Best Campgrounds near Hooksett, NH

State parks and private campgrounds surround Hooksett, New Hampshire, creating a diverse camping landscape within a 30-minute drive of town. Bear Brook State Park, located in nearby Deerfield, stands as New Hampshire's largest state park with wooded campsites nestled among trails and ponds. Pawtuckaway State Park in Nottingham offers lakeside camping with opportunities for water recreation. Several family-owned campgrounds like Epsom Valley and Autumn Hills provide additional options with varying levels of amenities. Most facilities accommodate both tent and RV camping, with some offering cabin rentals for those seeking more comfort. The region's camping options balance proximity to Manchester and Concord with access to natural settings featuring lakes, ponds, and forested areas.

Most campgrounds in the Hooksett area operate seasonally from May through October, with limited year-round options. Advance reservations are strongly recommended during summer weekends and holiday periods when waterfront sites fill quickly. As one camper noted about Bear Brook State Park, "This campground is tucked away in the woods so you really feel like you're away from the cities in the area." Cell phone coverage varies considerably throughout the region, with spotty service common in more remote areas. Many state park campgrounds have limited or no hookups for RVs, while private campgrounds typically offer water and electric connections. Mosquitoes can be problematic in summer months, particularly near water features, with several reviewers recommending bug spray as essential gear.

Waterfront sites receive consistently high ratings from visitors, with lakes and ponds serving as focal points for many campgrounds. "The lake is a great spot for kayaking and the sunset on the lake definitely didn't disappoint," reported one camper at Greenfield State Park. Family-friendly amenities are common, with playgrounds, beaches, and hiking trails available at most state parks. Bear Brook State Park features mountain biking trails, fishing areas, and even an antique snowmobile museum. Most campgrounds provide standard amenities including fire rings, picnic tables, and access to bathhouses with showers. Dog policies vary significantly between locations, with some state parks prohibiting pets during peak season while private campgrounds tend to be more pet-friendly year-round.

Best Camping Sites Near Hooksett, New Hampshire (190)

    1. Bear Brook State Park Campground

    28 Reviews
    Candia, NH
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 485-9869

    $35 - $45 / night

    "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."

    2. Pawtuckaway State Park Campground

    44 Reviews
    Raymond, NH
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 895-3031

    $35 - $140 / night

    "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."

    3. Epsom Valley Campground

    8 Reviews
    Epsom, NH
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 736-9758

    $35 - $165 / night

    "I enjoyed the hiking trails in the back and a pretty good amount of things to do near by. Being able to walk to a store and restaurant is great."

    "We only wanted to stay for one and when we arrived, the older women drove me around in the golf cart to see which site would best suit us and I just thought it was the sweetest thing!"

    4. Autumn Hills Campground

    9 Reviews
    Goffstown, NH
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 529-2425

    $45 - $60 / night

    "Lake access, inground pool, ball field, and lots of activities for the kids makes this a great place to relax with the family."

    "Campground is peaceful and quiet; the lake is within close proximity to most sites; I wouldn’t say it’s the best place for swimming but overall a great place to launch a kayak or canoe and paddle about"

    5. Calef Lake Camping Area

    7 Reviews
    Auburn, NH
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 483-8282

    $20 - $40 / night

    "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."

    6. Friendly Beaver Campground

    13 Reviews
    New Boston, NH
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 487-5570

    $60 - $130 / night

    "The views outside our camper window is amazing. We’re surrounding be trees and it’s breathtaking when surrounded by freshly fallen snow."

    "I prefer trees, but this wont keep us away from trying out RV sites this year."

    7. Lazy River Family Campground

    7 Reviews
    Epsom, NH
    12 miles
    +1 (603) 798-5900

    $26 - $30 / night

    "Saturday rolled around and some noisier guests came in for the night, they were several sites away and sounded like they were having a great time, didn't bother us."

    "The family will definitely be making a few return trips, especially with the reasonable drive from the boston area to the grounds."

    8. Cold Springs Camp Resort

    6 Reviews
    Weare, NH
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 529-2528

    $69 - $130 / night

    "Beautiful, extremely clean bathrooms, reasonably priced little cafe, big camp store, very friendly staff, 4 outdoor pools & pretty big campground that has a gated entry/exit that needs a key card pass"

    9. Circle 9 Ranch Campground

    6 Reviews
    Epsom, NH
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 736-3111

    10. Greenfield State Park Campground

    21 Reviews
    Bennington, NH
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 547-3497

    $35 - $105 / night

    "Easy access to a bathroom (which was very clean). Quiet neighbors, everyone around us observed the quiet hours (10p-7a) and even during the day no one was super loud."

    "Nice views of the lake, swimming, wide open sites, not too over crowded! I'd definitely go back!"

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Recent Reviews near Hooksett, NH

821 Reviews of 190 Hooksett Campgrounds


  • M
    Feb. 17, 2026

    Forest Glen

    Forest Glenn campground

    Forest Glenn campground is a very nice campground on Wheelwright pond in Lee New Hampshire! Not well kept up but makes you feel like you’re still camping and not glamping ( glamorous camping ) besides some of the very nice campers here with 2 stories on them! Anyway cutting to the chase, just to let any new comers know that are looking for camping in the Lee area if you so choose to camp at forest Glenn depending who you are or how you approach this place dictates if you will have to feel like your stepping on eggshells your entire stay… the owner is a angry Drunk who is sometimes very nice to others or very nasty, and I personally mostly see him being nasty. A couple years back I wanted to look at the campground to see if this would be a place I wanted to stay at so I walked into the office and asked them if we could look around and the lady was in the process of writing us a pass to drive through. This man comes in and said whats going on so I politely told him that we were interested in his campground and we wanted to look around. He completely flipped out said he doesn't understand, said his campground is his back yard, we can't allow this how would you like if I just walked around your back yard etc etc.... yelling at us the whole time and spitting while screaming and then told us to get out of his sight…. This place mind you is overrun by golf carts and I have heard of incidents where people get hit by them because who cares about the posted 5mph speed limitations if your in a golf carts right? Right! And CLEARLY this place is a Double standard place so you will not be treated equal… and as far as I know this place has secret people who camp supposedly working at camp like the manager and security and the plumber or electrician who look like their helping but while helping they gather information about you to spread it around to others or to cause problems with you and the owner!! Oh how thoughtful… one Morning I was in the office and the owner pulled me into the rec room to have a talk with me about my string lights suggesting I shut them off at night and I’m not allowed to use them anymore. I said “sir why would I do that there are 50 other sites with spot lights and string lights Who are these lights bothering that I need to take them down for? “ he said use them inside the trailer I don’t want to see them on again! “ now tell me how that makes any sense… so I shut them off and it became like a minefield on my site at night with no lights while the campers down a different street get to have theirs on. There is no privacy at this place, things keep going missing, and the sites are packed like sardines with no room for Jesus. There are also people staying here over winter and it’s a seasonal campground tell me how that makes any sense. Anyway definitely an experience to be at where drama hits too close to home and the golf cart parking spots are rolling a little to close to my feet. “ oh sorry my foot slipped “ #welp time to search for another place. Seems to be a trend with almost every campground. Angry owners who automatically cause problems or can’t run their own business place without drug addicts for help ( to say the least me and my wife WILL NOT BE COMING BACK )

  • Sandra P.
    Feb. 16, 2026

    Harbor Hill Camping Area

    Best Seasonal Campground in the Lakes Region!

    This is a great campground to be a seasonal at! 1 mile from a beautiful beach on Lake Winnipesaukee. 1 mile from town with cute shops and nice restaurants. Friendly staff. Seasonals are very friendly and welcome new seasonals. Campground is taken care of. It is family owned and they really care. I love the fact it is all seasonal- it has a wonderful community feel.

  • L
    Feb. 5, 2026

    Tuxbury Pond RV Campground

    This camping trip truly exceeded my expectations

     The campground was clean, peaceful, and surrounded by wide open views. During the day, the natural landscape felt refreshing and expansive, and at night, the sky was filled with stars, creating a calm and almost magical atmosphere. The layout of the campsite was well planned, making it easy and comfortable for both beginners and experienced campers to enjoy their stay. One fun thing I did after the trip was use Idea To Image to recreate some of the moments that stood out to me—sunrise over the tents, the warmth of the campfire, and the quiet starry night. It helped me turn those memories into beautiful visuals that really captured the peaceful vibe of the experience. Looking back at them now feels like being transported right back to the campsite. Highly recommend this place if you’re looking to slow down and reconnect with nature.

    One fun thing I did after the trip was use Idea To Image to recreate some of the moments that stood out to me—sunrise over the tents, the warmth of the campfire, and the quiet starry night. It helped me turn those memories into beautiful visuals that really captured the peaceful vibe of the experience. Looking back at them now feels like being transported right back to the campsite. Highly recommend this place if you’re looking to slow down and reconnect with nature.

  • Alexander H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 29, 2025

    Hanscom AFB FamCamp

    Nice Campground near Boston

    This is a nice campground near historic Lexington and Boston.

  • cThe Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 17, 2025

    Cape Neddick Oceanside Campground

    Two week stay

    Read reviews on google. That’s the experience we had. The signs no everything. Cash only. The management is very weird acting and riding around on a bicycle. I feel so weird making this review because this place is odd . The tenants are fun and the scenery is great. But but but you’ve been warned. Turn your blue tooth off and your WiFi so that your cellphone privacy is protected.

  • DThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 21, 2025

    Spacious Skies French Pond

    Helpful staff

    The staff was friendly. Don't forget the flashlight. There is very little lighting to find your way around the winding roads of the campground which adds to the charm.

  • Marc D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 16, 2025

    Gunstock Campground

    Great Spot

    Fairly extensive camp ground associated with Gunstock ski area on central New Hampshire. We arrived without a reservation a bit after the office closed, but Elena, the manager came out to let us in and allowed us to check in. She was great. Dogs must have proof of rabies vaccine. Very nice showers. Beautiful fall colors.

  • Lin C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 10, 2025

    Spacious Skies French Pond

    Best Camp in the area

    I am enjoying this camp still, even after 6 months. Management is wonderful and attentive. They take great care of the whole camp and us campers. Fun events are scheduled on the regular!


Guide to Hooksett

Camping near Hooksett, New Hampshire offers access to freshwater recreation within a rural backdrop at elevations ranging from 310 to 550 feet above sea level. The region experiences humid continental climate with warm summers reaching 80°F in July and August, making late spring through early fall the prime camping season. Most campgrounds in the area remain open from May through mid-October, with Columbus Day weekend marking the end of season for many facilities.

What to do

Kayaking and canoeing: At Pawtuckaway State Park Campground, water recreation stands out as the primary attraction. "This a a fantastic little camp for if you want to go canoeing or kayaking or boating of any kind! It's set up of three islands and a large majority of the campsites are right on the water," notes Matt R.

Mountain biking: For those seeking more active recreation, trails abound at Bear Brook State Park Campground. "We camped here to check out the mountain bike trails in the park and we're not disappointed on either count. The campground is nice and spacious, well kept and the staff is friendly. The biking trails were a blast," shares Eammon C.

Geocaching: Several parks in the area offer geocaching opportunities. "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)," recommends Jean C. about Bear Brook State Park.

Fishing: Many campgrounds provide fishing access, particularly at pond and lake sites. "We stayed in sites 110 and our friends stayed in 109 on Big Island. Those were wonderful sites, level with great views of the lake," says Ellen C. about her Pawtuckaway experience, where many visitors fish directly from waterfront sites.

What campers like

Waterfront sites: Lakefront camping ranks consistently as a top preference. At Greenfield State Park Campground, "Swimming pond and beach is clean but can get crowded on a busy weekend. Frog pond is fun to explore," explains Ali B. Sites near water features often book earliest and command premium rates.

Clean facilities: Campers consistently rate bathroom cleanliness as essential. "The bathhouses are probably the best maintained of any campground I've stayed at. They're cleaned multiple time a day," notes Daniel J. about his stay at Autumn Hills Campground.

Privacy between sites: Site separation varies considerably between campgrounds. "The sites are a little close and difficult to set up with more than one tent in our specific campsite," explains Jackie G. about Bear Brook, while at other locations: "Sites are nice and level, roomy. The bathroom was clean. The walk to the beach was along a public parking lot," says Susan B. about Greenfield State Park.

Fall camping: Several reviewers mentioned visiting in September and October for reduced crowds. "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," says Jean C. about Bear Brook State Park.

What you should know

Cell service reliability: Connection varies dramatically across the region. "For cell service: ATT seems to have pretty decent coverage but not Verizon," notes Utshob A. about Bear Brook. At other locations, service drops completely in lower-lying areas.

Site size variations: Many campgrounds feature inconsistent site dimensions. At Epsom Valley Campground, "In a last minute attempt to get some camping in we ended up at this little spot... Our campsite was nice and level, right next to a river (with free canoe use!) and even had hammock trees," reports Molly G.

Payment systems: Shower facilities often require coins. "Bathhouses offer coin-operated showers; I noticed a price difference between the two of them, so went with the less expensive option!" mentions Jean C. about Bear Brook.

Seasonal restrictions: Dog policies shift during peak season at some parks. "I went one summer on the way to Maine and loved everything! Kayaking, swimming area and hiking were all 5 stars! Tried to plan ahead this year and get a prime site to learn they don't allow dogs anywhere in the campground during summer months," warns Erin W. about Pawtuckaway.

Tips for camping with families

Pool options: Many private campgrounds feature swimming pools. Cold Springs Camp Resort stands out with "7 pools which (include 2 hot tubs, a small 2x2 pool for kiddos, 1 adult only pool and 3 family pools)," according to Kara C.

Playground access: Most family-oriented campgrounds maintain play areas. "We've been back her a few times because my girls love it. They have 3 outdoor pools(sports,toddler,regular) plus an indoor pool for rainy or chilly days. They have a few animals the kids can feed. They also have crafts, hayrides and games,playground and other events," shares Kate C. about Friendly Beaver Campground.

Wildlife viewing: Opportunities for animal encounters exist throughout the area. "I forgot the daily visits from the ducks, like clockwork morning and dusk a family of ducks visited looking for grub," mentions Ellen C. about Pawtuckaway.

Off-peak visits: Families seeking quieter experiences should consider weekday or shoulder season trips. "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," reports Kris M.

Tips from RVers

Site leveling: Terrain varies considerably between campgrounds. "Located in a 10000 acre forest preserve, the campground is heavily forested and very secluded from civilization. We stayed on site 22, which was spacious and private from the other sites on either side," notes Ellen C. about Bear Brook.

Access routes: Some campgrounds have challenging internal roads. "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," explains Jean C.

Site selection: Many RVers recommend requesting specific site numbers based on size needs. "We went for a weekend and they let us stay later on sunday since it rained all weekend. They have 3 outdoor pools and 1 indoor pool. Lots of activities for the kids and the bathrooms were pretty clean for a campground," shares Julia B.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular campground near Hooksett, NH?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Hooksett, NH is Bear Brook State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 28 reviews.

What parks are near Hooksett, NH?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 14 parks near Hooksett, NH that allow camping, notably Hopkinton-Everett Lake and Edward MacDowell Lake.