Best Cabin Camping near Franconia, NH

Westward Shores is an expansive resort located on Ossipee Lake. It caters primarily to seasonal campers and those with RVs, but can accommodate tenters as well. There are a couple of camping cabins starting at $70/night shoulder season and cottages that sleep 8-20 (at significantly higher prices).

The campground is so large that many people get around on golf carts. There are ongoing renovations and new areas, so it still looks a little rough around the edges in places. Lots are large and level with pea gravel and hookups; if you are in a tent, you’ll want to be sure to have adequate padding for sleeping. Additionally, you’ll want one of the more basic campsites located near a bathroom. Some of the loops do not yet have facilities (Aug 2019). The bathrooms are basic and clean.

The primary appeal is the location on beautiful Ossipee Lake with beaches, a marina, and kayak and SUP rentals. There is plenty to entertain the children, with playgrounds, bounce pillows, gaga pit, basketball, and tennis to name just a few. Kids were everywhere on their bicycles.

They didn’t offer up prices when we stopped at the office, so I was dreading the worst, but when I checked online, the RV sites range from $50-56 with hookups, picnic table, and fire ring and there are special rates/deals for extended stays. These rates are a significantly lower than a nearby resort campground that starts at $65/night... but then I discovered this is only true during the shoulder season. My fears have been realized... peak season will set you back $87-95/ night and the camping cabin is $117. These are slightly more expensive than a nearby resort that offers a few more/ different amenities, albeit not on Ossipee Lake.

If you want to visit Stowe, VT, this is a great place to camp. It’s also only an hour from Burlington, so this could be a good home base for visiting there.

The campground is updated with a new laundry room and shower house. There are 2 pools (one for adults only) and a hot tub. There is mini golf, a playground, corn hole, and tube rentals for the river behind the campground.

The sites are gravel and seem pretty level.

Snow ploughing happens regularly and reliably. Indoor pool and hot tub are amazing on a snowy frigid winter day. Utility sink for dishes available in heated bathhouse. Squeaky clean - and that’s not always easy especially in the winter when everyone drags snow, slush and mud into the bathroom. Thank you for sticking to such high standards. Will come again.

We stayed for a winter weekend, they have a few transient sites that can accommodate RV's year round. There are a ton of full time seasonal RV's as many people use this campground as a base for snow machining. Cons: Lots of rules: must provide a$10.00 refundable cash deposit for gate card, bring cash or else enjoy the atm fees, the age limit for hot tub is 14 YO and strictly enforced, Lots of entrenched seasonal single wides that give this facility a mobile home park feel. The hot water in the showers either never happened or took 5 min or more to actually get hot enough to shower, The small green benches in the shower stalls hadn't been moved and cleaned under in a while, lots of nastiness down there. My brother in law came to pick up clothes for his kids from us and we had to pay $8.00 for him to be in the camp for 45 min, it sucks to be nickel and dimed. Pros: Friendly and attentive staff, location, 4 season, heated indoor pool and hot tub, Book at Meredith Woods, also use Clearwater Campground across the way, 4 way hook ups, fair cost per night (in winter, not sure about peak costs) camp store prices were fair. I would consider trying this campground in the warmer months, apparently they fill up and with two campgrounds in one, that makes sense.

When we first pulled into this campground and saw how close our site was to our neighbors, we were a little dismayed. But it turned out we had a really pleasant stay at the campground and came to like all the amenities and people and thought it was a nice campground. The campground is located right on the Lamoille River so you can wade, tube, fish, admire the view, or let your dog cool off.  While the sites are pretty close keep in mind there is a big weekend crowd and we found that a number of people seemed to clear out on Sunday. 

Our site (#103) was long enough to fit our rig but we had to squeeze the car in front. The site was level and all the hookups were well-placed and worked fine. Despite the really hot weather and need to run three air conditioners, we did not have any power issues. We tended not to sit outside because of the heat which was fine because your patio is really close to your neighbors RV. There was no room for our firepit in our patio so it was at the back of our site and was not very appealing to sit around because it looked at tall grass and a rental house on the property. 

Amenities in the campground include a new bathhouse, laundry, playground, two swimming pools, hot tub, outdoor picnic pavilion, horseshoe pits, propane fill, well-stocked camp store with a great selection of local beer/cider, free 9-hole mini golf course, and 2 shuffleboard courts. One of the most popular amenities is the river access. You can rent kayaks and tubes from the store or bring your own and float down the river. There are multiple spots where you can put in and float down a little ways before reaching the other access point. The roads are gravel and despite it being very dry were not very dusty. Our gravel pad had a slight slope to it but we were able to get level. The pad was long enough to fit our RV with just enough room to fit the car in front. The patio was nice thick grass. 

The campground is located near the interstate for easy in and out but there are no pull-thrus so you will have to unhook no matter how long you are staying. You are also close to the popular tourist towns of Stowe, VT and Littleton, NH. The nearby town of Morrisville has three craft breweries, one of which (Lost Nation) is located on the Lamoille River Trail which is a 90-mile rails-to-trails path great for walking/biking.

**Greenleaf Hut Review: **

It had been a while since I had stayed in an Appalachian Mountain Club hut in the White Mountains, so decided I’d book a stay at one I had not visited before. It was the summer solstice and I was hoping for a chance to catch a sunrise or sunset from Franconia Ridge. The AMC huts are spaced in such a way that you can make multi-day hut-to-hut hikes or, do what I did, and just make it an overnight. A stay in the hut during full service season is pricey,$120-171/night, depending on membership status, the season and day of the week; it’s lower for children. For that, you’ll get a full dinner with soup, salad, entrée and desert as well as breakfast with some entertainment by the hut Croo. Meals are served family style, so you’ll get to know your fellow hikers, or, like me, you may even run into someone you know from home! Your bunk will be in a co-ed dorm room shared with 5 other hikers, but earplugs are provided just in case your roommates snore. The rooms are assigned, but you choose your bunk from what’s available when you check in; they’re triple deckers and feature a reading light, 3 wool blankets, a pillow and a thin mattress. Pack a sleeping bag liner or light sheet for comfort. Pegs for your packs and jackets plus a bench complete the room furnishings. Plan a trip in May and you’ll be on your own for meals and bedding, though a caretaker is available in the evenings and morning; you’ll also save a lot of money! You can fill your water bottle at the hut. Restrooms feature cold running water and composting toilets. A smoall shop offers t-shirts, hats, and a few camping essentials you may have forgotten. There are small porches overlooking a small pond/bog below the hut and Mt Lafayette rising another 1000’ above the hut. Cell service on Verizon was 1-2 bars. Naturalist may offer a program before dinner. There are a few direct ways to reach the hut. Old Bridle Path climbs, sometimes steeply,>2400’ over a little less than 3 miles; on a weekend you’ll want to use the Cannon Hiker shuttle for the driver. The Greenleaf Trail provides a slightly gentler path and departs from the Cannon tram lot. Many will hike the popular loop hike steeply ascending Falling Waters Trail past several beautiful falls before joining the Franconia Ridge trail to Mts. Lincoln and Lafayette. This is stunning in fine weather with views into the Pemigewassett Wilderness and across Franconia Notch to the Cannon-Kinsman ridge, but can be miserable and dangerous in foul weather. Plan accordingly! From Lafayette, you’ll descend 1000’ over a mile to the hut. 

Product Review: Morsel Spork: strong, not flimsy

As a ranger with The Dyrt, I sometimes get to review equipment. On this trip I was able to review the Morsel Spork in the Mini and XL sizes as well as the Spoon. My original plan had been to hike up to the ridge and eat a re-hydrated lunch along the way and test out the Morsel; the forecast for rain and high winds had me re-thinking my plans. I hiked directly to the hut and then hiked the ridge in reverse the next morning. Before leaving the hut, I added hot water to my dehydrated meal so it would be ready when I hit the summit. It was cold enough that I was eating with gloved hands; the extra length of the Morsel Spork meant the gloves stayed clean. The spatula edge let me scrape the edges clean so I didn’t waste any of the calories. There’s a nice bowl on the Spork spoon end. I tried breaking the Morsel without success. It’s stiff, yet flexible. The‘knife’ edge is on both sides of the fork, so it works for righties or lefties, though it’s not ideal if you have a steak to cut. That said, I’ve cut chicken without much effort, though I did need a second tool or finger to keep the meet from flying away. 

If I were buying just one, I’d go for the Morsel Spork XL. I can’t quite figure out why you would want just the Morsel XL Spoon, unless you knew you were eating just a soup. The spatula is nice for cleaning out a jar, though! The asymmetric form will get you into almost any corner and the sturdy structure means you can scrape even the stickiest of peanut butter from jar. This is not a flimsy tool. I like the colors that help you find your new favorite tool in your backpack.

General: 27 sites with electricity and water, two cabins, 33 remote campsites, and four remote cabins in isolated locations around Umbagog Lake accessible only by boat. 

Site Quality: Some sites have a lake view while some are tucked in among the trees. Site 1A was the fourth up from the lakeshore but still gave us a decent view of the lake. A fire ring and picnic table were at the site. My one complaint is that the electric hookup was so far from where we had to park that we were unable to access it without a very long extension cord (which we did not have). Fortunately, we did not need electricity.

Bathhouse: Quite possibly the most immaculate campground bathroom I’ve ever encountered! They are cleaned at 8 am but when we arrived at 6:30 pm, they were still very clean. Soap and paper towels are appreciated. There was also a vault toilet closer to the wooded sites, although it would not be an unreasonable walk to the main bathhouse. 

Activities/Amenities: Boat launch and slips, fishing, and swimming. Canoe and kayak rentals are available. The building that has restrooms, laundry, and showers also has a large deck with chairs so you can enjoy the view. The sunsets can be spectacular! There is a small store at the office. 

Although just an overnight stay for us, it was very enjoyable. We conversed with a ranger in the morning, and he told us that even when the campground was full (in the summer months), it is a very quiet campground.

Large basic cabin that is real rustic.

Great campsite!

Bear box, food area, water source, cabin, Privy, and platforms.

This KOA is located in Woodstock, south of the Tripoli Rd exit. It's convenient for heading out to do some popular hikes such as the Osceolas and Mt Moosilauke as well as exploring Franconia Notch and the Kancamagus. if you prefer sites suitable for large RVs, full hook-ups and activities for the kids, you'll like this campground. If you don't have a tent or RV, there are small cabins available for rent as well. It can be hard to get reservations, particularly around popular events and holiday weekends.

I had a 30A site in their wilderness loop, I went hiking during the day, so didn't get to fully explore the campground and only upon looking at the campground map did I realize there was a trail to a nearby pond! The kids seemed to enjoy the bounce pad and other activities that are located in the center of the campground. These pictures were taken on an autumn weekday afternoon, but on the weekend it was much busier.

If you're coming from the south, I usually stop at the Market Basket and/or Wal-Mart in Tilton for anything I've forgotten, and Lincoln has a small grocery store and other shops where you'll be able to pick up items.

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 Tradition

Really liked this campground,large sites with full hookups. Beach and boat ramp with some cabins on the water. We stayed at site M-9 and M-10

This campground is located in a northern NH state park that is known as host to the Jericho ATV festival in August.  The park offers miles of ATV trails including an offroad 4x4 trail as well as a lake for swimming, canoeing/kayaking, and fishing. There's a large sandy beach with swings and a volleyball net.There are only 20 sites, including 5 cabins and 2 lean-tos.  The cost of a cabin with bunks and mattresses is a good bargain if you prefer a little more comfort. Sites 5 & 6 are slightly removed from the other sites, will require a slight walk from your car, and you're rewarded with a beautiful view. 

Facilities include flush toilets and coin-operated showers, though they're closer to the beach than to the campground loop; there are a couple of pit toilets in the campground itself. Pets are allowed, but not in the cabins. Most of the sites are large enough to accommodate your ATV/trailer, but there is also a large parking lot. The campground was closing down for the season when I was there, but I suspect that in the summer, esp. around the time of the ATV festival, it'll be a busy place.

I’ve been visiting Ricker Pond for nearly 20 years (except for the years that I don’t book enough in advance and aren’t able to secure a spot for my desired length of stay). My favorite lean to site is directly on the water, private, and fills up fast. My favorite cabin site, is set back from the water, is private, and also fills fast for the season. I LOVE venturing to Vermont every summer & staying at Ricker. There is an electrical outlet in the basic cabins, quarter-run showers, and an excellent country store/restaurant a few miles away that has anything you may need and might have forgotten. Tents/RV sites are also available. Book in advance for the best availability!

My family (my wife, two young sons and I) recently stayed here for a short getaway. As a side note, we had planned to stay here last year, but had to cancel. Having said that, I am more than happy with our choice to come to this jewel of a campground. 

Located between the Ellis River and the Saco River, this campground offers so many fantastic amenities. One of the biggest ones that we took lots of advantage of is the swimming and tubing on the Saco River. Our campsite was located fairly close to the river and where you could put in to tube down river. One of the fun things about this is that at the far end of the campground is a place to take out. They have tubes to rent right there which was very handy. The campground also boasts a swimming pool, beach area along the Saco River, free mini golf, playground, golf cart rentals, a fully outfitted camp store and more. Typically when we camp in the White Mountains we like to get out and explore a lot; this is the first time we never left the campground. 

The sites were nice and big, we reserved one that had water and electric as we have some new camping gear we wanted to try out. The campground itself was well maintained, plenty of restrooms and shower facilities spread throughout. The camp staff were very pleasant and knowledgeable. In fact after checking in, one of the camp staff came by because they had forgotten to remind us to take care of our food and gear at night as there are black bears in the area. I appreciated the extra care taken to pass along that information. 

The campground switched over from a local family owned place to be under the Jellystone family. They have lots of activities to do during the day, especially for the kids. There are a lot of campgrounds in the area that bill themselves as family campgrounds, but really aren't. This is place truly is a great family campground.

As a side note, I want to also make a note about COVID-19 safety practices. There were lots of signs reminding campers to keep socially distant and recommended face masks. However, there were many folks who did not have masks on, including staff. New Hampshire doesn't have a mask mandate at the time of this review. I will say that our family felt safe and took our own precautions, but the campground has done a lot as well. This does not impact my overall review of the campground, I simply wanted to share this piece as it is relevant for those who may want to know.