Big Deer State Park in Vermont, USA - map and visitor information

Research checked: 2026-10-27. Check linked official notices before travel.

Big Deer State Park in Groton, Vermont, is mainly a small campground within the Groton State Forest Recreation Area. Vermont State Parks manages it. Choose it as a seasonal camping base for the surrounding forest and nearby parks. Check in at Stillwater State Park, not at a separate Big Deer reception desk.

Highlights of a Big Deer stay

The campground has 22 tent/RV sites and five lean-tos. Nearby Groton Nature Center and the forest’s trail network broaden the trip beyond the campsite. Choose a site from the official booking map, then plan the walks and neighboring park visits that fit your group.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Safety information

Match your equipment to the operating season. A winter permit does not provide a heated restroom, running water, or vehicle access to the campsite. Check winter parking and snow conditions before setting out, and bring the supplies needed for a self-contained hike-in stay.

Visit responsibly

Observe quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Keep pets confined or on a leash no longer than ten feet, and remove their waste. Use the park’s firewood supply. Ask staff about the import and exchange requirements before bringing wood from another state.

Reservation policies

Use the Big Deer campground reservation page to select a site. Regular reservations open on a rolling 11-month window, with full payment due at booking. More than seven days ahead, the usual minimum is two nights. Within seven days, vehicle campers can book one night; arrivals on foot, by bicycle, or by paddle have a one-night exception.

A booking made on the first day a date becomes available has a 22-day restriction on cancellation, date changes, and site transfers. Review the current camping policies before paying. Winter camping uses the separate off-season permit process rather than a normal serviced-season reservation.

Maps, location, and check-in

The Big Deer address is 1467 Boulder Beach Road, Groton, VT 05046. Keep the Stillwater check-in instruction with your arrival plan. Use the campsite map on the reservation page to confirm the layout and site fit before bringing an RV or larger tent.

Nearby parks

Boulder Beach State Park and Stillwater State Park are nearby parts of the Groton State Forest Recreation Area. Big Deer’s campground is separate from their facilities, so check the operating dates and access arrangements for the park you intend to visit. Stillwater is also your Big Deer check-in stop.

Things to do

Use Big Deer as the campground base, then choose a route in the wider state forest. The forest has more than 17 miles of hiking trails, plus gravel roads and multi-use trails. Ask about the Groton Nature Center’s scheduled interpretation instead of assuming a program runs each day.

Facilities and seasonal services

During the operating season, the campground has flush toilets, hot and cold water, and token-operated hot showers. Buy shower tokens at the contact station during regular hours. Those services do not continue into off-season camping, when visitors must pack out their waste and cannot rely on park facilities.

About Big Deer State Park

The park is one of several visitor areas within Groton State Forest. Its small campground is the principal facility, while the surrounding forest and neighboring parks provide the wider recreation setting.

History

Groton’s waterways and travel routes connected Indigenous people and French travelers with Canada and Massachusetts by the early 1700s. Logging later became a major local industry during the railroad era. Forest management and recreation both remain part of the landscape’s present use.

Contact

Big Deer park telephone: 802-584-3822. Read the official Big Deer page for operating information. For Northeast-region off-season questions, Vermont State Parks lists 802-476-0171.