The best camping near
Gilsum, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Bear brook state park is a great place in central NH for camping and day trips alike. Though you definitely want to watch for black fly season and ticks (as with anywhere else around), there is something to do year round! The mountain bike trails are some of the best in NH with a little something for every skill level. There’s fishing, swimming and even archery if you’re into that. I certainly recommend, especially for the mountain biking!

Love this campground. Very relaxing and peaceful. The owners are the best.

This is a great campground set in a thick pine forest near a large pond. They have a lagoon for swimming and a children's playground. Hiking trails nearby. Canoes for rent. Fire wood and camping supplies for sale. Close to several towns with multiple restaurants. Pull threw, large sites available.

Mostly seasonal with a back row for short term campers. Used by a lot of offroad bikes on weekends. Great swimming pool! Spent a week plus there and had no problems with the dirt bikes and loved the pool. All sites are full hookups with several primitive tent sites.

Simplicity at it best :)

I love this place and could totally live here full time if they'd let me :)

My family and I went on our first camping trip together here in September of 2019. It was quiet and peaceful. There were no other campers and we had our pick of any site we liked. We picked a nice site next to a babbling brook. While we only tent camped we plan to return with our new to us pop up this year. We only saw two cars during our entire stay.

Ok not bad not great just ok

I hadn’t camped here in the past 8 years, so decided it was time to revisit; it helped that it was one of the campgrounds still open after Columbus Day weekend. Although reservations are available online, I didn’t need them for closing weekend; 3 sites were occupied when I arrived, about 15 by the end of the weekend. During the peak season, I’m sure it’s a different story given it’s proximity to Concord and Manchester and the variety of activities available. 

Mostly level sites sit under towering pines and vary greatly in size. Many of the sites are separated from their neighbors by large, downed pine trees. I was in site 38 and found that the little loop to my campsite was tight to exit(I was towing a 14’ teardrop, not a big trailer) and I had to be careful to swing wide at the corner. This site backed onto an open field with a backstop for baseball/softball. It meant that I could enjoy the the sunny warmth on an otherwise cool morning. Last time I was here I stayed in site 45, a small tent/pop-up site along that same loop, but in the shade. If you are tenting and don’t mind a short walk, reserve site R1 for a raised site overlooking the pond. Sites 13-25 back up against a hill. Site 91 is near the entrance, but large and set back from the camp road, so it offers some extra seclusion. It’s across the street from the playground. I’d avoid site 93 because it is so close to the playground and the fire ring placement makes it seem like families enjoying the playground will be tempted to walk through your site. If you want to be close to the play area, site 90 or the ones on the loop behind it are better options. 

There are no hookups, but there is running water and a dump station is available. Bathhouses offer coin-operated showers; I noticed a price difference between the two of them, so went with the less expensive option! It was the final weekend of the season, so that may explain the lack of attention to cleaning and upkeep of the restrooms. Several of the stalls were lacking toilet paper and, although it was nearly empty when I arrived, the bathrooms had little bits of debris scattered on floors and around sinks. The bottom of one of the dishwashing sinks was coated with something that resembled dried coffee grounds. 

I was here with a 5-year-old the last time and she enjoyed the playgrounds both at the campground and at the Catamount Pond beach. There’s another beach in the campground itself. Numerous trails call out of exploration, around ponds and up and down hills, with geocaches to be found (if you can, download the info and maps before you get to the park to be sure you have the necessary info). The mountain biking trails are busy even on late October afternoons; some trails allow horses. Canoes and kayaks let you explore and fish. There are two archery ranges and wheelchair accessible docks for fishing. For history, check out the antique snowmobile museum and the Civilian Conservation Corp(CCC) museum. The CCC built much of the infrastructure here and elsewhere in the country. 

The camp store offer a few basics and a selection of Bear Brook attire. Cell phone coverage varies from 1-2 bars, not always 4G, on Verizon.

Went there with our RV group (NE Pacers) for a weekend rally and had a great time. The staff was so friendly and helpful. The sites we good sized ( had water and 30amp) and the campground was very clean and well kept.