Best Dispersed Camping near Greenwood, ME

Dispersed camping exists along several forest service roads and access points surrounding Greenwood, Maine, primarily within the White Mountain National Forest. The region features multiple primitive sites with no designated facilities, particularly along Little Larry Road and nearby forest areas. These undeveloped camping zones allow for a more remote outdoor experience than established campgrounds, with sites typically situated on public land administered by the U.S. Forest Service.

Access to most dispersed sites requires traveling on unpaved roads that may present challenges during wet conditions. Little Larry Road features approximately eight spacious primitive campsites spread along a dead-end dirt road, each offering considerable privacy. Most sites contain only basic fire rings with no drinking water, restrooms, or other amenities. Camping is available on a first-come, first-served basis, and some areas prohibit campfires depending on seasonal conditions and fire danger levels. Cell phone coverage is limited but present at certain locations, particularly at sites 4 and 5 on Little Larry Road.

The dispersed sites near Greenwood provide notable seclusion compared to established campgrounds, with campsites generally well-spaced for privacy. Many locations feature proximity to streams or rivers, providing water sources for those with proper filtration equipment. Several campsites include existing fire rings, though campers should verify current fire restrictions before burning. The camping areas typically remain peaceful with minimal traffic noise. A visitor noted the Little Larry Road sites are "huge, beautiful campsites in the heavily wooded Evans Notch section of The White Mountains National Forest," while another mentioned "it's easy to forget there are other people camping on other sites because they're so far apart." Hikers can access nearby trails, including a trailhead at the end of Little Larry Road.

Best Dispersed Sites Near Greenwood, Maine (14)

    1. White Mountains Camping on Little Larry Road

    6 Reviews
    Gilead, ME
    16 miles

    "We pulled in around 7:30 pm on a Sunday night and there were plenty of open spots. We took a huge one. Found a fairly flat area and stayed for the night."

    "8 huge, beautiful campsites in the heavily wooded Evans Notch section of The White Mountains National Forest."

    2. Town Hall Road Dispersed

    19 Reviews
    Chatham, NH
    24 miles

    "My first ever dispersed camping experience. So freaking amazing and unbelievable. It was pouring rain when we came to NH so we tried to wait out the rain, but it was getting dark."

    "Awesome boondocking in New Hampshire, what a treat in the east coast! Just beautiful scenery, with trees, rivers, creeks, hiking trails with a pond- we absolutely loved our time here. "

    3. Hogan Road Pulloff near Appalachian Trail

    2 Reviews
    Gorham, NH
    24 miles

    "amazing lil spot, a pull off the wild rocky road. very private. right next to a serene view of the lake. very mild highway traffic sounds in the distance. there was another spot at the posted coordinates"

    "Would be really quiet if not for the road across the lake. I saw one truck in the evening and one in the morning."

    4. Guyot Shelter - Dispersed Camping

    9 Reviews
    Deerfield, NH
    45 miles
    Website

    $15 / night

    "Sufficient amount of platform, water source, bear proof Joe box, pivy and springs all at one spot"

    "Despite being so remote, one of the busiest back country camps in the Whites. Has a nice shelter, spring, privy, platforms, some sites have somewhat of a view of far away mountain tops."

    5. Cherry Mountain Road Dispersed

    4 Reviews
    Bretton Woods, NH
    40 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 466-2713

    "This site is about 90 yards from the fire tower trailhead. Site #9 goes back about 70 to 80 feet back off the road."

    "We stayed on site #5 because it was flat, sunny, grassy and had a little brook. Had some passing by traffic but each site is far apart from each other."

    6. Haystack Road

    5 Reviews
    Twin Mountain, NH
    46 miles

    "They have a fire pit, plenty of woods around, and are free."

    "It is next to the Highway on a paved fire road. So you can hear traffic. And it is paved (which is good if it’s wet and muddy elsewhere). The other spots looked amazing."

    7. Haystack Road

    2 Reviews
    Deerfield, NH
    46 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 528-8721

    "Right near a great swimming hole and the twin mountains. It is quiet, the sites are far apart."

    8. Smudge Cove

    1 Review
    Oquossoc, ME
    48 miles
    Website

    $28 / night

    "This campsite is along the Forest Legacy Trail and while the trail is managed by one entity, the remote campsites are managed by another."

    9. Scott C. Devlin Memorial

    1 Review
    Guildhall, VT
    48 miles
    Website

    "This is another beautiful site along the CT River Paddler's Trail. It is well maintained and tucked on a knoll in a pine forest. There is a picnic table, fire ring and composting toilet box seat."

    10. Maine Railroad Trestle

    1 Review
    Groveton, NH
    49 miles
    Website

    "While reservations are not required, there is a registration page on the CT River Paddler's Trail Website that they ask folx to complete just so spots don't get overcrowded. "

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Dispersed Camping Reviews near Greenwood, ME

48 Reviews of 14 Greenwood Campgrounds


  • Kevin C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 19, 2024

    Cherry Mountain Road Dispersed

    Super quiet and lots of privacy

    Came into the area after 7 PM on a Tuesday and found several open sites. We stayed one night in campsite 9. This site is about 90 yards from the fire tower trailhead.

    Site #9 goes back about 70 to 80 feet back off the road. There appears to have been a longer site, but the Forest Service placed boulders blacking vehicles from going further. Just past the boulders is a large fire circle with room for 6 to 8 campers to sit around the fire.

    We were able to collect sunlight onto our solar panel from the site.

    The camp site are all disbursed enough that we did not hear any other camping sounds at all. It was so quiet I could hear the sound of crow wings flapping as they flew by.

    We enjoyed a spectacular view of the Blood Super Moon from the campsite. Overall the site was open to the sky nea3 the road yet protected from the wind.

    The only downside was the lack of any other amenities. As far as disbursed camping in the national forest, this place is not a decent unpaved road and our campsite was only about 3 miles from the highway.

  • G
    Apr. 14, 2020

    Haystack Road

    Secluded, yet centrally located.

    These are my go to sites when I am in the Franconia Notch area. They have a fire pit, plenty of woods around, and are free. The North Twin Trailhead is at the end of Haystack Rd., these trails connect to the Twin Mountain peaks and the Pemigewasset Wilderness area. Its is a great staging ground for weeks worth of adventures, and you're allowed to stay for two weeks. They do get crowded during the season, so you'll have better luck showing up mid-week. Leave your tent set up, or your site could be taken when you get back. There is cell reception at most of the sites. Do not rely on cell phone trail maps, there is little to no reception trail on the trails. Use a downloadable GPS map like a Gaia GPS, or a Garmin type device. Also, wildlife like bear and moose will visit you at night. it's almost a certainty, keep your food locked in a bear tight container. *** The first few sites on the left have a small stream behind them, it'll make your stay a little easier. Bathing, dishes, etc.***

  • Raj T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 28, 2021

    Guyot Shelter - Dispersed Camping

    Gayut Tentsite

    Sufficient amount of platform, water source, bear proof Joe box, pivy and springs all at one spot

  • Atlas W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 30, 2023

    Town Hall Road Dispersed

    SO AMAZING!!

    My first ever dispersed camping experience. So freaking amazing and unbelievable. It was pouring rain when we came to NH so we tried to wait out the rain, but it was getting dark. We followed the directions given by previous reviews. Turn onto town hall rd. and keep going past the residential area until you get to gravel road. keep going straight until you see the national forest sign. about a mile later us when campsites started popping up. the first few were full since it was 7pm but we came across one right around where the pin is dropped for this location. the cliff wasn’t too steep here (i passed up a campsite before this one bc it seemed too steep for my liking) and pretty large. beautiful view of the water and even a path down to swim. 10/10 experience and i cant wait to go back.

  • Justin P.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 16, 2021

    Cherry Mountain Road Dispersed

    Smaller car and tent sites

    Stopped by on the Cohos Trail. Great location with access to the Cherry Mountain trail, and back down to Ammonoosuc Falls back down near Rt. 302.

    There are a string of tent sites on either side of the road with some right up to the intersection with Cherry Mountain trail.

    A few were small and could just fit a tent and a car, where some offered more space. Some offered a bit of privacy into the woods while most were right along the road.

    There are no facilities here, and most sites showed some significant signs of use. 

    There were plenty of sites available on the weekend in October.

  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 11, 2019

    Haystack Road

    Dispersed roadside camping near Twin Mountain Trailhead & Franconia Notch

    If you can't snag a site along Gale River Rd or you are looking to hike the Twin Mountains, then continue a little farther north on US 3 near Twin Mountain (a little north of the Beaver Brook Picnic Area) and try your luck on Haystack Rd. This road is closed in winter and will open in late spring after the road has dried out and any repairs have been made. In 2019, it opened in mid-June. Check the the White Mountain National Forest FB page or website (FB is usually more up-to-date) for road status, including closures in the autumn.

    When open, you can drive in to one of 11 numbered, wooded sites and camp up to 14 nights for free. You may have up to 3 vehicles and 15 people on a site. The only amenity is a fire pit, but the road ends at the Little River, offering fishing and swimming options. The parking lot at the end of Haystack Rd serves as the Twin Mountain trail head. You may see moose or bears in the area.

    Franconia Notch State Park is just south of here, with its hikes, recreation trail, echo lake, and the Flume. Head east on 302 and you'll find yourself in Crawford Notch State Park with waterfalls and hikes.

    Forgot something? Fosters Corners just a few miles north has an eclectic selection of essentials as well as gas. Or take I-93 north to Littleton to a wider variety of shops.

  • Laura M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 28, 2023

    Town Hall Road Dispersed

    Awesome Boondocking

    Awesome boondocking in New Hampshire, what a treat in the east coast! Just beautiful scenery, with trees, rivers, creeks, hiking trails with a pond- we absolutely loved our time here. 

    Town Hall Rd is a long road with many designated dispersed sites, all far apart from each other and all varying in levelness and size. We got lucky and snagged a perfect spot 2 miles in from the entrance sign- completely level (didn’t even need our leveling blocks) and big enough for our 26ft class c. Each site is different, but there were plenty that could fit a medium sized RV like ours. I wouldn’t recommend a giant 5th wheel or class A to come here looking for a spot. The road is dirt, but it’s hard packed and smooth, with a few dips and holes here and there. A little narrow but it’s manageable. The downside of a great road is the speeding cars and trucks- very annoying but thankfully there wasn’t much traffic in early October. I’d say more than half the sites were open when we stayed there mid-week. 

     No amenities here, just a rock fire pit to designate that it’s a spot. Please pack out your trash. Zero cell service in this whole area, but some messages popped through while we were hiking. weBoost did not help. Heavily wooded area, so it’s not so great for solar panels and probably not starlink either (we don’t have starlink so I can’t report on that).

  • Josie W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 8, 2024

    Town Hall Road Dispersed

    Great location!

    We loved this spot. 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. Sites were also a good distance from each other so it felt pretty private. We stayed two nights and at two different sites; enjoyed both. Would love to return here in the future.

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    May. 7, 2024

    Guyot Shelter - Dispersed Camping

    Has all you need, but busy

    Despite being so remote, one of the busiest back country camps in the Whites.

    Has a nice shelter, spring, privy, platforms, some sites have somewhat of a view of far away mountain tops.

    No space for non-free standing tents. Quite a hike dropping down from the main trail to the campsite, 15-20 min straight up to hike out in the morning


Guide to Greenwood

Dispersed camping near Greenwood, Maine offers multiple backcountry options within the White Mountain National Forest at elevations between 800-1,500 feet. Winter camping requires additional preparation as temperatures can drop below 0°F from December through February. Forest roads leading to primitive sites typically close after significant snowfall and reopen in late spring once conditions dry.

What to do

Hiking nearby trails: The White Mountains Camping on Little Larry Road area connects to several hiking options. "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," notes Jason R.

Water recreation: At Smudge Cove along the Forest Legacy Trail, campers can enjoy shoreline camping with water access. "The site is just off the water and there is a nice long dock that makes it super easy to boat into and unload... There is also relatively easy access to the water by way of the rocks, beside the dock," shares Sarah C.

Stargazing opportunities: The minimal light pollution provides excellent night sky viewing conditions. At Cherry Mountain Road Dispersed, one camper described "a spectacular view of the Blood Super Moon from the campsite. Overall the site was open to the sky near the road yet protected from the wind."

What campers like

Privacy and seclusion: The Town Hall Road Dispersed sites offer considerable distance between camping areas. "We found our spot which had some river access and it was gorgeous. It had an above and below spot which hosted our two tents. It was clean, quiet and other campers were friendly as well," reports Alex S.

Natural water sources: Many sites feature streams or small rivers. At the Hogan Road Pulloff near Appalachian Trail, one camper noted "a serene view of the lake. Very mild highway traffic sounds in the distance."

Flat camping areas: Dispersed sites often feature level spots ideal for tents. "We pulled in around 7:30 pm on a Sunday night and there were plenty of open spots. We took a huge one. Found a fairly flat area and stayed for the night," Kevin H. shares about Little Larry Road.

What you should know

Cell phone considerations: Signal strength varies dramatically between sites. "If you need solar or starlink, there's only 1 or 2 viable spots. We were lucky to snag one on a Monday afternoon (last site before turnaround on FR38) and stayed all week," warns Rebecca B. about Town Hall Road.

Fire restrictions: Fire regulations change seasonally. "Camp site 9 goes back about 70 to 80 feet back off the road. Just past the boulders is a large fire circle with room for 6 to 8 campers to sit around the fire," explains Kevin C. at Cherry Mountain Road Dispersed.

Security concerns: Leaving equipment unattended can be risky. At Haystack Road, Sean L. cautions, "Quiet area not far from the main road and a bunch of trailheads, but beware of people stealing camping gear. I left out gear to claim a spot while out hiking and came back to people having stolen some of it."

Tips for camping with families

River access sites: Several dispersed areas feature kid-friendly water access. "We loved this spot. There were plenty of sites to choose from and most (not all) had access to the river as well as a fire ring," Josie W. recommends at Town Hall Road.

Road conditions: Check road status before bringing children to remote sites. "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," Bob G. notes about Town Hall Road.

Wildlife awareness: Many sites have active wildlife. At Haystack Road, Greg L. advises, "wildlife like bear and moose will visit you at night. It's almost a certainty, keep your food locked in a bear tight container."

Tips from RVers

Small trailer accessibility: Some dispersed sites accommodate modest trailers. At Maine Railroad Trestle, "There are several sites available here and a really nice rocky beach with easy access fo loading and unloading. There is a site perched high on the hill where there is a picnic table and fire ring."

Space limitations: Most dispersed camping near Greenwood limits RV size. At Cherry Mountain Road, "Smaller car and tent sites" predominate, with Justin P. noting, "A few were small and could just fit a tent and a car, where some offered more space."

Road surface conditions: Unpaved access roads can challenge RVs. "The first few sites on the left have a small stream behind them, it'll make your stay a little easier. Bathing, dishes, etc.," shares Greg L. about Haystack Road, which can be important for RV campers without hookups.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Greenwood, ME?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Greenwood, ME is White Mountains Camping on Little Larry Road with a 5-star rating from 6 reviews.

What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Greenwood, ME?

TheDyrt.com has all 14 dispersed camping locations near Greenwood, ME, with real photos and reviews from campers.