We camped at the group site here this past weekend (6/21-23). I would definitely recommend camping here with a large group, though it does book up quickly. The group site can accommodate up to 15 people. We had 12 and were MORE than comfortable. The site was large enough for all 6 of our tents and a canopy and could have accommodated more. There was plenty of grass and mulch to set up on, as well as ample space for parking, 2 fire pits, 2 picnic tables and an extra large grill, making it easy to cook for a big group. It was also far enough from other campsites to avoid bothering them, which we were concerned about with 12 young adults. It was located very close to the ranger station which had toilets but no showers. I never checked out the showers because we only stayed 2 nights but the bathrooms we used were clean and well kept. A few bugs in them late at night but that can't really be helped. The mosquitos were present but not as bad as some of the reviews I read suggested. Between the fire, a repelling device and bug spray we were not getting eaten alive. My friend did find one tick but caught it before it burrowed luckily. Just make sure you're checking for ticks each night. Some of the group went hiking which they said was lovely with pretty views. We checked out the beach which was a short walk from the group site. It was mainly set up for kids with a shallow roped off area, though there would have been nothing stopping you from climbing under the rope if you wanted to go for more of a swim. The water was still very cold that early in the season so I didn't get past my ankles. People were also fishing and launching kayaks near the beach. The park was pretty busy the whole weekend, so definitely not a secluded backwoods vibe, which was fine by me since I haven't camped much. I also appreciated the close proximity to Walmart which was useful for getting ice when we ran out. There is also a liquor store a short drive from the campsite, though officially alcohol is not allowed. All in all I would definitely come back here and reserve the group site again. It was an awesome trip for our larger group of friends. read more

Terrible place for a hike. Poor mapping. A lot of paved roads as "trails". Steer clear.

The park is nice. But the price gouging for out of state people is beyond extreme for Labor Day weekend. $54.00 per night. Whereas for MA residents it's only $17.00. I can understand maybe $5.00 more for out of staters. But $37.00 more. All that and they don't even have electric sites. And the park was well more than half empty. read more

Almost always a nice weekend except when they allow someone to chop wood from 7am to almost 1pm and you're there to relax.

We camped here as a stop on a road trip, so we I think we only spent a total of 14 hours at this campground. The rangers were nice and helpful. The campsite was clean. We did have very close neighbors, but only on one side. Other than those people, there were not really any sites close by. We could see them, but they were through the trees. It was one of the quietest campgrounds I have ever visited, which was awesome. The neighbors played a little music, but at such a low volume, I could not even tell you the genre. They turned it off the minute it got dark. The showers were great with lots of hot water and good water pressure. I have no idea what it would be like to actually stay at this park as a destination, but it was great as a stop on the way. My only complaint was that our campsite was pretty good sized, like it should easily hold 2-3 tents. We had one 6 person tent. There was no obvious good place for the tent. Where we pitched it, we were on a slight hill and there was a large root. The other option was extremely hard packed gravel and also a slight hill. Because we were just using sleeping pads, we did not like the idea of the packed gravel. I guess that is fine for a camper or if you are using a thicker mattress. read more

Trail had poison ivy everywhere .The path in some places wasnt even cleared. Worst trails ever don't recommend.

We (2 families with small children) stayed here for two nights. We had a mostly great experience and really enjoyed it (and Wells State Park can't be responsible for our neighboring campers who were annoying at 4am) It's a lovely peaceful setting, close to I-90 and Sturbridge. There is a shopping area with a Walmart, Stop n Shop and a couple of restaurants quite close to the Park, so no need to worry if you forget anything. The park staff are lovely and the sites are well kept and clean. We found some poison ivy growing in our site and the rangers were very receptive to taking care of it. We stayed at site 22. It was well located with regard to both the water and toilets (a short walk for both) and a slightly longer walk down to the lake. We'd thought the site would be on the lakefront, but that's not actually true. Sites 22 and 23 back up onto site 24; which IS on the lake, up a little hill. The site next to us (21 I think) was also on the lake, but set back a bit. Site 22 is not so private (right next to a road and an open field). It's rocky and the ground is quite sloped in various directions, making it hard to find the perfect spot for your tent. Still, we managed to set ours up and had a comfortable couple of nights sleep. Site 23 is right next to 22 and great for two groups together. It is a little larger, with two grills and more space. It has a very nice soft shady place for a tent - but the space is a little close to one of the grills. Site 24 is very nice. It's up a long rocky drive (not good for larger vehicles!). At the top it is nice and flat and overlooks the lake. If you have younger kids though, it's more out of the way for getting them to the toilet and to the water supply etc. Site 25 is totally my pick. It's down it's own little road, RIGHT on the lake. Very private, and you could step right into the water. We walked past there on our way to the beach, but I can't see anyone else having reason to. It is right on the little road, but like I say I can't see why anyone would drive down it. The whole campsite is next to a large lake. It seems great for watersports (we saw a number of people fishing). It has a little raised area near the beach (built by an Eagle Scout) for kids to fish off of. There is a beach area for campers only. It's pretty tiny, and only about 5-ish ft deep right out at the end. It's a good area for kids though, and seems quite popular. We started some early morning swims to keep the kids quiet and it was very nice at 7:30am. I did ask the rangers who came by to test the water, why it was so small. Apparently the weeds are quite bad in the lake, and they can't commit to keeping a bigger area clear. Oh, you could hear noises from the highway from our site at night. During the day or when people are moving around you can't hear it, but during the night while you're quiet in your bed it is kind of a dull roar. Our friends couldn't hear it though, so I think if you're not right on the lake the sounds wouldn't travel. All in all I'd recommend it. It's a nice place to camp. read more

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Wells State Park is located in Sturbridge. It's kind of remote, very quiet and peaceful. The campgrounds wind up and down a huge hill in the middle of Wells State Park. They have a bunch of campsites for trailers and tents. When we went we actually stayed in one of their yurts! A yurt is like a little cabin but it's covered in an all weather tarp/exterior. It slept 6 people in 2 sets of bunk beds and was only $40/night. All the benefits of camping without having to sleep on the ground! The yurt was clean and new looking. The campsite was big too! Enough space for our car, it had a table, grill, and fire pit. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable. The surroundings are very peaceful. Campsites are a little close to each other without a lot of privacy but it was fine for us. Bathrooms are decent, had showers and are open 24/7. read more

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My friend is an inexperienced hiker so I chose this campground for us this weekend because I read the trails weren't too difficult. Camping was nice. Bathrooms had free hot showers and there were spiquets for potabable water. Would have been nice if the family across from us wasn't drunk and loud all weekend but I mostly tuned it out. If you go with friends and can afford more then one site you can get the one across from it too so you don't get stuck near people. 31 was nice because there was a little trail through the woods leading you right to the bathroom so you had the facilities near by without actually seeing/hearing the bathroom from your site. Hiking was okay at best. The first scenic vista is essentially a large opening in the trees for tons of huge power lines. I understand that you can see far because there's an opening in the trees but I think calling a bunch of power lines "scenic" is really stretching it. The second vista "Carpenter's Rock" is worth checking out. It was pretty. And the hike up to it was slightly more challenging then the other trails. I included a picture of the view. The park is pretty close to the highway so in sections of the park and especially on Mountain Ridge trail you can really really hear the traffic. I personally can't stand that. But the other trails weren't as bad. If you like doing a lot of miles when you hike, or you don't like being able to hear the sounds of the highway then this place is not for you. If you only like to do shorter hikes and want to be able to appreciate nature while still being a 5 minute drive to Walmart "just in case" then this place will be good. I must say though, the nature viewing area we saw a bunch of blue Jays flying back and forth right over us and that was awesome. read more

Wells State Park - View from Carpenter's Rock - Hiking Near Me - Sturbridge, Massachusetts

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Nice easy trails for hiking and mountain biking. Camping sites in pristine clean park read more

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We had a great time camping here last weekend. It was great camping in October because there was not alot of people in the park and it was so beautiful. The trees were so amazing to look at as we hiked around the state park with the kids. I thought the facilities were well maintained and in good condition. We would definitely be back for a hike and/or camping trip in the future. read more

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We stayed here for one night in lot 17. It was a pretty nice lot because we didn't see any campers near us and it was private. We only have one complaint, the bathrooms. They were so gross and dirty and smelt horrible. There were so many bugs all on the walls. I went there once and we actually left to go to Walmart down the streets to use the bathrooms there next time we needed to go. Beautiful trails to either walk or ride bikes. I have a hybrid and my boyfriend a mountain bike and we had a blast riding on the trails. We went kayaking and the water was calm and beautiful. The lake was clean. The beach was really small but cute. As nice as it was overall... having a good clean bathroom is super important to us. Until then we will continue to explore the Massachusetts and Connecticut camping possibilities. read more

Wells State Park - lot 17 - Hiking Near Me - Sturbridge, Massachusetts

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This place is okay and only cost $17 a night and is located inside a state park. But it has a few down falls. The roads that lead to your camp sight are extremely narrow and rocky. If you have a small vehicle or low to the ground you will definitely bottom out on the huge rocks on the road. The camp sites are nice but they have tons of gravel down in the campsite so there's really not much room if any to put your tent down without having uncomfortable ground underneath your tent and possibly of damage to your tents. It's very quiet and nice hiking trails. read more

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Lots of spacious campsites with some more private than others. Lake is large and good for swimming. Small sandy beach. Water was warmer than we expected. We wish we had rented a yurt because the weekend we camped it had rained a lot before we arrived and it was humid and buggy. Campsites 37 and 38, which we and another couple rented, we large, fairly flat, and connected by a short path. Good for groups. Both looked onto a beautiful tree and fern-covered hillside that offered a lot of privacy. But perhaps also contributed to mosquitos. We could only hear the faintest highway white noise in the middle of the night. Other campers were very quiet. Lots of families. Would return in the fall! read more

The campground is located near a supermarket and Walmart in case you forget anything. The sites themselves are decent size. We chose a site that was meant for a camper and had plenty of space for 7 adults. The bathrooms are clean. The beach was clean enough to swim in. We had fun kayaking around the pond. Looking forward to going back :) read more

Our site was nice and level. It was gravel, so getting the tent stakes secure was tough. Swimming was nice. Bathrooms were OK, but few and far between. We stayed in July 2011. Quiet hours were not enforced by rangers, someone played guitar until about 2 a.m. No dishwashing stations. read more

Wells State Park - Hiking Near Me - Sturbridge, Massachusetts

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Regulars at Wells. Quiet weekend getaways that feel like we're thousands of miles away yet only a 20 minute drive. Staff is always friendly and helpful. Very clean. Looking forward to 2013 and another great season of swimming, fishing and hiking. read more

Pulled into Wells just ahead of some major thunderheads coming over the ridge to the West, and then it started pouring. Decided to go check out my site (#24 overlooking the lake) on the outside chance it would stop soon. It didn't, and I ended up bailing on my trip to Wells, and getting a room in Sturbridge. All I can speak on is that the site looked awesome, and I was looking forward to having a cup of coffee in the AM overlooking the pond/lake. Camping sites were large, well shaded, each equipped with a grill, picnic table, and a fire ring. Didn't see the bathhouses. I'm looking forward to when I can return and actually make it to that cup a Joe with lake views. ;) Rangers were pleasant as always. They're behind wire mesh, so make sure you make a joke about whether it's Ok to feed them, or if they're known to bite. ;) Hope to be more subjective, and give Wells more stars, when I can actually stay here. read more

We camp really frequently and this has to be the worst park we've stayed in this year. The sites are right beside a highway so you may feel secluded, but nothing sounds secluded. The highway can be heard 24/7. The pond is nice but there is no area to sit and enjoy it. You must buy their wood in tiny bundles that are $5 per bundle. They do not have any kind of store so if you need ice or anything else you have to drive to Walmart. All sites are very awkwardly shaped so it's very hard to fit more than one tent even in sites that are designated for multiple tents. The bathrooms are falling apart, they're infested with mold to the point where the tiles are popping off the walls. They're absolutely disgusting comparable only to a truck stop. Overall, crap experience. The only perk was that the children were mostly quiet. read more

We had a great weekend stay at this park. Well-maintained, and the campsites were absolutely huge and super private. They let us set up a "kids tent" so we weren't all jammed into the pop-up camper. Bathrooms were reasonably clean-ish for a state park (i.e., constantly tidied up, but rarely scrubbed with bleach, so bring your flip-flops to the shower). Shower was nice and hot, and the water pressure was good. The entire campsite was nice and quiet. Most of the spots filled up for the weekend, but emptied out on Sunday. Our dog was welcome here and all the other dogs were kept leashed and well-behaved. Trails were well-maintained. The beach (for campers only) is lovely. No dogs allowed on the beach itself, but you can sit back at the picnic tables to watch the kids swim so long as you pick up after them. Water spigots and bathrooms were a bit far from some of the spots ... if you need to use the bathroom a lot, you might want to book closer to the bathrooms than you normally would because the spots are HUGE, so the bathrooms are further away than it looks on the map. It won't matter in the daytime, but those 2am bathroom breaks with flashlights can be an inconvenient walk. Bathrooms TRY to be handicap accessible, including the shower. The one along the pond is brand new and totally accessible, but the ones up on the hill are older and a bit tighter to navigate a wheelchair, and the ring-road has a crazy steep incline at places if you have to cross the street, so keep that in mind if you have mobility issues. The yurts are right next to the bathrooms and the walkway flat, but coming off one of the campsites off the side-roads off the hill are all dirt roads and pretty steep. If you stay up on one of the side-roads up on the hill and have an RV, call and ask the staff for guidance before you book because, while the campsites are pull-in and absolutely huge, there are a few spots that might be a bit tight to haul a larger rig up between some of the trees because you'll be dealing with a narrow dirt road, a curve, and then trees right on the road. Spots right off the main loop road are easy to navigate, but the off-loops might be dicey unless you're an experienced driver. The best part was the price. $17 a night for such a massive, well-maintained campsite, free hot showers, hiking trails and a pond? We will definitely stay here again. read more

We only stayed here 1 night on our way to Quabbin to go fishing. We were given Site 26, since we were looking for something a little more isolated. Check-in was smooth. Instead of a line of cars waiting to get checked in, you park in the parking lot on the right, and walk to the main house and check in. If you've ever checked into a MA state park before, they may have your info in the system, which also makes it faster. They sell cords of wood for $5 each. Pros: It was a great spot, and we had no neighbors to our right or in front of us. Our site was very spacious. It was a very short walk to the bathroom. The bathroom near us had 2 toilets and a free shower. All of it was relatively clean. The staff did a couple quick drive-bys during quiet hours and that was the last we heard of them. They left us alone which was good. Each site has a fire ring and a charcoal grill stand. Cons: We could hear cars in the middle of the night sometimes. They were far off as if coming from a local road or the highway. The only site that seemed bad was Site 1 which has a road to the left and right, and no trees in front or the left or right. Great place that I would certainly visit again! read more

we stayed on lot 10, the lot was small we used a tent that is 16x7 sleeps 8, if your using a tent that sleeps 2 its the right size. lots 10 the lot was not exactly flat the lots are on a small hill and kinda of slant, the pond was clean, found that the area is not marked as clearly as i would like but found my way around, i would go again but next time i will try a different lot, read more

Stayed for,a day on my way to maine...nice quiet park...horrible signage... Our spot was hard to find and someone should trim trees

Very quiet and peaceful campground with camping spots basically IN the woods. When we got there, all the waterfront spots were taken so we tried getting as close as we could only to find our spot was up a hill pretty much in the woods. It was actually really nice once we got set up and got a fire going. The fire pits need a bit of work, though. Our spot had a pit which was basically a hill of dirt with big rocks thrown around it. It looked cool and fit the woodsy camp spot, but we ended up having to move some of the rocks because it was hard to get the fire going in there. There is also a grill built into the pit (but not OVER the pit - BEHIND it...so you'd essentially have to build a fire behind the actual outside pit in order to use it) which we found to be a nuisance as it was in the way at times so air could not get to the fire, or the smoke would blow right in our faces constantly and we could not move our chairs to the other side because the grill was in the way. Considering they have actual charcoal grills on the sites too, I think the grills built into the pits need to go. The bathrooms were full of HUGE spiders - which I personally HATED. I know it's camping but I HATE spiders! Flushable toilets and nice hot shower water, though. Not much of a "beach", but the lake is big and good for boating. Tons of hiking trails too. We will probably go back because it's pretty close to home and a nice, close weekend trip, but next time I hope we can get a spot closer to the lake. Some of those lake spots looked gorgeous! read more

I hike and walk here frequently. Good trails. Quiet and not crowded. Campsites are typically full in the summer. Not a lot of "scenic" sites IMO. read more

The check-in process is really simple, the staff is super friendly, and the campsites themselves are perfectly secluded and really affordable. My only complaint is the mosquitoes, which were awful. Just be sure to bring bug spray and you'll have a great time! read more

Really nice campsite. Trees but sunny. Bathrooms clean. However there's only one shower in each bathroom. We would definitely come back

First I want to start my review with the park staff. They are all very professional, courteous, very helpful, and very pleasant group of Rangers that make your experience at Wells Park a very enjoyable one. The grounds are always well maintained and very clean as is the bathrooms. We try to go twice a season and enjoy spending 4 weeks a year. Over the years if we ever have problems for our privacy from other bothersome campers the staff has always taken care of it quickly and professionally. The Rangers are always offering events from nature walks to campfires. They show kids how to fish and how to enjoy themselves while camping. I could go on for hours talking about how nice the staff is, but enough of them. ha-ha For camping sites they are all very large with plenty of shade. They are positioned so everyone has there own space for privacy and the ultimate camping enjoyment. My site that we try to reserve twice a year is site #25. Even though I feel every site at Wells is great there's always one site that stands out as the best, and that's my site. I have declared site #25 as mine, all mine, no one Else's. Should you ever get a chance to visit Wells and should see two huskies and one shepherd please stop and say hi. Belle and Brady love meeting new people, Bandit not so much, but he is harmless. Just likes to bark. The other campers we have met over the years are very friendly. Fishing there is great. I'm a catch and release and have pulled some nice large mouths from Walker Pond. I know there's a few big ones in there cause I have let them go. Shopping and dining is close by making our vacation remote, but not deserted. read more

I have stayed here many times in the past for weekend camping trips and have always enjoyed it. I stayed in one of the yurts once which also had electricity available. Hiking is available up to Carpenters Rock which is a fantastic view. There is a lake available for swimming and you can also bring a canoe or go fishing outside of the swimming area. read more