Black Rock State Park — Attraction in Watertown

My friends and I made a last minute decision to get away for the night and camp, not having a budget for this trip we chose a state park because lets face it they are cheap. usually when you go cheap you get what you pay for and remembering camping as a child, CT state parks are not always the nicest places to stay we were very nervous about it. We pulled up to the entrance and expected to see a half assed paved path in but was surprised to find a nicely paved driveway with not only a guard shack but there was actually a real office to check in. After checking in, staff was very pleasant as we were a little late and he had to unlock everything to check us in, we drove to our site and were in complete shock as the grounds were beautiful, the sites were well marked and easy to find. The sites were very large and included a large picnic table and fire pit with an attached grill that could be lifted up to enjoy your campfire after cooking your dinner. The facilities were newly updated and were very clean, showers were free and there were even automatic toilets. As with all state parks in CT no alcohol is allowed but if you don't get out of control, you aren't loud and obnoxious no one knows if you even have anything, key is be discrete. In reading some of the other reviews for this place here your camping people and not in a 5 star hotel there are going to be bugs in the bathroom and if the rangers were looking and watching you, there had to be a reason for them to suspect alcohol or something else. We kept a large fire well into the early morning, drank pretty heavy, and kept our music a decent level and not once was bothered or even seen a ranger near our campsite. They were there we just gave them no reason to bother with us. If your looking for a campground with all the amenities of a 5 star hotel this isn't the place for you but if you are a real camper and can party and have a good time with respect that your fellow campers that are not, than Black Rock State Park is defiantly the place to go. An added feature this year are also small cabins to rent at a great priced. We hope to be going back several times this summer we will see how the place is maintained but as long as we as campers do our part and clean up after ourselves it will help to keep this newly renovated campground from becoming...

Most of the campsites here are fairly exposed, with only minimal shade. Since I personally enjoy camping in well-shaded, tree-covered areas—it's much more relaxing for me—these open sites weren’t quite my preference.

However, if you enjoy open and sunlit spots, these campgrounds might suit you well. For those like me who seek a bit more shade, I recommend the T zone at Black Rock. It offers more tree cover than most other areas, making it a more comfortable spot for shade lovers. It is slightly farther from the restrooms, but definitely worth it if you're prioritizing a cooler, shaded camping experience.

Restrooms were well-maintained and cleaned regularly. There’s also a designated spot to wash dishes.

If you'd rather not pitch your own tent, there are 4–5 cabins available for rent.

The campground is conveniently located near Black Rock Lake, Black Rock Pond (which they refer to as a "beach," though it’s really a pond), and several small brooks. The lake was closed during our visit, so we fished in the pond instead—though the fish were quite small. There’s also a small water play area, with at least two lifeguards on duty at all times near the pond, which felt reassuring. On a hot day, the ice cream truck parked by the pond was a pleasant surprise!

We were told that bear sightings are rare in this park, which is always good to know when camping in the wild.

There were lots of kids biking and running along the campground paths, so it felt very family-friendly. Dogs are allowed as long as they’re kept on a leash...

Updated review again - once the loud campers left, it was really wonderful. I am changing my 1 star to a 3 star.

Review update. WORST CAMPGROUND I am camping right now, and currently we are listening to another camps music. It's rap and it's so loud we actually have to raise our voices to speak to each other while right next to one another. Not to mention they are screaming and swearing. The camp with the music is 2 large sites away. ALSO the campers next to us listened to music day and night, and were so obnoxiously loud, well into the late night (past midnight) despite the quiet after 10 pm rules and no amplified music rules. The park rangers didn't do a single thing about them. Not to mention that people were literally ripping trees down in the forest behind our site. This has completely ruined the trip for my family and I am utterly disgusted with how the staff doesn't care.(they just walk by on their patrol and don't say anything, but they did tell us to park somewhere else. Our car was parked on our site, just like literally everyone else.) I wish I could upload a video so you could HEAR the music right now. I wouldn't say this is a family campground, unless you never want your kids to sleep.

At the very least, the trails are nice, as is the scenery

It's a nice place. Small pond, there is a beach. However, we decided to cancel our week long camping trip because of how other beach goers behaved. Loud thumping music playing, despite other...