Are you in need of a campground near Shapleigh, ME? Shapleigh is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Shapleigh and user-submitted reviews.
"The campground sits among tall pine trees which offer nice shade helps alleviate some of the feel of a crowded campground. "
"We tent camped at Saco/Old Orchard Beach KOA. The staff was very friendly and when I called to book the site, they assisted in helping us pick out the nicest campsite."
"Multiple pools, a water slide, high ropes, a jump pad, mini golf and more!!! My niece had so much fun! Sites are close together and they are short staffed but other than that a great place!"
$40 - $115 / night
$25 - $45 / night
"I stayed here tent camping on the way to some fishing on the Saco River."
"You can reach the backcountry campsites via a 1.5 mile walk from the Sawyer Pond Trail Head off of NH highway 302, or in 4.5 miles from the Sawyer Pond Trail Head off 112(the Kancamangus Highway)."
"Sawyer Pond was my introduction to backpacking more than 40 years ago."
"Sites are wooded but not a ton of space/trees in between them. Some sites are right on top of the Fryeberg fairgrounds, was glad we didn’t have those."
"It's in a nice, open pine forest and there is a beautiful walking trail by the Saco River. I biked in so no idea about other utilities."
LegendThere are 2 Big Rock Campgrounds in NH and they are very different! This is not the resort campground convenient to ATV trails, but a rustic campground offering large, level, wooded sites along the Kancamagus Highway just 2 miles east of the Lincoln Woods Visitor Center. It's a great location for exploring the sites and beautiful vistas along the Kancamagus, easy access to Franconia Notch and Lincoln, NH. Lincoln also offers a grocery store, restaurants, stores selling outdoor gear, moose tours, and adventure tours (zip/climbing).
Some of the sites are tent only, with parking separated from the tent pad/fire ring/picnic table. Others are large and level with ample space for RVs. You'll get some traffic noise, but there's less here than at places along 3 & 93.
There are no reservations; all sites are first-come, first serve and it's open from mid-May to mid-October. Bring cash or a check to pay for your campsite. It's self-service with an iron ranger. Fee (2018) is $22, an extra $5 for a second car.
Water is available. There are vault toilets and no showers. No cell phone service.
GuideCool location right on the edge of the Dry River Wilderness. Great Basecamp for lots of hikes in the area. Some spots are right on the highway with not much tree cover in between so can be loud. Some walk in sites with platforms are further from the road
Vid is from the river off the trail that starts in the campground
LegendThis state park campground located between Rte 302 and the Dry River in Crawford Notch is a great location for exploring family friendly trails to (Sawyer Pond, Arethusa Falls, Willard Cliffs to name a few) or longer excursions to Mt Washington and other peaks in the Whites & Presidentials. Story Land is an easy drive, too, if you have young children.
Fees are a reasonable $25/night. Facilities include clean bathrooms with showers. In addition to the full-service, handicap accessible wash house, there are vault toilets around the loop. Cell service is poor to absent throughout Crawford Notch. If you need to connect, drive south toward Bartlett or North to Bretton Woods.
Sites are spacious, level, and wooded, though some have no real demarcation between them. This can be good if you are with friends and reserve sites side by side (2 & 3; 12 & 13), Because most of the sites are on the outside of the loop or opposite sides of the road, you won't feel surrounded. There are no hookups. Site are back-in. A few of the drive-to sites include small lean-tos. In addition, there are a few sites that are more secluded, set back further in the woods and providing a tent platform as well as a fire ring and picnic table. The entire campground is close to the road, so you will hear traffic noise. Sites 27-31 are particularly close to the main road. Although sites 2-7 appear to be far from the river, it's still just a short walk. There's a formal trail to the river from the back of the loop, near 16B (lean-to). Reservations open 11 months in advance. Mid-Oct to Dec 1 sites are walk-in only. Pre-register online and bring your print-out with you to save yourself some time.
There's no camp store, though they do have firewood for sale if you see someone. During the peak season, i expect the sites fill up in advance, but this early in the season there were sites available for Friday night when I checked in (though most only for 1 night; Saturday night was definitely harder to come by). If you haven't stocked up in advance, your best bet for groceries when coming from the south/east are Grant's Supermarket at the junction of 302 & 16 or your choice of major supermarkets in Conway.
Traveleri stayed here for one night with a large group (maybe 40ish people) prior to setting out on our backpacking weekend.
This is a great campground, very clean. toilets available, and dumpster for trash were very convenient. There was potable water available also, and picnic tables. parking was tricky for our large group, and we had a bit of trouble fitting in all of the cars, but if you have a smaller group it should be no problem.
campground was very quiet, no real road noise or anything could be heard. ground was soft and grassy, although i would still recommend using a sleeping pad, was not as hard as some other campgrounds I have stayed at. had a nice big grassy area for the large group.
LegendDesert of Maine campground is an excellent choice just 4-5 miles from the heart of Freeport at interstate exit # 22. This campground is well-imagined. Sites are close together, and some are small. There are 2 hike-in sites which are set apart. Wifi is provided throughout the campground and most sites have power. They must have studied "best practices" when designing this lovely campground.
I booked an extra night.
This is an outdoor experience campground- not a wilderness adventure -- but perfect for young families…especially for those new to camping or those for whom a very sanitary classic bathroom is needed.Children find and entertain each other in the common area.
Sites 19-27 face a shared square with excellent access to the modern and stylish bath house. Other sites have a somewhat further walk. Sites 17-27 are best for tents due to the configuration of the sites.. Tent sites # 2 & # 3 are short walk-in and very private, but lack easy access to the bath house. Almost all sites in this campground have shade and are under a beautiful canopy of old pine, maple and balsam.
Site 24 is lovely & slightly set apart and cars are parked close by but not on the tent site. Site 27 is located down a steep slope and is very private but has difficult access. I would categorize site 27 as a hike-in site, but not # 24. All sites are generally level and have been graded. Sites have scant privacy in front, but back up to forest. Sites 4, 6,17, 19, 23 & 26 have slightly more space but space is not the defining issue in this campground. RV's that are large should not try this campground. The maintenance is superb; and the thoughtful design of the overall campground is aesthetically pleasing.
This attractive campground is small-scale and personally managed.
Ice is available for purchase…as is wood.
Beware of speed trap on the 2 mile access road between the interstate & campground.
TravelerNext to river and had a major flood this spring. I was tent camping on motorcycle and tent site are on dirt due to flood. Tent Site consists of picnic table. No water or sewer or electrical. $43 a night and bring quarters for shower. Clean restrooms and showers but I feel way over priced for what was offered. Should have looked for alternate.
LegendI stayed here tent camping on the way to some fishing on the Saco River.
The location is a great place to either explore the immediate area (Mount Chocorua and Chocorua Lake) or head further north to Conway and North Conway).
The camping area is a field in the back with fairly level ground and lots of space, and is a very short walk from the designated parking area.
The outhouse is brand new and super clean and right nearby, though there are no picnic tables and fires aren’t permitted due to area fire restrictions.
Communication with the host was fast and helpful.
LegendThis year-round campground is a short walk from the road and situated along the river, providing nice swimming/wading when the weather is right. There's a small parking lot with space for several cars. Site are $15/night (2020) and a recycling toilet is available. This is bear country, so bear boxes are provided. You will cross train tracks to reach the campground and they are active tracks, so you'll hear trains.
The river has an area with a sandy bottom and some rocks; the number of rocks you walk over will depend on the season and water levels. Bring your own water or something to filter/treat it. Sites are good-sized for a tent or two with tent pads laid out on some. There's a fire ring, but don't count on a grate. No picnic table. Site 2 is large, but you walk through it to reach site 1.
LegendWhite Ledge Campground is in the White Mountain National Forest and should not be confused with nearby White Lake State Park. Located a few miles south of the Kancamagus and Conway, you have ready access to the Carter Ledge trail up Mt Chocurua or shorter loop trails.
The sites are generally large and wooded. Designated tent sites are not suitable for RVs/trailers because the site may require a short walk or steps. Facilities include potable water and vault toilets. There are no hookups and no dump station. The lack of amenities contributes to the low fee of$20/night, though online reservation fees will add somewhat to that. If you want a shower, they are available at Jigger Johnson campground along the Kancamagus Hwy, about 20 minutes away.
If you head up on a holiday weekend, get an early start or be ready for traffic. The loop for sites 14-28 parallels NH16; you WILL hear and even see road traffic and Rte 16 is busy. Sites 2-5 are more open, larger, and suitable for RV or tent. Site 10 is a nicely wooded, level site for tent or RV. About half the sites are reservable. The campground is open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.
Tent camping near Shapleigh, Maine offers a delightful escape into nature, with a variety of campgrounds that cater to outdoor enthusiasts seeking adventure and relaxation.
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