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TravelerPawtuckaway State Park Campground
Great spot with all types of different campsites.
Dog-Friendly Camping near Auburn, NH
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Calef Lake Camping Area features a dedicated dog pond near Auburn, offering a unique pet-friendly experience for campers with four-legged companions. The campground accommodates tent camping, RVs, and cabin stays with sites dispersed throughout the property. Dogs are welcome throughout the grounds, with the specialized dog swimming area being particularly popular among pet owners. Nearby Bear Brook State Park Campground also welcomes pets with spacious sites that accommodate multiple tents, providing ample room for dogs to settle in comfortably. Both campgrounds maintain clean facilities with Calef Lake offering gravel roads and Bear Brook featuring wooded sites that provide natural shade for pets during hot summer days. Leashed dogs are permitted on trails and in camping areas, though they must be supervised at all times. The friendly staff at these campgrounds are accommodating to campers with pets, helping to ensure a positive experience. Campers browse The Dyrt when exploring the best sites near Auburn, New Hampshire.
Bear Brook State Park's extensive trail system provides excellent opportunities for dog walking with miles of interconnected paths suitable for all activity levels. The mountain bike trails double as perfect dog walking routes, with the loop around Beaver Pond offering an easy, kid-friendly hike where dogs can access swimming spots along the way. During summer months, early morning or evening walks are recommended to avoid hot temperatures that can affect pets. Campground quiet hours are strictly enforced, ensuring peaceful nights for all guests including those with pets. Most sites have enough space to set up tie-outs for dogs, though owners should be prepared with portable water dishes as water spigots are scattered throughout the campgrounds. The spacious sites at Bear Brook provide enough privacy for dogs that might be reactive to other campers passing by. Wildlife is abundant in the area, so keeping dogs leashed is essential not only for park rules but also for their safety.
Best Dog-Friendly Campgrounds near Auburn (137)
1. Pawtuckaway State Park Campground
"My first time experiencing a park in the New Hampshire Park system. We went down with a group. Pawtuckaway State Park offers a variety of landscapes, with something to do and see for everyone."
"Driving around this past weekend I did notice that some of the sites had damp spots; site 71 was the worst with deep mud on the long approach."
Check AvailabilityCampground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $35 - $140 / night
2. Bear Brook State Park Campground
"Tucked away in what feels like the middle of nowhere New Hampshire is it's largest state park. Bear Brook is full of trails, ponds and a fairly large campground."
"The park is very dog friendly for camping as well as hiking. The trails were very well marked and really conveniently close by to the campsites. Will definitely be returning!"
Check Availabilityfrom $35 - $45 / night
3. Calef Lake Camping Area
"We had such a fun time and our dog loves it! The only bad part is we were very far from the bathrooms and tons of mosquitoes. We definitely will be coming back in the near future!"
"Beautiful location in southern NH! Located Beside a lake, The water is great for swimming, and the playground is absolutely perfect for kids and adults alike."
Check Availabilityfrom $20 - $40 / night
4. Berry's Grove Campground
"We had plans on both sides of the state line, so the location worked really well for our trip."
"Our dog loved it here. We spent alot of time outside and there was enough space around the campground for him to get some exercise too."
Check Availabilityfrom $1950 / night
5. Autumn Hills Campground
"Campground is peaceful and quiet; the lake is within close proximity to most sites; I wouldn’t say it’s the best place for swimming but overall a great place to launch a kayak or canoe and paddle about"
"Lake access, inground pool, ball field, and lots of activities for the kids makes this a great place to relax with the family."
Check Availabilityfrom $45 - $60 / night
6. Epsom Valley Campground
"First of all, as we were driving we were passing all these other campgrounds that looked pretty run down and trashed. Enter Epsom Valley. What an awesome spot!!"
"I enjoyed the hiking trails in the back and a pretty good amount of things to do near by. Being able to walk to a store and restaurant is great."
Check Availabilityfrom $35 - $165 / night
7. Friendly Beaver Campground
"The views outside our camper window is amazing. We’re surrounding be trees and it’s breathtaking when surrounded by freshly fallen snow."
"I prefer trees, but this wont keep us away from trying out RV sites this year."
Check Availabilityfrom $60 - $130 / night
8. Pine Acres Resort
"Swimming, fishing, hiking, climbing (near by), biking. What ever your into its here. Volleyball, softball, tent sites, cabins, RV sites..seriously all the amenities."
9. Wakeda Campground, LLC
"They also had a game room, miniature golf, coffee shop and dog park.
The first campsite they assigned to us was very secluded but unfortunately, we were coming in during a major rainstorm.""I came here last year with my dog. We only stayed two nights. "
Check Availabilityfrom $48 - $97 / night
10. Lazy River Family Campground
"Having the river right there for the kids to fish and dogs to swim was great. We were all alone at the end of the field, and that was ok with us!!!"
"The family will definitely be making a few return trips, especially with the reasonable drive from the boston area to the grounds."
from $26 - $30 / night
Drive Time
- 3 min from Manchester, NH
- 50 min from Boston, MA
- 1 hr 5 min from Worcester, MA
- 1 hr 53 min from Amherst Center, MA
Recent Dog-Friendly Camping Photos near Auburn, NH
98 Photos of 137 Auburn Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Bear Brook State Park CampgroundA
Pawtuckaway State Park Campground
Epsom Valley Campground
Autumn Hills CampgroundQ
Lazy River Family CampgroundQ
Wellington Camping ParkR
Wakeda Campground, LLC
Keyser Pond Campground
Spacious Skies French PondA
Beach Rose RV ParkC
Salisbury Beach State Reservation
Lorraine Park Campground — Harold Parker State Forest
Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Auburn, NH
868 Reviews of 137 Auburn Campgrounds
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kevinTravelerSpacious Skies Minute Man
Beautiful place about an hour from Salem Boston and Plymouth. Be careful getting in Sharp Hill coming up and down lots of scrapes on the ground tight navigation through sites lots of beautiful trees.
Nancy W.
LegendWinter Island Park
Basically a parking lot but with great views!
I’m not going to lie this was a little tricky for big rigs to get to, but with lots of patience and skillful driving, it is doable. Salem is an old New England town so there are many narrow streets and some low clearances. Follow the directions on the parks website as they are designed for RVs– don’t use Google Maps unless you are a small camper. Even getting into the park is kind of challenging because of the way the entrance is laid out with the entrance booth and some low hanging trees. This campground is in a municipal park with a marina, beach, a short walking trail, and picnic areas. The campground has different sections and totally different feels to them. We arrived on a weekend and section we were in the section which is in the parking lot of a busy marina. The parking lot was half full which made for navigating our 45’ bus into our site pretty hard.
No sites have fire pits but you can have a fire if you bring your own above ground pit. Tent sites have picnic tables but nothing else. Some sites you can drive to and have a car onsite and others are non-vehicle access sites (11, 17, 18, 25, 26, 27& 38) in which you have to park in a parking lot. Some RV sites have great water views and others are in a back gravel lot. In my opinion, the best RV sites are 12-16(A-D) because they have a water view. Sites 16B-D are a little tricky for big-rigs to get into because of the tight space. Our site (#13) had a slight downhill slope. We pulled in forward so we could have a view of the harbor which meant the utilities (water electric only) were in the front of our site but we were able to reach without an extension cord. We loved watching the action in the harbor. There is a gazebo by the water which we enjoyed siting under and watching boats go in and out of the harbor while it rained.
There is a nice sandy beach onsite which attracts a lot of day use vistors. The grounds are interesting to walk around as the water views are nice and there is an old fort to explore. Nearby town of Salem Willows is(about½ mile away) is a cute old seaside town with restaurants and arcades. They have a Bluebike rental station which is an easy way to get downtown and explore the area if you don’t have a car.
- Nancy W.Legend
Sea-Vu West Premier RV Resort
Pleasantly surprised.
This campground is mostly seasonal, privately owned park models, but has 45 spaces for RV’s. I was a little skeptical about staying at this campground with so many park models and seasonals but was pleasantly surprised at how nice, clean, and tidy all the sites were. They obviously take pride in how things look because the grounds and campsites were very well-kept.
All campsites are 50/30-amp full hook-up with level gravel pads with grassy patios, a picnic table, and fire pit. We stayed in site#702 which was long enough for our 45’ motorhome and tow car. All the utilities were easy to reach and the electric worked well. The only problem was that we were parked under a large oak tree that was profusely shedding large acorns. There are some sites that are in the open which I would definitely choose, if I came back in the fall. The campground is gated which is a nice feature. It is located a mile or so off Route 1 which means you don’t get the road noise and traffic, but still conveniently located near shops and restaurants.
One nice feature are the shaded walking trails in the park. While they are not super long, it is a nice change from walking the roads (which are paved). Other amenities include a decent size swimming pool (closed while we were there), a basketball court, playground, laundry, and camp store. I thought it was a little expensive at $75/night (for full hook-up) at the end of the season, especially since the pool was closed.
- Nancy W.Legend
Sun Outdoors Wells Beach
Tight sites and expensive, busy area along the Maine coast
We stopped here in the summer to check out the coastal towns in southern Maine. There are many campgrounds in the area and we chose this one because they had a 25% off coupon (on a 7-night stay) which gave us the best nightly price in the area. However, the nightly rate was still$74/night, one reason being they charge a “resort fee” of$15/day which is ridiculous. This is a typical resort-style campground with lots of amenities (most of which we never use). But, for some people, this is a destination campground because of all the amenities- a large heated swimming pool, basketball courts, sand volleyball, bocce, fitness center, two playgrounds, 18-hole minigolf (that you pay extra for), and more.
The campsites in the front of the park are sandwiched between the swimming pool and Route 1 which is very busy and noisy. Campsites in the far back portion of the campground are shaded and a much quieter section. Camping pads and patios are a mix of gravel and sand. Many sites have shade and some have an astroturf patio (I think those are “premium” sites). Our campsite was in the middle section which was fairly quiet but the sites are close together with no privacy. The site was a long and level pull thru with a gravel pad and gravel/sand patio. All sites have a picnic table and fire pit.
There is a tent-only section and they have renal cabins. There is lots to do for families in the area including the beach and amusement and water parks. Restaurants of all sorts are nearby. You can easily walk to Congdon’s Donuts which is a Maine classic.
- Nancy W.Legend
Seacoast Camping and RV Resort
Nice Campground, Love the area!
This is a nice, clean, well-maintained campground for RV and tenting. The campground is located on Route 1 which means you are convenient to a lot of things but there is lots of traffic. Half the campground is seasonal/long term campers and the other side is mostly transients. The roads and campsites are fine crushed gravel with nice grassy patios. The campground is very well maintained (the best part being that the mower collects they cut the grass so no clippings get tracked in your camper). There are some mature trees that provide shade but don’t impede navigating in and out of sites or impacting slide outs.
Campsites range from tent with water/electric to RV water/electric and RV full hook-up 50-amp and full hook-up 30-amp. There are three bathhouses on the property (one of which has a dishwashing sink) and laundry. Tent sites 50-55 are in an are set away from RV sites and more private. They are also close to a large bathhouse with multiple toilets and showers. Tent sites 90-100 are across from a large playground which can be quite chaotic, but if you have kids, this is a great spot.
Our site (#147) was a long pull-thru with a descent amount of space between our neighbors. We got about half a dozen over-the-air channels (one being a major network station) and were able to connect with eastern arc satellites with our Dish Satellite. The 50A electric was good as was the water pressure.
The campground does not have much in the way of amenities except for a game room, basketball court, and playground. The game room is pretty cool with lots of arcade-style games, a pool table, foosball, and table tennis. While we were there, they just finished putting in all new playground equipment and enlarged the size making it really big and a hit with the kids in the park. Once convenience is that maintenance picks up garbage at your site (between 8am– 3pm). Unfortunately, people leave them out after hours and animals got into them and scattered garbage everywhere. We've stayed here before and always enjoy being in the area as it is close to the fun cities of Portsmouth and Newburyport.
Devon B.
ScoutCrow's Nest Campground
Play Games
The recreation hall was a nice surprise. We had some rainy weather one afternoon and the kids were able to play games while we relaxed for a bit. Saved the day honestly😂
Briggs M.ScoutBerry's Grove Campground
Nice Place To Relax
We were visiting family around Nashua and needed somewhere to park the RV nearby. Berry’s Grove ended up being a really good fit. We could come and go easily and still have a nice place to relax at the end of the day.
- KKurt B.Scout
Hampton Beach State Park Campground
Oceanfront camping at its best—full hookups just steps from the beach. Located in popular Hampton Beach, you'll be close to nightly bandshell concerts and vibrant nightlife. There is a lottery system in place for stays during the summer.
Guide to Auburn
Campgrounds near Auburn, New Hampshire offer diverse options for outdoor recreation within a 30-minute drive of Manchester. The terrain features a mix of woodland settings and small lakes with relatively flat hiking trails through pine forests. Summer temperatures typically range from 55°F to 85°F with higher humidity, making waterfront sites particularly desirable during peak camping season from June through August.
What to do
Mountain biking trails: Bear Brook State Park Campground has extensive trail networks. "The biking trails were a blast. We'll definitely be back again," says one camper who visited specifically to test the mountain biking trails. The park offers trails for various skill levels, with riders able to access routes directly from the campground.
Fishing opportunities: Calef Lake Camping Area provides accessible fishing. "The fishing was good there too," notes a visitor who appreciated the dedicated dog pond. Most local lakes contain largemouth bass, pickerel, and panfish with best results in early morning or evening hours.
Paddling options: Pawtuckaway State Park Campground features multiple islands with water access. "This a a fantastic little camp for 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," explains a camper. Canoe and kayak rentals are available on-site for those without their own equipment.
Swimming areas: Multiple swimming spots exist within 15 minutes of Auburn. "There's a nice stretch of sandy beach at the campground as well as canoes and kayaks for rent," mentions a visitor to Pawtuckaway. Campgrounds with designated swimming areas typically provide basic facilities but limited lifeguard supervision during weekdays.
What campers like
Spacious sites: Bear Brook State Park Campground offers well-separated campsites. "Camped here two nights in 2015 en route to Maine. 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," reports a visitor. Most wooded sites provide natural shade and separation between neighbors.
Clean facilities: Wakeda Campground maintains high cleanliness standards. "We have been camping here for many years. The staff and seasonal campers are all very friendly. The campground and bathrooms are kept very clean," notes a regular visitor. Bathrooms are typically cleaned multiple times daily during peak season.
Multiple pools: Cold Springs Camp Resort features numerous swimming options. "Great campground. The pools are amazing. Kid pools. Adult pools! Adult hot tub," explains an enthusiastic camper. The resort maintains four outdoor pools with separate areas designated for children and adults.
Riverfront camping: Lazy River Family Campground offers riverside sites. "Our site was right along the river. Be aware that the sites along the river, while waterfront and nice, do suffer from road noise coming from NH28," advises a camper. Water levels vary seasonally, with late summer often having lower water flow for tubing activities.
What you should know
Weather considerations: Campgrounds in the Auburn area experience typical New England weather patterns. "We stayed here two nights, once in September 2013 and then again in September 2018... In 2013, site 25 was a little challenging since it was on a downgrade and we were hit with an unexpected 36 hour downpour," shares a camper at Pawtuckaway State Park. Most sites drain adequately, but lower elevation spots may experience water runoff during heavy rain.
Site selection importance: Campsite layouts vary significantly. "The sites are a bit too close to each other but there are some that are nice and private. Mountain biking is awesome here, can ride right off the campground and onto the trails! Will def be coming back," explains a repeat visitor to Bear Brook State Park. Research specific site numbers before booking for optimal privacy.
Campground atmosphere: Epsom Valley Campground provides a quieter experience. "We only wanted to stay for one and when we arrived, the older women drove me around in the golf cart to see which site would best suit us and I just thought it was the sweetest thing! They really do care about making sure everyone is accommodated/happy," says a first-time visitor. Each campground has distinct character, with some focused on activities while others emphasize quiet woodland settings.
Limited connectivity: Cell service varies widely. "Cell phone coverage varies from 1-2 bars, not always 4G, on Verizon," notes a camper at Bear Brook State Park. For ATT users, reception is reported as "pretty decent" in the area, though signal strength varies by specific location.
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Friendly Beaver Campground offers family-friendly amenities. "We've been back here a few times because my girls love it. They have 3 outdoor pools (sports, toddler, regular) plus an indoor pool for rainy or chilly days. They have a few animals the kids can feed. They also have crafts, hayrides and games, playground and other events," explains a parent. Most family-oriented campgrounds schedule weekend activities during peak season.
Swimming options: Multiple water features appeal to children. "Lazy River was recommended to us by a family member, for a low key campground to get out feet wet camping! We would come back again," shares a first-time camper with children. Supervised swimming areas with gradual entry points are available at several locations within 20 minutes of Auburn.
Seasonal activities: Halloween events often start early. "We went for halloween weekend in August and their haunted house was incredible for a campground!" explains a visitor to Cold Springs Camp Resort. Many campgrounds run themed weekends throughout summer with costume contests, trick-or-treating, and decorated sites.
Noise considerations: Sound travels between sites at many campgrounds. "The campsite itself was squished in between two other sites so closely that we could hear others in their tent whispering during quiet hours," notes a camper at Friendly Beaver Campground. Consider mid-week visits for quieter family experiences with fewer neighbors.
Tips from RVers
Hookup availability: Water and electric connections are standard at most campgrounds. "Sites are nice and the campground is nice and clean," mentions an RVer at Friendly Beaver Campground. Full hookup sites with sewer connections often require advance booking, especially for weekend arrivals.
Site dimensions: Some campgrounds have limited space for larger rigs. "My 28 foot travel trailer barely fit into the site, and our friends in the tent sites were basically on top of each other," warns a visitor to Autumn Hills Campground. Always confirm site dimensions when booking for RVs over 25 feet.
Access roads: Internal campground roads vary in quality and width. "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," notes a camper at Bear Brook State Park. Many campgrounds feature gravel roads that can become rutted after heavy rain.
Dump station convenience: Several campgrounds offer sanitary dump facilities. "Nice campground lake front spots," comments a visitor to Calef Lake who appreciated the convenient amenities. Most dump stations are located near the entrance/exit areas for easier departure day access.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly
campsite near Auburn, NH?
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Auburn, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Auburn, NH is Pawtuckaway State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 46 reviews.
What is the best site to find
dog-friendly camping near
Auburn, NH?
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Auburn, NH?
TheDyrt.com has all 137 dog-friendly camping locations near Auburn, NH, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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