Erving State Forest, MA
Laurel Lake Recreation Area
The Laurel Lake Recreation Area is located in Erving State Forest in northern Massachusetts about 5 miles northwest of Orange. The park includes a very nice day-use area with a large beach and swimming area and also a 27-unit campground designed primarily for tent camping, although smaller RV's can be accommodated.
Date of visit: Oct 2017
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Just as one enters the park is this scenic view of Laurel Lake. We were there in early October when just the first tinges of autumn color were becoming evident.
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The park office is small but tidy.
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Let's take a walk and check out the campground.
Site 2 is small tenting site with some nice shade.
The campground here is a bit unusual in that the campsites are stretched out in a straight line along a one-way road that is almost a mile long, rather than being on a campground loop road.
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Nearby is site 2A with its tent area up on an elevated area. Also nicely shaded for those hot summer days.
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Site 3 is a walk-to site with parking on the other side of the road.
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Site 4 is small site good for tents or perhaps pop-up trailers.
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There are two modern vault toilets across from site 4.
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Site 5 is fairly level and suitable for pop-ups, vans and pick-up campers as well as tents.
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Site 7 is one of the larger sites. It slants bit to the side, but otherwise is fine for small RV's.
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Site 8 and 9 beyond it on the left could accommodate pop-ups or truck campers.
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Just beyond site 9 are two older outhouses.
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Site 11 is small site close to the road. Small RV's could probably manage here.
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Site 13 is the largest site in the campground and a larger RV could probably fit here, although there are some small low-hanging branches to get past.
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Site 14 is fairly level, but a bit smaller. You could likely get a small Class C motorhome into this site.
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Site 18 is suitable for small RV's as well as tents.
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Just past site 18 is the modern bathhouse. It features hot showers (coin-operated) as well as a dish-washing area at the front.
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Across from the bathhouse is a small nature center and a bulletin board that shows the various activities scheduled for campers.
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Site 19 is a larger site.
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Site 21.
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Site 25 is attractive in that it gets some nice morning sun, but becomes shaded in the afternoon.
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Site 27 is another of the larger sites.
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Near the entrance station is the day-use area, reached by going down a set of steps.
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The beach is large and is situated on the south shore of the lake so that some shade is offered by the trees just behind the beach.
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If you're planning a group function, the park features a covered pavilion that can be reserved.
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Fees
27 sites with no hookups - $27 ($17 for MA residents)
Amenities
Central water taps, pay showers, vault and flush toilets
Activities
Swimming, fishing, canoeing
Entrance station coordinates: 42.619532, -72.368447
Elevation: 936'
Campground Map
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