We've gone every year for 8 years straight, sometimes multiple times a year. Great amenities,…read morehelpful staff, good location.

Stayed at this place for three nights. Place is clean, has a real nice playground, and is close to…read moreseveral area attractions. However, there are several things that did not sit well with us. First, most of the transient sites face each other. This means awning to awning. This is fine if you are camping with other friends. But for those single campers this can be challenging. In our example, the other camper had a dog that was unfriendly towards other dogs. This put both of us in a difficult situation because no one wants a dog fight. Thankfully we worked together and had no incidents. This also causes every conversation to be overheard by the other camper. It's really an odd setup that I have never encountered in 40 plus years of camping. The second concern was when we were leaving and lined up to use the dump station. First, there is only one station. While we were waiting, a worker was on a tractor with a portable dump wagon. He was in front of us and there was a line of campers behind us. When the manager came out of the camp store and asked us to move forward, I inquired if the worker was going to be dumping their portable tank. I was told "Yes." I said that seems odd seeing there are paying customers waiting to use the dump station. The manager said "Other people had paid to be pumped out." I said that I realize that but it doesn't seem wise to make people wait, especially when there is a line. Now I could understand if the portable tank was full (it was about half as it was see through) and the worker was going to pump out more campers. But this was not the case as the worker emptied the tank, washed it out with a garden hose, and then went and parked the unit on the side of their garage. The worker then mingled around the shop doing absolutely nothing important. The point here is that management did not care at all about their customers waiting in line. I can only guess that they had their money already so they did not care about the customers after their stay? We had planned on sharing this campground with our daughter and her camping friends so they could bring their kids and camp facing each other. But, after realizing that management did not care about their customers, I think it would be in poor taste for us to recommend a place that is disrespectful to their customers. Very poor customer service.

My family and I recently went camping here for the 4th of July weekend. We took a bit of a gamble…read morecoming here since there just seems to be so few reviews online, but we really enjoyed our stay and wanted to share details since it seems that those are missing...And since some things have changed. Campground Rules: Some earlier reviews had mentioned that vehicles are not allowed at the sites, and this is what is specified on the current list of campground rules. I would advise visitors to call ahead to ask, but at the time of our visit (July 2021), we were told that vehicles ARE allowed to remain at the campsites, which is extremely convenient! Due to COVID-19, however, the group sites are currently unavailable and there are some campsites that are left empty to allow for social distancing. Sanitary Facilities: the sanitary facilities listed on the website are NOT all the same! The three in the camping area are essentially outhouses (see picture attached) and are pretty messy (they have hand sanitizer and toilet paper available, but also some spiders! But I guess that's what you expect with rustic camping...On the plus side, they also hang up some air fresheners so they did smell pretty good). However, they DO have much nicer bathrooms in the day-use/picnic area, right behind the showers. These have flush toilets, toilet paper, sinks, soap, and paper towels, and are cleaned daily. Other Amenities: there are trash cans dispersed across the camping area, which are easily accessible but also protected against wildlife. We also did see white trucks from First Light (the company running the campground) once or twice patrolling the area, so it seems that it is pretty safe. They did not bother us or interact with us at all, but it was nice to know that they were around. Additionally, we did not use the showers but they are coin-operated so do bring coins if you plan on showering! Checking In/Out: we visited the Campground Office and Paddlesport Center to check in and out of our campsite. The staff there were very friendly and processed us very quickly. We also rented kayaks for the morning, and they were super accommodating and it was a great experience! Fees: this may change, but at the time of our stay, we paid $22/day for our campsite and I believe $25 for 2 hours for a tandem kayak (the price is the same for solo kayaks and also stand-up paddleboards). We got a bundle of wood at the Campground Office and Paddle Sport Center for less than $6, and it lasted a pretty long time. Camp Sites: the campsite itself was very spacious. We had Site 27, which was pretty isolated due to all of the surrounding campsites being closed due to COVID-19 distancing. There is a gate that you have to open to get your car in and out, but it's fairly easy to open (not sure if you're allowed to just leave it open?). Pro-tip for anyone who stays at Site 27: it can be hard to find...But go into the loop for parking and you'll find a separate gate with a post nearby labeled "27". Go through there and Site 27 is on the left! We wandered around a little bit initially...We did not have tent plots on our site, which was just as well since our tent would not have fit anyway. But we did see many other sites with it, and they looked pretty nice! Trails: the nature trail was well-marked and very pretty. Quick warning though: there are some steep areas that were hard to navigate. They have steps constructed for most areas, but do be careful with older individuals or younger children. The Dinosaur Track Quarry was unlabeled unfortunately, but should be relatively easy to find. It's toward the beginning of the trailhead at the parking area and is distinguished by a cliff face and a lot of small, thin stones (possibly shale stones?). There are also a couple of overlooks available throughout the trail, like in one of the images attached, seen at sunset. These were really nice! Kayaking: As mentioned previously, we did rent out kayaks from the Campground Office and Paddlesport Center! There's a lot of space to paddle around (we only did 2 hours, but there was a lot more to explore) and the staff helped with bringing everything (boats, paddles, and life jackets) to and from the launching area. We surprisingly saw a lot of swans and their cygnets around (I want to say maybe 10 families???), as well as ducks and geese. Overall Experience: We really enjoyed our stay overall at Barton Cove. Whenever we had questions, the staff over the phone were incredibly friendly and accommodating. Our stay was peaceful and quiet (with the exception of fireworks in nearby places - not in the campground itself - due to the 4th of July). Our only complaint is that we wish that the outhouses were a little bit better maintained. There were some spiderwebs in places you really don't want them to be...I also wish that the website could be updated to reflect some of the rule changes and include more information!

This campground has beautiful sights and sounds of the Connecticut River. I would go again!read more

So this is now my 2nd posting because, the owner Paul, does not want my post here and keeps…read moredeleting it as though it never happened. I will post it everyday. TBH The owner's wife is very accommodating. If I could POST ZERO Stars, I would. The husband/owner is an absolute piece of crap. Let me explain. I called to reserve a spot for two nights and the wife graciously tells me there is one spot open on the river. I tell her great, without asking the price and reserve the spot on Thursday. I call back and explain I would like to drop off my rtt trailer 6X6 in my spot early in the morning 5am (without setting up) and on the other end of the phone is a booming voice the F*U*K he will and he goes off for about 2 minutes. Now mind you this is not my first time doing this, yet this guy continues to berate me over the phone, then when I ask to talk to him he says he was yelling at his wife. Ya OK. So I tell him that I was planning on driving almost three hours to fish the Deerfield with my son and ask to drop it off in the spot. YA YA whatever is his response. To be accommodating, I do not leave as I wanted to arrive at 5am as he didn't want me to disturb his other guests, yet wants to charge me for the first night even though I wouldn't be there. We arrive at 7am and wait until I see lots of campfires going and people walking around. At 7:15 I call the office line and he is angry already, saying I woke him up and that check in isn't until 12:00 noon, even though I have been charged for the previous night and had permission to be there at 5am by him and his wife. This guy lets me drive almost three hours with my son, then gives me wrong directions to my spot and drives down LOUDLY saying are you down driving all around my property. I calmly explain I used the directions they gave me and they sent me the wrong way. He then states that we won't be doing this again to which, I said what again. You are right. Then he says you can leave. TBH I was thankful, as the spot he "gave" us was sandwiched between 30+ other tents along maybe 250 foot stretch of river front, all of which were awake and up cooking and getting ready for the day. You are right on top of one another, so much so you can hear others' conversations just sitting there. I said no problem, just give me a refund and I will leave. F*u*k YOU. I will call the cops if you don't leave. Apparently he was waiting to kick me out knowing I was driving the 2.5 hrs+ to the camp site with my son, because when he said he was yelling at his wife, I said that was no way to speak to his wife, with a 1st time customer on the phone. So I drove to the office and called the number to get my refund, at which time he drove up, as I am calling out to him he looks back and slams the door and refuses to pick up the phone. Drove about 15 min toward N. Adams and expailned the situation to a couple of people asking for another campsite, both locals pointed me to two other sites, but both had similar experiences with the owner, husband - not the wife. Choice and descriptive words about him, my GOD! Locals know him I guess. Still had a great time in Western MA - went out to N Adams and fished the Hoosic - caught five brookies and 1 brown all natives. Spent the night near Sawyer Pond VT and found another FREE places to camp almost like RTT in the wilderness - State allowed. I got my money back by doing a charge back. If anyone has ever had an issue with this guy, all you need do is call your credit card company explain the situation, and if no services were received the Credit Card Company - against his will, will pull the funds and place them back on your card, even with his NO REFUND POLICY. He will then get charged a "CHARGE BACK" which costs him an additional $25-$50 per and he gets a mark against his VISA/MC account. Customer have rights and he cannot steal your money. So in the end, He lost $50 plus two night rental fees, for his effort, and we found a new campsite and fishing spot. Turned what could have been a terrible time into an adventure and made some good memories!

Disrespectful ownership, small portions for the price…read more Service forgetful. No refill water, no check up after foods served. " Waitress" server ? Verbally assaulted by owners wife after departed buildin while my 13 year old son and i were in parking lot, Owners wife seemed to be in a heated rage. As I was honest on serving portions and service, I was aggressively and verbally attacked in front of my 13 year son who had just won an outstanding ball game for the local high school. Found the management/owners wife to be rude and very disrespectful towards my child and I. Personally I plan to report this to the town of Charlemont and better business bureau, where restuarant is located. Understand this business does not respect one another as owners and Customers, in it for the dollar. God bless this couple can find happiness.

This campground is NOT on the Deerfield River as I originally expected. There is a non-wooded…read morecampground with the same name about five minutes away that is located right on the river. That being said... I'm glad that we ended up in this campground. We only stayed here for one night so we could enjoy tubing down the Deerfield River during the day, and have somewhere to cook and sleep at night. This campground was perfect for what we were looking for and was much more quiet than the one I thought I was booking originally. I can't speak for all of the sites, but we booked site 21 and thought it was perfect. It's right on the corner of the access road and directly across from the bathrooms. Due to it being on the corner, it offered some privacy as we only had neighbors on one side who were a bit separated by trees. It was decent sized. We were able to fit two vehicles, two tents, and had enough space to sit around the campfire. The firepit comes with a grate which you can use to grill. Also the bathroom light stays on 24/7 which is helpful when you need to walk there in the middle of the night. The mosquitoes weren't horrendous either. For $17, it was great.

Mohawk Trail State Forest has a great campground with different options for families and couples,…read moreyoung and old, adventurous and more sedate vacationers. We camped there for 6 days this year from a Saturday. The Cold River (not too cold as the name suggests) runs parallel to a good number of campsites on the lower level of the park. We were camped 15ft away from a river which served as a beautiful backdrop that we could hear all day and night as it rolled over they my rocks that created small and medium pools that we swam/sat in. The bathrooms were clean and very close by which is useful with kids. There area by trails to hike or bike right in the campground area. The campground is also within very close driving distance to plenty if water based activities on the Deerfield River. We went on a guided inflatable kayak tour with CrapApple tours which was okay but for the money and freedom it is much better to buy/bring your own boat or inflatable float/tube and just float down the river. It is a gorgeous view and lots of fun. North Adams is a fast 20 minute drive and on a rainy day we took the kids out for ice cream and the scenery up route 2 was beautiful. It's Worth the ride to North Adams which is also home to Mass Museum of Contemporary Art. Mohawk was a great escape and we are already planning on returning next year.

James, our guide on our rafting trip, was amazing. He is an amazing guide who taught everyone in…read morethe raft how to navigate in the water as a group within the first few minutes. James loves what he does and has many years of experience. He speaks multiple languages fluently and is knowledgeable in everything! James made our rafting trip truly memorable. Not one second of the journey was boring with him as guide!

Bought a new Pyranha Scorch small kayak! Order went well with delivery within a few weeks. Jim…read moreanswered all questions and was very knowledgeable about kayaking was buying! Transaction went smoothly! This was a 2nd kayak after 45 years with same brand!

It's an incredibly beautiful experience. The entry point at Bardwell's Ferry is gorgeous. The…read moreBardwell's Ferry Bridge was built in 1882 and is a historic bridge. We saw 2 bald eagles, a beaver, Common mergansers, and fish were jumping out of the river the whole trip. We stopped several times to swim in the deeper spots of the river. The team was wonderful and took care of everything we needed.

What a great experience! Definitely expensive but they take care of everything. They tied a small…read moretube to one of ours for our cooler to float along with us. The parking lot has a couple port-o-potties and plenty of parking spots. They drive you to the put in spot and then back after about a 3 hour float. Be prepared - there is a short, steep walk to the river, and coming back up is longer and steep, but not terrible. We can't wait to go next year!

Very pretty setting. Well manicured. Right off 91. Therein lies the problem. The 91 traffic is…read moreso loud. You're really only years away. We could get no sleep and during the day it's just as loud. No relaxation there. Other than that it was nice. Wouldn't stay there again

Inexpensive, quiet campground on a lovely stream. Peaceful. No frills but definitely a nice place…read moreto camp.

Wow what a place! 2nd time staying and it's always so relaxing and beautiful. Will continue our…read moretradition. Great owners, great coffee, cute store. Campsites are beautiful and love the cabin!

We heard about this campground and, specifically, the Retro RV (Shasta) from a friend. I was so…read moretaken by my friend's description that I immediately signed up for a weekend get-away! The folks who work at the KOA are SOOOO friendly and helpful. They greeted us when we arrived, gave us maps and codes to the bathroom/shower building, and hooked us up with wood and a small axe to cut it with! The Retro RV was absolutely charming. Based on other reviews, we came equipped with cleaning supplies. I think that the RV was sufficiently campground clean. There was no visible dirt, or stains anywhere and no off-putting odors. Nevertheless, we still cleaned the whole RV, especially the floor. I'm including this because I believe that the RV's sanitation would be adequate for most campers but you will have to invest a little elbow grease if you're a neat-freak like me. The RV had a pot and frying pan, plates, cups, utensils and really basic kitchen stuff. There was a cute little coffee pot, coffee and tea. There was a heater and an AC (or maybe it was a fan?), but we didn't use either during our trip the first weekend of October. The bed had vinyl padding that was in sections. We brought a queen sized mattress topper and cozy sleeping bags that fit perfectly over the vinyl and made it feel like home. I believe the vinyl padding would have been annoying to sleep on directly as it would have moved around and sagged in parts. Outside of the RV was a deck with a small table and chairs. We moved the chairs to the fire-pit and sat spent the bulk of our time sitting around it. We roasted hotdogs and marshmallows. I was especially delighted to discover that the RV had wifi! I hoped to write on my laptop sitting by the fire and the wifi sure helped a ton! Our favorite part of staying at this KOA was exploring Brattleboro. The town is incredible, quaint, hippie-ish and friendly. We loved the town so much that we were sold on the entire state of Vermont (this camping trip was our first time to the state). Conversely, the other campers at the campground seemed to be a bit more conservative for our taste. Compared to all of the rainbows in town our fellow campers had bumper stickers and flags that had less welcoming flair. It almost doesn't feel right to dock a star from this KOA because of the expressiveness of other campers, but I got the impression that this was the norm.

One thing about me: I'm gonna make my annual pilgrimage to Vermont for a maple latte, maple buffalo…read morewings, and some clean air hiking. Read on for the hike, the campground, and the park. Me, husbo, and dog hit a twofer this weekend - 2 hikes, 1 day. What can I say - I was feeling inspired. Hike We did the Mount Olga trail - accurately rated moderate. It was up, up, and more up. There's no lookout after all that uphill but there is a fire tower that gives 360 degree views. Ordinarily, I like to see fire towers, but not climb them. I was determined this time, tho. Unfortch right at the turn off for the tower my hamstring started to twitch which means I have about T-5 minutes until a debilitating cramp unless I get myself together. I didn't want to chance it so we continued around the loop. I REALLY liked this trail. I found all the uphill interesting, somewhat challenging, a few good rock scrambles, too. On the way down there were a few butt sits, and a water crossing, too. I love varied terrain like this. Minimal bugs and just enough people out to not feel alone, but to also go for 20 minutes at a time without seeing anyone else. The hike starts outside the visitor center and ends just above the campgrounds. About the campground: It's beautiful, wooded yet airy. Huge sites with sturdy picnic tables and glorious fire pits. They even have lean-tos! I've a right mind to book one this week before they close for the season. Bathrooms My husband used them before the hike and said they were CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN. Now I know that well-run campgrounds always keep a pristine bathroom but this was a surprise to him. Between the bathrooms and the camp sites he was really excited about finally going camping as a family (I usually go solo). Visitors Center Charming building and wonderful staff. The man checking us in provided accurate information and was very warm and friendly. I cannot WAIT to go back here once the spring rolls around. Lovely all around. Things to Know: -parking and overflow parking at Visitor Center -$5 entry fee per adult person. Day pass also valid at other state parks during the same day -dog friendly

Vermont will nickel and dime out of state visitors instead of building a stable fiscal state…read moreinfrastructure. It gets tiresome after a while. No sites are level, costs 20$ for residents nightly yet 25$ to use the dump station once. And they wonder why the politics are a mess

This was my second experience whitewater rafting, and it was perfect, because of the staff ant Crab…read moreApple. Our guide Tyler was amazing, engaging with everyone in the boat. He was helpful, supportive, and I always felt safe. Also I had a lot of fun! Everything was taken thoughtfully taken care of by the staff, from our food orders to the pictures after. We were matched with people of similar age and ability in our boat. FYI, our family was myself, my husband and 17 yo son. If you have a chance to choose Crabapple, do so. You'll get a family run business that focuses on service, safety, and fun. Just a note, our first experience whitewater rafting was in a different state and with higher class rapids. As a newbie, it was much less fun as our guide there barked orders and yellled if we weren't "pulling our weight". So don't align the class of rapids with the fun factor... go with people who will make it fun.

Really enjoyed my rafting trip on Saturday the 18th! The team was welcoming from the moment we…read morearrived. Brendan was our guide and he was very patient with our group of 6 (4 of whom it was their first time). I was very impressed with how knowledgeable he was about the area we were rafting in and felt like I was in excellent hands. There were 4 rafts in total on our trip. They have plenty of changing areas for after your trip and the food was ready when we arrived back to the headquarters. It was very foggy the day of our trip so they gave us our photos for free which was a nice gesture. They have a merch shop as well if you want to take back a souvenir. I would recommend them to anyone.