports, "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."
Riverside camping: Patterson Brookside camp offers water-adjacent tent sites. A camper shares, "Mountain road lingers along the river. There's quite a few sites along the road. Be sure to camp at spots with established fire rings!"
Privacy between sites: Last light on Michigan Brook provides secluded camping options. One visitor recommends, "Love this site! The very last spot on the right hand side. If you've reached the closed gate you've missed the site!"
Natural swimming areas: Stony Brook Backcountry Shelter features nearby water features. A hiker mentions, "I only explored a bit offtrail down the brook but found a decent swimming hole (could just barely submerge myself) to clean off a bit."
Road conditions: Access to most Randolph area camping requires navigating dirt roads. At Michigan Brook Road Camping, "Road goes in pretty far. Some parts are muddy and very rough. Higher clearance would be advised!!!"
No services: Cell service is unavailable at most sites. One camper at Michigan Brook Road explains, "PLEASE NOTE: THIS LOCATION DOES NOT PROVIDE CELL PHONE SERVICE OR WIFI CONNECTION."
Campsite closures: Some previously available sites now prohibit camping. At Route 100, a camper warned, "This site was lovely, but signs say No Camping. There were a few spots with fire rings and picnic tables and would be a great place to camp though!"
Safety precautions: Lock valuables when away from camp. A camper at Green Mountain National Forest FR25 cautions, "Make sure to lock you valuables. Our Jackery, Solar panels & toilet were stolen."
Swimming options: Consider sites with gentle water access for children. At Route 100, visitors note the "area to walk down into a swimming hole" that makes for family-friendly recreation.
Emergency planning: Limited connectivity requires preparation. A Michigan Brook visitor advises, "If you walk to the end of upper Michigan Brook road you will have cell phone service and a gas station along with a United States Post Office as well as a general store."
Road width limitations: Forest roads can be narrow for larger vehicles. At Patterson Brookside camp, "The dirt road along the river is an easy drive, though it is single lane in a few locations, so be aware of oncoming traffic."
Bridge crossings: Some campsites require crossing small bridges. For Michigan Brook camping, "We camped near the beginning of the road but would recommend driving down if you can because you can camp next to the river after you cross the bridge."
Site availability: Competition for drive-in sites increases on weekends. A Green Mountain National Forest FR25 visitor observed, "Friday night had the whole place to ourselves. Saturday night all spots filled."
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Randolph, VT is Route 100 Dispersed Camping with a 3.1-star rating from 7 reviews.
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