A
Amber G.
Scout
ScoutTripoli Road
So much fun!
Went 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
Camping near Center Harbor, NH
297 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
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SUMMARY PRESENTED BY
Center Harbor, New Hampshire provides a blend of campgrounds and camping areas, mostly concentrated along Lake Winnipesaukee and nearby Squam Lake. Established campgrounds such as Harbor Hill Camping Area, Meredith Woods, and Long Island Bridge Campground accommodate various camping styles including tent sites, RV hookups, and cabin rentals. Many campgrounds in the Lakes Region feature waterfront or water-accessible locations, with boat-in camping options available at Squam Lakes Association. The area maintains a mix of family-friendly developed campgrounds and more secluded options for those seeking natural surroundings.
Camping season typically runs from mid-May through mid-October, with most campgrounds closing after Columbus Day weekend due to New Hampshire's colder fall temperatures. "The sites were okay with trees all around. Most of the sites were seasonal sites. Sites are easy to get in to with an RV and level," noted one camper about Harbor Hill. Reservations are strongly recommended during summer months, particularly for weekend stays, as the Lakes Region is a popular vacation destination. Most developed campgrounds provide electric and water hookups, while some offer full sewer connections. Amenities like showers, flush toilets, and camp stores vary by location, with some campgrounds maintaining swimming pools and recreation areas.
Campers consistently highlight water access as a major draw in the region. The opportunity to boat, swim, or fish directly from campgrounds contributes to high ratings for properties like Long Island Bridge Campground, where one visitor observed it "is right on the lake, very clean, pet friendly, employees are great, overall just a nice place to relax and enjoy yourself." Family-friendly amenities such as swimming pools and playgrounds are common at larger campgrounds. Sites with seasonal campers make up a significant portion of many campgrounds in the area, creating established communities within these camping areas. The proximity to local attractions, hiking trails, and waterfront activities makes the Center Harbor region a versatile destination for outdoor recreation beyond camping itself.
Best Campgrounds near Center Harbor (297)
1. White Lake State Park Campground
"Last weekend, our family stayed at White Lake State Park for four days."
"I’ve stayed here a few times and love the location and access to White Lake."
from $35 - $105 / night
Check Availability2. Gunstock Campground
"Fairly extensive camp ground associated with Gunstock ski area on central New Hampshire."
"I was lucky to receive a tranquil, secluded spot next to a brook - perfect."
from $35 - $80 / night
Check Availability3. Harbor Hill Camping Area
"Free DVD and book lending library, so if you aren't enjoying the great outdoors or walking on their nature trails, you can just read or watch. Easy access to the lake or hiking trails in the area. "
"Sinks are located outside and there is a bIgger sink for washing dishes. We were on an electric/water site but they also have a few primitive sites. We loved it here and will definitely be back."
from $3500 - $4500 / night
Check Availability4. Hunter’s Run RV Park
"They also have a nice game room for them kids or grown ups that struggle to leave technology behind."
from $44 - $135 / night
Check Availability5. Paugus Bay Campground
"We seriously lucked out with getting two sites next to eachother over looking the lake though. Pros: -Owners were very friendly and helpful. -Lots of lake activities to do."
"Campground is primarily seasonal sites, however the nightly rentals sites are nicely located near the water."
6. Clearwater Campground
"The lake beach was fantastic, very nicely maintained. Kayak rental was super cheap and easy to do!
The campground is relatively near Meredith town center, and not far from Weirs beach."
from $33 - $56 / night
Check Availability7. Ames Brook Campground
"Not all sites are overly spacious, some are in close proximity and there are many seasonal campers but the grounds are very well maintained and the bathrooms and showers are exceptionally clean (and free"
"Easy to get to off Rt. 93, in Ashland, quick ride to many area attractions like hiking, lakes, etc. Site 27 is very large, near a cute babbling brook."
from $42 - $49 / night
Check Availability8. Long Island Bridge Campground
"Love this campground. great views of the lake. Nice neighbors. Lots of space for my kids to run around. And the family who runs it is very friendly."
"Campground is right on the lake, very clean, pet friendly, employees are great, overall just a nice place to relax and enjoy yourself! People are awesome here!"
from $37 - $55 / night
Check Availability9. Waterville Campground
"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 Availability10. Campton Campground
"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."
"Really great for access to Tripoli road, Waterville Valley. Bathrooms clean. Showers clean. Host was excellent and knowledgeable. Loved advising campers where to go, what trails to checkout."
from $30 / night
Check Availability
Drive Time
- 1 hr from Manchester, NH
- 1 hr 45 min from Lewiston, ME
- 1 hr 47 min from Boston, MA
- 1 hr 53 min from Portland, ME
Recent Camping Photos near Center Harbor, NH
793 Photos of 297 Center Harbor Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Recent Reviews near Center Harbor, NH
1359 Reviews of 297 Center Harbor Campgrounds
Henry M.ScoutCrow's Nest Campground
Spent Several Days
We 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.
- SSean D.
TravelerWellington Camping Park
Very nice campground
A mix of seasonal and short term campers. Here for 3 nights I did not feel out of place at all - quite the opposite. Staff are very nice, campground is quiet, clean and has lots of amenities(laundry, games- pool, table tennis, badminton, small kids playground, kayak rental for the placid river, swimming area at the river"beach"). All sites have water and hookup. Couple of excellent tent spots right on the river. I had a small space down by the river for my tent trailer and found it quite spacious. Sites overall are somewhat close together but not overly and it remains peaceful. About 30 minute easy drive to the coast (Portsmouth, Hampton Beach etc.).
Harley J.ScoutCrow's Nest Campground
Really Enjoyed
Really 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.
David B.ScoutCrow's Nest Campground
Always Nice Coming Back
What 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.
- MMarie S.Scout
Gunstock Campground
Apparently Your Reserved Site Is More of a Suggestion
⭐**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.**
Noah P.ScoutCrow's Nest Campground
Comfortable Stay
Crow’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.
- KKrista R.Traveler
Moose Brook State Park Campground
Like Dispersed Camping... For $42
Pros: 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.
Richard P.ScoutSebago Lake Family Campground
Find a better place!
We 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!
Guide to Center Harbor
Camping spots near Center Harbor, New Hampshire offer varied terrain across the Lakes Region, sitting at approximately 553 feet above sea level. The area experiences distinct seasonal changes, with summer temperatures averaging 70-85°F during peak camping season and cooler nights in early spring and fall. Most campgrounds maintain a 10 PM to 8 AM quiet hours policy, with the majority offering both wooded and open sites.
What to do
Kayaking on Lake Winnipesaukee: Rent equipment at Long Island Bridge Campground where visitors can access the water directly from camp. "This was an absolutely beautiful four day weekend spent at this campground. They had great rent spots, amazing employees, and perfect kayaks that we could rent for a Sunday on the water," reports Madison K.
Hike nearby mountains: Multiple trails within 20 minutes of campsites offer moderate to challenging hikes with lake views. "Mt Chocura is a great nearby hike," notes Jean C. from her stay at White Lake State Park. Some campgrounds provide trail maps at their offices.
Winter activities: For off-season visitors, Meredith Woods Four Season Camping offers year-round options. "Snow ploughing happens regularly and reliably. Indoor pool and hot tub are amazing on a snowy frigid winter day," shares Mara S. The campground provides a base for snowmobilers with direct trail access.
Aerial adventures: Several campgrounds have partnered with adventure companies. "They have an aerial obstacle course and a mountain coaster, places to swim, music festivals, hiking, etc.," explains Kasey H. about Gunstock Mountain Resort activities available to campers.
What campers like
Indoor amenities during bad weather: Having alternatives to outdoor activities matters in New Hampshire's variable climate. "The indoor pool on the other side of the road at the sister campground Meredith Woods was splendid. I love the idea of being able to go swimming even if the weather is a bit crummy," reports Brandon C. about his stay at Clearwater Campground.
Clean bathroom facilities: Harbor Hill Camping Area receives praise for maintenance. "Extremely quiet and the bathrooms are super clean (although somewhat small). Large single stall shower that was also very clean, operates on quarters," describes Sarah W. Many campgrounds have recently upgraded their facilities.
Wildlife viewing: Early risers appreciate natural encounters. "There is a nice beach and a trail that goes around the entire small lake. It's close to hiking trails and fishing spots and is clean and well run," shares Carolyn M. about White Lake State Park, which is known for its resident loons that can be heard calling at night.
Fishing opportunities: Lakes and rivers provide ample fishing options. "We really came to kayak and fish and were not at all disappointed. Easy access to the lake, beautiful water, and my husband could not put a hook in without catching something," notes Paummi S. from Clearwater Campground.
What you should know
Site spacing varies significantly: Proximity to neighbors differs between campgrounds and even within the same property. "Most of the sites were seasonal sites. Sites are easy to get in to with an RV and level. Only a few remote sites for tents," reports Pat about Harbor Hill. For more privacy, request wooded sites when booking.
Winter camping considerations: Gunstock Campground maintains roads differently than other properties. "I feel that the owners/managers are very neglectful. They do a bad job plowing and I fishtailed on the access road. They don't salt or sand anywhere on the premises," warns Mara S. about a different campground in winter.
Seasonal camper concentration: Many campgrounds host primarily seasonal residents. "This is an amazing campground to be a Seasonal Camper! The seasonals are friendly. The campground is beautiful & well maintained," notes Abby from Harbor Hill. First-time visitors should expect an established community atmosphere.
Noise considerations: Reviews highlight varying experiences with noise enforcement. "Quiet hours are supposed to start at 10:00pm, but our rowdy male neighbors were up, playing music, talking loudly, and singing, until midnight," reports Sable W. about White Lake State Park.
Tips for camping with families
Look for multiple recreation options: White Lake State Park Campground offers diverse activities for different age groups. "The beach area is very nice and has lots of tables and grills. We were able to hear the loons calling on the lake at night too," shares Amanda from her Labor Day visit. Playgrounds, sports fields and game rooms provide entertainment during downtime.
Consider campground size: Larger properties require planning for bathroom access. "This is a VERY LARGE campground, it will be a trek to get to the bathrooms or showers or swimming. You do NOT get to park at the lake if you are a camper," advises Stephanie C. about White Lake State Park. Some families bring bikes for easier navigation.
Check for kid-friendly amenities: Not all playground equipment works for all ages. "Family with kids the only down, wish the playground was bigger, and height smaller. Not a structure for small children," notes Dennis O. about Meredith Woods.
Wildlife awareness: Some campgrounds have more active wildlife. "The first day I got there at around 5:30 I was sitting in my hammock reading when a black bear cub strolled through my campsite. We scared the poop out of each other," reports Kitty from Waterville Campground. Ask about proper food storage protocols at check-in.
Tips from RVers
Site leveling requirements: Preparation for uneven sites saves setup time. "Lot was not level. Lot was roomy," mentions Eric H. about Clearwater Campground. Bringing extra leveling blocks helps, especially at older campgrounds.
Waterfront accessibility: Branch Brook Campground offers river frontage but requires planning. "The beat part is the location to the river. It wraps around the campground making it a great place to go tubing," notes Shawn D. Some waterfront sites require early booking up to 11 months in advance.
Hookup placement: Check utility locations before selecting sites. "Water hook up was on the opposite side of the site of where the camper needed to be, no sewer hook ups," explains Zachary W. about Paugus Bay Camp Ground. Bring extra-long hoses for challenging connections.
Site size limitations: Larger rigs face restrictions at some campgrounds. "If you have a pull behind, you definitely need to be comfortable backing it up in tight, dicey situations," warns Chase B. about Paugus Bay. Sites over 35 feet are more limited in the region.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Center Harbor, NH?
What camping is available near Center Harbor, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, Center Harbor, NH offers a wide range of camping options, with 297 campgrounds and RV parks near Center Harbor, NH and 8 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Center Harbor, NH?
Which is the most popular campground near Center Harbor, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Center Harbor, NH is White Lake State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 25 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Center Harbor, NH?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Center Harbor, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 8 free dispersed camping spots near Center Harbor, NH.
What parks are near Center Harbor, NH?
What parks are near Center Harbor, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 12 parks near Center Harbor, NH that allow camping, notably White Mountain National Forest and Hopkinton-Everett Lake.
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