Best Tent Camping near Weston, VT
Green Mountain National Forest surrounding Weston, Vermont offers diverse backcountry tent camping options along the Appalachian Trail and Long Trail corridors. Little Rock Pond Group Camp & Shelters, located approximately 15 miles northwest of Weston, provides dedicated tent platforms and costs $5 per person per night. Stratton Pond Shelter, situated about 10 miles southwest of Weston, features two tent platforms near one of the largest bodies of water on the Long Trail. Michigan Brook Road camping areas in Pittsfield offer more accessible primitive tent campsites within driving distance of Weston.
Most tent-only sites in the region require varying degrees of preparation and self-sufficiency. Backcountry tent camping areas along the Appalachian Trail feature basic amenities with pit toilets but unreliable water sources, particularly during late summer drought conditions. Walk-in tent sites at Stratton Pond require a 3.75-mile hike from the nearest parking area. Michigan Brook camping areas feature established fire rings but limited facilities, with dirt roads that become impassable during winter months and spring mud season. Campers should bring water filtration equipment, as even sites with noted water sources can run dry seasonally. Bear boxes are available at some shelters, but proper food storage is essential at all locations.
Tent campers frequently use these areas as bases for multi-day backpacking trips or weekend escapes. According to reviews, Winturri Backcountry Shelter offers "lots of tent camping spots as you work up the hill perpendicular to the shelter" with "decent privacy." At Little Rock Pond, one camper noted the area has "several tent platforms" with water available from "a creek and spring nearby." Primitive tent camping areas along Michigan Brook provide riverside sites that one visitor described as "very back woods camping" with three distinct spots near the water. Summer weekends see increased use at most locations, with some sites filling quickly despite their remote settings. Fall brings cooler temperatures and fewer crowds to these backcountry tent campsites.