Campgrounds and RV parks near Richmond, VT

Hiking is the primary draw. Four trails lead to the summit ridge of Mount Mansfield from Underhill State Park, and the Sunset Ridge Trail, three miles to the summit, is the most popular. Little River State Park has miles of trails through Mount Mansfield State Forest, including the Dalley Loop past old settlement ruins. Mt Philo offers a short summit walk suitable for young kids and delivers Champlain Valley views. Water activities center on the Waterbury Reservoir, where Little River State Park has swimming and boat access for campers. Lake Champlain, reached via Shelburne, adds paddling, sailing, and larger public beaches. Off-trail options include the Ben and Jerry's factory tour in Waterbury, the Shelburne Museum, Burlington's waterfront and bike path, and the farms and cideries along Route 100.

Vermont's state park campgrounds operate on a limited season. Underhill runs from the Friday of Memorial Day weekend through the second Monday in October, and most other Vermont state parks follow a similar Memorial Day to Columbus Day weekend window. Winter camping is not offered as a standard service at these parks, and RV travelers relying on state facilities should plan trips between late May and mid-October. Summer brings the warmest weather and the busiest campgrounds. July and August weekends fill quickly, and popular sites at Little River often book far ahead. Biting insects, particularly blackflies in late May and June and mosquitoes near water through July, are a real factor. Fall foliage typically peaks in the Richmond area from late September into the first two weeks of October, which drives a second wave of demand. Sites still available in September often deliver the best conditions of the season: crisp nights, fewer bugs, and open trails. Private campgrounds like Shelburne Camping Area and Lone Pine Campsites tend to have longer operating seasons than the state parks.

Vermont state park campgrounds are rustic by design. Expect wooded sites, pit or flush toilets depending on the park, and no site hookups. Underhill has no showers, and all of its campsites are walk-in, so the park is best suited to tents and small trailers; larger rigs are better matched to Little River, Shelburne, or Lone Pine. Cell service is spotty once off Interstate 89 and Route 2. Bears are active throughout the region, so food storage rules are enforced. Firewood brought into Vermont state parks from outside the state must be packaged, labeled, and heat-treated, with certification from the USDA or another state's agriculture department. Expect cool nights even in July, thunderstorms on hot afternoons, and quiet hours that are enforced at state parks. Families with young kids do well at Little River and Mt Philo for the beach, playground, and short trail options.