Best Camping Spots in Vermont

Vermont's camping works because nearly every site sits within easy reach of a hike, a paddle, or a swimming lake, making the state especially well suited to repeated weekend trips rather than one long annual expedition.

Smugglers' Notch Area Camping

Camping near the Notch puts visitors within reach of one of the state's most dramatic scenic corridors, with cool mountain nights and direct access to some of Vermont's best day-use hiking terrain right from the campsite.

Lake State Park Campgrounds

Campgrounds around Lake Bomoseen and Lake St. Catherine anchor Vermont's summer identity as much as its ski and foliage reputation, giving campers direct swimming and boating access that keeps these parks busy through the warmer months.

Green River Reservoir State Park

One of the few motor-free lakes in the Vermont state park system, Green River Reservoir offers remote, walk-in and paddle-in campsites along an undeveloped shoreline, drawing campers specifically looking for quiet paddling rather than powerboat traffic.

Quechee and Central Vermont Sites

Central Vermont campgrounds tend to work well for mixed-use family trips, balancing easy sightseeing, short hikes, and nearby town access without demanding the more serious commitment of a mountain-adjacent backcountry site.

Northeast Kingdom Camping

The Northeast Kingdom offers the state's quietest and most atmospheric camping, appealing directly to visitors who want a more rural, less developed Vermont than the busier central corridor provides.

What Makes Vermont Good for Camping

Vermont isn't trying to compete with the scale of backcountry camping out west — its real strength is density: enough good sites, close enough together, that a genuine outdoor weekend rarely requires more than a short drive to reach.