293 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Camping locations near Campton, New Hampshire span a range of developed and primitive options across the White Mountain National Forest. Branch Brook Campground and Campton Campground provide established sites with tent and RV accommodations, while several private campgrounds like Pemi River Campground offer cabin rentals. The area includes both established campgrounds with facilities and dispersed camping along Tripoli Road. Most developed sites are concentrated along the Pemigewasset River valley, providing river access and proximity to hiking trails.
Seasonal operations significantly affect camping availability in the region, with most established campgrounds operating from mid-May through mid-October. The White Mountains experience unpredictable weather patterns, particularly in spring and fall when temperature fluctuations and precipitation can make camping challenging. Campgrounds with hookups typically fill quickly during peak season, especially on holiday weekends. Winter camping is limited to a few designated areas with most facilities closing after Columbus Day. Roads to dispersed camping areas may require high-clearance vehicles, particularly after heavy rainfall. As one visitor noted, "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!"
Campers consistently highlight water features as primary draws to the area's campgrounds. The Pemigewasset River and its tributaries provide scenic camping spots with opportunities for fishing, swimming, and paddling. Several campgrounds position sites directly along riverbanks, though these premium locations typically require advance booking. According to feedback on The Dyrt, "The swift river is in walking distance and offers a great place to relax after a long day in the New Hampshire woods." The surrounding White Mountain National Forest offers extensive hiking trails, including access to the Appalachian Trail and numerous peaks. Mixed-use campgrounds accommodate various camping styles, from primitive tent sites to full-hookup RV spaces. For those seeking solitude, the forest service roads branching from the Kancamagus Highway provide access to more remote camping areas away from the main developed campgrounds.
"The last few years, they’ve added a light display near the entrance at night, which make that last trip to the bathroom before bedtime fun!"
"Nice campground located in the valley of mountains. Wooded sites but close to your neighbors."
from $62 - $209 / night
Check Availability"This would be one of few places I find acceptable to camp, that are near other people. I usually don't like camping with 20+ other people in one looped area."
"Used the tent sides a quick hill walk down from the parking lot. River great for splashing around and nearby path to Lincoln Woods trail."
from $30 / night
Check Availability"Walk in sites at Russel Pond are nice. spacious sites with fire pits and a picnic table. Potable water is close by along with a bear box. Bathrooms are clean and the showers are $2.50 for 5 minutes."
"Other sites are situated on knolls that require parking below and walking a few steps up to the site. So be prepared to possibly hike your gear a short distance."
from $30 / night
Check Availability"My first time in camping in New Hampshire, the whole area is spectacular and I felt lucky to find a spot in this campground next to the stream."
"The White Mountains stretch quite some distance. While the Presidential peaks are often considered the jewel of this range, I find the Franconia Ridge just as beautiful and stunning."
from $35 / night
Check Availability"Both times were very different experiences, but overall very positive. Just because there are a few, I will mention the cons first."
"Plenty of walking for dogs with a natural pool for them to swim in and the large pool with pirate ship is perfect for little kids with the beach entry. easy location to get to with a travel trailer too"
from $49 - $129 / night
Check Availability"You can pick any spot, each one has a different variety wIth size and how deep into the woods you want to walk. No showers or bathrooms, a porter potty at the entrance but that’s about it."
"Great spot for the weekdays, hardly anyone around and got a great site right by the river (mid-sept.)."
from $20 - $30 / night
Check Availability"Located super close to Waterville valley ski area, hiking, golf, etc."
"A path leads straight down to the river, which we can hear running from the tents at night. The caretaker is one of the friendliest I’ve met, and he keeps the sites and bathrooms very clean."
from $24 / night
Check Availability"The sites on the southern site of the loop are VERY close to the road. the sites are generally level and a decent size."
"The sites are clean and well kept but are close in proximity of each other. None are private. This would be great for multiple families wanting to camp together."
from $30 / night
Check Availability"Dump station is located smartly away from most campsites, but on site. Cammy at the office was lovely and helpful."
"The beat part is the location to the river. It wraps around the campground making it a great place to go tubing. They also have 3 great fields for rent"
from $37 - $55 / night
Check Availability"Great little campground spots for both campers and tents right along the river
ample parking with great surrounding sights of New Hampshire as well as being next door to Clark’s trading post, a New Hampshire"
"We also were in the spot right next to the walkway to the bathhouse, so had steady traffic going by. Our site #60 was gravel, back in, 30 amp, full hookup."
TravelerNo toilet, no showers, no Wi-Fi, no electricity Love it I’ve been primitive camping since before I could walk and def glad this app exist
First use of the app and found the perfect spot away from my friends Airbnb and still close enough to go hangout with them. The site is the perfect size for a single or couple and it gives off the right kind of privacy
Thanks Dyrt
ScoutWent on a weekend and it was still very peaceful! Lots to do on such a beautiful back road. We stayed at two different sites each night we were there and both were equally beautiful and peaceful
ScoutWe spent several days here during the summer and had a really good experience. Some days we stayed busy swimming and exploring, while other days we barely left our campsite. That was probably what we enjoyed most.
ScoutReally enjoyed the setting at Crow’s Nest. There are lots of trees and having the Sugar River running alongside the campground gives the whole place a nice New Hampshire feel. We were mostly looking for somewhere to disconnect for a couple of days, cook outside, fish a little, and enjoy being away from home. Crow’s Nest was a great fit for that.
ScoutWhat we liked most about Crow’s Nest was being able to choose between doing absolutely nothing or heading out and exploring. One day we stayed around the campground, went swimming and relaxed by the river. The next day we got out and explored more of the Lake Sunapee area. It made a really good home base and it was always nice coming back to our campsite at the end of the day.
Scout⭐**Gunstock Campground: Apparently Your Reserved Site Is More of a Suggestion**
I don't believe I have**ever** left a negative Google review. I generally think that when something goes wrong, you contact the business, give them an opportunity to make it right, and most businesses are genuinely interested in doing exactly that.
Gunstock Campground has cured me of that quaint notion.
I reserved a full-hookup campsite for two nights. I was unable to make it there the first night, but arrived shortly after 7:00 a.m. the next morning. The camp store, where registration takes place, wasn't open yet, so I headed out for my planned hike— about six miles through the Belknaps, including summiting Rowe twice and Gunstock.
By the time I returned, I was utterly exhausted, starving, and actually feeling weak. My ambitions for the afternoon were modest:**eat something, take a shower, and collapse at the campsite I had paid for.**
The staff at the camp store greeted me warmly, checked me in, and sent me on my way.
I drove to my site. There was already a camper in it. Not merely*parked* there, mind you. They had apparently moved right in. They were hooked up to**my site's water and electric**, with water spraying from their ill-fitting hose connection and forming a rather impressive puddle underneath the camper.
I returned to the camp store to report that someone had apparently activated Gunstock's new**"Choose Any Site You Like"** camping plan. A staff member went down to speak with them and came back to tell me they were "packing up." Excellent! My mistake was assuming" packing up" meant**leaving**. It did not.
Apparently these campers had actually reserved a site**two rows away** that had**no water or electric**. Yet somehow, sometime after arriving the previous night, they had accidentally found themselves two rows over, in my clearly different site, connected to utilities their reservation didn't include.
We've all made mistakes. I've occasionally parked one space away from where I intended. I've never accidentally parked**two rows away, hooked myself up to someone else's electricity and water, and spent the night.**
But perhaps I lack imagination.
After they had now consumed about an hour of my afternoon— which, incidentally, is an hour I normally bill at attorney rates— I went back toward my site expecting to find it finally vacated.
And it was! Because Gunstock had moved these folks to another site**two spaces away from me**, apparently allowing them to pay for the upgrade they had already been test-driving. So the people who knowingly or unknowingly occupied my reserved full-hookup site, used the utilities, and delayed me from getting into the site I paid for were rewarded with...a nearby full-hookup site.
They never walked over to apologize. At that point, I no longer felt comfortable staying. It's difficult to relax at a campground when you've just discovered that site assignments appear to operate somewhat on the honor system— and that when someone helps themselves to your reserved site and utilities, management's solution is apparently to make sure *they* remain comfortably accommodated nearby. So I left. On my way home, I called Gunstock and asked for a refund. Surely, I thought, this would be the easy part. After all, I had paid for two nights, hadn't used the first, couldn't get into my site when I arrived for the second, waited while unauthorized occupants vacated it, and ultimately left because the entire experience had become so unpleasant.
Nope. Instead, the staff member **defended the other campers**. I was told they arrived late and "mistakenly" took my site. I was even told they supposedly **hadn't used the utilities**. This was particularly fascinating information for me to receive because **I PERSONALLY SAW THEM HOOKED UP TO THE WATER AND ELECTRIC.** I also took photographs. Including the enormous puddle underneath their camper from the leaking water connection. But apparently my eyewitness account and photographs were no match for the alternative version of events.
For my inconvenience, however, Gunstock did give me a coupon for a **free Bavarian pretzel**. So there is that.
I paid for a full-hookup campsite. Someone else occupied it and used the hookups. I lost roughly an hour waiting to access what I had reserved. The other campers were accommodated with an upgraded site nearby. I left because I no longer felt comfortable staying. And when I asked Gunstock to make the situation right, they refused to refund me and instead argued with me about things **I had personally witnessed and photographed**. The most disappointing part isn't that another camper took my site. Campers can behave badly. Businesses can't control everything their customers do. **What a business CAN control is how it responds when that happens. ** Gunstock had every opportunity to turn this into a mildly annoying story about a camping mix-up. Instead, they turned it into my first negative Google review.
But hey... **I do have that free pretzel coupon.**
ScoutCrow’s Nest was a really convenient stop for us while traveling through New Hampshire. Getting our RV situated was easy and we had everything we needed for a comfortable stay.
TravelerPros: We have the p lube nearly to ourselves, thus it was very similar to dispersed camping. Nice little campground with two small ponds (One for fishing, the other for swimming). Nothing very remarkable, though.
Cons: As others have mentioned, if you want flush toilets and pay showers, you have to either stay at the more crowded, larger loop or walk across the highway to get to those amenities.
ScoutWe just came back from a big family weekend there. We had 5 sites with 19 people(including children). This is by far the most rundown campground I've stayed! Only 1 bathroom facility was functioning. Of the 3 times I tried taking a shower, I only succeeded 1 time. The other 2 times(once at night and once the following morning at 6am) I only got drops coming out of the hot and cold faucets. I tried the only 2 stalls. Speaking of bathrooms...these have not been updated since the 60s-early 70s when I was camping with the same style bathroom facilities. The children's playground should be condemned!!! At least 25% of the wood is rotted. Some steps are missing from ladders. My granddaughter was swinging in the childs swing, the bottom unlatched and she fell through the bottom. If she wasn't monkey like in holding on she would have done a face plant to the ground. After looking at the swing, I found the plastic latch broken! 2 positives: the campsites are very nice! and the beach is great! Bottom line, these owners are not putting any money back into the campground and it's facilities. They are running it into the ground. I won't be coming back again!
Camping sites near Campton, New Hampshire range in elevation from 700 to 1,500 feet, nestled within the southwestern portion of the White Mountain National Forest. Situated at the junction of Routes 49 and 175, Campton serves as a gateway to higher-elevation wilderness areas while offering lower-elevation camping along the Mad and Pemigewasset Rivers. Winter temperatures frequently drop below zero, while summer evenings can require extra layers even after warm days.
River activities: Float the Pemi River at Branch Brook Campground where the crystal-clear water and gentle current create ideal conditions for families. "Tied our tubes to trees and lounged on the crystal clear river one of the days for the entirety of the day," reports one visitor who discovered the perfect relaxation spot. The campground offers tube rentals with a free shuttle service that takes you upstream so you can float back to your campsite.
Mountain hiking: Tackle the Osceolas from Campton Campground, which sits just 15 minutes from the trailhead. The 6.4-mile loop offers challenging terrain and stunning views. As one camper notes, "Great base camp for hiking Osceola & East Osceola. Easy access from I-93. Really great for access to Tripoli road, Waterville Valley." The elevation gain of approximately 2,100 feet makes this a full-day commitment.
Primitive camping: Explore Tripoli Road for dispersed camping opportunities with river access. Located about 10 minutes north of Campton, this 3-mile dirt road offers numerous unofficial sites. "Fantastic secluded options, highly recommend getting a good spot by the river. Park staff are great and spots are well maintained," notes one regular visitor. Sites are first-come, first-served with a self-registration system at the ranger station near Russell Pond entrance.
Wooded privacy: Large campsites at Russell Pond Campground provide natural separation between neighbors. "The sites are huge and have a great amount of space between them. All of them have leveled areas for the picnic tables and tent pads," reports one camper who appreciated the thoughtful layout. The campground features both reservable and first-come, first-served sites, with the waterfront locations being particularly desirable.
Winter accessibility: Year-round options through Hancock Campground, which remains open when most other facilities close. "Stayed here for two nights in late December. Site #40 along the river was close to the bathroom yet had plenty of privacy from other sites," notes one winter camper. The campground maintains plowed access roads and cleared sites during winter months, though water is unavailable during freezing temperatures.
Swimming spots: Natural water features at Waterville Campground provide cooling relief during summer heat. "My two teenagers and I stayed for four nights in site #17. The site is large enough for us to spread out our two tents, changing/shower tent and two hammocks. A path leads straight down to the river, which we can hear running from the tents at night," writes one visitor. The campground offers direct river access from several sites, with natural pools forming in certain sections.
Bear activity: Food storage requirements are strictly enforced throughout the region. At Tripoli Road, bears have caused periodic closures. "Following the July 4, 2019 holiday, the camping area was closed after bears visited campsites and got into food that was left in the open and not secured in vehicles or bear canisters," reports one camper. Most established campgrounds provide bear boxes, but dispersed campers must bring appropriate storage.
Highway noise: Site selection matters when booking at several campgrounds near major roads. At Pemi River Campground, one visitor warns, "Several, quite a few camp/rv sites that are literally right next to highway 93, our RV site was. Make no mistake, the constant sound of highway traffic. For me it was hard to relax with the constant sound of traffic." Request sites furthest from highways when making reservations.
Seasonal limitations: Facility closures affect winter camping options. Many campgrounds operate from mid-May through mid-October only. When open year-round, amenities may be reduced. "Water would have earned it five stars," notes a winter visitor to Hancock Campground, indicating the shutdown of water systems during freezing months.
Playground access: Kid-friendly amenities at Lost River Valley Campground include multiple play areas. "Cute little campground with many sites right on the river. My family has stayed here twice. You can't really swim much in the river, but the kids had a blast playing in it and fishing for little trout," shares one parent. The campground offers fishing opportunities in the adjacent stream where children can practice casting for small fish.
Bathroom proximity: Strategic site selection helps with young campers. At Campton Campground, facilities are distributed throughout the loops. "The bathrooms are all within walking distance. There is one shower for the entire campground and is coin operated. The toilets and sinks are kept clean but you must supply your own soap," advises a family camper. Sites numbered 15-25 offer the shortest walks to restrooms.
Safety considerations: Campground layout varies widely across the region. At Moose Hillock Camping Resort, one parent cautions, "The playground is across this busy road which I find very dangerous IMO." When booking with children, request detailed information about road crossings and potential hazards before arriving.
Site access: Limited large rig options exist in national forest campgrounds. At Lafayette Place Campground, RVs face particular challenges. "As far as the individual sites go, they are fairly standard. Roomy enough with a picnic table and fire ring and most are reasonably spaced far enough apart with trees to provide privacy," notes one RVer, but adds that many sites have difficult approaches due to trees and terrain. Most sites accommodate units under 30 feet.
Seasonal rates: Pricing variations affect budget planning throughout the year. Branch Brook Campground offers significant seasonal differences. "I stayed here mid week in October 2020. Besides me and a tent camper, there was no-one here. I was on site 17. Water+electric only. $25 per night," reports an off-season visitor, noting substantial savings compared to peak summer rates of $40-50 for the same sites.
Utility connections: Hook-up availability changes dramatically between public and private campgrounds. At Pemi River Campground, options range from tent sites to full-service connections. While forest service campgrounds rarely offer hookups, private campgrounds provide varied amenities at different price points.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Campton, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, Campton, NH offers a wide range of camping options, with 293 campgrounds and RV parks near Campton, NH and 11 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Campton, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Campton, NH is Lost River Valley Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 34 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Campton, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 11 free dispersed camping spots near Campton, NH.
What parks are near Campton, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 12 parks near Campton, NH that allow camping, notably White Mountain National Forest and Union Village Dam.
Keep Exploring
