Best Tent Camping near Campton, NH
The White Mountains region surrounding Campton, New Hampshire offers a variety of tent camping options ranging from established campgrounds to remote backcountry sites. Tent campers can access several primitive camping areas including Guyot Shelter, a dispersed camping location along the Appalachian Trail, and Rogers Ledge, which provides free primitive tent sites accessible via hiking trails. Other nearby options include Sawyer Pond, which requires a 1.5-mile hike from one trailhead or a longer 4.5-mile approach from the Kancamagus Highway.
Most tent campgrounds in the Campton area have limited amenities, with varying levels of facilities. Sites at Rogers Ledge and Sawyer Pond offer fire rings but no drinking water, requiring campers to filter from nearby water sources. Fourth Iron Campground provides tent pads, fire rings, and composting toilets, though it requires a short quarter-mile walk from the parking area. Access can be challenging at higher-elevation sites, particularly during spring when snowmelt and mud may make trails impassable. Bear activity is common throughout the region, with some campgrounds providing bear boxes for food storage, while others require campers to hang food.
Tent camping areas around Campton provide excellent access to hiking networks and scenic natural features. Sawyer Pond sites sit directly on the pond shoreline, offering swimming opportunities and scenic views. Guyot Shelter includes tent platforms, some offering mountain vistas, along with bear boxes and access to water. The area's backcountry tent sites, while requiring more effort to reach, reward campers with greater solitude and natural immersion. A camper noted that Sawyer Pond "is a great beginner backpacking trip, great even for kids" with platforms large enough for two freestanding tents. Fourth Iron Campground, positioned along the Saco River, provides "easy, with multiple rocky beaches" for river access, offering refreshing swimming spots during warmer months.
