46 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Several backcountry tent campsites dot the landscape surrounding Vershire, Vermont, with most concentrated along the Appalachian Trail corridor that passes through the region. Winturri Backcountry Shelter and Thistle Hill Backcountry Shelter offer tent camping opportunities within the Appalachian National Scenic Trail system, while dispersed tent camping can be found at Green Mountain National Forest FR25 approximately 20 miles west of Vershire.
Tent campers should prepare for minimal amenities at most sites in the area. The Appalachian Trail shelters feature basic three-sided wooden structures with adjacent tent platforms or cleared areas for tent setup. Many backcountry tent locations have seasonal water sources that may be unreliable during dry periods, particularly in late summer. Vault toilets or privies are available at established trail shelters but not at dispersed camping areas. Most sites restrict fires or have designated fire rings only, with firewood availability limited or nonexistent at backcountry tent locations.
Sites along the Appalachian Trail provide tent campers with peaceful forest surroundings and occasional views from nearby ridges. Green Mountain National Forest dispersed camping areas offer more privacy and stream access but require proper waste disposal as noted in several reviews. Walk-in tent locations at backcountry shelters typically feature flat, designated tent pads surrounding the main shelter structure. Tent campsites near Vershire remain relatively uncrowded even during peak hiking seasons, making them a solid option for those seeking solitude on the trail. According to one visitor at Winturri Backcountry Shelter, "There were lots of tent camping spots as you worked up the hill perpendicular to the shelter," making it suitable for groups seeking individual tent spaces with decent privacy.
"Note this is a back country shelter along the AT in New Hampshire so it is entirely hike in."
"Note this is a back country campsite that is 100% hike in, with no guaranteed water. I tent camped here in August while doing a section hike of the Appalachian Trail. "
from $45 / night
Check Availability"Note 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."
"Note: This is a back country shelter site that is hike-in only on the Appalachian Trail. There can be seasonal water sources but water is not guaranteed."
"We're so happy to welcome this property to our platform. Check them out and come back here to leave them some love!"
from $85 - $125 / night
Check Availability"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."
"Note: This is a back country shelter on the Appalachian trail that doesn't have consistent water. I stopped here on a section hike of the Appalachian trail."
"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."
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
LegendThere are 2 Big Rock Campgrounds in NH and they are very different! This is not the resort campground convenient to ATV trails, but a rustic campground offering large, level, wooded sites along the Kancamagus Highway just 2 miles east of the Lincoln Woods Visitor Center. It's a great location for exploring the sites and beautiful vistas along the Kancamagus, easy access to Franconia Notch and Lincoln, NH. Lincoln also offers a grocery store, restaurants, stores selling outdoor gear, moose tours, and adventure tours (zip/climbing).
Some of the sites are tent only, with parking separated from the tent pad/fire ring/picnic table. Others are large and level with ample space for RVs. You'll get some traffic noise, but there's less here than at places along 3 & 93.
There are no reservations; all sites are first-come, first serve and it's open from mid-May to mid-October. Bring cash or a check to pay for your campsite. It's self-service with an iron ranger. Fee (2018) is $22, an extra $5 for a second car.
Water is available. There are vault toilets and no showers. No cell phone service.
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.
GuideCool location right on the edge of the Dry River Wilderness. Great Basecamp for lots of hikes in the area. Some spots are right on the highway with not much tree cover in between so can be loud. Some walk in sites with platforms are further from the road
Vid is from the river off the trail that starts in the campground
GuideWalk in sites at Russel Pond are nice. spacious sites with fire pits and a picnic table. Potable water is close by along with a bear box. Bathrooms are clean and the showers are $2.50 for 5 minutes. Genuinely nice staff a close proximity to several nice hikes.
LegendWe had a last minute change of plans to our hiking trip due to a delay. We wouldn’t have the time to hike into our pre planned area before dark, so decided to set up shop here. This place was actually pretty great. Each site was pretty large and most of them had access to the river. Which had nice areas for swimming and wading. Each site had its own bear box and it was only a short hike down from the car. The park connected directly to some beautiful AT trails that we took advantage of the next day. It was also pretty cheap! $12 or $15 if I remember correctly. All self registration.
GuideStep walk in and out though most of the tent plat forms have amazing views. I have stayed here twice and had great experiences. A outhouse is located at this tent site as well as pump-able water, bear boxes and a shelter. Great place to stay on the Pemi Loop. It is a carry in carry out campsite.
Traveleri stayed here for one night with a large group (maybe 40ish people) prior to setting out on our backpacking weekend.
This is a great campground, very clean. toilets available, and dumpster for trash were very convenient. There was potable water available also, and picnic tables. parking was tricky for our large group, and we had a bit of trouble fitting in all of the cars, but if you have a smaller group it should be no problem.
campground was very quiet, no real road noise or anything could be heard. ground was soft and grassy, although i would still recommend using a sleeping pad, was not as hard as some other campgrounds I have stayed at. had a nice big grassy area for the large group.
LegendThis state park campground located between Rte 302 and the Dry River in Crawford Notch is a great location for exploring family friendly trails to (Sawyer Pond, Arethusa Falls, Willard Cliffs to name a few) or longer excursions to Mt Washington and other peaks in the Whites & Presidentials. Story Land is an easy drive, too, if you have young children.
Fees are a reasonable $25/night. Facilities include clean bathrooms with showers. In addition to the full-service, handicap accessible wash house, there are vault toilets around the loop. Cell service is poor to absent throughout Crawford Notch. If you need to connect, drive south toward Bartlett or North to Bretton Woods.
Sites are spacious, level, and wooded, though some have no real demarcation between them. This can be good if you are with friends and reserve sites side by side (2 & 3; 12 & 13), Because most of the sites are on the outside of the loop or opposite sides of the road, you won't feel surrounded. There are no hookups. Site are back-in. A few of the drive-to sites include small lean-tos. In addition, there are a few sites that are more secluded, set back further in the woods and providing a tent platform as well as a fire ring and picnic table. The entire campground is close to the road, so you will hear traffic noise. Sites 27-31 are particularly close to the main road. Although sites 2-7 appear to be far from the river, it's still just a short walk. There's a formal trail to the river from the back of the loop, near 16B (lean-to). Reservations open 11 months in advance. Mid-Oct to Dec 1 sites are walk-in only. Pre-register online and bring your print-out with you to save yourself some time.
There's no camp store, though they do have firewood for sale if you see someone. During the peak season, i expect the sites fill up in advance, but this early in the season there were sites available for Friday night when I checked in (though most only for 1 night; Saturday night was definitely harder to come by). If you haven't stocked up in advance, your best bet for groceries when coming from the south/east are Grant's Supermarket at the junction of 302 & 16 or your choice of major supermarkets in Conway.
Vershire, Vermont serves as a gateway to the Appalachian National Scenic Trail with several backcountry camping options at elevations ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 feet. The region experiences cold winters with temperatures often below freezing and moderate summers with highs rarely exceeding 85°F. Seasonal water availability varies significantly throughout the year, with most reliable sources present during spring months.
Hiking at Moose Mountain: Access the Appalachian Trail section near Moose Mountain Backcountry Shelter, which offers a scenic overlook for tent campers. "The shelter did stand out with a bench overlooking a clearing in the brush with a view which was a great place to enjoy my freeze dried dinner," notes a backpacker who stayed at the site.
Fishing opportunities: Several streams near Green Mountain National Forest FR25 provide seasonal fishing. "Gorgeous stream/river...love the river sounds," comments a camper who appreciated the water access at this dispersed camping area approximately 20 miles west of Vershire.
Bird watching: Early morning hours at Happy Hill Backcountry Shelter provide opportunities to observe forest birds in their natural habitat. One tent camper noted: "This was a great place to stop along the Appalachian Trail" with "beautiful surrounding forest" offering ample wildlife viewing opportunities.
Shelter lofts: The double-decker shelter design at Happy Hill offers unique sleeping arrangements. A backpacker explains: "The shelter had a ground floor and a loft but each floor could maybe fit 4-5 people comfortably... The loft was nice since folks could decide to sleep up there while others were down below, either cooking, arriving, or departing."
Privacy between sites: Many tent camping areas provide reasonable separation between sites. At Velvet Rocks Shelter, hikers found "some slightly slanted spots around the main shelter area" for setting up tents with adequate distance from other campers.
Well-maintained facilities: Several backcountry shelters feature newer outhouses. One camper at Moose Mountain remarked: "The privvy was also new and very spacious," making it stand out among Appalachian Trail facilities in the region.
Water availability challenges: Many water sources near Vershire are seasonal and unreliable. A camper at Trapper John Backcountry Campground reported: "There is a water source in the area but it did not have water when I visited (probably on account of the drought)," highlighting the importance of carrying additional water during dry periods.
Site limitations: Terrain constraints affect tent placement options at some locations. At Thistle Hill, a hiker mentioned: "it seemed to have smaller spots for tent camping that were somewhat sloped," indicating the need for careful site selection.
Security concerns: At Green Mountain National Forest FR25, campers should take precautions with valuables. One visitor warned: "Make sure to lock your valuables. Our Jackery, Solar panels & toilet were stolen," suggesting extra vigilance at dispersed sites with less oversight.
Site selection: Choose areas with level tent platforms when camping with children. Thistle Hill Backcountry Shelter provides a standard shelter with adjacent tent spots, though one camper notes these are "somewhat sloped," making site selection important for family comfort.
Shorter access routes: For families with young children, consider sites with shorter approach hikes. Velvet Rocks Shelter has relatively accessible tent camping compared to other AT shelters, though it remains "100% long hike in with no guaranteed water and a basic privvy."
Weather preparation: Pack additional layers even in summer months due to significant day-night temperature fluctuations. The region's higher elevations can experience overnight lows below 50°F even in July and August.
Limited access: Most camping near Vershire is not suitable for RVs. At Green Mountain National Forest FR25, a visitor noted there are "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," highlighting challenges for larger vehicles.
Forest road conditions: FR25 access roads may become difficult after rain. Several campers mentioned moisture issues, with one stating, "Beautiful sites on the River but with the wet summer, we just couldn't dry out," suggesting caution when planning RV access during rainy periods.
Site availability: Arrive early to secure spots at dispersed camping areas. "Friday night had the whole place to ourselves. Saturday night all spots filled," reported one camper, indicating weekend competition for limited spaces appropriate for smaller recreational vehicles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Vershire, VT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Vershire, VT is Trapper John Backcountry Campground on the AT — Appalachian National Scenic Trail with a 4-star rating from 1 review.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Vershire, VT?
TheDyrt.com has all 46 tent camping locations near Vershire, VT, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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