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Lauren Dana Ellman
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Schoodic Woods Campground topped The Dyrt’s 2026 regional ranking thanks to its peaceful forest setting, spacious campsites, and proximity to Maine’s dramatic coastline.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/TAL-schoodic-woods-campground-acadia-BSTNECAMPGROUND1026-53a31844b7ee4182954f56dce50e49b4.jpg "A facility at Schoodic Woods Campground in Acadia National Park.Credit: Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Portland Press Herald via Getty Images")
A facility at Schoodic Woods Campground in Acadia National Park.
Credit: Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Portland Press Herald via Getty Images
Throughout the Northeast, campgrounds can vary in landscape and available activities, even when they’re just a drive apart. Along Maine’s rocky coastline, campers can wake up to ocean views and spend their days exploring Acadia National Park. Farther inland, the White Mountains offer secluded sites surrounded by forest, while upstate New York’s lakes and waterfalls provide plenty of reasons to venture beyond the tent.
And while the region has plenty of campgrounds to choose from, outdoor gear site The Dyrt’s 2026 Best Places to Camp Regional Awards may have made the decision a bit easier thanks to its Northeast winners. Now in its sixth year, the awards draw on reviews and ratings from the site’s camping community, along with each campground’s reputation and previous accolades. This year’s winners range from free, rustic campsites in New Hampshire to a family-friendly camping resort in Massachusetts.
Schoodic Woods Campground in Acadia National Park, near Winter Harbor, Maine, came in first place, and it’s easy to see why. Located on the scenic Schoodic Peninsula, away from the busier Mount Desert Island section of the park, the campground has 200 forest-surrounded sites suited for tent camping and RVs. Visitors frequently praise the campground’s cleanliness, privacy, and well-spaced sites. For more coastal scenery, the six-mile Schoodic Loop Road winds past rocky shores and Schoodic Point, where Atlantic waves crash against granite ledges. After sunset, the campground’s dark skies make it an excellent spot for stargazing.
Some 315 miles away, Massachusetts’ Normandy Farms Campground placed second. Located in Foxborough, just 30 miles southwest of Boston, the property feels more like a resort than a traditional campground, with four pools, a fishing pond, a recreation center, and accommodations ranging from RV sites to yurts and cabins.
In third place, Town Hall Road Dispersed Camping in New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest offers a completely different experience. Its free campsites are scattered along a forest road, with no bathrooms, hookups, or cell service. Despite the lack of amenities, the campground’s secluded setting has earned it a spot among The Dyrt’s top three in the Northeast for three consecutive years.
Across the region’s winning campsites, New York and Massachusetts were the only states with two campgrounds in the top 10. Along with second-place Normandy Farms, Massachusetts was represented by Lake Dennison Recreation Area, which ranked seventh. In New York, Letchworth State Park Campground placed sixth. Often called the Grand Canyon of the East, the park is known for its dramatic Genesee River gorge, cliffs reaching 600 feet, and three major waterfalls. Campers can explore 66 miles of trails or try whitewater rafting and hot-air ballooning. Watkins Glen State Park Campground, in the Finger Lakes region, ranked eighth.
Campgrounds remaining on the list include Delaware’s Trap Pond State Park, where visitors can paddle among bald cypress trees; Maryland’s Assateague State Park, known for its wild horses; Vermont’s Quechee State Park; and Pennsylvania’s Kentuck Campground at Ohiopyle State Park, famous for its scenic hiking trails and cascading waterfalls.
See the full ranking of winners below.
A facility at Schoodic Woods Campground in Acadia National Park.
Credit: Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Portland Press Herald via Getty Images
Throughout the Northeast, campgrounds can vary in landscape and available activities, even when they’re just a drive apart. Along Maine’s rocky coastline, campers can wake up to ocean views and spend their days exploring Acadia National Park. Farther inland, the White Mountains offer secluded sites surrounded by forest, while upstate New York’s lakes and waterfalls provide plenty of reasons to venture beyond the tent.
And while the region has plenty of campgrounds to choose from, outdoor gear site The Dyrt’s 2026 Best Places to Camp Regional Awards may have made the decision a bit easier thanks to its Northeast winners. Now in its sixth year, the awards draw on reviews and ratings from the site’s camping community, along with each campground’s reputation and previous accolades. This year’s winners range from free, rustic campsites in New Hampshire to a family-friendly camping resort in Massachusetts.
Schoodic Woods Campground in Acadia National Park, near Winter Harbor, Maine, came in first place, and it’s easy to see why. Located on the scenic Schoodic Peninsula, away from the busier Mount Desert Island section of the park, the campground has 200 forest-surrounded sites suited for tent camping and RVs. Visitors frequently praise the campground’s cleanliness, privacy, and well-spaced sites. For more coastal scenery, the six-mile Schoodic Loop Road winds past rocky shores and Schoodic Point, where Atlantic waves crash against granite ledges. After sunset, the campground’s dark skies make it an excellent spot for stargazing.
Some 315 miles away, Massachusetts’ Normandy Farms Campground placed second. Located in Foxborough, just 30 miles southwest of Boston, the property feels more like a resort than a traditional campground, with four pools, a fishing pond, a recreation center, and accommodations ranging from RV sites to yurts and cabins.
In third place, Town Hall Road Dispersed Camping in New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest offers a completely different experience. Its free campsites are scattered along a forest road, with no bathrooms, hookups, or cell service. Despite the lack of amenities, the campground’s secluded setting has earned it a spot among The Dyrt’s top three in the Northeast for three consecutive years.
Across the region’s winning campsites, New York and Massachusetts were the only states with two campgrounds in the top 10. Along with second-place Normandy Farms, Massachusetts was represented by Lake Dennison Recreation Area, which ranked seventh. In New York, Letchworth State Park Campground placed sixth. Often called the Grand Canyon of the East, the park is known for its dramatic Genesee River gorge, cliffs reaching 600 feet, and three major waterfalls. Campers can explore 66 miles of trails or try whitewater rafting and hot-air ballooning. Watkins Glen State Park Campground, in the Finger Lakes region, ranked eighth.
Campgrounds remaining on the list include Delaware’s Trap Pond State Park, where visitors can paddle among bald cypress trees; Maryland’s Assateague State Park, known for its wild horses; Vermont’s Quechee State Park; and Pennsylvania’s Kentuck Campground at Ohiopyle State Park, famous for its scenic hiking trails and cascading waterfalls.
See the full ranking of winners below.
- Schoodic Woods Campground — Maine
- Normandy Farms Campground — Massachusetts
- Town Hall Road Dispersed — New Hampshire
- Trap Pond State Park Campground — Delaware
- Assateague State Park Campground — Maryland
- Letchworth State Park Campground — New York
- Lake Dennison Recreation Area Campground — Massachusetts
- Watkins Glen State Park Campground — New York
- Quechee State Park Campground — Vermont
- Kentuck Campground — Ohiopyle State Park, Pennsylvania