Campgrounds and RV parks near Killington Village, VT

Hiking is the headline activity. Gifford Woods State Park has direct Appalachian Trail access and a short Kent Brook loop, and it protects a rare old-growth hardwood stand designated as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service. The Long Trail is reachable nearby via the AT/LT junction. Kent Pond, across Route 100 from Gifford Woods, offers fishing and quiet paddling with a boat ramp. Silver Lake State Park has a sandy swimming beach and typically rents kayaks, canoes, and other small craft through the park office in season. Campers at Coolidge State Park may use the swim beach at Camp Plymouth State Park at no extra charge. Killington Resort runs lift-served mountain biking and gondola rides in summer, and Pine Hill Park in Rutland has a well-known network of singletrack bike trails.

Vermont State Parks in this area follow a short operating season. Gifford Woods, Coolidge, Silver Lake, and Camp Plymouth all run roughly from the Friday of Memorial Day weekend through mid-October, with exact closing dates varying slightly. Off-season camping is available in the state park system from November 1 through March 30, but off-season sites are hike-in only and cannot be reached by RV. Summer brings warm days, cool nights at elevation, and the most reliable camping weather, along with frequent afternoon thundershowers. Black bears are active at both Gifford Woods and Coolidge, so food and coolers must be stored in a locked vehicle or in the bear-proof lockers and central bins the parks provide. Fall foliage is the peak booking window. Coolidge and Gifford Woods are especially popular for autumn colors, with peak leaf color typically arriving in the first week or two of October. Winter closes state park campgrounds entirely; the surrounding area shifts to skiing at Killington and Pico, with snowshoeing and ice fishing on nearby lakes.

These are rustic state park campgrounds. Expect flush toilets, hot and cold running water, and coin or token-operated showers at Gifford Woods, Coolidge, and Silver Lake. None of the four state parks offer site hookups. Gifford Woods and Coolidge each provide an RV sanitary dump station but no water or electric at sites. Camp Plymouth offers cabins, lean-tos, and tent/RV sites along with group camping. Rig size matters. The entrance road to Coolidge State Park is steep and narrow and is challenging for large trailers, with access generally limited to shorter RVs. Silver Lake has narrow, winding interior loops. Cell service can be spotty at Gifford Woods, so download maps in advance. Bring layers year-round; mountain elevations mean cool mornings even in midsummer.