Cabin camping near Atkinson, New Hampshire offers access to the Merrimack Valley region with elevations ranging from 350-450 feet above sea level. The area experiences four distinct seasons with summer temperatures averaging 70-85°F and winter temperatures often below freezing. Most cabin facilities in the region operate from May through October with limited winter availability at select locations.
What to do
Hiking options: Bear Brook State Park Campground features extensive trail systems with varying difficulty levels. One visitor noted, "There are spectacular views of the lake and mountains from many sites. The bathrooms were moderately clean."
Water activities: Visitors at Pawtuckaway State Park Campground can enjoy multiple water features. "This is a fantastic little camp if you want to go canoeing or kayaking or boating of any kind! It's set up of three islands and a large majority of the campsites are right on the water," reports one camper.
Historical exploration: For those interested in regional history, Spacious Skies Minute Man provides access to historical sites within a short drive. "Concord is only 30 minute drive away with two full days of revolutionary historic sites, and famous people home tours such as Louisa May Alcott. Lots of good coffee spots and restaurants in historic downtown Concord."
What campers like
Waterfront sites: Campers consistently praise the lake access at Pawtuckaway State Park Campground. "The sites on the water book up quickly but they're perfect for fishing and boating. Also, the view!" mentions one reviewer.
Family activities: Many campgrounds offer scheduled entertainment. At Winding River Campground, "there were great events like foam parties, DJ at the pool, pancake breakfast and live music to name a few."
Natural surroundings: Bear Brook State Park earns high marks for its natural setting. As one camper explained, "Located in a 10000 acre forest preserve, the campground is heavily forested and very secluded from civilization. We stayed on site 22, which was spacious and private from the other sites on either side."
What you should know
Seasonal closures: Most cabin facilities near Atkinson operate seasonally. "The showers in other bathroom (near the town center area) had a door and two curtains. Some had hooks (some of which were broken)," notes a camper at Winding River Campground.
Bathroom conditions: Facilities vary widely between campgrounds. At Calef Lake Camping Area, one camper reported, "Bathhouse was closed so we had to use Porta potties."
Water quality concerns: Water features may have seasonal issues. A Winding River visitor mentioned, "The river is very low and yucky so none of the boating or fishing advertised was possible. Likely causing the massive amount of mosquitos."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Tuxbury Pond RV Campground offers multiple recreation options. A visitor noted, "Friendly staff, clean bathrooms, clean grounds, gated campground with card key access in/out of the grounds, 2 pools (closed for the season during our stay), pavilion, activities/entertainment, fairly quiet during quiet hours, laundromat, playground, dog park, boating pond, Horse shoe & Basketball court."
Entertainment scheduling: Check activity calendars before booking. At Winding River, one camper observed, "Planned activities were only scheduled for Friday and Saturday, when online mentions 'daily'. During adult karaoke there were plenty of kids and really poor wifi."
Site selection: Choose sites based on family needs. At Bear Brook State Park, "If you are tenting and don't mind a short walk, reserve site R1 for a raised site overlooking the pond. Sites 13-25 back up against a hill."
Tips from RVers
Arrival timing: Wakeda Campground offers flexible check-in. "We arrived Thursday at the gate and were told how to get to our site, to set up and then come over to the office which was nice," notes one visitor.
Utilities placement: Pay attention to hook-up locations. At Minute Man Campground, a visitor reported, "Good level site water and electric (full hook ups also available) electric box a little far from parking site had to use an extension cord."
Site navigation: Some campgrounds have challenging layouts. A Bear Brook visitor warned, "I found that the little loop to my campsite was tight to exit (I was towing a 14' teardrop, not a big trailer) and I had to be careful to swing wide at the corner."