iamtfc Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 By near, I guess I mean a two hour drive. I have some friends coming in with a canoe (I'll be in my kayak), and the alternative is car camping. Thought this group might know of a place or two, the Mass DCR website is decidedly unhelpful on this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnHuth Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 One place that I've always wanted to check out, but haven't had the time is Waquoit Bay on Cape Cod. It has a campground and is part of a wildlife preserve. It's not freshwater, but it's a relatively protected bay I can't say anything from experience, but it's been a location I've had in mind for my "plan" to circumnav Nantucket Sound. I know that there's a campground a bit west of I 495, up closer to the NH border, it's on a modest freshwater lake. I'll try to look it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 The lake is Tully Lake ( http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/recreati/tul/tulhome.htm ). It is managed by the Army Corps of Engineers and I believe that the camp ground is run by the Trustees of Reservation. I camped there with friends about 7 years ago and the sites were spread out. There is a bath house with toilets and showers. It is not car camping as the sites are walk in or boat in but the car and bath house are close enough to make it easy to get those extras that were left in the car. Jonathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExGMan Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 By near, I guess I mean a two hour drive. I have some friends coming in with a canoe (I'll be in my kayak), and the alternative is car camping. Thought this group might know of a place or two, the Mass DCR website is decidedly unhelpful on this one. I once had a very pleasant canoe camping experience on the North River in Hanover. It's a tidal river so you'd like to paddle in on the rising tide, and out on the falling tide. There are a number of campsites along the river in Hanover and perhaps other towns. I seem to recall that they required reservations but were free...at least a couple of years ago. See the North-South River Watershed Association website here: http://www.nsrwa.org/ I found the campsite information in another location, and I'll look for it and update if I find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glil Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 The lake is Tully Lake ( http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/recreati/tul/tulhome.htm ). It is managed by the Army Corps of Engineers and I believe that the camp ground is run by the Trustees of Reservation. I camped there with friends about 7 years ago and the sites were spread out. There is a bath house with toilets and showers. It is not car camping as the sites are walk in or boat in but the car and bath house are close enough to make it easy to get those extras that were left in the car. Jonathan Tully Lake is out my way. It's not too big, but nice to putter and explore with multiple islands. You can add about 4 miles RT, by going into Long Pond (may be a beaver dam to portage over or cross the road to the other boat ramp). There is a great mountain bike trail around Long Pond and a hiking/jogging trail around Tully Lake. Doane's Falls is a very nice water fall/swimming hole and is walking distance from the campground. I believe the campground fills up fast-probably need reservations for summer weekends. There are not very many campsites and one or two are on islands not far from shore. It is run by the Trustees of Reservations. They have a mini-triathalon there in there in the fall sponsored by the Trustees. It is probably about 1 1/2 hours from Boston, out Rt 2 and then up to Royalston. Enjoy. Gay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roclough Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 If you have an Audubon member in your group the Audubon has camping on Perkin Island on the Ipswich River. There's another place further down stream but I don't know the access details. Perkins is a mile from the nearest landing and about 3 miles from RT 97. You can put in on rt114 in middleton and get a fair day's paddle in take out in the State park on the Topsfield road shortly befor the dam at Foote Brothers. Reservations required at the Audubon Topsfield office. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvin Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 If you want salt water, Washburn Island in Waquoit Bay is terrific. Good fishing in the pond (stripers, bluefish, fluke, and bonito and false albacore in the channel and right out front at the end of the summer.) There aren't too many spots, and they tend to book up quickly, but I really like it. More info here:http://www.waquoitbayreserve.org/camp.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chetpk Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 Pawtuckaway State Park in southern New Hampshire in Raymond and Nottingham NH. and a little over one hour from Boston. It has numerous on the water camp sites and one side of the lake is undeveloped and in the park and the other side has numerous camps. The northern end of the lake is a no wake zone with numerous islands, nooks and crannies. Week days the paddle craft might out number the motorized ones and on the weekends that can flip. The hike to the fire tower in the park is worth while and if somebody gives you directions to the boulder field that is in the park, it is quite spectacular and a rock climbing mecca. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamtfc Posted June 23, 2008 Author Share Posted June 23, 2008 Thanks, this is wonderful! I will share with friends and report back on the trip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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