Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Center Harbor, NH is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in. Experience some of the most stunning views that New Hampshire camping has to offer. Discover great camping spots near Center Harbor, reviewed by campers like you.
White Lake campground is located on a National Natural Landmark of 72 acre Pitch Pine Stand, surrounding a glacier formed lake. North Conway is 20 miles north of the campground with many tourist attractions.
$25 - $75 / night
Moose Hillock Camping Resort offers 90 unspoiled acres, surrounded by thousands of acres of White Mountain National Forest. Our private, secluded sites offer you a true camping experience. Our RV sites are large, level and private, with 20 – 30 and 50 amp electrical service with full hookup sites available. Our tent sites are located in a separate, secluded area which is exclusively dedicated to tenters. All sites come equipped with picnic tables and natural stone fireplaces. If you’re not a camper but would like to try out the camping experience, we offer two different cabin styles available for rental.
Waterville Campground is a popular home base for hikers who want to explore the southern White Mountains, including the scenic Pemigewasset Wilderness. The tremendous choice of local attractions and the proximity to outdoor recreation opportunities - fishing, swimming, hiking and whitewater paddling to name a few - bring campers back to Waterville again and again. The White Mountains boast pristine forests, clear mountain streams and rivers and the tallest peaks in the Northeast. The forest encompasses nearly 800,000 acres in New Hampshire and western Maine, and is one of the most popular in the country.
Hikers are drawn to the many trails in the area. Campers can easily access the Drakes Brook Trail (4.4 miles) and Sandwich Trail (3.9 miles), which form a loop that begins and ends near the campground. Water sports include fishing and kayaking. Anglers can cast a line for brook trout in the Mad River. A bit farther away is the Winnipesaukee River, which has a great 2.1-mile category I-II section of whitewater. Other activities such as summer concerts, a swimming area, golf course and the Gunstock ski resort are close by. Learn more about recreation in the national forest.
The campground sits in a thick forest of northern hardwood trees, adjacent to the Mad River and surrounded by mountains. The national forest is home to many species of northern wildlife, including moose, white-tailed deer and black bear. Almost 200 species of birds, including the rare Bicknell's Thrush, live in the White Mountains.
Campers may want to take an afternoon to visit Gilford Beach, Dixon Point and Sandwich Beach, all near Waterville Campground. The facility is also close to Waterville Valley Resort, which offers night life, summer concert tours, restaurants, horseback riding, canoeing, mountain bike rentals and shops. The White Mountains region hosts four alpine and five nordic ski areas, which provide year-round recreation opportunities.
$22 / night
Crawford Notch Campground is a family-owned and operated campground nestled in the heart of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Scenic Crawford Notch is well known for its awe-inspiring views, majestic mountains, unspoiled wilderness, and miles of hiking trails. Our wooded setting along the banks of the Saco River features secluded campsites and log cabins.
Covered Bridge Campground is located in a thick forest along one of the most scenic drives in New Hampshire. This facility provides access to the heart of White Mountain National Forest and its many recreation opportunities such as hiking, biking, fishing and sightseeing. The quaint town of Conway is just 6 miles away and provides shops, restaurants and other conveniences. The White Mountains boast pristine forests, clear mountain streams and rivers and the tallest peaks in the Northeast. The forest encompasses nearly 800,000 acres in New Hampshire and western Maine, and is one of the most popular in the country.
The adjacent Kancamagus Highway, referred to locally as "the Kanc," is a National Scenic Byway that offers some of the best fall foliage viewing in New England. The 26.5-mile road connects the towns of Lincoln to the west and Conway to the east, and takes about one hour to drive from end to end. The cool, cascading Swift River is a great spot to wade or fish for brook trout during warm summer months. The area is extremely popular for hiking. The 3-mile Boulder Loop Trail and a 0.5-mile nature trail can be accessed near the campground. Learn more about recreation in the national forest.
The campground is nestled in an old hardwood forest near the Swift River. The forest is home to many species of northern wildlife, including moose, white-tailed deer and black bear. Almost 200 species of birds, including the rare Bicknell's Thrush, live in the forest.
The nearby towns of Conway and North Conway offer tours, shopping, restaurants and many other amenities. Within an hour drive, campers can access the Presidential Range, which consists of the tallest mountains in the forest, including the 6,288-ft. Mount Washington, the highest peak north of the Smoky Mountains and east of the Mississippi River. The White Mountains region hosts four alpine and five nordic ski areas, which provide year-round recreation opportunities.
$27 / night
"Harbor Hill is a private seasonal camping resort located in the picturesque town of Meredith in the beautiful Lakes Region of New Hampshire. Harbor Hill's 55 wooded acres offer the ideal spot to relax, unwind, and enjoy quality family camping at its absolute best. We are one of the top rated campgrounds in the area! Extremely clean, extremely quiet & relaxing. Visit our website for an application!"
$37 - $85 / night
Over 200 generously sized sites, all with large picnic tables and fire rings.
$35 - $42 / night
$45 - $110 / night
Scout
Slice of heaven! One of the most unique and ruggedly wonderful stays I've had. Be sure to visit the emerald pool just across the Hiking trail bridge..
Guide
Loved this campground! Quiet and pretty private spots - outer loop a bit more. Great facilities w wash sink - nice camp store and not at all too close to town! 20 min drive to Mt Washington (be sure to check weather as we had rain at the campground which was ice on the mtn so we couldn’t go to top/they stopped us halfway.)
Traveler
Con: Signage is awful! Hard to find park, office and cabins! Once there, Looong drive to both campground and Cabins.
Pro: cabins are on a remote lake. Perfect for star gazing! Rustic but comfy (beds) cabins. Bring all your own stuff. No electricity, so no lights. Our cabin had a steep path. Others did not.
Scout
My family and friends were drawn to this campground for its exciting pool and convenient location, and those aspects definitely lived up to expectations. However, our campsite was not level, and the sites were very close together with little privacy. We were tent camping but the area we were in, while a tent site, is best for RVs.
The bathroom facilities could also use some attention– a loose toilet and a broken hand dryer weren't ideal. Overall, we enjoyed our stay, but these conditions kept it from being great.
Traveler
Great campsite!
Bear box, food area, water source, cabin, Privy, and platforms.
Traveler
We had a great stay at white lake state park. I was surprised that there was only a large log separating our site from the next one but luckily it was just my brothers family so it wasn’t awkward. Our sites (2-11 and 2-11a) survived a 2 hour monsoon with some water running through but other sites had some major flooding so just something to be cognizant of.
Guide
Beautiful and very well maintained. The staff is awesome. There are SO many amazing activities for the whole family. Would absolutely recommend!
TravelerWe stayed two nights at P-08 and loved both times. The side we stayed at is more for larger campers and is much quieter than the larger side. Paid showers, that’s a bummer, but we make do. Nice camp store, great access to rivers for fishing. Pulled an 8” brook trout out of a 10’ wide stream onsite. Awesome experience
GuideWe booked 2 nights and stayed for 3! Nice small campground with very clean bathrooms and showers! Staff was friendly and mountain biking trails were good and easy to get too.
GuideWe did not have reservations so our pick of sites was limited. There are several styles of sites here from tucked in/private to open areas and not so private sites. Bathrooms were clean and there is a nice wash station to do dishes. Campground is well maintained. We came for easy access to mountain biking trails!
Traveler
This is one of the dirtiest camp grounds I’ve been to. It smelled of septic gas and trash. The bathrooms were disgusting, the pool and playground were a slimy mess. Camp sites are small and buggy. Open septic line everywhere. Picnic tables were all rotten. Not a pleasant stay at all. This is a trailer park not a camp ground.
Traveler
Nice campground and nice lake , lots of activities for the kids. Sites are cramped and close together.
Scout
Autumn Hills Campground is AWESOME! It’s remotely located and the amenities and activities are amazing, something for everyone! The staff is so friendly and helpful and I can’t say enough how clean the bathrooms, laundry room and store are! The super nice owners, Adam& Jennifer are constantly making upgrades and changes and have really created a beautiful, family oriented campground! I recommend you take the virtual tour online so you can pick a sight that works for you and book it soon.
Scout
DO NOT GO HERE! The rudest and most unprofessional management we have ever encountered. Anywhere. Hands down. I Would need a book to adequately warn people. 1) We were accidentally overcharged and were met with total annoyance by owner when attempting to rectify. Ultimately we were refunded the wrong amount, to the wrong account, which I let slide because the management does not appear to be cognitively able to understand how to compute charges. 2) My bf and his son collected some old dead wood at site to burn(didn’t know it was against rules- not in written policy- although they said it is)and when they were not so warmly reprimanded by the owner on her golf cart full of wine coolers(no judgement here, but, it IS an alcohol free campground. just saying…..), and then immediately radioed for husband for back up in his golf cart(no wine coolers there…) to reprimand us even further! Completely unnecessary, as they had already stopped collecting wood when first told- but he did let us in on a fun fact- that they(the Campground)“let people have fires here,without training!” Which we thought was odd, and hysterically funny. It’s a campground!! We’re supposed to feel grateful they allowed campfires- without training?😂 3) Lastly& most importantly, my boyfriend poked his head in the bathroom at 7 am while the lady was cleaning- not their regular scheduled cleaning time- and he REALLY needed to go, and politely, from the door, asked how long she might be. He just wanted know if he should wait or to look for someplace else to go, and he was absolutely chastised by the cleaning lady when she came out! She was absolutely nasty and rude to him! When we mentioned this incident we were told by employee(golf cart man) that we had no right to ask her questions! He told us she was going through a rough time in her life(who isn’t?) and that she having personal issues(kind of agreeing that, yes, can be a bitch), and something about somebody’s pregnant and her husband wants to ring her neck? We couldn’t really follow because we were all still trying to process the“you’re lucky we let you have a campfire without training“comment. Obviously, We had already decided we would never be back, and have already made reservations elsewhere for our fall trip- but when I got home today, I opened a scathing email(sent 2 days ago) from the owner ACCUSING my bf of“HARASSMENT” of the the cleaning lady! Who, she claimed, was very fearful because a male popped his head in the door while she was alone, and asked her a simple question! Cleaning lady can rest assured, that if she was the last woman on this planet, my bf wouldn’t touch her with an 10 foot pole. She was most definitely in no danger. The owner then wrote that we are now banned from their campground!!!😂 She also asked us to leave two days early- which I was not aware of until I read the email after I got home! All because my bf asked somebody a question, I asked to be billed to be correctly, and we tried to burn a dead log. That is INSANE! Let’s just say, it would not have been well received and that they are extremely lucky we were blissfully unaware of her email and finished out our stay, because if we had known then that she was falsely accusing my bf of harassment, it would not have gone well for them. Her accusation of harassment is BOLD FACED LIE!!! All of this has been mind blowing, but she really took my anger to a whole new level when she sent me that nasty email- and then she BLOCKED me from responding! She also blocked me from FB- so I couldn’t leave a review there! She took it way too far…. They have had other similar poor reviews in the past, which they respond to by calling the reviewers liars, and then making up ridiculous lies about them- which I fully anticipate they will do here. DO NOT BELIEVE A WORD OF WHAT THEY SAY.We have NEVER had problems like this with any business! Ever. We are LIVID that my bf is being FALSELY accused of harassment, and we do not take it lightly. THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT RIGHT IN THE HEAD.
Scout
Personal Connection
Baker River Campground will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s where I was first introduced to camping as a child. My first visit was in 1969 when I was eight years old. Last year, I returned for the first time in over 50 years. While much has changed, the basic layout of the camp remains the same, and it’s still family-owned, which is wonderful.
Current Stay
I stayed on site#20 with my class B van. Here are some highlights and details of my experience: Site Location: Conveniently near the road going out and to the beach. Amenities: Electrical and water hookup, a well-placed fire pit, and a bathroom/shower house right across from my site. The facilities were very clean, thanks to regular cleaning. Campground Condition: Maintained excellently, largely due to Reno, the full-time staff member who oversees the place. He was outstanding. The only reason I gave it a 5 was because of him. Environment: Located on the Baker River with a cozy beach. Limited amenities(horseshoe pit and a small playground), but both were in excellent condition. The campground is perfect for those who prefer a traditional camping experience without additional frills. During the week, the campground was quiet, but it got crowded on the weekends with seasonal campers and tent setups closer to the river. I appreciate the layout and the ambiance of the campground.
Negative Aspects
Unfortunately, a recent change in ownership to a corporation has brought noticeable changes: Loss of Personal Touch: The campground has lost its personal feel. Reno is still a lifesaver, but he’s the only one maintaining the old charm. Neglect by Management: The focus has shifted to another campground, Riverbrook, which is evident from their social media presence and activities. Baker River is largely neglected, and even basic acknowledgments from the management are lacking. Lack of Engagement: The director of both campgrounds visited but did not engage with campers. When Reno was on vacation, there was no other staff available to assist. Seasonal Campers' Discontent: Long-term campers have noticed the decline and are considering not returning next year. Corporate Focus: The corporation seems more interested in raising prices and saving money rather than maintaining and improving Baker River Campground.
Final Thoughts
I write this review out of a deep passion for Baker River Campground. It’s painful to see the decline in care and attention. I believe each campground should be treated as a separate entity with full-time events and dedicated management. The current corporate approach appears to prioritize profit over the well-being of the campground and its community. It’s a shame to see such a beloved place being neglected. I hope the management will take these concerns seriously and work towards restoring the charm and personal touch that made Baker River Campground special.
Mike Weild
Weild on Wheels
LegendThis was my first time staying at Bear Brook, it's an easy campground to get to, once you get to the west gate it's about a 4-mile drive to the campground, if you're coming from the east it's about 1.5 miles.
The first impression was impressed by the size and how organized everything was. Check-in was easy, then driving to my site (#7) took a minute.
That's when I realized the sites were 4' apart in the section I was staying in. Other sites on each end are further apart.
The campground has a beach, a playground, a Ball field, and a store. The roads are all easy to drive on but narrow.
Scout
Stay in a 45' motorhome for a couple nights. Going up to mt Washington to ride the cog rail
Guide
I will definitely return ! It was absolutely wonderful
Traveler
From the time we arrived to when we left, we enjoyed Maple Haven. Nice location! You can walk to shops and breweries. We will be back!
ScoutSo I had gotten a tent site for 4 days and Roxanne the old bag in the office does nothing but talk about everyone & everytime you put in for a reservation she says I can’t give you a tent site 🤔🤔 but yet I’ve been nothing polite and
Scout
Me and my fiancé last minute booked a 4th of July trip last minute and had a wonderful time! Our site was all rocks and we were tenting but we made it work knowing we booked the trip last minute! Brought our dog and he had fun!
ScoutStayed the last weekend in June and I was able to book the site 3 days prior. I was shocked there was still availability. Self check-in, no alcohol allowed and quiet hours start at 10:00 p.m. and fires out by 11:00 p.m. Who I believe to be the owners working in the store at the entrance were super friendly and helpful. My site wasn't the greatest (#32) as it seemed to be one of the few that was sort of out in the open and within view of numerous other sites. Not much seclusion but almost every other site seem to be more secluded. The riverfront sights looked absolutely beautiful and some had better/ easier access to the water then others. We had our travel trailer and it was easy to get it in and out and the dump station was conveniently located on the way out as well as the dumpster for trash. There are quite a few tent sites and our site was right near the clean bathroom and showers. We didn't eat there but there's also a pizza place at the entrance too. Everything is within walking distance.
Will go back again for sure but would look for a river front site next time!
Scout
This campground is pretty big, sprawled out with lots to do, like tubing, cornhole, arcade, pools with slide and more. Customers service was great both at check in as well as later when getting wood delivered. Sites are descent and bathrooms are nice and modern. I would recommend this campground to my friends and family and will come back.
Scout
Stayed here a couple of times in 2022 and loved it so much i got a seasonal for 2023.
The owners are wonderful people and go out of their way for their guests. The river is the highlight of the campground, we loved hanging in the water and the sandy beach. My favorite activity was putting in a couple miles up river and floating back to camp over the course of a few hours, ultimate lazy river.
Scout
Had an excellent experience. The staff and owner were wicked accommodating. The fishing pond was perfect. I will be returning soon. I highly recommend this place if you have a family or simply need a place to clear your mind.
GuideDespite being so remote, one of the busiest back country camps in the Whites.
Has a nice shelter, spring, privy, platforms, some sites have somewhat of a view of far away mountain tops.
No space for non-free standing tents. Quite a hike dropping down from the main trail to the campsite, 15-20 min straight up to hike out in the morning
Guide
Was really quiet the night I went. Clean, fairly secluded sites. Will be back for sure
Camping near Center Harbor, New Hampshire, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you’re looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled getaway, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Center Harbor, New Hampshire, has something for everyone, from families to RV enthusiasts. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the great outdoors!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Center Harbor, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Center Harbor, NH is White Lake State Park with a 4.4-star rating from 23 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Center Harbor, NH?
TheDyrt.com has all 72 glamping camping locations near Center Harbor, NH, with real photos and reviews from campers.
