Life Is Good In The Woods
There are numerous designated tent sites with excellent tenting areas across the 452-acre Nobscot property. When tenting at Nobscot, there can be very significant differences in the sleeping capacities, distances, trail conditions, features, and suitability for novice campers of each tenting area. Reading the information for the site you plan to use should help you find a site that will provide you with the tenting experience that your group desires. Most tent sites have an open area for tenting, a picnic table, and a FireRing or FirePit. Most sites have a well pump and latrine nearby. In order to accommodate larger groups, events, or sleeping preferences, some tent sites pair nicely with other sites or Cabins.
Groups can tent at Nobscot in a number of ways:
- At a designated Tenting/Camping site.
- In the vicinity of an Adirondack/LeanTo site, when renting that Adirondack/LeanTo site.
- In the vicinity of a Cabin site, when renting that Cabin site.
- In a tent and following Leave-No-Trace (LNT) principles. The 452-acre Nobscot property is rich with suitable locations for LNT tenting by small groups, meeting certain requirements.
Click on image for view of another tentsite.
Designated Tenting Sites
- EllisLand: Excellent tenting offering both ‘in-the-woods’ tenting or tenting in an open field. Suitable for larger units with multiple patrols. EllisLand has an adjacent large field for activities. EllisLand Woods and EllisLand Meadow are individual designated tenting sites. Near Cabins 19 (10) & 18(11). Ideal for INTERMEDIATE Campers
- HaydenLand: Tenting for all levels of campers in 3 adjacent locations: HaydenLand Woods, HaydenLand Clearing, and HaydenLand Meadow. Suitable for any size units including larger units with multiple patrols. HaydenLand Woods and HaydenLand Clearing are individual designated tenting sites. HaydenLand Meadow (the enormous field with the flagpole) has four separate designated sites (North, South, East, West). The six separate tenting areas within HaydenLand offer a range of tenting experiences. Each location in HaydenLand is off Nipmuc Trail. HaydenLand Woods is a relatively flat walk to the parking lot. The path to HaydenLand Clearing and HaydenLand Meadow is gently-sloped. Nice for NOVICE Campers
- Big Rock: Excellent tenting in the woods. It is off Pond Trail and adjacent to the Canopache Adirondack site and near PondView Lodge. Ideal for INTERMEDIATE Campers
- HillTop: Excellent tenting on the top of a hill for moderate to experienced campers. Hill Top is beyond Five Corners and off Squanto Trail. The back site of HillTop is not far from Haynes Lodge 12 (29). ADVENTURES for ADVANCED Campers
- Explorer Alley: Tenting in the grass alongside Ellis Land Trail. Ideal for INTERMEDIATE Campers
- Squanto: Excellent tent site off Squanto Trail. Mostly on-the-grass tenting with some tenting in-the-woods. Beyond Legion Lodge at Five Corners. Remote location suitable for intermediate and advanced campers. ADVENTURES for ADVANCED Campers
Experience true Wilderness Tenting at Nobscot: Develop your Leave No Trace ™ (LNT) skills.
At a more advanced level, Mayflower Council offers an advanced, 2-day, Leave No Trace™ course.
If your unit leader or a responsible youth has had the required amount of formal Leave No Trace™ training, you may be allowed to practice LNT tenting anywhere at Nobscot, following a set of Nobscot-specific requirements. Click the button to jump to more information about LNT tenting opportunities at Nobscot.
Note: All Wilderness Tenting at Nobscot MUST follow specific Wilderness Tenting and Leave No Trace™ requirements for Nobscot and include an LNT-trained adult or youth.
Please click on the + sign in each of the blocks below to learn important overview information on Tenting at Nobscot.
The media display elements may take a few moments to display images of the Nobscot tenting experiences for scouts. Click on any single image for expanded view. “Sliders” show multiple images and “play” automatically. Use right and left arrows on “Sliders” to view images faster.
HillTop Tentsite
Use “Media Slider” to view this tentsite: Click arrows (swipe on mobile) to view additional tentsite photos.
HillTop – is an excellent tenting site for more experienced campers. To get to this remote site, pass Legion Lodge and go past Five Corners. HillTop tentsite is up the hill in the woods at the top of Squanto Trail. Alternatively, if coming in the back way from Pond View and up Squanto Trail, HillTop tentsite is a few hundred yards through the woods behind Haynes Lodge.
About: HillTop Tentsite
- Audience: ADVENTURES for ADVANCED Campers. HillTop offers excellent tenting in the woods at the top of a hill.
- GPS Location & Distance: Hilltop Tentsite is at: 42.35126, -71.4444
Distance: 0.605 miles – carry in/carry out.
HillTop is the farthest established tenting site at Nobscot from the parking lot. - Capacity: The HillTop tentsite has a tenting capacity of about 40-50 campers if spread out in tents.
- Features: HillTop has a picnic table, a free-standing chimney, and a FirePit.
- Water/Latrines: HillTop is somewhat remote, but still not too far from the water pump at Legion and the latrines at Pond View.
- Feel: HillTop is at the top of a hill and a bit remote, giving it an outstanding wilderness feel.
- Path: The path to this site is mostly over relatively hilly terrain with a couple of very steep-sloped sections – making it very difficult to pull a cart of equipment. Backpacking is always encouraged at Nobscot!
Big Rock Tentsite
Use “Media Slider” to view this tentsite: Click arrows (swipe on mobile) to view additional tentsite photos.
“Big Rock” – is an excellent tenting site for scouts. To get to this conveniently located site, take Belden’s Way and then Pond Trail. “Big Rock” tentsite is at the intersection of Pond Trail and Nixon Trail. “Big Rock” is identifiable by its very large boulder – one of many very large boulders at Nobscot.
The “Big Rock” tentsite is adjacent to the Canopache Adirondack site and was previously referred to as the Canopache Campsite. Large groups might want to consider renting the adjacent Canopache Adirondacks when reserving “Big Rock”.
About: Big Rock Tentsite
- Audience: Ideal for INTERMEDIATE Campers. “Big Rock” offers excellent tenting in the woods, yet close to the parking lot.
- GPS Location & Distance: Big Rock is at: 42.3505, -71.44067
Distance: 0.305 miles – carry in/carry out.
“Big Rock” is one of the closest established tenting sites at Nobscot from the parking lot. - Capacity: The “Big Rock” tentsite has a tenting capacity of about 50-75 campers if spread out in tents.
- Features: “Big Rock” has a picnic table and a FirePit.
- Water/Latrines: “Big Rock” is not far from the 2 water pumps at Owl Trail and at Nipmuc and the 2 latrines at Pond View and at Webelos Woods.
- Feel: “Big Rock” is a conveniently located, large, forested site, giving it an excellent wilderness feel.
- Path: The path to this site is mostly over slightly-sloped terrain – making it not difficult to pull a cart of equipment.
Backpacking is always encouraged at Nobscot!
Ellis Land Tentsite
Use “Media Slider” to view this tentsite: Click arrows (swipe on mobile) to view additional tentsite photos.
EllisLand – has two excellent tenting sites for scouts. To get to this easily-located site, take Ellisland Trail to the end and turn right on Jethro Trail. There is a sign marking the entrance to Ellisland a few hundred yards up on your left. EllisLand is accessed from two trails, both off of the southern end of Jethro Trail. Jethro Trail loops up to White Ridge and back down to Monsen Trail – through the Framingham side of Nobscot.
Both EllisLand and HaydenLand are very large, shared tenting sites. Expect that there may be other scout units tenting there also.
About: EllisLand Tentsites
- Audience: IDEAL for INTERMEDIATE Campers.
- EllisLand Woods offers excellent tenting in the woods for scouts.
- EllisLand Meadow offers excellent tenting in a field for scouts.
- GPS Location & Distance: EllisLand is at: 42.34284, -71.44442
Distance: 0.59 miles – carry in/carry out.
Ellis Land is not the closest designated tenting site at Nobscot from the parking lot, but it is worth the hike - Capacity: The EllisLand tentsites have a total tenting capacity of about 100-125 campers across both the woods and the field.
- EllisLand Woods offers excellent tenting in the woods for about 50 scouts.
- EllisLand Meadow offers excellent tenting in a field for about 50-75 scouts, if entire field is used for tenting. Woods surrounding the field is very dense.
- Features: EllisLand has two picnic tables in the Woods area and a FirePit in each of the woods area and the field.
- Water/Latrines: EllisLand is very close to the latrine at cabins 19(10) and 18 (11) and not far from the water pump near Highland cabin.
- Feel: EllisLand is two locations: a large, forested site for tenting and a large field for activities and programs. This gives it an excellent wilderness feel for tenting, plus a field with a FirePit.
- Path: The path to this site has sections of moderately-sloped terrain – making it possible to pull a cart of equipment.
Backpacking is always encouraged at Nobscot!
HaydenLand Tentsites
Use the “Media Sliders” to view the 6 Haydenland tentsites: Click arrows (swipe on mobile) to view additional tentsite photos.
HaydenLand – is a group of tenting sites for all campers. To get to these easily-located sites, take Belden’s Way to Nipmuc Trail. Each of the HaydenLand locations are sequentially on the right off of Nipmuc Trail.
- HaydenLand Woods: small, largely unknown site in the woods about 100 yards before intersection with Upland Trail.
- HaydenLand Clearing: large field with woods around it. On your right at the intersection of Upland Trail with Nipmuc. Previously marked with HaydenLand Campsite sign.
- HaydenLand Meadow: enormous field, with flagpole. Divided into four sites: North, South, East, West. Walk through HaydenLand Clearing and it’s through the trees and farther up Nipmuc.
Both HaydenLand Meadow and EllisLand are very large, shared tenting sites. Expect that there may be other scout units tenting there also.
HaydenLand Clearing (previously HaydenLand Campsite) is generally thought to be the closest tenting site to the parking lot. It is not. HaydenLand Woods, HideAway and Big Rock are closer and Explorer Alley is the same distance.
HaydenLand (Clearing and Meadow) are the best known and consequently the most popular tentsite area at Nobscot. Some groups who enjoy tenting in the woods might prefer Big Rock, HillTop, HideAway, HaydenLand Woods, and EllisLand Woods to HaydenLand Clearing or HaydenLand Meadow.
About: HaydenLand Tentsite(s)
- Audience: NICE for NOVICE Campers. HaydenLand offers both tenting in the field and tenting in the woods for all camper experience levels. The walk to HaydenLand is the most flat trail at Nobscot; water and latrines re close by.
- Sites: HaydenLand consists of 3 separate tenting areas (6 designated sites) that are separated by woods with: ‘no field’, ‘a big field’, and ‘a huge field’.
- Distance: The HaydenLand area has some of the closest designated tenting sites at Nobscot from the parking lot (0.22 to 0.38 miles) – carry in/carry out.
- Capacity: The HaydenLand tentsites have a total tenting capacity of hundreds of campers if spread out in tents across the forest and the two fields.
- HaydenLand Woods: 8-12 scouts in tents in the woods
- HaydenLand Clearing: 50-75 scouts in tents in the clearing and in the surrounding woods
- HaydenLand Meadow: Each of the four Meadow sites can accommodate ~40 scouts in tents in the meadow and in the surrounding woods
- Features: HaydenLand has picnic tables and FirePits for each designated site. HaydenLand Meadow has the biggest field at Nobscot, with EllisLand Meadow, Peabody Adirondacks, and HaydenLand Clearing all having smaller fields.
- Water/Latrines: HaydenLand is very close to the water pump at the start of Nipmuc trail and not far from the latrine in the parking lot.
- Path: The path to this site is mostly over flat terrain with one sloped section after you pass HaydenLand Woods – making it not hard to pull a cart of equipment.
Backpacking is always encouraged at Nobscot
HaydenLand Woods: A really nice site, somewhat hidden in the woods, off Nipmuc Trail. This is a great “hidden gem” with in-the-woods tenting for a small-sized group.
- Audience: NICE for NOVICE Campers.
- GPS Location & Distance: Hayden Land Woods is at: 42.34960, -71.43880
Distance: 0.22 miles – carry in/carry out. - Capacity: 8-12 campers in tents
- Feel: Great “in-the-woods” feel with a close proximity to parking lot.
- Features: Picnic table and FirePit
HaydenLand Clearing (formerly Haydenland Campsite): With a trail marker of “Haydenland Campsite”, this is a large field, surrounded by forest.
- Audience: NICE for NOVICE Campers.
- GPS Location & Distance: Hayden Land Clearing is at: 42.35016, -71.43815
Distance: 0.30 miles – carry in/carry out. - Capacity: 50-75 campers in tents
- Features: Multiple picnic tables and FirePits
- Feel: Tenting in the woods along the perimeter of a large field, plus tenting in the field itself.
HaydenLand Meadow: This is the huge field “with the flagpole”. It is an enormous field with a wooded area around it. Consider walking through Hayden Land Clearing to get to Hayden Land Meadow, rather than continuing on Nipmuc for hundreds of yards.
- Audience: NICE for NOVICE Campers.
- GPS Location & Distance: HaydenLand Meadow’s Center is at: 42.35058, -71.436791
- HaydenLand Meadow North (FirePit) is at: 42.35087457,-71.43684170 – 0.42 miles
- HaydenLand Meadow South (area) is at: 42.35030933,-71.43706307 – 0.32 miles
- HaydenLand Meadow East (area) is at: 42.35068803,-71.43636167 – similar
- HaydenLand Meadow West (FirePit) is at: 42.35064763,-71.4368965 – similar
- Capacity: HaydenLand Meadow: 100-125 campers in tents.
Each of the four Meadow sites can accommodate ~40 scouts in tents in the meadow and in the surrounding woods - Feel: Tenting in the woods along the perimeter of an enormous field, plus tenting in the field itself.
- Features: One picnic tables and FirePit at each of the four designated sites.
View HaydenLand Meadow tentsites: Click arrows or swipe right or left to view additional tentsite photos and map.
Explorer Alley Tentsite
Use “Media Slider” to view this tentsite: Click arrows (swipe on mobile) to view additional tentsite photos.
Explorer Alley – is a tenting site on very flat ground on either side along a wide section of trail. To get to this easily-located site, take Ellisland Trail past Chippanyonk Council Ring and it’s along with wide section of the trail before you get to the intersection with Jethro Trail.
About: Explorer Alley Tentsite
- Audience: IDEAL for INTERMEDIATE Campers. Explorer Alley offers flat tenting alongside a trail.
- GPS Location & Distance: Explorer Alley Tentsite is at: 42.34392, -71.44159
Distance: 0.405 miles – carry in/carry out.
Explorer Alley is among the closest tenting sites at Nobscot to the parking lot. - Capacity: The Explorer Alley tentsite has a capacity of about 50+ scouts in tents.
- Features: Explorer Alley has at least one picnic table. A FireRing was added to the “northern corner” of Explorer Alley during 2020.
- Feel: Explorer Alley is along a very wide section of Ellisland Trail and does not have much of a wilderness feel.
- Water/Latrines: Explorer Alley is convenient to a latrine near cabins 10/11. Water, between cabins 11/13 is less convenient
- Path: The path to this site is mostly over relatively flat terrain with a couple of moderately-sloped sections – making it possible to pull a cart of equipment. Backpacking is always encouraged at Nobscot!
Squanto Tentsite
Use “Media Slider” to view this tentsite: Click arrows (swipe on mobile) to view additional tentsite photos.
Squanto – is a remote tenting site for advanced campers. To get to this site, pass Legion Lodge and head up Nixon Trail to Five Corners. The tenting site is alongside the wide portion of Squanto Trail. The FirePit is in the woods on the right side of the trail.
About: Squanto Tentsite
- Audience: ADVENTURES for ADVANCED Campers. Squanto offers good tenting alongside of Squanto Trail and tenting in the woods.
- GPS Location & Distance: Squanto Tentsite is at: 42.35036, -71.44493 Distance: 0.50 miles – carry in/carry out.
Squanto is one of the farthest tenting sites at Nobscot from the parking lot. - Capacity: The Squanto tentsite has a capacity of about 30 scouts in tents.
- Features: Squanto tentsite has a picnic table on the grass and a FirePit in the woods (right side of trail when walking in from Five Corners).
- Water/Latrines: Squanto is not far from the water pump at Legion and a bit far from the latrines at Pond View.
- Feel: With a remote location and tenting in the woods, this site has a has a good wilderness feel. If tenting alongside Squanto Trail, the wilderness feel is a bit compromised.
- Path: The path to this site is a long one, mostly over relatively steep terrain – making it not suitable to pull a cart of equipment.
Backpacking is always encouraged at Nobscot!
Other Alternatives For Tenting
The designated tenting sites described above provide a flavor of tenting at Nobscot, but not the whole story. Outstanding tenting can be found at other locations too.
Wilderness Tenting
Click on image for expanded view.
For scout units with Leave-No-Trace (LNT) experience, Wilderness tenting options are in abundance all around Nobscot. We don’t identify specific locations because overuse tends to compromise the natural condition of a site. All tenting other than at designated Tenting/Adirondack/Cabin sites MUST meet specific Nobscot Wilderness Tenting requirements in addition to following Leave No Trace™ principles.
Click for more information on Leave-No-Trace requirements and wilderness tenting at Nobscot.
Adirondack/LeanTo sites
If tenting is your objective, consider renting an Adirondack site if it is a better match for your group’s needs than a designated tenting site or wilderness tenting. All Adirondack sites have tenting capacity. Most have excellent tenting. In particular, as shown in the photos, outstanding tenting can be found when renting either of these, large-capacity Adirondack/LeanTo sites.
Click on image for expanded view.
Canopache Adirondacks are suitable for a medium to large group of Scouts – mostly in tents. The Canopache Adirondacks provide a fantastic camping experience with two great Adirondacks. As a stand-alone Adirondack site it is a great location for a small to medium-sized group. When combined with the adjacent “Big Rock” tentsite, units will enjoy one of the best tenting experiences at Nobscot. This site has a large capacity for tenting around the LeanTo area and in the surrounding woods. There is a FireRing (with cooking grate) in front of the Adirondacks plus a FirePit in the nearby Big Rock tenting site. Latrines and a water pump are nearby. Canopache Adirondacks are ideal for intermediate campers interested in an Adirondack site.
Click on image for expanded view.
Peabody Adirondacks is a great site for a medium to large group of Scouts – mostly in tents. It has a great combination of an ‘in-the-woods’ tenting feel – all adjacent to a large field for activities or more tenting. Peabody has a Adirondack capacity of 8 individuals (4+4) and capacity for roughly 50-75 in tents. With a mostly flat area, 2 covered picnic tables, 2 open picnic tables, 2 FireRings, 2 Adirondacks, great tenting, and a large field, this is considered by some to be the best tenting experience for noviceand intermediate campers at Nobscot. Peabody Adirondacks is the closest Adirondack site to the parking lot. Latrines and a water pump are nearby.