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Dog-Friendly Camping near Gilead, ME

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    SUMMARY PRESENTED BYT-Mobile

    White Mountains Camping on Little Larry Road provides pet-friendly dispersed camping with primitive sites on a dead-end dirt road in Gilead, Maine. This quiet, secluded camping area features eight large, widely-spaced campsites surrounded by trees, offering privacy even when all sites are occupied. The camping area allows dogs with standard National Forest leash requirements. Campsites include fire rings but no other amenities like picnic tables, running water, or toilet facilities. Campers report the sites are meticulously maintained with flat tent areas. The upper sites have cell service suitable for basic messaging and streaming, though signal strength varies throughout the area.

    Hastings Campground, a U.S. Forest Service facility off Route 113, welcomes pets throughout its 24-site loop. The meticulously maintained campground provides fire rings with grates, exceptionally long picnic tables, and access to drinking water via an old-fashioned pump. Dogs must remain leashed within the campground to protect wildlife and other campers. Sites are nicely shaded with tall hardwoods and spaced for privacy, with many having wooded sections between them. A small stream runs through the Little Larry Road area, providing water that can be filtered for drinking or used for washing. Nearby hiking options include the Highwater Trail with bridge access close to the camping area and a trailhead at the end of Little Larry Road. Be aware of wildlife in the area, as campers have reported bears particularly near the upper campsites where game trails are prevalent.

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    Best Dog-Friendly Campgrounds near Gilead (200)

      1. Moose Brook State Park Campground

      4.7(29)13mi from Gilead56 sitesRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "The loop/trials across the street was a great walk for the dogs. There is a Walmart close by and tractor supply less then 5 minutes away for forgotten or need supplies. We stayed at campsite 7"

      "This campground is just north bordering the White Mountain NF. Close to northern trailheads. NH take care in keeping their parks orderly. Nice site."

      from $35 - $45 / night

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      2. Dolly Copp Campground

      4.7(20)13mi from Gilead175 sitesRVs, Tents

      "Very dog freindly, many hiking trails in the the area. Next to zero cell phone service."

      "Great weather, easy drive in spot to camp at nt night. We arrived about midnight, paid via maildrop and were able to easily setup camp that evening."

      from $30 - $44 / night

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      3. Timberland Campground

      3.9(11)6mi from GileadRVs, Tents, Cabins

      "Close to the main road but not too noisy. There are train tracks on the property but no trains went thru this weekend. Beautiful walking path right by the river!"

      "There is also a great playground and a beautiful nature trail along the Androscoggin River. The campground tends to have a mix of tents and RV folks."

      from $30 - $67 / night

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      4. White Mountains Camping on Little Larry Road

      5.0(8)3mi from GileadTents

      "These campsites are located on a dead end dirt road.  The campsites are spread out so you are not on top of each other (I think there are only 8 sites on the road.) "

      "Highwater trail with bridge close by. Great stars. Creek runs through road near sites good for getting water to filter or washing. Trailhead at end of road."

      5. White Birches Camping Park

      4.5(10)8mi from GileadRVs, Tents, Cabins

      "It was unfortunate that my site was close to the main road, but that was my fault and it didn't really change how my weekend was.  They have remote sites for camping, see video.  "

      "While the campground looks to be primarily RV camping from the road, there are many tent sites tucked away in the trees and even two sites that are walk-in only and are situated right on the Androscoggin"

      from $22 - $79 / night

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      6. Crocker Pond

      5.0(9)9mi from GileadRVs, Tents

      "Into the Whites from West Bethel, Crocker Pond is an off the beaten path car camping destination. Beautiful place to set up camp for a night to 14 days."

      "With no one else around we thought, “welcome to the perfect campsite.”  Each site offers a picnic table, fire ring, and access to the pond."

      from $18 / night

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      7. Grafton Notch Campground

      5.0(13)13mi from GileadRVs, Tents

      "This campground is privately owned and is situated in an amazing spot in the mountains of Western Maine."

      "This small, private campground just outside Grafton Notch State Park offers clean, level, quiet sites with hot showers. If you don’t need wi-fi and hook-ups, this is the place for you!"

      from $28 / night

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      8. Town Hall Road Dispersed

      4.7(21)17mi from GileadRVs, Tents

      "Great privacy, lots of room, river for the dogs, gorgeous area!!"

      "There were plenty of sites to choose from and most (not all) had access to the river as well as a fire ring. Sites were on a dirt road, but it was quiet for the most part."

      9. Basin Campground

      4.6(8)9mi from Gilead21 sitesRVs, Tents

      "It’s located in Evan’s Notch, so close to many wonderful hiking trails and next to lovely Basin Pond. So quiet!"

      "This campground has a day use area with a boat launch and picnic area on the right as you drive in. Non-motorized boats are allowed on the water and it’s a great swim spot in the summer."

      from $30 / night

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      10. Hastings Campground

      4.6(5)3mi from Gilead25 sitesRVs, Tents

      "Situated just off the Wild River and off of major roads, Hastings was incredibly peaceful while we were there."

      "A small campground located at the northern end of Evan’s Notch, close to some great hiking trails. Pit toilets. Very quiet."

      from $24 / night

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    Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Gilead, ME

    1190 Reviews of 200 Gilead Campgrounds


    • Marla B.
      Jul. 15, 2022

      Chocorua KOA

      Beautiful campground in the mountains of NH

      The grounds are well maintained with flowers planted everywhere. Staff is extra friendly. Bathrooms and showers could use updating but were spotless. Very pet friendly with dog park, agility equipment, dog pond and dog wash.

    • Erin M.
      Jul. 15, 2018

      Chocorua KOA

      Small, quiet family campground

      The Chocorua KOA is a great campground with super friendly staff, a variety of sites and lots of activities and things to do for everyone in the family.

      We stayed with two other families on pull-through full hook-up sites 43, 45, and 47. Although we were on the main road, we really enjoyed these sites. They were wooded and in a central location close to the playgrounds, pavilion, beach and nature trails. Site 45 was pretty narrow but the other two sites had a bit more space so we mostly used 43 and 47 to hang out. We especially loved that the pull-through road behind our sites was not a main access road so we had a nice long stretch of road that was just for us. We played games and the kids road bikes without having to worry about cars driving through.

      There are also a lot of really nice tent sites along the water, cabins, teepees, lodges and great areas for groups to camp. They are fairly strict with quiet hours so it is a very quiet campground at night.

      The facilities are nice and clean. The pavilion and fire pit area are a nice place to gather with games and a mining station to enjoy. There are two playgrounds for little and big kids. The bathrooms are quite dated but clean. The pool is freezing cold so the kids didn’t swim much. The beach area is small and not deep enough to swim but the kids enjoyed playing in the sand and water. There are a lot of options for boat rentals- paddle boats, kayaks, canoes, paddle boards, and row boats. There is a beautiful board walk that leads through the marsh to a system of short nature trails. We really enjoyed walking the trails though some need a lot of work due to fallen trees and overgrowth. There were also a lot of free activities for the kids like crafts, wagon rides and games with a full schedule of events. You really never have to leave this campground!

      This is also an incredibly dog-friendly campground with a fun dog park, a special swimming pond just for dogs and doggie day care available. This is one of the most pet loving campgrounds we’ve ever camped in and our pup loved it!!

      We had a great trip and will definitely be back!

    • A
      Jun. 24, 2018

      Twin Mountain-Mt. Washington KOA

      Pet friendly Campground

      We enjoyed our stay here and our dog loved the dog park! We would highly recommend this campground.

    • Allura B.
      Sep. 26, 2021

      Terrace Pines Camping Area

      Beautiful camp site

      Upon arrival staff was nice. They did ask for $10 cash gate card fee. At the time of rival I did not have cash on me. They did allow me to pay it later on during our visit. As we traveled the road to our camp site I was disappointed in the condition of the roads and how tight everything is. Again, the campsite was beautiful with access and frontage on the pond. I was also not impressed with the dog park it was quite a hike from our campsite and near the office. It would have been nicer to have the dog park in the camping area. The day we were leaving we made a special trip to the atm, to get the required $10 cash fee. As we departed I went into the office to check out, return the gate card, and pay the fee. At that time, I handed the clerk the $10 and explained that I owed it. She in turn explained that I did not owe them any money as the $10 was a deposit in case you did not return the card. I was less than impressed with how that was explained at the beginning and the additional trip we had to make.

    • Allura B.
      Sep. 26, 2021

      Foothills Family Campground

      ‘Foothills

      It was an easy campground to navigate. We were so fortunate, we stayed at another campground and check out was at noon. We were sitting on the side of the foothills entrance ( check in time was 2:00), the owner allowed us to enter early. I would like to thank him very much for that. The new owners are working diligently on updating the facilities and working very hard doing it. While we were there they were working on one of the roads that got a bit washed out, and also working on updating the dog park. Campground is very clean. Only draw back was it is very close to Route 16 and some places in campground were a bit noisy. We were so happy to have visited this site!

    • Kim L.The Dyrt PRO User
      Nov. 4, 2024

      Lafayette Place Campground — Franconia Notch State Park

      Well managed campground

      Very nice campground. Plenty of space for 2 vehicles in campsite. Sites are spacious and and shaded. Flush toilets well stocked and clean. Showers available at camp store. Very nice and helpful staff. Surprising that campground does not allow pets. The campground is close to main road and was noisy at night. Visitor center and Flume Trail are nearby.

    • Samantha S.
      Aug. 6, 2019

      Naples Campground

      We wont be back...

      We chose this campground because it was close to a festival we wanted to check out. Upon arrival we could not find the office. We had to stop a camper who was walking and ask her where the office was. The workers were less than helpful. To many seasonal campers. The sites were to close. The owners were dog breed prejudice. There was a whole paper full of rules if you brought a pet. We are big dog lovers of all breeds and took offense to them being so against certain breeds even being on there property. I will say that the bathrooms were very clean and seemed new.

    • D
      Aug. 9, 2019

      Littleton / Franconia Notch KOA Holiday

      Top Notch

      We just spent 5 days at this wonderful campground. They have paid attention to all of the finer details. Beautiful landscaping, well leveled sites, very clean and neat. The staff is wonderful. My only disappointment with the camp is that there are only a few sites with sewer hookup. However, the dumping station is conveniently located, so if you have a small tank, daily trips are not a problem. There is plenty to do in the area - Littleton is a beautiful little town. The old houses in are incredible. New Hampshire is not a dog friendly state, but a short Drive into Vermont gets you access to many fine restaurants where you can bring your dog. Be sure to visit Dog Mountain in Vermont- a truly touching memorial to departed pets.

    • Sarah C.
      Apr. 11, 2022

      Nulhegan Confluence Hut

      Beautiful, even in the rain!

      This hut has it all and its pet friendly! It's a short walk from a roadside parking area (though a little longer in the winter due to the parking being moved across the road). There is a lovely wood burning stove and fire wood is supplied. There's a nice deck outside with a picnic table and fire ring there as well. The river is a few steps away and water can be treated from there. 

      There is a well maintained privy outside the cabin and toilet paper was available. The cabin has a sleeping loft with a few foam mattresses but the stairs are quite steep, too steep for a four legged doggo to make it up and down. There is a futon downstairs that can be used as a couch or sleep two people. There are dishes and everything you need from knives to bottle openers. There is a propane stove and a kerosene lamp. 

      The Nulhegan section of the Silvia O. Conte wildlife refuge is a short drive away with a lot of hiking options. There is a general store less than five minutes away in Bloomfield, VT. This spot really can't be beat!


    Guide to Gilead

    The Evans Notch section of White Mountains National Forest offers primitive camping options at elevations between 700-1,200 feet in western Maine. This region features a mix of hardwood forests that burst with vibrant fall colors from mid-September through mid-October. Dispersed camping areas near Gilead remain accessible from late May through mid-October, though early spring visits can encounter mud and late fall brings temperatures that often drop below freezing at night.

    What to do

    **Hiking options: Just beyond White Birches Camping Park, find trails suitable for all skill levels. "There is a private trail about 1.6 miles there and back that leads to a swimming basin, it's absolutely gorgeous and a must see," notes camper Mallory P. The campground offers direct access to hiking in the White Mountain National Forest.

    **River activities: Near Timberland Campground, enjoy water access along the Androscoggin River. "There's a beautiful walking path right by the river!" reports Heather O. The river provides swimming holes and fishing opportunities during summer months when water levels are safe.

    **Mountain exploration: Access trails to several 4,000-foot peaks from Basin Campground, which sits adjacent to stunning mountain terrain. "There are trillium and lady slippers on a nearby hike. Really outstanding view right at the campground picnic area," writes Rebecca D. This location serves as a strategic base camp for day hiking.

    What campers like

    **Privacy between sites: At Town Hall Road, dispersed campsites offer ample separation. "Sites were a good distance from each other so it felt pretty private," notes Josie W. These free sites include established fire rings and some river access points along the route.

    **Clean facilities: The meticulousness of smaller campgrounds stands out to visitors. At Grafton Notch Campground, "The bathhouse is clean and has a large shower with plenty of places to put your soap, shampoo, etc. There are also lots of hooks in the shower and bathroom for your stuff and the shower has a large bench to sit on as you get dressed," reports Cheryl K.

    **Quiet atmosphere: Wilderness areas provide exceptional peace compared to larger campgrounds. "Could be the quietest place on Earth," writes Shari G. about Crocker Pond. "When we pulled up to this quiet campground during a warm and sunny day in October, the light shone through the trees on an idyllic pond wreathed in fall color."

    What you should know

    **Weather preparedness: Mountain weather changes rapidly and often includes precipitation. "The weather can be volatile in the park and rains frequently, so be sure to bring plenty of gear and dress warmly if you plan to visit!" cautions Rachel P. about camping in the White Mountains.

    **Wildlife awareness: Bears frequent the region, particularly along game trails. "Be aware of bears especially near the upper campsites where game trails are prevalent," warns one camper. Proper food storage using bear canisters or hanging food is essential, even at established sites.

    **Cell service limitations: Most forest areas have minimal or no connectivity. At Town Hall Road, "If you need solar or starlink, there's only 1 or 2 viable spots," notes Rebecca B. Certain sites at White Mountains Camping on Little Larry Road report: "Just enough t-mobile/starlink signal to watch streaming and message, but wouldn't be enough for remote work."

    Tips for camping with families

    **Kid-friendly activities: Several dog friendly campgrounds near Gilead offer dedicated recreational spaces. Moose Brook State Park includes "Fishing, swimming, river walks, biking and movie nights!" according to J L., making it ideal for families with various interests.

    **Accessibility considerations: Choose campgrounds with amenities that match your children's needs. "Perfect for family camping!" rates one visitor about facilities that include flat tent areas and accessible water sources. Most campgrounds within 15 miles of Gilead require bringing your own entertainment options.

    **Campsite selection: When camping with children near Gilead, pick sites away from steep terrain. "The tenting sites are small and have very little privacy," notes Lexi R. about one location, highlighting why research matters when bringing families. Sites further from main roads often provide better environments for children.

    Tips from RVers

    **Site dimensions: Many pet-friendly campgrounds around Gilead offer limited RV accommodations. "The electric and water sites we stayed at was just dirt, no grass anywhere. The full hookups looked better from what I saw," reports Jon P. about Timberland Campground, suggesting site-specific research.

    **Power considerations: Check electrical reliability before booking. "The power at this place is clearly overloaded. On the weekend I was getting warnings that the voltage was in the 95v range (120v)," warns Adam A. about one campground, noting potential risks to equipment.

    **Road conditions: Access roads to more remote sites require careful navigation. "The road was not as bad as I anticipated. There was room for my Jeep Grand Cherokee towing a squaredrop camper to pass the very few oncoming vehicles we encountered," shares Bob G. about dispersed camping areas near White Mountain National Forest.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Gilead, ME?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Gilead, ME is Moose Brook State Park Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 29 reviews.

    What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Gilead, ME?

    TheDyrt.com has all 200 dog-friendly camping locations near Gilead, ME, with real photos and reviews from campers.