Waterhouses: Lodging, Campground & Marina — Hotel in Salisbury

We camped for five days, including a weekend. The staff was very nice and accommodating about our reservation (two tents on one site for a family of five) allowing two cars at the site (due to work schedules, we ended up with three cars and were allowed to park car #3 at the marina lot for $5/day). Total bill was a little under $200 for five days, but your reservation includes admission to their very nice waterfront facility (more below).||||The sites are pretty close together but despite being high season (August) and a weekend it was still pretty quiet. In fact, all the sites around us, including the campers, were empty come Monday. Despite being close together, you still have that "woodsy" feeling. (Don't let the drive in dissuade you... when you first come in, it's a large, open, flat grass area with the larger RVs; the campsites are farther back in the woods.) Sites are level with a crushed stone/stone dust base, most include electricity and water (no carrying your dishes to far off wash stations!), they drain well (we had a torrential night of rain with no puddles or mud the next day) and include wifi (a pro for checking the weather or finding things to do/see, not so good for kids you have to pry away from videos and gaming (!) but that's not their fault!). Each site has its own barrel that includes a starter trash bag, which was a nice touch. They also include a fire circle, grill and picnic table.||||The facilities were cleaned daily and are single use; it was nice to take a shower and use the toilet without company. ;-) Based on a previous review, they must have recently redone them. The bathroom/shower combos near our site were nicely tiled and the wooden ceiling and toilet looked new. The showers down the road were also tiled with wood interior. The hot water and pressure did vary but we all seemed to do OK (and they're free, unlike many campgrounds). My only complaint regarding the bathrooms would be to change the shower curtains; they were pretty mildewy.||||The stream that runs through the camp adds a nice touch (waters sounds!) and widens in one area and makes almost a pool. There were some pretty choice sites along either side. Take the sign "water rises quickly without warning" seriously though; one day the dam upstream was opened and it rose well over a foot. It rose again after the rain. Both times the water flow became much stronger and swifter. Nice for adults and older children but might be a hazard for younger ones.||||We hiked the trail behind the campground, which is part of the VAST system, so it's wide and clear. There were a couple of steeper grades, but I would think most people could do it (I'm middle aged, heavy and have two knee replacements and I did OK). You can't really see the lake from the top but if you hike a little farther down the trail, there is a cleared area with views to the west which were beautiful. We just went to the top of the ridge, but you could make a day of it hiking back there.||||The best aspect of this campground is the waterfront area. Admission is included in your stay (they charge $4/person for the general public). They have a small sand beach, a larger grass area with grills, docks, canoes/kayaks/paddle boats/motor and pontoon boats for rent. They have several large foam "floaties," a floating dock and a huge bouncy thing we called "Saturn" as it was a large ball with a ring around it. The kids spent hours playing on it. There is a bathroom, small (very small) store and the pub "Paddlers" where you can get better than decent food and drinks (you can also BYOB on the beach, no glass). Folks had games set up on the grass and you could fish off the docks, the public boat ramp next door or the small barrier island beyond the docks. Colorful Adirondack chairs and tables dotted the beach and the grass area had picnic tables. Although small, I never felt like the beach was overcrowded. Recommendation: bring water shoes for swimming and walking; the sand is a little course.||||The next upgrade they may want to consider is the kayaks and canoes. While serviceable, one canoe had a dent in the bottom and the two single kayaks we used were uncomfortable (adjustments to seat and footrests couldn't be made) and the seats smelled like wet dog. I'd also recommend wider kayaks to accommodate novices; these were pretty narrow and felt very tippy.||||A regular grocery store is about 20 minutes away in Middlebury. Burlington is about 45 minutes north on Route 7 (without traffic!). There's a state park on the other side of the lake (10 minute drive) with a larger beach, Kemperville is a close bike ride and has a ice cream stand and laundry mat and there are several access points to the Green Mountain Nation Forest.||||All in all, a nice campground with stuff to do onsite and nearby. Not super secluded but quite and clean. Would have given it a 4 if the sites were farther apart with...

This is a large (for Vermont) campground that appears to cater mostly to RVs, families and seasonal renters. Kids can be seen riding their bikes around throughout the day, the sites are very close together (a little neighborhood feel), but an effort has been made to have some natural divisions between sites in a wooded area. Fairly nice bathrooms (with showers) are scattered around and not too far away from any one site.

This place is NOT a quiet campsite. The background noises of families and dogs can be heard throughout the day and into the evenings. The campsites also are better suited for RVs in many cases as the main section of each campsite is a hard, gravel base. At our site, this made it very difficult to get stakes in the ground.

The worse part of our stay was that they fumigated (with a small truck after 11pm) on the first night. So if you do stay, remember they do fumigate (for better or worse) from time to time, and not necessarily when it's convenient for campers!

What made up for that first night was the kind and helpful staff at the desk (for checking in, rentals and ice runs to the camp store) and the location. The campsite is located opposite the road from the lake and it's only a short walk (or drive) down to the Waterhouses' beach (where rentals and a pub can be found in addition to the camp store). For us the location was also amazing because it's so close to Branbury State Park and the Silver Lake trail(s). I would consider staying here again and I would recommend it for families and/or RV users. If you do consider the Warehouses, just be aware it has both...

It is quiet, We went Tues and Wed. Night. Ground Flat, Check-In at Marina 1/4 mile down the road near Lake Dunmore. Rate was $42 a night, plus tax. ||||Bathroom near our site was 12 X 12. Half of the bath is for Men and other area is for ladies. The bathrooms are in need of updating and repair. On Demand hot water only worked on the ladies side. The men never got a hot shower even after speaking to staff. The toilets are clean but the bowls are stained the color of roasted sweet potatoes. Mens floor tiles have no grout. The ladies room's grout it coming out and it's like stepping on stones. Both rooms need grab bars to exit the shower safely. Bring your own towels and soap as there was none provided. ||||The men biked on Rt 58, Rt 7. Traffic varied, shoulders were wide on RT 7 but truck traffic danergous. The ladies hiked the trail up to the top of the camp. Must be used for snowmobiles in Winter. Hard climb as it is steep grade, road is not maintained and view of Lake Dunmore was blocked by trees. Walking stick recommended as there are many rocks and branches on the path.||||Picnic tables need to be sanded and painted or replaced.||||Like I said, This is a quiet campground-Water and Electric hook-up only.||||Beach area is across the street, Clean, water clear. Kids having good time on rafts. Small Store for milk, bread and etc. There is a pub at the Marina if you...