Tolland State Forest

When camping this weekend with my family and this place is so nice and family friendly. Most of the sites are near the water. The comfort stations are always clean and well supplied, and the beach/​lake is so clean and not too crowded. My 2 year old had a great time, and that’s all I really wanted because it was his first camping trip.

Great camping on the water! Bring your kayak it’s really beautiful on the water and fishing is good too. We hiked the trail and that was a nice little 2.5 mile trek through the forest with some hills but not too steep. Not too much closeby so bring everything so you don’t have to make a run. Can’t bring firewood in due to that destructive beetle and the only trouble we had was with the wood you buy at the gate, it was damp and most bundles had mold. Therefore it was hard to light and smoked a ton. Hard on the asthma. Told them at the gate and they tried to help find dryer wood but its stores in a big metal container so I get why there is moisture all closed in and humid. Advice, charcoal starter or something to help the flames take or you may never have your fire.
Really enjoyed the stay. One shower and three stalls and the water up at the bathhouse is not potable so bring your water in. I didn’t see a spigot anywhere like most campgrounds but since we brought water I didn’t have to go crazy trying to find water. Take that advice and you won’t have to worry.
It’s a pet friendly place. They had a fishing derby the day we left so that was an early revelry with boats starting up to go out fishing but no matter, still very nice.

This was the first State park we’ve ever camped in! It has set the bar really high! Camping spots on the water are phenomenal. You have to be comfortable with the noise of motorboats, jet skis and the sometimes loud people on them, but if you can deal with that, you’ll have a wonderful time. There’s not much in the surrounding area, so count on driving for a bit if you need certain amenities but if you want to get away from it all (and Tmobile makes that easy because there is not data in much of the area) Tolland is the place to go.

Many of the sites at Tolland State Forest Campground are very close to the water and really feel like you’re camping in the wilderness. Other sites are right on the road, and very public — but if you book enough in advance you have your choice.
The reservoir that the campground is based around is crystal clear, although heavily trafficked by power boats & jet skis. Our site, #33, was about 60 yards away from where we had to park, down a pretty steep incline with no beaten trail. Fine for us but I wouldn’t bring grandma to the top loop of sites — hauling your gear up and down the hill is a bit of a pain. Once you’re set up you have a great view of the water and you learn to appreciate the distance you have from your car and other people.
The one thing we learned about East Otis MA is that there is literally nothing there but forest and a few campgrounds. The nearest store was about 15 – 20 mins away and sold everything you needed at pretty marked up prices (expected). I would recommend bringing kayaks if you have them — we hoped to rent but didn’t find a place to do so.
If you’re content with staying-​put and just camping out, this is the place for you.

Great fall camping. Friendly staff. Clean comfort stations. Shade at almost every site. Some sites can be rocky and full of roots and on a slope and the area to place your tent (tent only sites) would be for smaller tents. Car was parked about 20 feet away up slope from tent. Very quiet except for the occasional fishermen or jet ski. Dishwashing stations a plus at bathrooms.

Stayed here midweek for 2 days during a heatwave, at site 9. We loved it. I had 2 small boys with me, so I was looking for a waterfront site with swimming at the site. They had a great time playing in the water, and I could do stuff around the camp and keep them in site (probably 25 – 35 feet away). The entire campground is like a peninsula in Otis Reservoir and site 9 is like it’s own little peninsula. The bathroom was less than a one minute walk up the «driveway» to the main road, and was clean and had a dishwashing sink. Drinking water was nearby most sites. There is also a beach area and you can either walk there or park your car there, that was clean as well. Check in was a breeze and employees in the office and maintenance workers around the park were all very friendly and informative. The best thing during this heatwave was the fact that there was a constant breeze and that kept it from being a miserable, humid experience.

The campgrounds at Tolland State Forest are some of the best in the Massachusetts DCR’s arsenal of campgrounds. Tolland was voted America’s #1 Family Campground in 2009, and with their well-​maintained and functional facility, it’s easy to see why.
Built on a small peninsula of land that juts into the largest recreational body of water in Massachusetts, Tolland boasts excellent swimming, fishing, hiking and boating opportunities, as well as some unique and cool campsites for campers of all ages and skill levels.
We came out and reserved 4 sites for a camping-​fishing-​relaxing bachelor party weekend, and we were all pretty pleased with the results. The staff were friendly and helpful, and stayed out of our way. We were within easy walking distance of bathrooms and sinks for washing dishes, though the shower in our area was broken. I wasn’t planning to shower anyway, though.
Be warned that the area around Tolland State Forest is not very active. The town of East Otis sports just 1,200 year-​round residents, and there are few nearby stores, all of which close around 9. There are, however, a couple of nice general stores, and a gas station that sells organic groceries.
If you’re inclined to head west on the Pike out of Boston, Tolland is a great spot for a weekend trip, whether you’re looking to chill or to get out there and do stuff.