Best Tent Camping near Thetford Center, VT
Tent campsites along the Appalachian Trail dominate the backcountry camping landscape near Thetford Center, Vermont. The area features several AT shelters including Happy Hill and Winturri Backcountry Shelters in Vermont and Trapper John Backcountry Campground in neighboring New Hampshire, all accessible exclusively by hiking. Each location offers tent camping areas adjacent to three-sided wooden shelters, creating a network of rustic accommodations within the Green Mountain National Forest region.
Campers should bring water filtration equipment, as water sources at these backcountry sites are seasonal and unreliable. The tent sites typically consist of small, cleared areas of forest floor with varying degrees of flatness. Most AT shelters feature basic pit toilets or recently constructed privies, but lack amenities like trash service, tables, or running water. Walk-in tent sites near shelters provide more privacy than sleeping in the communal shelter structures. All backcountry campsites require adherence to Leave No Trace principles, with most sites prohibiting campfires completely.
The tent camping experience along this section of the Appalachian Trail offers solitude and immersion in Vermont's forested landscape. Sites like Winturri Backcountry Shelter provide "lots of tent camping spots as you worked up the hill perpendicular to the shelter," according to one visitor. Most tent areas around shelters can accommodate 6-8 individual tents, with varying levels of privacy between sites. While these backcountry tent sites aren't destinations themselves, they serve as strategic overnight points for section hikers. Seasonal considerations affect the camping experience - summer brings mosquitoes while fall offers fewer crowds but colder nights. A recent review noted that some shelters feature "a bench overlooking a clearing in the brush with a view," providing scenic spots to enjoy meals after setting up camp.
