Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Gilmanton, NH

We stayed At Wakeda Campground overnight during a trip from Maine back to Long Island, NY. It was located very close off of 95 and allows pets. We were overwhelmed by the beautiful massive forest. The campground was splendid with old tall, pine trees everywhere. They offered electric, water, and sewer hook up, trading post that had camping goods and snacks, WiFi hotspot, pool table, and lounging area. They also had a game room, miniature golf, coffee shop and dog park.

The first campsite they assigned to us was very secluded but unfortunately, we were coming in during a major rainstorm. That site was a little flooded so we chose another. It still had beautiful trees surrounding it but not as secluded from neighbors. There are also many seasonal campers there but all of their sites were beautifully decorated with flowers and such. Everyone was friendly that we encountered during our stay.

We had bathrooms located near our site. They were four separate bathrooms that had a sink and toilet and were clean. They did offer showers in another area but I did not use them.

Walking around we saw wild turkeys, bunnies, and a hummingbird. It would have been great if they offered a nature trail in the campground since the forest was so beautiful. There were paths that went into the woods but they were marked for employees only.

The next day we wanted to go for a hike before we hit the road. Unfortunately, the state parks near the campsite do not allow dogs during late Spring to early Fall. Using our Bring Fido App, we found Rails to Trails nearby that we could bring our dog and hiking cat. We did the Salisbury Point Ghost Trail that was nice and shady, though flat, but a nice leisurely walk for all of us.

Pros- very clean, bathrooms kept up with regularly. Staff is very nice. They offer boat rentals, canoes, paddle boats and kayaks. Store on site and they do activities during the week. Definitely more kids friendly I think. They do have a pool, park, dog park, lake and food trucks visits at times. They have community fires and dances. Pet friendly. Wood available on site.

Cons- loud cars going all night, some lights in your face. Some people tend to fly down the road on golf carts. You can also hear the main road from the open style campsite. No privacy. People will walk threw your tent site. They will talk during the night while doing this, smoking seems to be allowed at pool. No fires between 9am-5pm.

Overall we had a good time.

Consider the Thousand Trails membership when booking this site. Our annual membership fees basically covered what it would cost to camp here for two weeks.

The campground has good proximity to Orchard Beach and Portland. However, the spots are pretty tight, and the WiFi is awful away from the registration office. We were in the wooded area, but those camping on the outskirts seemed able to utilize their Starlink.

The dog park and pool were small but nice. The bathroom facilities were pretty good, though they weren't cleaned as often as they should be.

This campground is huge with over 300 sites set on nearly 200 acres and along a beautiful lake! It is in a great location between the Lakes Region and the White Mountains in New Hampshire with lots to do in and outside of the campground. There are two distinct and separate sections– the Danforth Bay Camping and RV Resort and The Bluffs RV Resort. 

They assigned us to a pull thru site (#A16) in the Danforth Bay section that would supposedly fit our 45’ motorhome. When we pulled in the place was packed. The people camped across from us had a huge group of people and a massive load of wood delivered that was in huge pile and it was obvious that fire was going to burn all day and through the weekend. The neighbors on one side of us had a table set up at the end of their site and were selling hand-made goods with their kids. We decided this was not really where we wanted to be for a peaceful fall weekend. Much less, our site was not very easy for us to get in and out of. The office agreed to move us to a site in The Bluffs section which they said were normally only for seasonal campers but they would make an exception since they were closing for the season in one week. They informed us the water would be turned off during our stay but that was fine with us since we have a large freshwater tank that we could fill up before. The site we were assigned to was all gravel with absolutely no grass which was fine with us because we were away from the ciaos of the other section. 

The park was very clean and well-cared for with no trash laying around. Campsites were tidy and people didn’t have lots of junk laying around. There are some transient sites in the Danforth Bay section that are nice and private and some are close to the lake. The campground is huge so you can get a nice walk in without having to go round and round. There is a lake which was great for our lab to swim in and made for a pretty spot to enjoy a glass of wine at sunset. There are tons of camping options at this park and loads of amenities like a camp store, multiple pools, a boat launch, game room, multiple pavilions, free weekend entertainment, hay rides, lots of restrooms, dog parks and lots more. Since we were there in the end of the season, many amenities were closed and the activities had wrapped up for the season.

Tucked away in what feels like the middle of nowhere New Hampshire is it's largest state park. Bear Brook is full of trails, ponds and a fairly large campground. This extremely family-friendly campground comes equip with trails, play structures, camp store, beach, and even a small baseball diamond. The sites are fairly large and if you need some privacy, reserve site 12. There is a great trail that is around Beaver Pond, roughly 2-3 miles with plenty of opportunities for dogs to swim, yeah for dog friendly! This campground is beautiful, quiet in places and has everything you need for a great weekend away!

My first time experiencing a park in the New Hampshire Park system. We went down with a group. Pawtuckaway State Park offers a variety of landscapes, with something to do and see for everyone. The park includes a large family beach on the lake. There are many opportunities for hiking, with trails leading to many special points of interest, including a mountaintop fire tower; an extensive marsh where beavers, deer, and great blue herons may be seen.

The park lines the shore of beautiful Pawtuckaway Lake.  The 192 sites are wooded and many provide views of the lake.  Each campsite has an open fire ring, picnic table, flat areas for a tent, and a parking space. The bathhouses are equipped with running water, flush toilets, and 24 hour showers.  There are no hook-ups at any of the campsites. The park also has a camp store where canoe and kayaks are available, as well as a plublic canoe and kayak launch. Five cabins are available; each sleeps six people, has electricity, and includes a fire ring and picnic table. Pets are not allowed in the campground or beach area of the park.