Ricker Pond State Park Campground

We have now stayed twice at Ricker Pond and have loved it each time.  We chose a lean-to, which proved to be invaluable at our last stay, as we were hit with t-storms and torrential rains for a period.  The grounds and facilities are very well kept and maintained, and the staff is helpful and friendly.  No cell service (Verizon) or internet, which is just fine for us!  It's peaceful and quiet.  Fellow campers are considerate of rules and regulations, while no one is going nuts.  There's a nice bike/rail trail that runs through it.  Paddling and swimming on site.

I was super lucky to snag a last-minute spot at this VT state park (my first one!).

There was even a fully built fire in the pit just ready to be lit when I arrived (I don't think this is normal!).

The sunset was gorgeous and it cleared up for a beautiful morning paddle around the pond.

The park staff was also super nice and the sites were well spaced and private!

When we first heard of the North East Kingdom of Vermont, we had no idea where people were talking about, but something idyllic and natural came to mind. Ricker Pond State Park fits beautifully into this landscape. Getting here isn’t direct or easy, but the reward is worth it. Leave your mobile devices off, because cell towers haven’t quite made it to this quiet corner of the woods. 

The pace here is slow, even by campground standards, but this adds to the charm. A wide array of rustic cabins, lean-to shelters, and traditional tent campsites scattered throughout the park along the shores of Ricker Pond.  No electrical hookups to be found, so bring your solar panels if you want power.  There is a ton of space between sites -- we could barely see our neighbors or hear them.

The staff have gone the extra mile and planted flowers along many of the choicest camping areas. Campsite amenities include a toilet block with pay showers and flush toilets, but no electrical or water hook ups. The water is delicious by the way, so don’t bother with any bottled variety– this is the good stuff. 

Paddling out on the lake has to be the best way to enjoy this wonderful area. With boats available for rent, you don’t even need to bring your own. Check out this quiet corner of Vermont and simply forget about it all. The nearby town of Groton, has a gas station with a small grocery store for all the most important staples (marshmallows, chocolate, bread, beer) at least one small restaurant, and the library offers free wifi 24/7 if you really must connect for a few minutes.

I’ve been visiting Ricker Pond for nearly 20 years (except for the years that I don’t book enough in advance and aren’t able to secure a spot for my desired length of stay). My favorite lean to site is directly on the water, private, and fills up fast. My favorite cabin site, is set back from the water, is private, and also fills fast for the season. I LOVE venturing to Vermont every summer & staying at Ricker. There is an electrical outlet in the basic cabins, quarter-run showers, and an excellent country store/restaurant a few miles away that has anything you may need and might have forgotten. Tents/RV sites are also available. Book in advance for the best availability!

This is a pretty small State Park, so it fills up quickly. The sites on the pond are beautiful if you can get one! The campground has a small beach, boat launch and it's right on the Cross Vermont Trail. I stayed in October and it was really quiet and relaxing. There is absolutely no cell service for miles, so plan accordingly.

Ricker pond is especially good if you’re looking for a little bit of a less busy state park. Unlike Stillwater this is on its own pond so not as much traffic. It’s a little far from the Groton store though if you run out of something. And if your site is closer to the boat launch you’re gonna be in the muck and weeds. But overall I love it here - we usually get a leanto once a year.

Checked in late so we weren’t too picky where we set our tent up, but loved all the room there was. Nice table and fire pit and LOVED the view we had!! Bathrooms are clean and take quarters. Wood and ice are able for purchase.

Pulled up and the woman at the gatehouse was on the phone with a lady trying to make a reservation. The lady didn't acknowledge ua at all for about 5 mins! We sat there for about 15-20 mins before we were helped. She ended up putting the lady on speakerphone so she could input her information easier. The lady gave her name, address, phone number, and credit card number to her as we sat there and could hear everything! It blew my mind! If I was that lady I would not want to share that info via speakerphone! We got a great campsite though, right on the water. Not very busy there. We rented a canoe for halfday $30 for 4hrs. We ended up returning it early because we paddled the whole lake in about an hour and a half, and we weren't trying to. Thought the boat rental was a bit pricey for the size of the lake/places to explore. We also looked forward to going up to Owl's Head for sunset. We went up during the day and decided it would be beautiful at sunset so we planned to come back. We came back nearly an hour before sunset and found the gate was locked at the bottom of the drive. The signs said it was open until dusk, but apparently someone didn't know what dusk meant. Very disappointed!!! If you want to go to Owl's Head for sunset plan to hike up from the campground because you won't be able to drive up to the parking lot anytime close to sunset.

We stayed two nights in early September 2018. Easily found with google maps. Was greeted by a friendly staff member and shown how to get to our site. Arrived in the pitch black but was easy to find out site. Tent site #10.

It was very quiet, everyone seems to be enjoying their own spot. You can see your neighbors but there is some room in between sites. Clean bathrooms and relatively clean showers. Out site hand a picnic table and fire ring with grate.

We were a very short walk to the beach, where you could swim. Perfect spot to practice some night photography with minimal light pollution.

Also had a fire going all night by the building attached to the bathrooms. They offered wood, ice and small things to buy if needed.

Definitely recommend staying here. Pricing would be the only slight negative, it is about average from what we have looked at. Wish we could have stayed longer.

This campground is easy to access, though owing to that one can hear traffic on the nearby road. The lake is beautiful, clear and clean, and there is a beach with sand for swimming. We had our trail bikes so took advantage of the Montpelier-Wells Rail Trail (Cross Vermont Trail), accessible directly from the campground. The site was directly on the lake and clean. The folks working check-in were friendly and helpful. The lake is really nice for kayaking or swimming, and has some loons, but when we were there it carried lots of noise from other sites. The place is gorgeous, but a few knocks because of the noise level. I would go back again though!

Ricker Pond State Park literally has something for everyone! It’s located along with several other state parks in the Groton State Forest so there’s so much to do! Clear mountain lake? Check! Miles of stunning hiking trails? Check! Rail trails? Check! Horseback riding trails? Check! The park itself is quiet and heavily wooded with most sites being right on the water. You could explore the woods all day, cool off in the lake before dinner, and drift off to sleep listening to the calls of the loons. It’s a little piece of heaven! Oh yeah, and camping here gets you into all the nearby state parks for free! Bonus exploration!

A quiet camp ground on Ricker Pond, a motor free pond, is a wonderful way to spend the weekend. The pond is serene and a great place to swim, paddle, explore, and fish.

If you paddle or swim to the other side of the camp ground, there is a huge rock with a rope swing.

My favorite is to get sites 22 & 23 and have awesome water access, places to hang hammocks, just across from the bathrooms but down the hill enough to not be bothered by the comings and goings.

There ishiking close by as well.

Staying at Ricker Pond was awesome. It was late in the season and mid week so it was pretty quiet around the park. Also super close to some great hikes like owls head. The pond is really nice especially since very few motor boats are on the pond. Mostly just kayaks and canoes which you can rent from the park.

We stayed here in early August 2016 with friends and kids. The tent only loop is so private and perfect for kids biking and swimming. Nice pavilion and the pond was wonderful for canoes and kayaks.