Contoocook sits in the Merrimack Valley region of New Hampshire at approximately 400 feet elevation, with typical New England seasonal fluctuations ranging from summer highs in the 80s to winter lows well below freezing. Most RV campgrounds near Contoocook operate from May through mid-October, with several sites offering water activities on nearby lakes and ponds. The region features a mix of wooded campsites and open field settings with varying degrees of shade coverage.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: Newfound RV Park provides access to local fishing spots with a stream on the property. "A fun plus to the campground was the nature walk and stream on the property. This was a great place to take our dog for a quick walk. There's even a little 'wishing' bridge that crosses the stream," notes one visitor at Newfound RV Park.
Golf access: Hidden Valley RV and Golf Park combines camping with golfing on their 1300-acre property. "The main attraction of this campground is the golf course of 9 or 18 holes. There is a pro shop, golf cart rentals, etc.," explains a camper. The facility includes "2 swimming beaches" and a "bar & grill" for post-golf refreshments.
Water recreation: Many campgrounds feature swimming areas, though conditions vary. At Sandy Beach Campground, "The sandy beach is nice but the swimming area is quite weedy," according to one camper review. Other parks offer canoe and kayak rentals, with some providing direct lake access for launching personal watercraft.
What campers like
Friendly staff: Riverbrook RV & Camping Resort receives praise for management. "The owners are super friendly and accommodating; the park is clean, comfortable, and convenient to adventures in the White Mountains; and the wifi worked great...especially when compared to other campgrounds we've been at," reports one guest.
Family activities: Woodmore Family Campground offers various recreational facilities. "Everything was clean, staff was friendly and attentive. Pool was clean, they have a great wiffleball park," mentions one camper. Another notes it's "right on a lake in the bottom of the beautiful mountain in New Hampshire."
Clean facilities: Multiple campgrounds maintain well-kept amenities. "The onsite facilities were clean and well maintained. (For those interested, the laundry is $1.50 for a wash and $1.50 for an hour dry cycle.) There are two private cubicle/stall restrooms centrally located on the grounds which were very clean," notes a Newfound RV Park visitor.
What you should know
Reservation timing: Peak season fills quickly at many campgrounds. At Tuxbury Pond RV Campground, confirming your site number can be challenging. "You do not get a choice during the online booking to choose the campsite to reserve & the site # is not included in the confirmation email," explains one reviewer.
Site variability: Campsites differ significantly in size, privacy, and terrain. "Our site was a gravel back-in which was plenty long and level. They recently seeded the area so new grass was starting to grow," reported one visitor to a local RV park. At another campground, a camper noted their site "had very long grass, bare rock and mud."
Seasonal population: Many RV campgrounds near Contoocook host numerous seasonal residents. At Turtle Kraal RV Park, "many sites have additions and build for an extended stay!" A visitor at Hidden Valley noted, "A lot of the campers are seasonal which is May - October each year."
Tips for camping with families
Entertainment options: Look for campgrounds with organized activities. Tuxbury Pond offers varied programming: "The live band was cool... Around 8, there was a gentleman that started setting up for a comedy show," one family reported, adding "there is an 18+ comedy show but there was a children's movie being played on a big screen on the other side of the campground."
Playground access: Several parks maintain play areas for children. At Silver Lakes Park Campground, "This is a very clean, quiet, gated campground, with easy beach access for the kids. There is a playground, rentable kayaks and canoes, a basketball goal, frisbee golf, corn hole, horseshoes, yard darts etc."
Noise considerations: Family-oriented parks can get loud. One Tuxbury Pond visitor cautioned about activity levels: "If you like loud party's then this is the campground for you. It does have a pool and activities for kids but staff was not friendly." Another noted at Pine Acres: "Stopped for the night on our way to Maine. Site was across from the pavilion... Large crowd of people gathered yelling and karaoke started until 11:20."
Tips from RVers
Hookup positioning: RVers should check hookup placements before parking. "The water and electric were between our site and the next on one side and sewer between our site and the one on the other side. This made it difficult to place our trailer on the slanted site and reach all services," noted one camper at Hidden Valley.
Site selection: When possible, request specific sites. At Tuxbury Pond, "Our site was in a field that was near the bathrooms. We were on S1, near a septic pipe & there was a severely nauseating, strong smell of sewage coming from it; we went to the front desk the next day & asked to move to S5, as we were the only ones on any of the 6 tent field sites."
Road navigation: Access roads can be challenging. At Turtle Kraal RV Park, "The sign was easy to spot, right off the road, GPS leading us right to the entrance. There is a long approach after you see the sign, and even a sharp turn before you see the gate." GPS directions don't always lead to the correct entrance, so confirm directions when making reservations.
