Best Tent Camping near Farmington, NH
The White Mountain National Forest region surrounding Farmington, New Hampshire offers diverse tent camping options ranging from established campgrounds to backcountry sites. Tent campers can find several options within a 30-mile radius, including Browns Ridge Family Farm with walk-in tent sites and Paugus Brook Farm featuring field camping with level ground and space for multiple tents. Squam Lakes Association, about 40 miles northwest of Farmington, maintains hike-in and boat-in tent sites with tent platforms around Squam Lake. Sun Outdoors Saco Old Orchard Beach, located east toward the Maine coast, provides tent-only sites with full shade and privacy along the wooded edges of the grounds.
Most tent campsites in the region feature basic amenities with varying levels of development. Primitive tent camping areas typically include fire rings but may lack potable water, requiring campers to bring their own supply or water filters. Composting toilets are common at backcountry sites, while established campgrounds offer shower facilities and flush toilets. Sites at Paugus Brook Farm have brand new, clean outhouses but no picnic tables, and fires may be restricted during dry periods. Tent platforms at Squam Lakes Association include fire rings with one bundle of firewood included in the camping fee. Cell service is limited or nonexistent at most backcountry locations, particularly at higher elevations or in valleys.
Tent campers frequently comment on the natural beauty and solitude available at sites farther from developed areas. One visitor to Squam Lakes Association described the experience as "fantastic" with "beautiful trails, excellent kayaking, quiet and serene." At Paugus Brook Farm, a camper noted the "fairly level ground and lots of space" with convenient access to Mount Chocorua and Chocorua Lake. Backcountry tent camping at Sawyer Pond offers an "easy hike to a pondside campground" with tent platforms and fire pits, though weekend popularity means sites fill quickly. For tent campers seeking seclusion, weekday visits or off-season camping provides the best experience, with September offering crisp air, fewer crowds, and spectacular fall foliage across the region's primitive tent camping areas.
