Solitude. Cutler, the heart of Maine’s Bold Coast, is known for its miles of deserted, pine-carpeted rocky shores. Campers along here can pick between three permitted sites, which are reachable after a four- to five-mile hike. The sites are located near Fairy Head along the Coastal Trail, along a 12,234-acre expanse of blueberry barrens, woodlands, and peatlands, with views of Grand Mahan Island and the Bay of Fundy. Be aware that no campfires are allowed.
Cutler Coast Public Reserved Land, Maine 191, Cutler, ME, USA, + 1 207 941 4412
Set near the untamed splendor of Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge, Northern Waters Outfitters offers canoe trips and tent sets along two wild rivers. While the weather holds, the outfitters will take on canoeing, whitewater kayaking, and fishing trips, while hiking and snowshoeing dominate the winter activities.
Northern Waters Outfitters, 29 Upton Rd, Errol, NH, USA, + 1 603 482 3817
Wedged in a cleft between 1,000-foot cliffs in the Green Mountains, Vermont’s Smugglers’ Notch State Park is one of the state’s most popular campsites. Don’t let the scenic highway and daytrippers strolling to the spectacular Bingham Falls fool you: the campsite offers 20 overnight spots, three-quarters of which are lean-to sites. The Long Trail crosses the road here, and other trails wind to the summit at Sterling Pond, one of the state’s highest.
Smugglers’ Notch State Park, 6443 Mountain Road, Stowe, VT, USA, + 1 802 253 4014
Stay on your own island. This is where everything disappears and you can really get away (so leave your phone, or at least take a good Instagram shot). One mile long and a quarter-mile wide, the 125-acre Woods Island in Lake Champlain has five private campsites spread out along the shore. There’s no ferry service to the island, so visitors have to make their own arrangements or hire from two local water taxi providers (note, there are no docks either). Facilities are minimal, and bring water. Camping by reservation only.
