Starting to plan summer RV trip in VT, NH, ME...

[irene67]

Originally Posted by angelbones

I definitely want to tag on to this thread. I swear I could have wrote it myself as we plan on being in the same area at the same time. (maybe we should meet up). Although we may spend a few weeks in Nova Scotia and/or New Brunswick. Regardless, we're looking forward to going to that area since we've never been and any advice on the area is appreciated.

That is awesome!!! Well maybe we should share final plans and see if we actually will cross paths!

We are SO excited and can not wait to get back on the road!!!!

[RCCFleetwood]

We have gone to a campground in Weare, NH every year for the past three, in September, called Cold Springs Camp Resort. The best feature there is the pool complex and Hot Tub. We go there primarily for that. It's HUGE. Our favorite sites are those between #147 and 154. They have many, many permanent resident camps/campers, so none of those sites are available. You can view each site by clicking the yellow dot on their website map.

[kennyb79]

I've been thinking of the same trip so I will also tag along on this thread....watkins glen would be a great stop, theres a state park there. reserveamerica.com to make all state park reservations in NY.

when you head north, I'd recommend stopping in sodus point on lake ontario. continuing east there is fair haven state parkwith camping on the lakeshore. Oswego NY is a very pretty little city, you can stroll along the river and there s a pretty marina/park area. from there a day stop at sandy pond, or continue on to southwicks beach, which has great camp sites and boasts 3 miles of sandy beach, its a wildlife preserve, so there is nothing on your walk down the beach but sand and driftwood. there are beach campsites, but they fill up quickly. stop in sackets harbor and have lunch. continue north then east along the saint lawrence river (there are plenty of campsites to choose from, all along the river with great views...they are all NYS parks so they are reasonably priced) or if you want to go east and you can go whetstone gulf in lowville (its another favorite...worth the stay, and never very crowded) from there its an easy jaunt into the adirondack mountains. stop in old forge, theres a waterpark with a campground attached that the kids love to go to every year.
the drive thru the mountains is windy and slow but very pretty....plenty of places to stop and camp along the way. from either way you are in vermont, and somebody else can help you from there.
thats the locals view...from one that has camped in NYS for about 50 years....

[irene67]

Originally Posted by kennyb79

I've been thinking of the same trip so I will also tag along on this thread....watkins glen would be a great stop, theres a state park there. reserveamerica.com to make all state park reservations in NY.

when you head north, I'd recommend stopping in sodus point on lake ontario. continuing east there is fair haven state parkwith camping on the lakeshore. Oswego NY is a very pretty little city, you can stroll along the river and there s a pretty marina/park area. from there a day stop at sandy pond, or continue on to southwicks beach, which has great camp sites and boasts 3 miles of sandy beach, its a wildlife preserve, so there is nothing on your walk down the beach but sand and driftwood. there are beach campsites, but they fill up quickly. stop in sackets harbor and have lunch. continue north then east along the saint lawrence river (there are plenty of campsites to choose from, all along the river with great views...they are all NYS parks so they are reasonably priced) or if you want to go east and you can go whetstone gulf in lowville (its another favorite...worth the stay, and never very crowded) from there its an easy jaunt into the adirondack mountains. stop in old forge, theres a waterpark with a campground attached that the kids love to go to every year.
the drive thru the mountains is windy and slow but very pretty....plenty of places to stop and camp along the way. from either way you are in vermont, and somebody else can help you from there.
thats the locals view...from one that has camped in NYS for about 50 years....

Awesome!! Thank you SO much!!!

When we went out west, the Mountain Directory West was invaluable in preparing for and/or avoiding steep climbs. Do you think we would need the Mountain Directory East for our trip? I didn't know if there were certain areas in VT/NE or ME that may be a little tricky with our 37' non-diesel pusher who CRAWLED up the hills out west.

[Rockwood27]

The tallest mountain in the northeast is Mt Washington at around 6,000 ft and I can guarantee you won't be going up it in your MH. In your car...well that's another fun story!

[RCCFleetwood]

Originally Posted by irene67

Awesome!! Thank you SO much!!!

When we went out west, the Mountain Directory West was invaluable in preparing for and/or avoiding steep climbs. Do you think we would need the Mountain Directory East for our trip? I didn't know if there were certain areas in VT/NE or ME that may be a little tricky with our 37' non-diesel pusher who CRAWLED up the hills out west.

I can speak to Vermont on this. Our RV is also a NON-Diesel, and the VT mountains can be tough.

Going across the Southern end of VT, from Bennington to Brattleboro, you'll cross several mountains that you may be doing about 35 (or less) at times uphill.

Straight up the West side, up Rt 7, is not bad, and straight up the East side, I91 & I89 are not bad. It's when driving West to East or vice versa that you'll be crossing mountains the most in Vermont. But there ARE mountains (or at least large hills) pretty much everywhere!

[irene67]

Originally Posted by RCCFleetwood

I can speak to Vermont on this. Our RV is also a NON-Diesel, and the VT mountains can be tough.

Going across the Southern end of VT, from Bennington to Brattleboro, you'll cross several mountains that you may be doing about 35 (or less) at times uphill.

Straight up the West side, up Rt 7, is not bad, and straight up the East side, I91 & I89 are not bad. It's when driving West to East or vice versa that you'll be crossing mountains the most in Vermont. But there ARE mountains (or at least large hills) pretty much everywhere!

Thank you! Maybe I will buy the book to get a better idea on what we may face. I think I remember reading that although the hills aren't as high out east, there are some grades that are actually worse than those out west. I just had no idea where exactly that may be.

Since we are just in the planning stages, we can easily just decide to choose a route that may be a little easier on our rig.

[MisterT]

www.seaportcampground.com

Mystic Seaport
Mystic CT

[rkresge]

Originally Posted by RCCFleetwood

I can speak to Vermont on this. Our RV is also a NON-Diesel, and the VT mountains can be tough.

Going across the Southern end of VT, from Bennington to Brattleboro, you'll cross several mountains that you may be doing about 35 (or less) at times uphill.

Straight up the West side, up Rt 7, is not bad, and straight up the East side, I91 & I89 are not bad. It's when driving West to East or vice versa that you'll be crossing mountains the most in Vermont. But there ARE mountains (or at least large hills) pretty much everywhere!

X2 on this route. During last summer's ME trip we took 7/9 from Troy to Brattleboro, towing our TT. Had planned to do that in reverse. Nope. Stopped overnight both ways outside Brattleboro, but on the return leg we took I91 down to I84 and then back across into PA.

Roger

[rkresge]

Last summer we did a week outside Boothbay Harbor, stayed at Shore Hills Campground and were very happy with it. Similar to you, we live in PA. I will NOT under any circumstances overnight in NY state, so our overnights on that trip were at Hinsdale Campground outside Brattleboro - cannot really say much about it other than they were very nice, as we pulled in late afternoon and pulled out early morning both ways. Hinsdale can be a little tricky due to the access road, which goes up a steep hill and has two right-angle turns. It's also a challenge for large RVs if you plan to get there via Brattleboro - old bridges with narrow lanes and moderately low clearances. Much better to get there via NH 10 from Keene - DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT RT. 63!

We're returning to ME this year, planning to stay a week at Shady Oaks in Orland, not far from Bar Harbor. This time we're planning to overnight both ways at Traveler's Woods of New England, a few miles south of Brattleboro in MA, right off I91. But I can't tell you anything about Traveler's Woods yet, other than they have been very nice via email.

Good luck!

Roger

[Superslif]

From NE. Ohio we head to VT. every 3-4th year. Been doing this for 25 years. One campground we always go to is Lake Dunmore's Kamperville about a 50 miles north of Rutland VT. Kind of a busy campground with 2 pools and a lot of activities for the kids, bingo 3-4 nights a week for the DW. Nice lake for swimming and kayaking. If you want a list of some nice large sites away from the main activity area just PM. me.

In the the central part of the state we like Half Moon State Park, Gifford Woods State Park and Jamaica State Park. All VT. state parks are dry camping. All have showers ($) water and dump stations.

You may want to reconsider your "fly by the seat of your pants" as far as no reservations, especially in the Northeast and mid summer. Kamperville for weekend dates you will want to be making reservations now. Every trip we have done to PA., NY., VT. and NH we have made reservations 4-6 months ahead. The weekends are the issues...


In Northern VT. there is a little private campground called Gold Brook near Stowe VT. From that home base you have the resort town of Stowe, take the Stowe Toll Road up Mt. Mansfield, hike another 1.5 miles along the ridge to the summit (highest in VT 4300'). There is a 5 mile paved bike trail that starts near the Stowe ski area and ends in the town of Stowe. A few miles down the road you have Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream plant tour.

Vermont Pictures:

~ VT. 2010

~ Kamperville

~ Half Moon SP.

~ Stowe Area

~ Jamaica SP.

~ Gifford Woods SP.

~ Worlds End & Ricketts Glen NE. PA.

~ Watkins Glen NY.

[irene67]

Originally Posted by Superslif

From NE. Ohio we head to VT. every 3-4th year. Been doing this for 25 years. One campground we always go to is Lake Dunmore's Kamperville about a 50 miles north of Rutland VT. Kind of a busy campground with 2 pools and a lot of activities for the kids, bingo 3-4 nights a week for the DW. Nice lake for swimming and kayaking. If you want a list of some nice large sites away from the main activity area just PM. me.

In the the central part of the state we like Half Moon State Park, Gifford Woods State Park and Jamaica State Park. All VT. state parks are dry camping. All have showers ($) water and dump stations.

You may want to reconsider your "fly by the seat of your pants" as far as no reservations, especially in the Northeast and mid summer. Kamperville for weekend dates you will want to be making reservations now. Every trip we have done to PA., NY., VT. and NH we have made reservations 4-6 months ahead. The weekends are the issues...


In Northern VT. there is a little private campground called Gold Brook near Stowe VT. From that home base you have the resort town of Stowe, take the Stowe Toll Road up Mt. Mansfield, hike another 1.5 miles along the ridge to the summit (highest in VT 4300'). There is a 5 mile paved bike trail that starts near the Stowe ski area and ends in the town of Stowe. A few miles down the road you have Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream plant tour.

Vermont Pictures:

~ VT. 2010

~ Kamperville

~ Half Moon SP.

~ Stowe Area

~ Jamaica SP.

~ Gifford Woods SP.

~ Worlds End & Ricketts Glen NE. PA.

~ Watkins Glen NY.

Thank you!! I will check those out and start planning.

And I am definitely not "flying by the seat of my pants" this year. That is what we did last year for our trip out west. To be honest, it was really the only way we could go because we were such noobs we had NO idea how long it would take to go point to point..or how long we would want to stay. And out west, there are a lot of options.

This year we have our Maine campground booked now and are working around those dates to fill in the before and after.

[irene67]

Originally Posted by rkresge

I will NOT under any circumstances overnight in NY state, so our overnights on that trip were at Hinsdale Campground outside Brattle

Good luck!

Roger

Can I ask why you won't stay in NY?

[rkresge]

Originally Posted by irene67

Can I ask why you won't stay in NY?

2nd Amendment, and New York's interpretation of the federal Firearms Owners’ Protection Act (FOPA) that turns you into a felon if you overnight in NY state.

Roger