18 Days - VT, NH, ME

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ip076

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I'll have 18 days free after Labor Day in which I'm hoping to see these three states.  I was hoping to do this earlier in the summer, but work got in the way...and had to pay the bills. 

I only have three constraints.  First, I'll be starting at Burlington, VT.  Second, I want to see Acadia NP.  Third, I need to end the trip at an airport with decent airline service to fly back to work, I'm thinking Portland, ME or maybe Manchester, NH. 

I realize I've now drifted into peak season, and I'm going to have to take what I can get for sites.  I'm not afraid to walmart camp here or there.

I'm looking for your suggestions of places to check out, RV parks, etc.  As for RV parks, I don't need all the amenities, just a place to plug in and occasionally empty the holding tanks.  I usually spend my days out hiking or doing something and not hanging around the campground. 
 
I think you are going just a bit too early. The colors change starting in the middle of September and by the middle of October are at their peak in most places. If I were going I would want to see the fall colors.

https://www.visitnewengland.com/all/fall-foliage-in-new-england/
 
Thanks for the info.  I actually won't be starting this trip until about the 10th of September when I return from work. 

I'm torn at the crossroads of "seeing fall colors" and "finding every rv spot sold out".  I've been full time on the road for 14 months and have logged over 20,000 miles with not much planning, but I feel like this spot at this time I probably need to get some reservations on the books. 
 
I visited there a few years ago just to see the fall colors. I was in my car and had no problem getting a hotel room. The colors were incredible.
 
After this coming weekend, you'll have no trouble getting into any CG in New England. Kids are back in school.
Danforth Bay in Ossipee NH is a very nice CG. Big with a lot of big sites.  It may be a little pricey for you. They do have fall rates. They have 2 big heated pools. Call and ask. Close to the white mountains. Take a ride up Mt Washington either by the Cog Railway or by your own car. You can even hike up. Just in case, be prepared for bad weather.  Beautiful ride either way. Take warm clothes with you. It could be 70 degrees at the base and snowing up top.
 
Another one is Apple Valley CG in Acton Me. Small but very clean. Low prices. 
Try to take in the Fryeburg Fair in Fryeburg Me. A beautiful and big agricultural fair. Starts September 30th I believe. We go there with the RV and stay for 5 days. They enough sites for 3000 rv's.
 
Not quite true Rene. I was going to suggest he go to the Schoodic Peninsula section of Acadia NP and stay at the Schoodic Woods CG. Unfortunately it is booked out for the month of September. There is a small (10 site) Campground in Winter harbor that we enjoyed. Its right on the water.
Both the main section of Acadia and Shoodic woods both have great bike/hiking trails that are well maintained and easy - except they do have elevation changes. Both also have more tradition hiking trails (more rugged).


But generally Rene is right, that after Labor Day camp sites are much easier.


In Vermont we like Burlington (Lone Pines CG), Quechee (Quechee/Pine valley KOA) - if you stop here go to Woodstock and in Quechee go to Simon Pierce )Glass blowing, Store, restaurant, and Hydro Plant). For a while we lived nearby in Norwich, VT.


In Portland we like Wassamski Springs CG.
 
I love Acadia National Park but I got a good laugh out of the people there calling Cadillac Mountain a mountain. I am from California. At 1529 feet it is only a hill. ;D
 
SeilerBird said:
I love Acadia National Park but I got a good laugh out of the people there calling Cadillac Mountain a mountain. I am from California. At 152 feet it is only a hill. ;D
Click to expand...

Yeah, cracked me up when we moved to Arkansas.  The highest point in the whole state is Mt Magazine, at around 2700'.  In California we lived the the Beaumont/Banning area off I-10...at around 2700'.  Never even felt we were in the "mountains" when we could see the San Gorgonio  mountains to the north and the San Jacintos to the south towering over us.  Never mind when we vacationed in the Sierras.
 
Old_Crow said:
Yeah, cracked me up when we moved to Arkansas.  The highest point in the whole state is Mt Magazine, at around 2700'.  In California we lived the the Beaumont/Banning area off I-10...at around 2700'.  Never even felt we were in the "mountains" when we could see the San Gorgonio  mountains to the north and the San Jacintos to the south towering over us.  Never mind when we vacationed in the Sierras.
Click to expand...
I feel the same way about Florida. It is flat as a pancake. Britton Hill is the highest mountain in the state at 345 feet. The Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center is 526 feet high. :eek:
 
SeilerBird said:
I love Acadia National Park but I got a good laugh out of the people there calling Cadillac Mountain a mountain. I am from California. At 152 feet it is only a hill. ;D
Click to expand...

That's 1,530 feet, the highest point with 25 miles of the shore on the east coast. Still isn't a mountain.
 
North Beach Campground is within Burlington City limits, on Lake Champlain, and on the Burlington Bike Path. Lots to do there although not real remote.  If you don't bike, rent an e-bike at least and tour a bit.  Worth spending a few days there if you've not been already.  Branbury State Park, just below Middlebury is at the foot of the Green Mountains and has great hiking, is also on a nice lake and Middlebury is that cute New England kind of place with a few museums and restaurants.  You could spend a week hiking the trails in the Green Mountain National Forest.
When I head east to Acadia from VT, I take RT. 2 which is a two lane road that winds through upper Vermont, the Presidential range in NH and on through Maine to Bangor.  Gorham NH is home to Mt Washington and great hiking all around.  Lots of private campgrounds around there.  Acadia is great, do yourself a favor and take the public buses around the park. They're free and go everywhere. You can be dropped off on one end of a trail and catch a bus back to the campground from the other end without the driving and parking hassles. Acadia is busy. 
Airports in Portland and Manchester are good, Bangor is also fair sized and Burlington as well.

Many state parks up here close on Columbus day.  Have fun........
 
We were in that area about the same time last year, and are headed back that way in less than 2 weeks. Being from Florida, we were caught off guard by the number of parks and campgrounds that close after Labor Day. Those that do remain open seem to close right after Columbus Day. We were lucky to get the last spot on a KOA in NH for the long weekend. (In Fla, Columbus Day is just another excuse to put mattresses on sale. Turns out it?s a Big Deal in New England!). We stayed at Smugglers Den campground in Southwest Harbor when we visited Acadia. It was open for about two weeks after every other campground in the area closed for the season due to the Mt Desert Marathon weekend, and the race finish being just down the road from the campground.  Nice campground and on the quiet side of the park.
 
Thanks for all the information folks, it really helps.  Like I said, I've got 18 days which should fit between Labor and Columbus day, so I hope to avoid any holiday issues.  I have to fly back west for work before Columbus day, so I'll just find an airport and fly out.  Like I said, probably leaning toward Portland or Manchester, or perhaps Boston.  I like second tier airports because they generally have some good overflow/longterm parking in which I can park both the truck and 5er for the price of one.  And since I'd be parking a vehicle anyways, my company picks up the tab.

Being the beginning of October I'll have to probably do some freeze-prep for those two weeks of parking, but after that I'll be picking up the rig and heading south. I'll need to cross MA, RI, CT, and DL off the list to have been to all 50 states.  I should have about 6 weeks off the next stint before I head really far south (Australia) for work for the month of December. 

Oh, and thanks for the Green Mountain suggestions.  I just spent a few days outside of Rutland seeing the area.  Very beautiful. 
 
Worcester, MA has commerical flights but I'm not sure of the destinations.  There is also Providence, RI and Bradley in Windsor Locks, CT.

The colors are usually the best in Northern New England around Columbus Day.  September can vary from year to year in regards to cold nights which makes all the difference. 

The Southeastern Maine coast is worth checking out after your Northern tier stops.
 
Just in case- You can field camp at Hampton Beach State Park for $30/night with nothing. They charge $15 for the dump station.
Pretty much right on the ocean. Manchester Airport is about 45 min. west. We go there all they time. Sites are close, but
only sleeping there. They do have a generator schedule.
After the peak season it is 1st come for the full hook ups.
 
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