Best Dispersed Camping near Westminster, VT
Dispersed camping opportunities exist throughout the Green Mountain National Forest near Westminster, Vermont. Several free primitive sites are located along Forest Road 71 and Forest Road 83, with additional options in the George D. Aiken Wilderness area. These public lands permit no-fee camping in designated pull-off areas and clearings, typically featuring only basic fire rings with no other amenities. Somerset Airfield provides a more established dispersed camping experience with pit toilets, while more remote options like Stratton Pond Shelter require hiking access.
Access roads to most dispersed sites require careful navigation, with many campers reporting rough conditions that demand higher clearance vehicles. Forest Road 71 remains passable for most vehicles, while routes like NF 83 may require at least 8 inches of ground clearance according to visitor reports. Several sites experience seasonal challenges including spring mud and winter snow accumulation. Most locations lack drinking water, toilets, and trash service. Campers must practice proper waste disposal, as one visitor noted that some areas had "human excrement" issues from previous users not following Leave No Trace principles.
These primitive camping areas provide varying levels of seclusion and natural settings. The Somerset Airfield sites tend to be more open and clustered, with one camper describing it as "a grass strip next to FR71 with a bunch of sites and a pit house." More remote options offer greater privacy, with a visitor to Downed Bridge Camp stating, "If you're lucky enough to get the last spot on the road it's epic." Riverside sites along NF 83 provide water access, described by one camper as "a nice clearing near the river where the road used to cross." Cell service is limited or nonexistent in most areas, creating a true disconnect from urban life. Winter camping is possible but challenging, with one visitor reporting temperatures dropping to 8 degrees with wind chills of -3 degrees.
