We are looking for a hidden campground in the New York, New Hampshire, or Vermont area that we can go to with our kids and our dog to stay in a tent overlooking a lake. We want a secluded mountain hideaway campground, where there isn't another person for at least a thousand feet. Know of any?

Marcie Steel
Lumberton, New Jersey

Alice's Answer:

I'm afraid you're asking for the moon and the stars, not to mention a lakeside view. It's highly unlikely that you'll find such a spot in a campground, certainly none I know of. Campgrounds that give families 1,000 feet of privacy don't seem to exist, since they'd be out of business quickly because they'd need so much land and have so few customers. But for ideas on quality camping spots, check out GORP Camping.

Have you considered backpacking? That's about the only way I know to come close to such seclusion. And even then, you can hardly guarantee your privacy-hiking trails in the Northeast can get very crowded in the summer, and such idyllic spots overlooking lakes would obviously be popular. Remember, too, that you can't camp too close to a lake for environmental reasons.

Of course, I don't know whether your family backpacks, and how many children you have, and how old they are. Older children make backpacking trips lots easier than tykes do since the former at least carry some of their own gear. Also, your canine friend isn't welcome in many parks and hiking areas, so this is yet another limiting factor. If you're not game for backpacking, don't give up on camping. One thousand feet of buffer area is a lot, and you can have a semblance of privacy in campgrounds without so much seclusion. I've done plenty of car camping, and while it's not a wilderness experience, it's outdoors and fun.

Consider Baxter State Park, Maine, for a taste of the wild, albeit with some crowds and without dogs. The park has plenty of lakes, camping, and some lakeside rustic cabins, even one on an island. You do have to book way ahead for such spots-get your requests in by the first of the year and even then you may not get your first choice.

Do you know about the Appalachian Mountain Club's Three Mile Island (www.3mile.org), a 43-acre, full-service island camp with cabins on the northern end of Lake Winnepesaukee, New Hampshire? Even though it's not a campground, per se, it's a wonderful family spot. Again, book early, and, sorry, no children under age four and no pets.

Meanwhile, if anyone out there knows about the sort of heavenly campground Marcie seeks, please post the information on GORP's family forum. But then again, you might not want to spread the word about such a hidden treasure, now would you?

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