October Mountain State Forest
October Mountain State Forest
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.0
74 reviews
Excellent
23
Very good
27
Average
11
Poor
10
Terrible
3
andy s
Brooklyn, NY1 contribution
Jul 2021
The prices in Massachusetts state campgrounds are obscene. A basic tent site here, with no services, runs $54 for out of state campers (it's only $17 for residents, and they check ID's). With the service fee, that's $58.50. That seems way out of line to me.
Written July 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Grace M
1 contribution
Aug 2021
The staff are super nice and the bathrooms are fine, but those are the only redeeming qualities of this campground. The sites are either in an open field or wooded, but with no vegetation between them and hardly any space between them either. You can see and hear everything your neighbors do. If you're looking for privacy and quiet, this is not the place for you.
Written August 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jimmy Sullivan
13 contributions
Jul 2024 • Friends
Great hiking, easy access. Good stop-off while passing through, I'll be back to really experience it! I will say it would be better if some of the access roads were a little more maintained, couple pot holes could have sunk our car!
Written July 23, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
briansnat
Morris County, NJ103 contributions
Jul 2012 • Couples
The forest itself is nice, with some decent trails, but hikers beware, this is ATVers world. If you don't want to deal with the roar of engines and choking fumes go elsewhere.
The campground just plain stinks. Lower level is supposedly for trailers but being without any hookups few trailers use it. It is open and the sites are right on top of each other. I was literally less than 10 feet from our neighbor's tent and could hear every snore, sneeze and cough as if it was in my tent. Heck I could probably hear the guy pick his nose we were so close.
Upper level is a little better with some space between the sites but again, the sites are open with no bushes or any privacy between them.
It's a quiet place on summer weekends until 11:15 when the Tanglewood crowd comes roaring in, then for about an hour you hear talking, doors slamming, the occasional accidental horn beep or car alarm going off, then as if a switch was turned off silence right about midnight. Well except for the incessant hum of the power station.
The campground just plain stinks. Lower level is supposedly for trailers but being without any hookups few trailers use it. It is open and the sites are right on top of each other. I was literally less than 10 feet from our neighbor's tent and could hear every snore, sneeze and cough as if it was in my tent. Heck I could probably hear the guy pick his nose we were so close.
Upper level is a little better with some space between the sites but again, the sites are open with no bushes or any privacy between them.
It's a quiet place on summer weekends until 11:15 when the Tanglewood crowd comes roaring in, then for about an hour you hear talking, doors slamming, the occasional accidental horn beep or car alarm going off, then as if a switch was turned off silence right about midnight. Well except for the incessant hum of the power station.
Written July 13, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
whitneyvillefolk
Hamden, CT1 contribution
Jul 2012 • Couples
we stayed at this campground for one night in early july. we arrived late at night after a tanglewood concert and hoped for a good night's sleep. instead, we heard a droning/humming noise ALL NIGHT LONG and finally figured out that it was coming from the power station that stands RIGHT OUTSIDE the entrance to the campground (not the place one expects to find a power station). the campground is quite small, and our site was very exposed, just off the road. we saw a couple of other sites that were more private. we won't return to this particular campground.
Written July 7, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kevin L
Somerville, Massachusetts, United States5 contributions
Jun 2019 • Family
There are a lot of misleading reviews about this campground, so I wasn't sure what to expect going into it. This is a small campground located in the heart of the Berkshires. There were a lot of complaints online about the how noisy the transfer station across the street is, so I'll address that first. It is true, you can hear a light hum from the station when you're in the campground. But I have lived in Boston proper, Somerville, and Cambridge, and can say it is significantly quieter than any of them. I now live in NH and on any given day can hear cars in the distance, chainsaws, kids, and planes, and feel that it's still quieter than that. And I have also camped at a lot of campgrounds in the white mountains, where often at night you can hear 93, or the local race track. So there's some negligible white noise, but honestly if you want quiet camp some where your car isn't parked 5 feet away, or that you can't drive to. The bathrooms are very clean. I have not stayed in many campgrounds with facilities this nice, and I'd much rather use these than a Dunks or a rest area bathroom any day. If you think they're bad I'd recommend you try a campground with vault toilets, then get back to me. Sites 1 though about 24 are all more less designed for RVs. The very nature of an RV provides you with privacy, so these sites are designed to make parking a trailer on them easy. Trees and RVs just don't mix, so they're not that wooded which can make them feel really exposed to tenters. That being said, they're far better than an RV park or similar style campground. Sites 35 through 38 are fairly wooded with easy access to the bathroom, I'd say these are the best sites. You can hear the bathrooms at these sites, but again if you don't want to hear toilets or doors camp where you have dig your own. 41 through 44 are also nice, with 45 being a little exposed to the road. 25 through 30 feel exposed. They also sit below the grade of the road which makes them feel a little more private at night by the fire. In general I would not recommend these sites to anyone with mobility issues as you have to walk up and down the hill to your car. 33 and 34 are very exposed, and I personally would only stay there if there was nothing else left. We stayed in 31 and our friends stayed at 32. These two sites were also exposed, but the only people that come up the hill are people at the yurts. These sites weren't great, as I prefer really wooded sites, but they were perfect for camping with another family. It basically felt like we had one huge site with a lot of space for the kids to run and play, and the tactical advantage of the hill gave us perfect site lines of the kids playing. I would not put a trailer on these sites as there is a significant dip in the road that will cause you to bottom out. The yurts are very nice. If you want a fluffy bed, linens, a cleaning lady, and your bed made for you, stay at the Hilton. But if you're ok with a camp style mattress, want some basic shelter, and power I'd recommend them. With the ceiling fan on they seemed well ventilated, and felt more private than a tent. I'd certainly try them. The final piece I wanted to comment on were the hosts. These guys were great. I called a head of time because I was going to be arriving late, and they were super accommodating. They never once bothered us, sold us some wood when it was just past close, and provided some great suggestions on local activities. At one point in the late evening a bear got into the dumpster and dragged trash everywhere. In no time at all they had cleaned up the mess and it was like nothing had ever happened. They clearly care about this campground, and are the reason why it's so clean and pleasant. So a big shout out to them. One final note, don't bring your own firewood. Western Mass has been devistated by the Emerald Ash Borer. Transporting firewood can just make this problem worse, so please just buy it there. $5 a bundle is reasonable.
Written June 19, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John D
Boston, MA221 contributions
Aug 2016 • Friends
This is my second trip to October Mountain State Forest's campground in the past few years. The last time I camped at Site #46 (which is relatively private).
This time, I got the LAST open spot - #44 (that's what I get for delaying proper planning for one of the busiest Tanglewood events of the season). That said, yes, this is the cheap alternative to expensive hotels within the same driving radius.
Yes, it means that if you are not there for the evening/night show at Tanglewood, be prepared to be woken up by the cars meandering back after the show way after quiet hours (10 PM).
On to specifics (re. Site #44):
It's right on the connecting road between the lower loop and the upper loop. So, yes, you hear traffic
It is diagonally across from the rest rooms at a higher elevation. You won't hear people talk, but you WILL hear the toilet flush when it gets quieter at night
The power station hum (that a lot of people have mentioned) - Yes. It is real but it didn't bother me as much. Think of it as white noise and soon you'll be able to ignore it.
The site itself is very large. We easily fit one car, one SUV and two mid-size tents with ample place to move around the bench and the fire grate. The site has two trees, so you can opt to pitch your tent under one of them so the rain doesn't hit you with unbridled fury!
The staff is very friendly and courteous on the phone (I had to change my arrival date to a day later) and in person (during check in)
All in all, I'd camp here again, but I will plan better and hope to get Site #46!
(Oh, spiders... I forgot to mention that! I had about 30+ daddy-long-leg spiders and a few other kinds of spiders taking shelter under my tent's rain fly. Getting them all off before I folded the tent back took a while :-)
This time, I got the LAST open spot - #44 (that's what I get for delaying proper planning for one of the busiest Tanglewood events of the season). That said, yes, this is the cheap alternative to expensive hotels within the same driving radius.
Yes, it means that if you are not there for the evening/night show at Tanglewood, be prepared to be woken up by the cars meandering back after the show way after quiet hours (10 PM).
On to specifics (re. Site #44):
It's right on the connecting road between the lower loop and the upper loop. So, yes, you hear traffic
It is diagonally across from the rest rooms at a higher elevation. You won't hear people talk, but you WILL hear the toilet flush when it gets quieter at night
The power station hum (that a lot of people have mentioned) - Yes. It is real but it didn't bother me as much. Think of it as white noise and soon you'll be able to ignore it.
The site itself is very large. We easily fit one car, one SUV and two mid-size tents with ample place to move around the bench and the fire grate. The site has two trees, so you can opt to pitch your tent under one of them so the rain doesn't hit you with unbridled fury!
The staff is very friendly and courteous on the phone (I had to change my arrival date to a day later) and in person (during check in)
All in all, I'd camp here again, but I will plan better and hope to get Site #46!
(Oh, spiders... I forgot to mention that! I had about 30+ daddy-long-leg spiders and a few other kinds of spiders taking shelter under my tent's rain fly. Getting them all off before I folded the tent back took a while :-)
Written August 15, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
drjennifertuttle
Montpelier, VT1 contribution
Aug 2016 • Couples
We did not end up staying for the night that we booked, as the campground is right next to a power plant and this was not mentioned at all. The noise was the opposite of peaceful, and rattled our nerves, so we left and were not able to get a refund.
Written August 9, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
troy mcclure
Boston, MA1,010 contributions
Sep 2015 • Couples
We generally enjoyed our stay in the Yurts at October Mountain however there were a few drawbacks to our visit (mid September 2015). The biggest of which is the fact that the Hells Angels have a clubhouse just down the road and I guess were celebrating the end of Summer by having a big party. It started on Thursday night, our first night there. The sounds of guns, bikes and fireworks filled the air at night...and it only got louder as the weekend went along. We even returned from downtown Lee to see a small posse of mixed police officials down the road (apparently the film all the activity from the road - getting plates, etc.).
The other huge downside in my opinion is that the beds/bunks are too short for an average man by 4+ inches. I am 5'10" and I couldn't stretch out comfortably when you factor in for 2 pillows I was always touching the end and it frankly made for mediocre sleeping...at best. It's also a decent walk to the bathroom if your staying in a yurt. Surely they must realize with a 5 minute walk down the hill, people will be peeing in the woods as much as possible...but I guess they can live with that.
Other details: The people who work here are nice. Wood is $5 a bundle. No alcohol in state parks - is this really practical in 2015? There are three areas. Bottom circle appears to be for RVs/trailers. Middle loop is for tents. Upper loop has 3 Yurts and some camping sites. There are some hiking trails there as well. Overall the yurts are a tremendous value. They have some power and I would return for a night, maybe 2, but my back and I will be prepared next time...I do wish they could have made the bunk beds a few inches longer or maybe a foot longer for tall people.
The other huge downside in my opinion is that the beds/bunks are too short for an average man by 4+ inches. I am 5'10" and I couldn't stretch out comfortably when you factor in for 2 pillows I was always touching the end and it frankly made for mediocre sleeping...at best. It's also a decent walk to the bathroom if your staying in a yurt. Surely they must realize with a 5 minute walk down the hill, people will be peeing in the woods as much as possible...but I guess they can live with that.
Other details: The people who work here are nice. Wood is $5 a bundle. No alcohol in state parks - is this really practical in 2015? There are three areas. Bottom circle appears to be for RVs/trailers. Middle loop is for tents. Upper loop has 3 Yurts and some camping sites. There are some hiking trails there as well. Overall the yurts are a tremendous value. They have some power and I would return for a night, maybe 2, but my back and I will be prepared next time...I do wish they could have made the bunk beds a few inches longer or maybe a foot longer for tall people.
Written September 23, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RonaSomerville
Somerville, MA64 contributions
Aug 2013 • Couples
We were there as day hikers. It took us a bit over an hour to do the Loop trail plus the Ledge trail. We are 50-somethings and I was wearing sandals. This is a nice hike, but not all that easy. Steep in spots and some areas of tricky footholds. The forest is dense and nice. The trail is well blazed.
I recommend wearing sneakers or hiking shoes and using bug spray. We were there after a big thunderstorm and the trail was still a little muddy and slippery.
The campsite looks pretty nice. The sites are not on top of one another. We saw all kinds of people there (retiree-aged, young adults, adults with elementary school aged children.) The bathroom was moderately clean. There were numerous water spigots for washing. Some reviewers were complaining about noisy vehicles. We were there about an hour and a half and didn't hear any.
I recommend wearing sneakers or hiking shoes and using bug spray. We were there after a big thunderstorm and the trail was still a little muddy and slippery.
The campsite looks pretty nice. The sites are not on top of one another. We saw all kinds of people there (retiree-aged, young adults, adults with elementary school aged children.) The bathroom was moderately clean. There were numerous water spigots for washing. Some reviewers were complaining about noisy vehicles. We were there about an hour and a half and didn't hear any.
Written August 23, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, Can you tell me if the picnic area by the lake is accessible by car or scooter?
Written May 2, 2021
Eloise T
Canaan, New York
Does the campground have full hookups?
What are the rates for a 28 foot RV?
Are there minimum or maximum number of days to stay and to reserve?
Written February 9, 2015
No hookups. $17/night + 8.65 registration fee through Reserve America. Not sure if you can do only 1 night, but there is a state-wide limit of 14 total days at any one park between Memorial and Labor day. RV spaces are limited and max length appears to be 34'.
Written May 9, 2016
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