River, stream, or creek and dog-friendly camping in Connecticut
Rolling forests, sandy beaches, and rural retreats give campers options in the Nutmeg State.
93% (451 reviews)
- Connecticut
93% (451 reviews)
Popular camping styles for Connecticut
Under $50
Dog-friendly getaways
11 top river, stream, or creek and dog-friendly campgrounds in Connecticut
100%
(7)
Freedom Farm Homestead Campground
9 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents13 acres · New Milford, CT
Welcome to Freedom Farm Homestead Campground, a serene oasis nestled on 13 acres of picturesque landscapes, including open fields, tranquil trails, and a rejuvenating creek. Immerse yourself in nature's embrace and reconnect with your spirit as you explore our grounds.
At Freedom Farm, we believe in the harmony of mind, body, and soul, and our campground offers the perfect setting for spiritual renewal and self-reflection. Whether you prefer to pitch your own tent under the starlit sky or indulge in the comforts of our furnished tents, you'll find solace and serenity amidst our verdant surroundings.
As stewards of the land, we embrace the principles of self-sustainability and holistic living, and our campground reflects this ethos. Wander through our organic gardens, visit our resident chickens, or simply bask in the tranquility of nature's rhythms.
With amenities such as private bathrooms, WiFi, and a swimming pool, we invite you to unwind and recharge in our rustic yet comfortable retreat. RV and car camping options are also available for those seeking a simpler, more nomadic experience.
Escape the hustle and bustle of city life and embark on a journey of self-discovery at Freedom Farm Homestead Campground. Come, explore, and find your inner peace amidst the beauty of nature.
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Trash
Cooking equipment
from
$60
/ night
100%
(2)
Glamping with the Wild Horses
11 sites · Lodging, Tents150 acres · Sterling, CT
Enjoy all that our beautiful 150 acres mustang sanctuary has to offer - you can even bring your own horse! 100% of net proceeds go to our 501c3 nonprofit’s mission to promote, train and adopt out America’s wild mustangs. Our property has over five miles of trails, seasonal blueberry and huckleberry picking, and one-of-a-kind experiences like hiking along side our free roaming herd of formerly wild mustangs, exploring the property on our off road safari tours, yoga in our dome and more! Check out our website and sign up for our email list for updates: wildridect.org/email
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
Trash
from
$20
/ night
94%
(54)
The Sandbox Campground
3 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents12 acres · Groton, CT
The Sandbox campground was born from The Sandbox Indoor Beach Sports and Events facility, which mainly focuses on providing year round beach volleyball.
We bought the property in 2015 and opened the facility in 2019.
As it happens, it's a 12+ acre lot surrounded by wetlands, hiking and biking trails ... there will never be another building built within view of our facility.
We are surrounded by nature, and will be forever.
So what a great opportunity to offer camping and access to all of the forests, woodlands, wetlands and trails around! And if you're up for it, come play some beach volleyball and meet new lifelong friends :)
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
Trash
from
$60
/ night
99%
(162)
Mickelberry Forest Gardens
2 sites · RVs, Tents4 acres · Newtown , CT
The meadow we occupy was once the farmers property that I grew up next to at my parents farm house. When he wanted to sell his property he offered it to us for purchase at a fair price if we would not develop more than we needed to live here. We maintained the meadow adjacent to our property and have kept it as an agricultural site. We have had our son who is a permaculture expert develop an edible forest garden and a unique diversified small orchard so we can eat and share healthy organic fruits and vegetables while helping our environment and wildlife and educating others to do the same. It is expensive to live in Newtown but we love our property. We want to teach others to grow food from their land while helping to support us keeping our adjacent property agricultural and undeveloped. Our property has provided many happy gatherings and events and we love to share it with others. Let us know if there is anything special we can help provide for you. Come visit Mickleberry!!!
Learn more about this land:Thank you to all the wonderful friends we have met through this amazing program. We regret that our community at this time does now allow for "transient" renting of property and I unknowingly was operating outside of the zoning rules and regulations of our town. Please continue to get outside and enjoy all the beautiful places and spaces this world has to offer and keep in touch. We love you all! Thank you for your support! Bill and Amy Enjoy your stay next to our edible forest garden on the Edge of a beautiful meadow along side the orchard of berries, nuts and fruit trees. Various seasons will offer you an opportunity to pick your own breakfast in our maturing establishment. You can enjoy exploring, and examining our 7 year permacultuire food forest with chestnut seedlings already tall enough to climb , 10-foot hazels bearing buckets of nuts and a different selection of raspberries, blackberries, gooseberry, currents, golden berries, service berries and Mulberries. Enjoy a stroll through the meadow trail to breath in morning views and evening fireflies and stars. This camp area is very private but household amenities are not far away if desired. This site is much more private than Mickelberry Forest Garden Site and the beautiful mountain view is only a small step away. One mile away we offer nearby blue mark trails, mountain biking, lake and outdoor activities are at your fingertips and your hosts will be happy to provide any assistance needed to find or enjoy these opportunities. The Creamery (Ferris Acres) is one of the best farm ice cream shops in the East. We can provide breakfast upon request from our free range chickens on our kiwi lined deck with beautiful mountain views. Come and enjoy the croak of the bullfrog and the sound of the crickets. We are new and growing our amenities so at this time check the overview for available amenities but you can guarantee we won't disappoint. Come visit Mickelberry Forest Garden and The Meadow's Edge our newest most private site!!!
Potable water
Campfires
Trash
from
$60
/ night
82%
(17)
Lincoln Kirstein
1 site · RV, Tent4 acres · Weston, CT
Private compound
Close to Merritt Parkway and I95
1 hour from NYC
Hidden off the main road
800 ft long single lane driveway
Quite camp; peaceful with access to town center grocery and gas station
15-20 minutes to metro north train stations
Flat parking for vans and small to medium size rvs
Hiking trails and bike jumps on and right of the property
1-mile trail behind house to town center
Beautiful birds chirping, wildlife, and nature
You will love this spot
Toilets
Campfires
Trash
from
$40
/ night
100%
(5)
Water Forest Retreat
3 sites · Lodging56 acres · Bozrah, CT
This property has been in my family for three generations. It is classic Connecticut with hills and streams and stone walls.
The octagon is a private 122 ft.² that is electrified and heated. It has a full size bed, cabinet and table with chairs. It sits next to a brook on 56 acres of forest with a pond, small waterfall, marsh and 2 1/2 miles of hiking trails. There is a fire pit and outdoor dining area next to the octagon. Out house with composting toilet close to octagon is heated. A great place to rejuvenate in the forest! Dogs welcome.
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
Trash
from
$125
/ night
100%
(508)
Vernal Heights
6 sites · Tents70 acres · Colebrook, CT
The Farm was built in the mid 1700's on the same track of land. Hike in or drive to your campsite. Site #5 & 6 are accessible with a 4x4. Site #3 is located in a blueberry field. It's car accessible but in close proximity to the Farm. Site #1 & 2 are Hike in sites(1/2 mile). The farm is surrounded by thousands of acres of conservancy and preserve land. Enjoy nature at its finest!! Camp in a field of fire flies or a remote site surrounded by old growth trees and Mt laurel blossoms. This is a Nature Preserve!! Please be kind to the Trees and Wildlife that inhabit the land!!
Campfires
from
$55
/ night
Booked 1 time
Skunk Hollow
1 site · Lodging30 acres · Ashford, CT
Secluded 30 acre lot with 3 cabins, two for sleeping and one is a kitchen cabin, fire pit and outhouse.
Pond with paddle boat and brook on site. Access to hiking trails along the brook onto public land trust.
Close to Brimfield, Westford hill distillery, Fenton Ruby wildlife reserve and other state parks.
Enjoy dark nights and peaceful surroundings
Toilets
Campfires
Trash
Cooking equipment
from
$175
/ night
100%
(1)
Saltmarsh Haven
1 site · LodgingOld Saybrook, CT
Acquired in the 1930s from our Sicilian grandparents, our property is a salt marsh waterfront and has retained its original unique character. We are a shabby beach chic 3 bedroom cottage (sleeps 6 comfortably) just down the street from three private beaches on the Long Island Sound. Great Hammock Beach is quiet and quaint in a tidal basin creating sandbars perfect for walking at low tide just off the dock! Enjoy kayaking, paddle boarding, kiting, fishing, and viewing wildlife in our protected and preserved surroundings. Perfect for the outdoors type as we have no heat (except for space heaters). There is a large outdoor shower only which is open to the sky and perfect for star-gazing in the steam! Beautiful sunrises to the east of the marsh and breathtaking sunsets to the west over the Sound will make your stay magical and memorable forever!Learn more about this land:Charming beach cottage is comfortable and quaint surrounded by the salt marsh and Long Island Sound, thus called Great Hammock Beach. Awesome natural habitat for fishing, kiting, kayaking, paddle boarding, and communing with wildlife. Guests must bring own linens and paper goods. There is no indoor shower, however, our large outdoor shower is privately enclosed and makes for a unique bathing experience open to the sky and billions of stars! While there are a few blankets inside the house, please note there is no heat except for a couple space heaters. Perfect for the outdoors lover! Also, the owners live on the property at the small rear cottage at all times.
Potable water
Toilets
Showers
Trash
from
$325
/ night
99%
(43)
Deer Mountain Farm
1 site · Tent70 acres · Sharon, CT
Since 1800.Learn more about this land:Privacy, exclusivity and serenityJoin us at Deer Mountain Farm, nestled on a plateau at the top of Deer Mountain, near the Sharon/West Cornwall border in Connecticut's legendary and historic Northwest Corner, surrounded by unspoiled forest land and beautiful distant hills. Deer Mountain Farm offers the ultimate in privacy, with 70 acres of land, no neighbors in sight or earshot, and no other campers to disturb you. Our beautiful old farm features 30 acres of fields and 40 acres of forest preserved for wildflowers and wildlife, a mere 3,000 feet from the Appalachian Trail. Located at the very top of the hill on a dead end road that terminates at the state forest, we are blessed with complete quiet, zero traffic, and no noisy neighbors.To ensure the ultimate in tranquility and privacy, we offer only a single campsite situated at the edge of an expanse of fields filled with wildflowers. You will never be disturbed by other campers because we only host a single group at a time.We maintain the property in such as a way as to provide maximum hospitality to local wildlife. Grasses in the fields are allowed to grow long, and the forest is kept relatively untouched, providing excellent habitats and food sources for ground-nesting birds. A dizzying array of circular pathways wind their way through the fields.On a recent birding walk with an expert from Audubon, we spotted at least twenty species of bird, including Grey Catbird, Eastern Towhee, Chestnut-sided Warbler, American Redstart, Red-eyed Vireo, Veery, Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat, Song Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Yellow Warbler, Purple Finch, Tufted Titmouse, Brown-headed Cowbird, Black-capped Chickadee, Bluebird, Black-and-white Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, Pileated Woodpecker, Tree Swallow, Red-shouldered Hawk, Eastern Phoebe, Mourning Dove and many others.Take a path through the woods to a dirt road that leads you straight to the Appalachian Trail (past a singularly ambitious beaver pond) and enjoy a day hike, or simply enjoy the stillness and the incredible variety of bird sounds. Spot the occasional coyote, bobcat, or bear in the quiet and watch the raptors circle overhead as they hunt rodents in the fields. Deer Mountain Farm is bordered by 3,500 acres of preserved State Forest land, teeming with birds, whitetail deer, coyotes, wild turkey, possums, occasional bears, bobcats -- just to name those creatures we spot regularly around the farm. The Appalachian Trail runs right through this stretch.At the bottom of our little mountain runs the Housatonic River, a very popular destination for fly-fishing and canoeing. Electric bikes can be rented in the nearby village of West Cornwall. Kent Falls is about 15 minutes down the road, also a great place for a day trip. Explore the area, then return to your secluded campsite to enjoy the sunset in a chorus of tree frogs and birdsong.The large swamp just down the hill through the woods is a very popular spot for passing birds and other wildlife. An Appalachian Trail campsite provides paths down to the water for bathing.Enjoy the bounty of outdoor activities the Northwest Corner has to offer, then enjoy the absolute peace and stillness of Deer Mountain Farm.The SiteOur single Hipcamp campsite is about 500 feet from the dead-end road, separated by a grove of sumac and a stone wall. Very private but only a short stroll from the main house where indoor facilities, including bathroom and shower, are provided exclusively for campers. As we are located at the top of a small mountain with consistent winds, directly bordered by the state forest, and our property consists largely of grasslands and forest, we do not allow traditional campfires on the site. However, we provide both a charcoal grill and a small firepit that may be used by campers, weather and aridity permitting.At Deer Mountain Farm, we live surrounded by wildlife and the beauty of nature and hope to share this magic with you.
Potable water
Toilets
Showers
Trash
from
$75
/ night
100%
(1)
Pleasant Valley Farm
6 sites · RVs, Tents45 acres · Colchester, CT
Colchester 670 old hartford rd a 45 Acre farm with 4500 ft of frontage on the airline trail. 2500 ft of frontage on Jeremy River. Very private. Lots of nature and wildlife. Large fields to camp in or camp by the river. The river will have to be accessed by foot from a cart path and would be tent camping only there.
Gravel pit and quarry is strictly off limits. Do not enter that area or you will be asked to leave.
Campfires
Trash
from
$45
/ night
Star Hosts in Connecticut
Available this weekend
Nearby parks
Explore the area’s public lands.
River, stream, or creek and dog-friendly camping in Connecticut guide
Overview
What it lacks in size—this tiny New England state is just 110 miles in length—Connecticut makes up for in landscapes and rural charm. Whether you’re hiking part of the Appalachian Trail or the New England National Scenic Trail, cycling or horseback riding through the state parks, or kayaking and paddleboarding at the beach, campers will find plenty to entice them out of the city. While summer sees Connecticut’s beach resorts brimming with vacationers, New England’s rolling woodlands and epic hikes are most spectacular in fall, when the countryside is ablaze with autumn colors.
Where to go
Litchfield and the Northwest
The sweeping woodlands and patchwork slopes of the Litchfield Hills afford some of Connecticut’s most enchanting views. This is the spot for fall foliage walks, leisurely bike rides, and trout fishing along the Housatonic River. Hop between the chocolate-box villages of Kent, Cornwall Bridge, and Litchfield; dine at farm-to-table restaurants; then park your RV or pitch your tent at Lake Waramaug State Park, Housatonic Meadows State Park, or Macedonia Brook State Park.
Fairfield and the Southwest
A ferry ride from Long Island and a short drive from NYC, coastal Fairfield fills up with weekending New Yorkers come the summer months. Check into a beachside cabin or seafront RV park at beach resorts like Stamford, Bridgeport, and Fairfield, or head inland to hike in the hills, admire the mansion houses and golf courses of Greenwich, or go glamping in the woods.
Hartford and Central Connecticut
While the state capital of Hartford is the biggest draw to Connecticut’s central region, pastoral farmlands, pretty villages, and state parks dot the banks of the Connecticut River Valley. The best camping options are in the state parks, whether you prefer a tranquil spot by the riverside in River Highlands State Park, boat-in camping at Selden Neck State Park, or exploring a medieval castle at Gillette Castle State Park.
Greater New Haven
Connecticut’s cultural capital and foodie hub, New Haven is famous for its prestigious museums, Yale University, and award-winning pizzerias. Hop between beach towns along the north shore of the Long Island Sound and you’ll find great family campgrounds, amusement parks, and sandy beaches, or pitch a tent right by the beach at Hammonasset Beach State Park. Further east, the white sand beaches of Rocky Neck State Park are a bird-watching hotspot, especially in spring.
Eastern Connecticut
You’ll find old-fashioned seaside resorts, and leafy country escapes in equal measures in south-eastern Connecticut’s Mystic Country. Once you’ve hit the beach and the seafront casinos, head inland to cruise the Thames River, drive the National Scenic Byway of Route 169, or fish and paddle at Mashamoquet Brook and Hopeville Pond state parks.
Top regions in and near Connecticut
Safety at Hipcamp
Hipcamp is created with ❤️ and hope for our future.