Willard Brook State Forest

State Forest Massachusetts

Visited July 2017

Entrance sign for Willard Brook State Forest

Damon Pond Campground

Willard Brook State Forest is located in north-central Massachusetts just north of Fitchburg. The Damon Pond Campground is fairly primitive, offering 19 campsites and a unique group yurt that sleeps 10. The yurt offers bunkbeds, tables and chairs and is accessible. Beneath a pine canopy with access to swimming, hiking and fishing, this quaint area is perfect for family reunions. There are flush toilets, but no showers. We last camped here back in the 1970's with friends and decided to make a return visit. It's a quiet place with hiking and swimming being the two main activities. The park contains 2,597 acres.

Beware of your GPS guidance. The entrance is off Route 119, not Hosmer Road.

Tel: 978-597-8802

Campground open May - October

Site 3 is unique in being much more private than the remainder of the sites.

Greetings from

Willard Brook State Forest

Site 3 is unique in being much more private than the remainder of the sites.

Ribbit! The WxToad

Around the campground

The other sites, such as 7 and 8, have little to no undergrowth between them. They all have shade, however, welcome on warm summer days.

Site 10 is on the inside of the campground loop road..

Sites 11, 12 and 13 are near the bathhouse on the outside of the loop.

Here one can see that most sites are quite open to one another. These are sites 17 and 18 in the center of the loop.

Sites 21 and 20 have a little grass along with the pine needles.

As one enters the campground, there is a large yurt suitable for large families or a group of friends. Inside are 6 double bunk beds sleeping 12 people. It has electricity and its own private porta-potty out back.

The bathhouse is nothing to write home about but it does provide the necessities of flush toilets and cold running... — The bathhouse is nothing to write home about but it does provide the necessities of flush toilets and cold running water. No showers, however.

When we here back in the 1970's this glen down behind the bathhouse had no vegetation, grass, etc., showing at all -... — When we here back in the 1970's this glen down behind the bathhouse had no vegetation, grass, etc., showing at all - just a smooth flat surface covered with pine needles. It was a great place for a family game of whiffle ball and Jokari. Remember that - a ball on a long elastic that two players took turns hitting as the elastic brought it back toward them. That was one of our staple camping games for a number of years.

A short walk from the campground is Damon Pond.

There is a very nice beach at the pond, situated so that it has shade on those hot summer days.

The small park office is located neat the beach. This is where one checks in and firewood is sold here.

About a mile from the campground (east on Rt 119) is a picnic area featurng a small waterfall. Many summers the fall has little to no water, but this year has seen an abundance of rainfall, so the water was pouring over the lips of the 12'-15' falls. It's about a hundred yards walk-in from the parking area to the falls, near which are a number of picnic tables and bathroom facilities.

Nearby campgrounds

Pearl Hill State ParkMA · 2 miles away

Otter River State ForestMA · 15 miles away

Lake Dennison Recreation AreaMA · 15 miles away

Erving State ForestMA · 30 miles away

Back on the roadSee all 402 campgrounds