Gravel road curving through pine and oak woods

Parking & Directions

Burlingame State Park has two entrances in Charlestown, Rhode Island. The campground is at 1 Burlingame State Park Road, Charlestown, RI 02813. The day-use picnic area, beach and Watchaug Pond boat ramp are reached from Route 1 by taking the Prosser Trail exit and turning left onto Sanctuary Road. Parking at the picnic area is free; campground visitors pay $8 per car per day.

At a Glance

Parking at a Glance

Campground address1 Burlingame State Park Road, Charlestown, RI 02813

Picnic areaRoute 1 → Prosser Trail exit → left on Sanctuary Road

Boat rampSanctuary Road past the picnic area, where it turns to dirt, on the right

Picnic area beachNo fee (DEM)

Campground visitors$8 per vehicle per day, register at the office

Second car (campers)$12 per reservation

Day-use hoursSunrise to sunset

Nearest state beach lotsCharlestown Breachway, East Beach (fee in season)

Two Entrances, Two Purposes

Burlingame is one park with two separate front doors, and a map pin for "Burlingame State Park" can send you to either one. Decide which you want before you drive:

Camping, cabins or visiting a camper? Go to the campground entrance at 1 Burlingame State Park Road.
Swimming, a picnic, the Gormley Trail or launching a boat? Go to the picnic area off Sanctuary Road.

The two sit on different parts of the shore of Watchaug Pond, so set your navigation for the one you need.

Getting to the Campground

Put 1 Burlingame State Park Road, Charlestown, RI 02813 into your navigation; DEM's campground list also shortens it to "1 Burlingame Park Road." Check-in runs from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. If you are going to arrive after 10 p.m., call the campground at (401) 409-1138 first, because late check-ins are strictly limited.

Campers' vehicles: your nightly rate includes one vehicle pass, for a drivable camper or for the vehicle towing your camper. A second car pass costs $12 per reservation, and each site is limited to two non-transferable car passes. Vehicles need to be street registered and insured, and you may be asked for the registration at check-in.

Visitors: friends visiting a campsite register at the campground office, get a visitor pass for $8 per vehicle per day, park where staff direct them, and leave by 10 p.m. Each site can have two visitor passes at a time. Staff can limit visitors when parking is full. Visitors may not bring pets.

Getting to the Picnic Area and Boat Ramp

DEM's directions, from its boat ramp list: take Route 1 south to the exit for Burlingame State Park and Picnic Area (Prosser Trail), then turn left onto Sanctuary Road; there is a sign for the park. The picnic area is along Sanctuary Road. Keep going past it, where the road turns to dirt, and the Watchaug Pond boat ramp is on the right.

DEM says there are no fees to access beaches within state parks, and it lists no parking fee for the picnic area. The area closes at sunset, like every Rhode Island state park, and state rules do not allow vehicles inside a park between sunset and sunrise without written permission.

Parking for the Gormley Trail

The John Vincent Gormley Trail loops around Watchaug Pond, so you can join it from the picnic area. DEM notes the trail follows the roadway in some places, so watch for cars where it does. See hiking.

Driving to the Beaches From Burlingame

The ocean beaches are south of Route 1, a short drive from either entrance. Parking there works differently:

Charlestown Breachway and East Beach are state beaches with parking fees from late May through Labor Day ($6 weekdays, $7 weekends for residents; $12 and $14 for non-residents). Their lots are small and fill early on hot days. See Charlestown Breachway and East Beach.
Blue Shutters Beach and Charlestown Town Beach are Town of Charlestown beaches with their own stickers and daily fees; the Town Beach accepts resident passes only. Town lots do not allow RVs, campers or trailers. See Charlestown beaches.

If you are towing a camper, unhitch at your site before heading to a beach.

Getting Around Without a Car

DEM's pages do not list public transit to Burlingame, and this site has not confirmed any bus service that stops at either entrance. Plan on driving. Inside the campground, e-bikes may use the roads but not trails, paths or fields, and golf carts and other low-speed vehicles are not allowed. Children 15 and under must wear a helmet on a bike.

Accessibility

DEM lists the Watchaug Pond boat ramp as handicapped accessible. The new campground restroom buildings, built 2023–2027, are ADA compliant. DEM notes that most of its campgrounds were built before the Americans with Disabilities Act, so ask the campground manager about specific access needs before you book.

Hours

Sunrise to sunset for day use. Campground check-in 1 p.m. to 10 p.m., check-out 11 a.m. Full details: hours and fees.

Concrete boat ramp into a calm misty pond

FAQ

Parking & Directions FAQ

What is the address of Burlingame State Park?

The campground is at 1 Burlingame State Park Road, Charlestown, RI 02813. The day-use picnic area and boat ramp are reached from Route 1 by the Prosser Trail exit and a left onto Sanctuary Road.

Is parking free at Burlingame State Park?

DEM charges no fee to use the beach at the day-use picnic area, since there are no fees at beaches inside state parks, and it lists no parking fee there. At the campground, a visitor pass costs $8 per vehicle per day, and campers pay $12 for a second car.

Can visitors come to the campground?

Yes. Visitors register at the campground office, pay $8 per vehicle per day, and must leave by 10 p.m. Each site may have two visitor passes at a time, and visitors may not bring pets.

How do I get to the Burlingame boat ramp?

Take Route 1 to the Prosser Trail exit, turn left on Sanctuary Road, and follow it past the picnic area to where it turns to dirt. The ramp is on the right.