Looking for the best tent campgrounds near Hancock? Find the best tent camping sites near Hancock. Would you prefer a quiet dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities? Either way, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers invites you to come relax at Tully Lake. There are a variety of outdoor recreation activities for you and you family. Although the dam was built primarily to reduce flood damages on the Millers and Connecticut Rivers, the 1,300-acre reservoir area provides a place for you to get away from it all and connect with nature.
Tully Lake offers many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. Activities in and around the lake include mountain biking, camping, disc golf, hiking, picnicking, boating, and fishing and hunting in the appropriate seasons.
The Tully Lake Pavilion is located in the recreation area and offers picnic tables and grills. Maximum group size is 50 people with parking for 25 passenger vehicles at the upper gravel lot. The recreation area has a small playground for young children, volleyball court, and a horseshoe pit. Bathrooms are provided, but there is no running water.
The 1,262-acre Tully Lake property is managed to sustain a healthy ecosystem for future generations. The thriving biodiversity of the Tully River Valley and the interconnections of our forests, wetlands, waters, and wildlife are valued and managed for the long term. Tully Lake is home to a wide variety of wildlife, from tiny insects and song birds, to large mammals such as deer and moose. Fifty-five percent of the reservoir area is wetlands, providing habitat for fish, waterfowl, song birds, insects, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals such as beaver, mink and otter. The rest of the property provides habitat for upland species such as deer, coyote, fisher, owl, fox, raccoon, skunk, porcupine, rabbit, and squirrel. The forest within Tully Dam's reservoir area is composed primarily of white pine, providing habitat for owls and woodpeckers, red-tailed hawks, and white-tailed deer.
When visiting Tully Lake there are several opportunities for visitors to explore in the surrounding area. At the north end of the lake there is a tent only campground run by the Trustees of the Reservations which provides a perfect launching point to enjoy the outdoor attractions nearby. Ten miles away is the Birch Hill Dam, another Army Corps project that provides miles of trails and river to explore. The Quabbin Reservoir is also within a short ten mile drive of Tully Lake and serves the city of Boston as its water supply. The Quabbin is a unique area; there were four towns flooded to create it, and it has some of the most interesting blends of human and natural history in the region.
Please review the cancellation and refund policy at the bottom of the webpage. In general, we will require at least two weeks prior to your reservation to consider a request.
$40 / night
Platform and Back-country Sites are available. Sunset Ridge is hammock preferred and small tent friendly, however Only the signature site has a provided tent and stove ( this listing is for weekday rentals only) … see our separate listing for the signature Lost Boys Hideout Rock'n Summer for weekend rentals of the campsite {which does have pictures here on this page). Different sites have different parking areas and different levels of access ease. Sunset Ridge is the most difficult, think rural and rugged. While the Hideout, our main signature site, is the easiest and has the most amenities. Sleepy Hollow is the middle ground to walk in, with provided summer tents & some comforts, but is closest to the local public road. This is your perfect escape to the woods with a private seasonal pond and plenty of marked private hiking trails. A short drive down to the beach and a full-service boat ramp for Horace Lake, so bring your boat, water skis and ice fishing gear! You can rent our canoes for Horace Lake or Turkey Pond for great fishing. Don't forget your mountain bike for trails or area specialty adventure centers. Off site ATV trails, snowmobile trails, and other seasonal adventure locations are within easy reach. Be at peace and stay by the campfire soaking in calm with nature surrounding you. I'll have some fresh drinking water ready for you. We are excited to meet you! One night stays will be considered on a case-by-case basis- don't hesitate to ask! If we don't have a prior multi-day reservation one week ahead of time, we will do our best to accommodate you! Lots of extras available for rent for those folks who are not stocked up on camping gear. Bedding, tents, cooking gear, gas stove top, etc etc!
$49 - $149 / night
Edward MacDowell Lake is situated in a quiet corner of the Monadnock Region of New Hampshire.
This day-use area lies just off State Route 101 on the shores of the picturesque lake named after the famous composer and concert pianist, Edward Alexander MacDowell.
The 165-acre lake is surrounded by densely forested rolling hills. Shady pine, birch, poplar, maple, oak, beech, hemlock and alder trees cover the area.
Wildlife is abundant in and around the park. White-tailed deer, moose, beaver, fisher, muskrat, otter and many other mammals make their homes around the lake. Birders may observe many species including osprey, hawks, owls, great blue herons, woodpeckers, waterfowl and songbirds.
Visitors can spend days kayaking and canoeing on the scenic lake, and a boat ramp is provided for easy lake access.
Fishing is also a popular activity. Largemouth bass, pickerel, perch and horned pout are all found in abundance.
Several hiking trails link up around the lake as well, including the West Ridge Trail, which runs along the entire western edge of the lake and up through the surrounding wetlands.
Younger visitors enjoy the parks Junior Ranger Program, which focuses on the surrounding forest, its wildlife and waterways and protecting the environment. Kids ages six through 12 become honorary park rangers upon completion and receive a patch and certificate.
This year-round park is open from sunrise to sunset. It offers two day-use picnic shelters, perfect for large parties or family functions. Flush toilets, drinking water, picnic tables and grills are provided.
A swim beach, playground, horseshoe pits and volleyball court offer additional recreation opportunities.
Educational programs are offered by park rangers, and the nearby ranger station contains interpretive exhibits.
$25 - $30 / night
Barton Cove specializes in rustic tent-only camping. The campground is open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Each campsite has a picnic table, grills and campfire ring. Vehicle use in the campground is restricted to unloading during arrival and loading during departure. Showers are available near the ranger station, and there are two group sites available for larger parties interested in camping together. Two sites suitable for pop-up trailers or class C camper vans are also available. The sites have no utility hookups. Scout groups can camp by special arrangement through November.
$22 - $30 / night
$75 - $175 / night
Elm Brook Park is a day-use area located on Elm Brook Pool just off State Route 127 near Concord, New Hampshire. Elm Brook Pool is part of Hopkinton-Everett Lakes, where visitors enjoy a wide variety of recreational opportunities, including boating, swimming, hiking and fishing. Please note that pets are not allowed in Elm Brook Park from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend.
Elm Brook Park offers plenty of activities for visitors of all ages. Many enjoy canoeing and kayaking on the lake and Contoocook River, and a boat ramp and accessible fishing dock are available at the park. Walleye, brook trout, sunfish and pickerel can be found in abundance in the lake, making it a popular place for anglers. A 1.5-mile interpretive trail winds through the park. Hikers are treated to views of wetlands and uplands, both with a wide diversity of natural habitats. A multi-use trail system is located nearby at Hopkinton-Everett Reservoir.
The park offers four large group picnic shelters with tables and grills which may be reserved for a fee. Over 100 family picnic sites are also available on a first come, first served basis. Flush toilets and drinking water are provided. Amenities at this family-friendly park include a swimming area with a great beach, a playground area, horseshoe pits, a basketball court, ball field, and an elevated wildlife-viewing platform. The park is staffed by uniformed park rangers who offer special programs on a variety of nature topics throughout the season. Each summer, rangers also present a very popular Junior Ranger program.
The park is situated among rolling hills on the shores of Elm Brook Pool. Acres of open lawns cover the park, and stands of mature hardwood trees offer pleasant shade and wildlife habitat. The park also contains a natural wetland.
$80 / night
Paid in full for a week in July, we stay here every year. Learned in May that I had cancer and would need surgery and weekly chemo until the end of September. Contacted Forest Lake Campground in May to cancel reservation, discussed options and was told we could carry our week over for later. Just received the all clear from my Dr today. Called to make reservations and was told they would not honor our already paid week. They said we would not get our money back either. Won’t stay here again as they are not people of their word.
Nicely spaced sites, level and welcoming hosts. There are a few trails around the campground and it is close to Mt Ascutney which if you are feeling a bit lazy there is an auto rd that goes about 3/4 of the way up. 3 mi. Away Springfield as all the services you might need.
Very peaceful! Little hidden gem! We loved our weekend away
The owners are very nice but the sites are super close together. We had neighbors that had a large party 4 ft from our camper for two days. The showers cost .50 and are luke warm, definitely not hot. Only 4 shower stalls (2 men 2 female) for the whole campground. The bathrooms weren't cleaned during the 2 days we were there. The country side is beautiful and Newport is a cute little town. We won't stay at the campground again.
This is one of the dirtiest camp grounds I’ve been to. It smelled of septic gas and trash. The bathrooms were disgusting, the pool and playground were a slimy mess. Camp sites are small and buggy. Open septic line everywhere. Picnic tables were all rotten. Not a pleasant stay at all. This is a trailer park not a camp ground.
Autumn Hills Campground is AWESOME! It’s remotely located and the amenities and activities are amazing, something for everyone! The staff is so friendly and helpful and I can’t say enough how clean the bathrooms, laundry room and store are! The super nice owners, Adam& Jennifer are constantly making upgrades and changes and have really created a beautiful, family oriented campground! I recommend you take the virtual tour online so you can pick a sight that works for you and book it soon.
This was my first time staying at Bear Brook, it's an easy campground to get to, once you get to the west gate it's about a 4-mile drive to the campground, if you're coming from the east it's about 1.5 miles.
The first impression was impressed by the size and how organized everything was. Check-in was easy, then driving to my site (#7) took a minute.
That's when I realized the sites were 4' apart in the section I was staying in. Other sites on each end are further apart.
The campground has a beach, a playground, a Ball field, and a store. The roads are all easy to drive on but narrow.
This campground was perfect for our group that had 5 small children. The kids were able to safely ride bikes on the camp roads, sites were large and well spaced out from each other, great playground and fun playing in the river. Amazing programming options from the ranger staff each day
So my fiance and I we had called and asked if they had tent sites they put us at 9T ( which to any other campground T with the number means tent) but the owner comes up this morning being a complete ass saying that it wasn’t a tent site & that we requested to move sites and now all of a sudden it was a problem so paid 60?which was supposed to be paid for two nights & basically told that we had to pack up and leave with no refund & a very sour taste in my mouth from that campground. I will never return
So I had gotten a tent site for 4 days and Roxanne the old bag in the office does nothing but talk about everyone & everytime you put in for a reservation she says I can’t give you a tent site 🤔🤔 but yet I’ve been nothing polite and
Great campground! Awsome staff and fellow campers. Amazing rates! Will be back for sure! Ty getaway campground!
Me and my fiancé last minute booked a 4th of July trip last minute and had a wonderful time! Our site was all rocks and we were tenting but we made it work knowing we booked the trip last minute! Brought our dog and he had fun!
The HanscomField Fam Camp is a wooded recreational camp for military families and retirees, as well as for RV camping for active duty military on temporary orders. The campground offers RV sites, some with hookups, as well as more walk-in secluded tent sites as well as one yurt tent. The campground is peaceful and quiet, although adjacent to a very busy AFB. Proximity to the base provides access to the base exchange and other facilities, but the quiet location is a recreational retreat centered around several indoor and outdoor gathering spaces such as basketball and outdoor sports, and an indoor game and recreation room complete with crafts supplies for the kiddos and tourism info for the lical area. In the immediate vicinity are the villages of Lexington and Concord as well as the Minute Man National Park and Walden Pond, so the campground makes a great basecamp for exploration of the area’s rich culture and history. You are also not too far from Cambridge, and can easily access Boston from there if you like.
There are several clean modern bath houses, with hot showers and flush toilets. The office staff is very helpful and friendly!
Dogs are welcome too.
I loved my stay here! I just stayed 1 night passing through, the drive to the campground was gorgeous. checking in was super easy. Finding my site and the bathroom was a breeze. THE BATHROOM was the best I’ve seen camping very clean and updated and honestly gorgeous. Everyone else there was super nice and quiet. Quiet hours start at 10 but it was silent after about 9 which was so amazing. I would definitely stay again!
Was on my way up to Maine and decided to stop for the evening along the way. This was a good little spot for exactly that: not much going on, but perfect for a good night’s sleep. Only downside is I had to book two nights because of the seasonal policy (requires two nights reservation during summer) but I mentioned to the camp host that I was only there for the night and he very kindly supplied me with two bundles of firewood to make up for it. Spots aren’t very big but big enough to squeeze in two tents.
Let me just start by saying I come here every year and I absolutely love the friendliness of the staff, the other campers and or people who tent. I bring my kids here every year the first camping trip kids always ask can we go to Lazy River Campground!! I enjoy every second of being here!
We took our new to us hybrid camper out for its inaugural trip.
We chose to stay in the wooded loop of the campground and we were very happy with our site, #66. That section has about 12 sites, some big and some on the smaller side. Our site was easy to back into, even more so since no one was in the site across from us. Our site was very spacious, level and included a picnic table, fire ring, and nicely placed hookups for water and electric. We had easy access to trails that went along the river behind some of the sites with a few paths down to the river.
Everyone we encountered was friendly and respectful. There are quiet hours from 10pm-8am that are enforced. We were grateful to not have to hear loud partying going on into the night. There was car noise from nearby Rt 10 on the other side of the river, but nothing you can do about that.
We asked for assistance at the office with our first time using a pumping station at the end of the trip. We were given friendly helpful assistance and some great tips and advice for the future.
This was a nice enjoyable first visit for us. We will definitely be adding it to our list of places to visit again, but likely later in the year when we can enjoy the river and activities a bit more. We did not explore the options for bike, kayak, and canoe rentals but would like to in the future.
Had an excellent experience. The staff and owner were wicked accommodating. The fishing pond was perfect. I will be returning soon. I highly recommend this place if you have a family or simply need a place to clear your mind.
Great location with lake views, trails etc. Some sites are spaced out, some are closer together. Lots of great spots on the water, easy to put a kayak in from.
Can't beat it for only an hour from Boston
Are Pets Allowed at Pawtuckaway State Park?
Leashed pets are welcome on hiking trails only. Pets are NOT permitted in the campground or beach area during the summer season(May 1- September 30).*Campers are only allowed to bring pets before May 1 and after September 30, which includes the cabins. See the NH State Parks Pets Policy for more information.
https://www.nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails/pawtuckaway-state-park
Unfortunately, this place is poorly run. The staff appears friendly at first, but if you need any help with anything, they run the other way. I agree with the previous review of the campground being underfunded. I suspect it is intentional so the greedy owner can put more money in his pocket because they charge and overcharge for everything. There are a lot of full-time, year-round rowdies that live and drink excessively here. If you want your kids exposed to that, then go for it. The outdoor pool is way too small for the number of seasonal and short-term guests. If it happens to rain while you're there, then prepare for roads to be 3 inches of mud. There is no gravel or sand on them. Sites are very close together, so there is no privacy. I do not recommend staying here. NH offers many very nice and well maintained rustic and resort style campgrounds. The only positive is decent showers.
it is good
Huge campground for RVING but I only tent and this is a great spot for it! Only about ten tenting sites here where the ground is nice thick grass to tent on and blocked off by all trees leaving you in your own area of the woods! Heard many awesome noises from lots of wildlife! Definitely a great whole in the wall for tenting since it doesn’t seem like a big tenting area that people go too
Been camping here close to 40 yrs. It has changed a lot but I consider it the best. If you like large sites in a wooded setting with many private ones this is the place. Dump station clean lake clean sites etc can’t say enough no bingo or pot like dinners or other gimmicks that attract your $$$$. Can’t wait to see major improvements under way.
Nice and casual campground. We came here after we struck out at Saddleback (about 40 miles east of here, because they were full), and were much happier here than we would have been at Saddleback. Saddleback campers had “don’t tread on me” signs, campers here had rainbow signs. Office staff was friendly and professional and helpful.
Keyser Pond is in the Passport America program, and we paid $25 for a FHU site with that discount, so double that for normal rates. The campground is a little run down and disheveled looking, with a lot of long-termers, some with hard PVC sewer piping from their RVs. There’s a store and a rec room, sadly no book exchange though. There’s a basketball court and playground, a beach volleyball court, a little pond. There are dumpsters here, but no recycling.
Cost for non-campers to use the dump is an astonishing $40, which can’t be right, but that’s what the sign said. I’d confirm that with the office though. You can hear road noise but it wasn’t bothersome. There’s good free wifi at camp, and good cell reception with Verizon and ATT. Camp takes security seriously, with gated entry and wristbands for guests to wear. Laundry is great, open 24 hours, $1.50/wash and $0.25 per 6 min or so for dryer. Showers were hot (low pressure though) and not free, at $0.25/5 min. Sites not fully level but leveling blocks took care of it.
We stayed here for a night in mid October, as they were getting ready to close for the season, so more than half of the campground was closed off. But the part that we did see was awesome. Each site was huge, separated from its neighbor, private, mostly flat, and beautiful. No hookups in the campground, and sites are hit or miss with tree coverage, some sites may have enough opening for solar or starlink, but I wouldn’t count on it.
There are hiking trails throughout the campground, but our dog got covered in ticks so watch for that. There are water spigots throughout the campground and a dump station. Showers were free and nice and clean, and you can control the temperature and let the water run (no button to push).
The dump truck driver was there picking up garbage and I asked him about recycling and he said they have their own transfer station where the waste is sorted, so all recycling and garbage goes into the dumpster.
We paid $23 for a site because it was primitive season, but I think normally it’s $25. No other taxes or fees were charged. There’s a little store in the ranger office with basic supplies and gifts, ice cream, fire starters, ice, etc. There’s also a little free library exchange behind the office. And to top it off, we had cell service here. Great stay, highly recommend! Beware of ticks!
Military only campground. Working on improving the grounds and services available. Limited sites available off season. Summer season early May through end October.
Camping near Hancock, New Hampshire, offers a mix of beautiful nature and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a family adventure, there are several campgrounds to check out.
Camping near Hancock, New Hampshire, has something for everyone, from families to RVers. Enjoy the beautiful scenery and the friendly atmosphere while exploring the great outdoors!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Hancock, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Hancock, NH is Greenfield State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 19 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Hancock, NH?
TheDyrt.com has all 20 tent camping locations near Hancock, NH, with real photos and reviews from campers.
