149 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
The area surrounding Hampstead, New Hampshire provides a range of camping experiences within a short drive of town. Several state parks and private campgrounds populate the region, with notable options including Pawtuckaway State Park Campground in Nottingham and Bear Brook State Park Campground in Deerfield. These established campgrounds accommodate various camping styles from traditional tent sites to RV hookups, with some parks like Bear Brook also offering cabin accommodations. Most campgrounds in this region are situated near lakes or ponds, creating opportunities for water recreation during summer months.
Seasonal operations significantly affect camping availability, with most campgrounds open from May through October. State park campgrounds such as Pawtuckaway typically operate from early May to late October, while private facilities like Tuxbury Pond RV Campground and Wakeda Campground maintain similar seasonal schedules from spring to fall. Advance reservations are strongly recommended, particularly for waterfront sites and weekend stays during peak summer months. Many campgrounds provide basic amenities including drinking water, flush toilets, and shower facilities, though hookup availability varies by location. One camper noted that "the 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."
Waterfront camping receives consistently high ratings from visitors, particularly at Pawtuckaway State Park where campers appreciate the lake access and paddling opportunities. Campers report that many sites offer reasonable privacy with good separation between neighbors. For those seeking a more developed camping experience, private campgrounds like Wakeda Campground and Tuxbury Pond RV Resort provide additional amenities such as swimming pools, camp stores, and full hookups for RVs. Bear Brook State Park stands out for families with children due to its playground facilities, hiking trails, and swimming beaches. As one visitor observed, "Bear Brook is full of trails, ponds and a fairly large campground. This extremely family-friendly campground comes equipped with trails, play structures, camp store, beach, and even a small baseball diamond."
"Driving around this past weekend I did notice that some of the sites had damp spots; site 71 was the worst with deep mud on the long approach."
"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."
from $35 - $140 / night
Check Availability"You could be tucked away from everyone or closer together depending on the site you choose but they are all pretty decent in size. All sites have water which is a plus."
"The bathroom was right next to us. Very clean with a sink outside and shower inside. Overall very great campsite. Would definitely go there more often."
from $17 - $45 / night
Check Availability"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."
"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."
from $35 - $45 / night
Check Availability"entrance (seems to happen frequently, I guess)."
"We went just for one night with a tent because our 5 years old loooves camping, so we reserved this at the last minute, and when we get there, well, the tent sites are way too close to each other, thank"
"We love that it is right on the water, and we can walk to the beach. We also appreciate that it is pet friendly, and our dogs love it too."
"The electrical post and water hookup were placed way behind our site and we could not reach even with our 40’ electrical cord."
from $28 - $38 / night
Check Availability"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."
"Our full hookup site was very close to other sites, so unfortunately we had to deal with some noise issues."
from $48 - $97 / night
Check Availability"Beautiful location in southern NH! Located Beside a lake, The water is great for swimming, and the playground is absolutely perfect for kids and adults alike."
"They originally booked us on a site so small, our tent wouldn’t even fit so we weren’t going to be able to have a fire because our tent was so close to it."
from $20 - $40 / night
Check Availability"Simple, clean, perfect pool set up, quiet and close to beaches and New Hampshire coastline."
"Beach Rose RV Park in Salisbury, Massachusetts is a small, friendly, family-owned campground near the beach."
"Site across the path was a little loud, but we were too I imagine... bet it'd be lots of fun for the kiddos."
"Sites weren’t bad, clean campground, pool & canoe rentals, family activities offered, short drive to the beaches. Primitive camping, waterfront sites & cabins available :)"
from $45 - $59 / night
Check Availability
ScoutWe wanted somewhere outside the city where we could stay with our RV but still be close enough to drive into Boston for the day. Berry’s Grove worked really well for that. After spending the day sightseeing, it was nice coming back somewhere quiet and relaxing by the lake.
ScoutWe wanted to spend a day in Boston but had zero interest in bringing the RV into the city. Berry’s Grove gave us a completely different experience. We could do the sightseeing and crowds during the day and come back somewhere much calmer at night.
ScoutThe location is what made this place for us. Waking up and being able to walk right down to the water was great. We spent most of our stay fishing, sitting outside, and just enjoying the campground. It is not one of those huge campgrounds packed with activities, which was honestly exactly what we wanted. Small, peaceful, and a nice place to enjoy some downtime.
Scout⭐**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.**
GuideThe first time we stayed here, we were in a different site. It was fine, but not near the water. This time, we chose a site near the water, but it's literally surrounded by three other sites. It's not shown like that on the map. We had to drive through someone else's setup to get to our site. There's no privacy as there was in our previous site. This is one of the few state parks in Massachusetts with a dump station
ScoutWe stopped at Berry’s Grove while traveling through Massachusetts and were really happy with our stay. The hookups were convenient, our site was easy to get into, and having water and sewer right there made things simple.
ScoutWe were only there for one night. But it was easy to find our spot and we came in late. The property is very well maintained. Bathrooms are very clean. The staff on property are very friendly and helpful.
ScoutWonderful stay! Clean bathrooms/showers. Woodsy and quiet. Clean campsites with water and electric. The people were super helpful and friendly! Wonderful stay, would easy stay here again :)
ScoutBerry’s Grove was exactly what we were looking for. It is small, peaceful, and right on the water. We brought our RV and had everything we needed at the site, so getting settled was quick and easy. We especially liked being able to spend the afternoon by the lake without having to drive anywhere. It feels tucked away but you are still close enough to town if you need groceries or want to grab something to eat. Really nice campground for a relaxing weekend.
Camping options near Hampstead, New Hampshire focus primarily on wooded areas with variable privacy between sites. The region experiences seasonal temperature shifts with summer highs averaging around 80°F and lows near 60°F. Several campgrounds remain open from May through October, with limited availability during shoulder seasons when temperatures can fluctuate significantly.
Canoe and kayak rentals: At Bear Brook State Park Campground, visitors can explore multiple ponds through boat rentals. One camper noted that "there are two archery ranges and wheelchair accessible docks for fishing" which add to the recreational variety beyond hiking.
Mountain biking trails: Active campers appreciate the extensive trail system at Bear Brook State Park. As one visitor mentioned, "We camped here to check out the mountain bike trails in the park and we're not disappointed on either count... The biking trails were a blast." Some visitors specifically choose this location because you can "ride right off the campground and onto the trails."
Golf and swimming: Just 10 miles from Hampstead, Hidden Valley RV and Golf Park offers a unique combination of camping and recreation. The facility spans "1300 acres owned and operated by the Simonsen family" with "a pro shop, golf cart rentals," and "2 swimming beaches" according to a camper who stayed there.
Private waterfront sites: Many campers at Pawtuckaway State Park Campground specifically request lakefront camping spots. One visitor advised, "If you plan ahead and get a water front site it's amazing... Kayaking, swimming area and hiking were all 5 stars!" Another camper added that "the sites on the water book up quickly but they're perfect for fishing and boating. Also, the view!"
Wildlife encounters: The natural surroundings at various campgrounds offer opportunities to observe local wildlife. At Wakeda Campground, one camper reported, "Walking around we saw wild turkeys, bunnies, and a hummingbird." The campground's "beautiful massive forest" with "old tall, pine trees everywhere" creates habitat for various creatures.
Off-season quiet: Several campgrounds offer a more peaceful experience during shoulder seasons. At Pawtuckaway, a visitor noted, "We went in early May, when it was still a bit cold at night (in the low 40s) and not many people were around. The campground, though we had neighbors in every adjoining site, was pretty quiet."
Bathroom facilities vary: Campground bathroom conditions range widely across the region. At Lorraine Park Campground, visitors reported "spacious showers" and "clean bathrooms." However, at some locations, facilities receive less attention during shoulder seasons, with one camper noting "several of the stalls were lacking toilet paper."
Site selection matters: Campsite quality varies significantly within the same campground. One visitor to Bear Brook advised, "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." Another camper recommended, "If you are tenting and don't mind a short walk, reserve site R1 for a raised site overlooking the pond."
Pet policies differ: Not all campgrounds allow dogs during peak season. One Pawtuckaway visitor was disappointed to "learn they don't allow dogs anywhere in the campground during summer months," adding "I would of hoped for one loop but NH state parks are anti-dog I guess."
Playground access: For families with young children, Calef Lake Camping Area offers "a small playground" along with "family activities" according to recent visitors. Another camper mentioned the "playground is absolutely perfect for kids and adults alike."
Educational opportunities: Some campgrounds offer learning activities for children. At Bear Brook, visitors can "check out the antique snowmobile museum and the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) museum." A ranger also "ran a program to teach about the area fauna which was pretty interesting for kids and adults alike."
Entertainment options: Several campgrounds schedule regular activities for families. At Tuxbury Pond RV Campground, a visitor observed both "a children's movie being played on a big screen" and adult entertainment options like "a stand up comedy show." Another campground features "adult bingo every Friday" and a "DJ for kids every Saturday."
Hookup locations: The placement of utilities can create challenges at some sites. One RVer at Lorraine Park observed, "The water and electric were between our site and the next on one side and sewer between our site and the one on the other side. This made it difficult to place our trailer on the slanted site and reach all services."
Seasonal rates: Camping costs vary significantly between state parks and private facilities. At Beach Rose RV Park, a visitor noted, "for the money if you're from out of state it's cheaper than the state park down the street and it has full hook-ups with laundry, showers and a heated pool."
Site dimensions: Many campgrounds have tight spacing between sites. A Beach Rose RV Park camper mentioned it's "a 50 site campground built 20 years ago, so it's cozy small sites in some spots," while another noted, "spaces are small, place is clean, nice pool and staff is very friendly, helpful and responsive!"
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the campgrounds in Hampstead, NH?
While Hampstead itself has limited camping options, there are several excellent campgrounds in the surrounding area. Tuxbury Pond RV Campground is located near South Hampton, offering drive-in access with reservable sites, water hookups, and facilities that accommodate big rigs. Another nearby option is Calef Lake Camping Area in Auburn, which provides similar amenities. The greater region also features Hidden Valley RV and Golf Park in Derry and Exeter Elms Campground. These facilities place you within easy driving distance of Hampstead while providing comfortable camping experiences.
What amenities are available at Hampstead NH camping facilities?
Campgrounds near Hampstead offer diverse amenities to enhance your camping experience. Woodmore Family Campground and RV Park provides clean facilities, numerous recreational activities, and friendly staff in a well-maintained environment. Pawtuckaway State Park Campground offers large, level sites (many with water access), plus swimming, hiking, kayaking, biking, canoeing, fishing, bouldering, and geocaching opportunities. Other nearby campgrounds typically include basic amenities such as picnic tables, fire rings, and restroom facilities. Many also feature camp stores selling firewood and supplies, while family-oriented campgrounds often include playgrounds, swimming pools, and organized activities.
When is the best time of year to camp in Hampstead, New Hampshire?
The ideal camping season in the Hampstead area runs from late May through early October, with each period offering distinct advantages. Summer (June-August) provides the warmest temperatures for swimming and water activities at places like Ayers Lake Farm Campground and Cottages, which offers beautiful pond views. Early fall (September-early October) delivers spectacular foliage, comfortable daytime temperatures, and fewer crowds at campgrounds like Bear Brook State Park Campground, New Hampshire's largest state park with numerous trails and ponds. Many campgrounds in the region operate seasonally, with limited or no services available during winter months. For the best balance of pleasant weather and moderate crowds, consider camping in June or September.
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