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 Ellsworth, NH
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SUMMARY PRESENTED BY
Campgrounds near Ellsworth, New Hampshire primarily cluster along the Pemigewasset River valley, with options ranging from established facilities to more rustic experiences. The White Mountain National Forest encompasses several developed campgrounds in the region, including Hancock Campground and Tripoli Road dispersed camping area. Most locations offer a mix of tent and RV sites, while properties like Lost River Valley Campground and Branch Brook Campground also provide cabin accommodations. The area's campgrounds serve as convenient baselines for exploring the southern White Mountains, particularly the Franconia, Waterville Valley, and Sandwich Range wilderness areas.
Roads to most established campgrounds remain accessible without specialized vehicles, though winter conditions can significantly impact accessibility. A recent review noted, "Fall camping at Branch Brook is nothing short of magical. We just happened to book a trip right at peak season for fall foliage... the colors were absolutely unreal." Camping season typically runs from mid-May through mid-October, with some locations like Hancock Campground remaining open year-round. Several campsites along Route 49 and Interstate 93 experience road noise, particularly those positioned on the south sides of campground loops. Cell reception varies throughout the region, with visitors reporting workable connectivity at larger facilities but limited coverage in more remote locations. Advance reservations are highly recommended during summer weekends and holiday periods.
The Pemigewasset River stands out as a defining feature of the camping experience in this region. Multiple campgrounds offer direct river access with opportunities for swimming, tubing, and kayaking. A visitor commented, "The river is awesome to lounge in. The staff is friendly, the locations is nice, sites are wooded, but not hard to park." Campers frequently mention the contrast between heavily wooded sites providing privacy and more open riverfront locations. While highway proximity creates noise concerns at some campgrounds, others deeper in the forest provide a more secluded experience. Family-friendly amenities like playgrounds, swimming areas, and organized activities are common at the larger established campgrounds, while the national forest sites offer a more traditional camping experience with fewer facilities but greater immersion in nature.
Best Campgrounds near Ellsworth (288)
1. Lost River Valley Campground
"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 Availability2. Moose Hillock Camping Resort
"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 Availability3. Lafayette Place Campground — Franconia Notch State Park
"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 Availability4. Russell Pond Campground
"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 Availability5. Hancock Campground
"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 Availability6. Tripoli Road
"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 Availability7. Baker River Campground
"This place was a great option for staying close to Rumney for climbing. They have a group campsite specifically for climbers, which was $10 a person when we stayed there."
"Some sites are more private than others but overall quiet, and in a beautiful spot right next to the river. It's in a great location being near the main roads but far enough away that it seems remote."
from $35 - $42 / night
Check Availability8. 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 Availability9. Branch Brook Campground
"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 Availability10. Country Bumpkins Campground and Cabins
"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."
Drive Time
- 1 hr 6 min from Manchester, NH
- 2 hrs 17 min from Burlington, VT
- 2 hrs 23 min from Lewiston, ME
- 2 hrs 31 min from Portland, ME
Recent Camping Photos near Ellsworth, NH
766 Photos of 288 Ellsworth Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Recent Reviews near Ellsworth, NH
1281 Reviews of 288 Ellsworth 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.
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.
TravelerMoose 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.
Jen P.TravelerTwin Mountain Campground
Lovely and peaceful
It was everything we were looking for, right on the river, quiet and clean, the section we stayed in was all tent camping so we weren’t sandwiched in between a bunch of RVs blocking the view. There was no lights, generators or loud music. Alcohol wasn’t permitted so that really cuts down on a lot of unnecessary nonsense. Pets are permitted and our dog loved it. It was very pleasant and relaxing. Can’t wait to go back.
Isaiah D.ScoutCrow's Nest Campground
Kids Stayed Entertained
We brought the kids here for a few days and they had a blast. Between swimming, exploring around the campground, and just riding around and making friends, they always had something to do. For us, it was nice being able to actually relax while the kids stayed entertained. We cooked at the campsite most nights and spent the evenings around the fire. Great family trip.
Guide to Ellsworth
Camping near Ellsworth, New Hampshire centers around the White Mountain National Forest, with elevations ranging from 1,200 to 2,500 feet across most campgrounds. Winter temperatures routinely drop below freezing from November through March, with summer highs typically between 65-80°F. Campgrounds often feature natural soundscapes dominated by running water, as the region's watersheds feed multiple rivers including the Pemigewasset, Mad River, and Baker River.
What to do
Riverside relaxation: Access at Lost River Valley Campground provides opportunities for casual wading. "You can't really swim much in the river, but the kids had a blast playing in it and fishing for little trout," notes Michele S., highlighting the family-friendly water activities available without deep swimming areas.
Mountain biking trails: 15-20 minutes from Branch Brook Campground to Waterville Valley's mountain biking network. "Excellent river access, a pool, small camp store tons of activities for the kids," writes Lorraine F., mentioning the convenient amenities that make it practical for active families.
Rock climbing: Under 10 miles from Baker River Campground to Rumney Rocks, a premier climbing destination. "This place was a great option for staying close to Rumney for climbing. They have a group campsite specifically for climbers, which was $10 a person when we stayed there," explains Kel K.
What campers like
Winter camping opportunities: Hancock Campground remains open year-round with limited services. "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," reports Heather B., who added that "water would have earned it five stars."
Privacy between sites: At Moose Hillock Camping Resort, campers appreciate the site layout. "I'll mention the privacy of sites again because it truly is worth mentioning. Avoid 37 and 40 though- expert opinion," advises Jessica W., demonstrating the thoughtful site planning at this campground.
Fall foliage viewing: Early October offers peak color viewing opportunities across the region. A camper at Russell Pond noted, "I got there on Thursday during the peak fall foliage season but I was able to snag a ff spot next to the pond (maybe like 20 steps away). Waking up for a sunrise was never easier than this."
What you should know
Cell service limitations: Coverage varies significantly by provider and exact location. "No cell service on the south side of campground," reports Dawn D. from Lost River Valley, while another camper at Moose Hillock mentioned, "No WiFi or cell service except by the pool which can be hard if you need to be contacted."
Bear activity awareness: Waterville Campground and surrounding areas require proper food storage. "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," recounts Kitty, who ended up cutting her trip short.
Winter road conditions: Winter campers should be prepared for variable access. A camper at Branch Brook noted, "They do a bad job plowing (my rig bottomed out twice on snow banks) and I fishtailed on the access road. They don't salt or sand anywhere on the premises."
Tips for camping with families
Pool facilities: Moose Hillock Camping Resort features an elaborate pool area popular with children. "The pool really is as awesome as it looks. The playground is amazing," confirms Jessica W., though another camper cautions, "No one was controlling the slides so kids were going down in multiples and not making sure no one was at the bottom."
Terrain considerations: Many campgrounds feature elevation changes challenging for young children. At Russell Pond, a visitor observed, "Does have some hike in spots and spots that require you to take stairs so just be aware when you book."
Playground access: Safety concerns exist at some locations. A visitor to Lost River Valley Campground mentioned, "The playground is across this busy road which I find very dangerous IMO," highlighting the need for parental supervision when crossing to amenities.
Tips for RVers
Site selection challenges: Most forest campgrounds have limited level sites suitable for larger RVs. "Some sites are flat, others tiered and divided making your site not always a drive up," notes Monica S. about Russell Pond, which has implications for vehicle access.
Winter hookup limitations: Seasonal RVers should research winterization options. "I was on site 17. Water+electric only. $25 per night," reports Mara S. about Branch Brook in October, demonstrating the limited utility access in shoulder season.
Size restrictions: Forest service campgrounds typically accommodate smaller rigs. At Waterville Campground, "Most of campsites are not rv/trailer friendly since they are tucked into the hillside and usually have a few stairs either up or down to the tent sites and the few that are trailer/rv friendly are small, won't fit much more than a pop up."
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Ellsworth, NH?
What camping is available near Ellsworth, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, Ellsworth, NH offers a wide range of camping options, with 288 campgrounds and RV parks near Ellsworth, NH and 11 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Ellsworth, NH?
Which is the most popular campground near Ellsworth, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Ellsworth, NH is Lost River Valley Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 34 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Ellsworth, NH?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Ellsworth, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 11 free dispersed camping spots near Ellsworth, NH.
What parks are near Ellsworth, NH?
What parks are near Ellsworth, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 12 parks near Ellsworth, NH that allow camping, notably White Mountain National Forest and Union Village Dam.
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