Favorite Boondocking Spot in Northeast?

[sscheitel]

Hey folks
I am very new to the RV world. I've owned a tent for the better part of my 43 year existence.

We recently got a TT and would like to plan a week long excursion to a boon docking location somewhere in the northeast.

Any suggestions would be great. Just looking for a nice secluded place where we can get away and let loose. We would be traveling with 5 other families that also on TT's...a group of about 40 folks including children.

Thanks..

[Steve_B_]

CObscook Bay State Park on the coast of Maine is a beautiful place if you want separate sites and are a quiet group as that is what people go there for. No alcohol allowed either. Some good hiking in the area, large picnic area available. Hot showers, pit toilets. Great scenery. No cell service or wifi.

[ryegatevt]

loggenrock wrote:
5 trailers, 40 people??? That's quite an environmental impact on any true "boondocking" site. Better to stick to dry (no hook-ups) camping at state and National Forest established campgrounds. Most boondocking sites in New England can really only accommodate 1 or possibly 2 campers at a time on them. ST

All those folks in one party? Let us know what place you decide on so we'll be sure not to intrude on your fun!

[Padlin]

Many state and COE campgrounds have group sites, like this COE.

Indian Hollow

And here's a local to me state park that has a group site, #000.

DAR State Park

Might be hard to get this summer though. As you are new, you may not yet have experienced that it's getting harder and harder to get sites.

[DownTheAvenue]

sscheitel wrote:


We recently got a TT and would like to plan a week long excursion to a boon docking location somewhere in the northeast.

We would be traveling with 5 other families that also on TT's...a group of about 40 folks including children.

Thanks..

Those numbers require reservations in a commercial campground set up to accomodate large groups and rallys. Boondocking opportunities in the Northeast are severely limited for one or two rigs. 6 rigs and 40 people...forget it.

[loggenrock]

5 trailers, 40 people??? That's quite an environmental impact on any true "boondocking" site. Better to stick to dry (no hook-ups) camping at state and National Forest established campgrounds. Most boondocking sites in New England can really only accommodate 1 or possibly 2 campers at a time on them. ST

[mbopp]

There are first come - first served sites in the Adirondacks but nothing that would accomodate a group of trailers. But don't count on getting one during the summer - they're continuously full. Ditto for sites in the Allegheny National Forest in NW Pa.
DB was able to get a group site in the Loleta cg in the ANF (US Forest Service). No hookups, water available, but no dump station.
If you reserve early enough you could get a string of sites in one of the NYS DEC campgrounds in the Adirondacks or Catskills. Or pick one of the developed cg's in the ANF (Red Bridge is our favorite) and get a bunch of sites.
Pa State cg's have a "no alcohol" policy FYI. I see a lot of red Dixie cups though, but the rule is a good way to prevent the loud, roudy parties.

[DrewE]

There are some boondocking and dispersed camping spots available in the Green Mountain national forest in Vermont. How well you'd be able to do that with a group of varied people using travel trailers I cannot say. (For that matter, I haven't yet had any experience boondocking here myself.) Here's an unofficial but informative page with some details.

As was already mentioned, the Maine north woods offer rather more in the way of primitive camping in the middle of nowhere. Do be aware that there are vehicle and trailer length limits (more restrictive than on the public roads).

The Vermont state park campgrounds uniformly do not have hookups. They tend to be wooded with a little bit of separation between sites and are generally well-kept in my experience, but certainly not isolated wilderness camping (for ones which are accessible by vehicle). On the weekends, at least, you will have neighbors and probably would want to make reservations for a large group if not for an individual. Many of the state parks in surrounding states are also relatively primitive, though there are some with at least partial hookups.

Don't entirely overlook upstate New York for public campgrounds, either. They have some very nice state parks and DEC campgrounds (two separate governmental agencies).

[Dennis12]

The Smoke Holes in West Virginia. Unbelievable scenery with the river stocked with trout if you like fishing.
Monongahela National Forest Big Bend Campground
www.fs.usda.gov
Upper Tract, WV 26866
(304) 567-3082
43 RV Sites · 45 Tent Sites
$22.00 - $40.00
April 1 to October 29
Kayaking · Hiking · Fishing · Canoeing

[kerrlakeRoo]

With you trying to keep a group of several families together maybe you should start with the state parks, many have group sites that may fit your needs. Otherwise you may be looking at upstate NY or Maine.

[jplante4]

Tom is correct. If you want a real boondocking experience in the northeast, I would head up to Aroostook County in Maine. Logging roads and moose and not much else.

There are a few state parks around that have no hookups and offer space between you and your neighbors. Shawme Crowell SP on Cape Cod comes to mind. You may have a hard time finding 6 sites during the summer though.

Also, in PA there is North/South SP.

[Tvov]

Very few places in southern New England where you can truly "boondock" - which I would take to mean finding a logging road in the woods and pull off somewhere to camp.

Hopefully someone here with experience with northern New England will give advice.

A lot of state parks, though, that are "rustic" (no hookups) are around!

How much experience do you have "camping" at RV campgrounds? The way reservations work (or don't, lol!), hookups, septic, campground rules (both written and unwritten)?

One issue you may have is trying to get campsites for 6 campers (yours and 5 others if I am understanding you) at this late date. What will really open up your options is if you plan on camping from Sunday night until Friday morning, skipping the weekend. Most campgrounds have plenty of room during the week, but weekends can be busy.

Hammonassette State Park in Connecticut may have room for a bunch of campers during the week. Right on Long Island Sound. Majority of campsites have no hookups - some electric only sites might be available at the last minute. Campsites here are flat and really big.

A long trip you may find really cool is to drive up to Acadia in Maine. For there, you certainly need to make reservations early, but we love going there.

You've got lots of camping adventures ahead of you!

[sscheitel]

oh also feel free to recommend the best RV campgrounds too....we plan on doing ALOT of traveling.

Right now we are planning short distance week long stays and will live out of the TT for the week. Really fun times!!