Cape Ann Campsite

Making a reservation required a phone call. Check-in was easy. The camp is heavily wooded and the space between trees is designed for tenters, not trailers. The site we were given was nearly impossible to get into as it was angled backwards compared to the road with rocks, trees and other hazards. The site was fairly level grass once we finally got into it. There are few amenities. The dump station is also backward to the direction of the road and requires a back in to enter. Every site has a picnic table and fire ring. There are sewer sites but I’m guessing they are taken by full timers as we were not offered one. There are restrooms. Some are modern and nice and others are ancient. AT&T had 2 bars of 5G. The free WiFi is good but does not allow streaming (pay extra for that). Antenna reception gets no networks. The camp is close to Gloucester and Rockport. Neither has much to offer. Salem is close but don’t try to go there in October. Boston is 50 minutes away in weekend traffic. I can’t recommend this camp in spite of the nice owners because of the impossible camp sites. I stayed here only because everything else was full.

Great campgrounds to stay at. If you have a big trailer (30ft +), sites are down at the bottom of the hill in an open area. Other trailers and tents are treated to woodsy sites that are mostly level- each site has its own charm. Lots of sites with power and water, some with sewer. Tent sites are grouped together and have access to water. The drive to the sites is tight and bumpy (wooded camp will do that) but if you keep to the speed limit- it’s all fine. There are multiple bathroom/shower facilities that are kept very clean (beware there will be bugs- these are “mostly” indoor flush toilets). Showers are $0.25/5 minutes with HOT water and good water pressure. Staff is very friendly and helpful.

Stayed here for one night on a quick trip to Cape Ann. While we did not spend a lot of time at the campsite, I can say you get what you pay for in terms of a basic no frills campsite. (Which is what I really want.) The lots at the top are nice and wooded. They were level as well. Each site had a picnic table and fire ring. My only complaint is that the water hook up was far away… I mean really far away. We would have had to go out and buy a hose to make it work. Since we only stayed a day, we “boondocked”.

I’d go back again, with a longer hose, or a better understanding of where the hookups are close to the site.

Thankful for efficient clear communication about where to stop and where to camp. Large rigs doNOT go up the hill. They park at the bottom. Also where the dump station is.

Sites are close to level, which was also appreciated.

Any outdoor activity shall be done fully and abundantly clothed so as to not arouse the creepy “security” guard who popped out of his camper any time I walked my dog. Holding the poop bag like a victory flag to ward off policing neighbors.

Chigger bites for souvenirs and a gorgeous view of the tidal estuary to which I could not escape.

A tight twisty 20mph final mile to the campground.

Geographic convenience to Gloucester but ask a lot of questions.

Cape Ann Campsite provides excellent access to Gloucester and Rockport. If you go there be sure to check with the office to find out which campsites are accessible for your vehicle at the time you make your reservation. We reserved a site that was supposedly accessible for a 22' travel trailer, but when we saw that site, it was clear that backing in would have been a nightmare. Thankfully, when we checked in the desk person suggested swapping to a different site that had very easy access.

The grounds overall are very pretty, with wooded sites and some great views near the entrance. Driving through the sites to reach your spot, on the other hand, is challenging with narrow roads and tight squeezes in the turns. We had a water and electric site that had no issues. They have a dump station, but it is a little tricky to get to, if the campsite next to it is occupied.

The facilities are clean and adequate, but could use a little maintenance attention. Charging 25¢ to use the showers, considering that you are already paying for the camp site, is a bit tacky and leaves one scrambling for change in these post covid times when we've weaned ourselves off carrying coins.

Verizon cell coverage was erratic and spotty. Near the entrance we had 3 bars of 5G. It varied as we drove though the campground on the way to our site. At our site, it seemed to be in a shadow area where it bounced from 1 LTE bar to to 2, and occasionally popped up with one bar of 5G.

The park was easy to find. It is located about five miles from down town Gloucester. There is pavement all the way. Signage is adequate. Arriving at the park was challenging. The office is a way inside the campground but motor homes with a towed must disconnect right at the entrance which blocks in and out traffic. Check in was efficient, informative and friendly. The rules are fairly basic. The interior roads are paved but very very rough. The road up the hill is narrow and winding and the signage for the loops is not that great but doable without too much difficulty.

Our site, 167E, was a pull through that was just long enough for our Coach and Towed. Services (30 amp and water only) were to the left side but the water faucet was a long way from the site. We carry extra hoses so not a big deal to us. Distancing is a bit close for a rural park. Each site has a table and a fire pit. Our site was pretty lumpy and sloped to the right (down hill) but we were able to position our rig so that we were fairly level. Overall the park was not bad. It was quiet and relaxing.

The park included wifi was surprisingly strong even though the park is quite heavily forested. There is no cable TV but we were able to find a few OTA channels. Satellite might be difficult. We did not use the washrooms or showers but we checked and found them dated but clean.

There are no restaurants or stores within easy walking distance but just a short drive away you can find food, shopping and convenience stores. We found this park to be an okay base to use while visiting the nearby attractions. We paid $52.00 per night and we feel we received fair value. We will be back if in the area again.

Dates: June 9 - 16. This campground was interesting. Overall we really enjoyed it but it was a bit odd. It is built up into a big hill so maneuvering is very very difficult (especially in a big rig). They did not have dog park (despite having a few places to put it). Our site did not have sewer hookups but we were close to the dump station. They also did not have laundry facilities. I would give them one less star but we did really just have a very enjoyable stay other things notwithstanding. Verizon signal was great at our spot but as soon as you go up the hill it did get worse.

Almost made me want to get a tent. The upper areas were absolutely beautiful. The tents had it great. However, we have a 40’. The road getting to the campground was narrow and winding. You don’t want to meet up with someone coming around a curve. Larger rigs stay in bottom lot and you have to have experience to back in. Our site was right on the road and it was a bit noisy at times. Also since it is the exit there was constantly cars coming and going. There are a few sites in the lower lot that are pretty and a bit higher but the road is steep. Not many options in the area so would stay again if need be but perhaps look for another town.