Shawme Crowell State Forest Campground

We lucked out and got a two day site in late July. There was some road noise during rush hour. It’s a quiet forested campground close to Cape Cod. No hookups and expensive for out of state campers. Restrooms are dated but clean. Some campsites are slanted and rocky. Our site B26 was large and flat. We especially enjoyed the Fisherman’s View restaurant only a short distance away.

In a area where you must book far in advance this is a hidden gem. We were able to get a camp site in the middle of July for two weeks. It is dry camping but we loved the space and shade of the sites. The sites are rustic, roots branches etc so you may have to look at a few to find the one that fits you. There is a great play area for the kids. I wouldn’t try walking to town narrow roads and it about a mile. You are close to the canal. I can hear the highway but it was not loud enough to bother us. There is plenty of showers and bathrooms and a small store. We enjoyed our time here. We have straight talk and had good cell service

Typical Mass State park: no hookups, water available at specific locations (no sites), and no park rangers, just front office staff. Solar is pretty iffy because these sites are mostly truly shaded from sunlight; I had to break out the generator by day 3.

The trails are the win here, beautiful long hikes that lead to Heritage Garden or just around the park. You can also walk to a grocery store (Stop and Shop), hardware store, and pharmacy. Or the Cape Cod canal!

Sites are dirt and mud and tree roots, so you may need to go back and get a second pick of a site, because the entrance to some sites, like 41C, is very tight, with trees on both sides of the entrance and roots, rocks and mud making it challenge to back up straight.

The upside is that you can usually find a spot here even on Labor Day weekend! Note: in winter, only the east loop is open, and some sites there are very close to Route 6, so lots of traffic noise. Also, there is a railroad line so you may hear train whistles, but generally only during the day.