Camping On The Battenkill

Our group had a most excellent experience. The woman who took our reservations knew we were coming for foliage, and gave us sites right on the river. They called the day of, to see if we would arrive before the office closed. While 4 pm seemed early, we appreciated the proactive outreach, and she gave us instructions that allowed us to get settled with no problems. Bill the maintenance guy was super friendly and helpful, making sure we had firewood for the night. The stream was beautiful, the sites were large and not too close to the neighbors. They are very pet friendly, even having bags and a small trash barrel for those taking their dogs the the stream. We found the bathrooms to be clean and had plenty of hot water so that everyone could warm up after the night temps dropped to 36.

We totally enjoyed our recent stay, and wished we could have stayed longer. Our wooded site near the river was perfect, with plenty of privacy and the sound of the babbling river to lull us to sleep at night. Our 2 dogs also loved the place as they had lots of space for walks and swims. The campground is a short drive from the lovely Vermont town of Manchester if that's what you're into.

This was our third year going here. Our first year Alan and Shelley Ann were the owners. Everything was impeccably clean. The bathrooms were well kept. The only problem we had were with the shower drains and they addressed that the same day. Last year was the first year under new ownership with Modern America Campgrounds. We didn’t notice much of a change beside Shelley Ann not being in the office. This year was different. The bathrooms weren’t cleaned until Friday (we came on a Monday). Granted, a lot of people are slobs in public bathrooms but they at least should be cleaned once a day. The firewood used to be stacked on a rack outside the office for easy access. This year you usually had to go into the shed and try to find a bundle that when removed didn’t cause an avalanche. The wood was stacked to the ceiling. I don’t know if they had a problem hiring people this year but it was noticeable they weren’t on top of things. The security gate was broken so it was always up. However, The campsites were well kept and we still enjoyed our camping trip. There is room for improvement and hopefully they will address these problems.

Ideal for car camping. Sites were very close to each other, basically no privacy. Bathrooms were very clean and well lit. Hot showers. Dog friendly. Campground was very crowded. There was a fire pit and a picnic table at each site. Tons of trees and shade. You can have the river all to yourself early in the morning. Definitely worth a visit, not sure about visiting a second time unless it’s off season.

Camping on the Battenkill has been a favorite of ours for years. My kids grew up tubing this safe beautiful space. During our time visiting we have seen 3 owners change hands as caretakers of this sacred space. Unfortunately a corporate company swallowed it up to add to their portfolio. Reducing care and office hours to add to their profit margins. Both the previous owners would have immediately cut and cleared any dangerous areas on the water and land instead the new corporate owners put up a sign 😕. My husband got pinned between the rock and a branch and almost drowned on Sunday, 2 days later a young girl almost drowned and got stuck at the same spot. I am terribly saddened by the lack of responsibility and commitment you have to the safety of families camping. I really hope this review might help you to do better because we deserve better. This land deserves better.