5 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Bear Brook State Park Campground welcomes pets throughout its 10,000-acre forested preserve, offering spacious, semi-private sites under towering pines. Most campsites accommodate tents, RVs, and even pet-friendly cabins within this natural setting. Sites vary considerably in size and privacy, with some separated by large downed trees creating natural boundaries for dogs. The campground maintains standard leash requirements while providing ample walking opportunities on numerous trails. Dogs particularly enjoy the areas around Catamount Pond, though swimming is restricted to designated human areas. Sites near the ballfield (31-34) offer more open space for dogs to enjoy while remaining leashed. The sites near the playground are convenient for families with pets, though site 93 should be avoided due to heavy foot traffic.
Mountain biking trails throughout Bear Brook State Park can be accessed directly from the campground, perfect for active dog owners seeking longer excursions with their pets. The extensive trail network provides various terrain options, though owners should be prepared for occasional wildlife encounters. During summer months, the swimming areas become crowded, so early morning walks with dogs are recommended for a more peaceful experience. Pack extra water for pets as the hiking trails can be extensive, and the terrain varies from easy walks around ponds to more challenging hillside paths. Pet owners appreciate the camp store's basic supplies, though bringing specialized pet food is advised. Cell service varies throughout the park, with ATT providing better coverage than Verizon—important for accessing emergency veterinary services in nearby Concord or Manchester, both within 30 minutes of the campground. For those exploring pet-friendly camping near Hooksett, the direct trail access and leash-friendly open areas make this one of the more practical options in the region.
"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."
"The park is very dog friendly for camping as well as hiking. The trails were very well marked and really conveniently close by to the campsites. Will definitely be returning!"
from $35 - $45 / night
"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."
"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."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $35 - $140 / night
"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"
"Lake access, inground pool, ball field, and lots of activities for the kids makes this a great place to relax with the family."
from $45 - $60 / night
"First of all, as we were driving we were passing all these other campgrounds that looked pretty run down and trashed. Enter Epsom Valley. What an awesome spot!!"
"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."
from $35 - $165 / night
"We had such a fun time and our dog loves it! The only bad part is we were very far from the bathrooms and tons of mosquitoes. We definitely will be coming back in the near future!"
"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."
from $20 - $40 / night
"Having the river right there for the kids to fish and dogs to swim was great. We were all alone at the end of the field, and that was ok with us!!!"
"The family will definitely be making a few return trips, especially with the reasonable drive from the boston area to the grounds."
from $26 - $30 / 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."
from $60 - $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"
"They have hundreds of sites, mostly seasonal but gives you nice walk to see the place. The pools were really nice and again clean. They have a snack shack with breakfast, lunch and dinner."
from $69 - $130 / night
"Campground is nice, clean, has a pond, playground, pool, Canoeing, sites are decent size, entertainment on some nights offered in pavilion, friendly staff, pet friendly & quiet nights."
"I had a view of the beautiful pond, which is really a lake, and wished I had more time to rent a kayak. The bathrooms were clean and easy to access, since I do not have sewer in my small pop-up."
Available this weekend
from $24 - $149 / night
TravelerBeautiful place about an hour from Salem Boston and Plymouth. Be careful getting in Sharp Hill coming up and down lots of scrapes on the ground tight navigation through sites lots of beautiful trees.
LegendI’m not going to lie this was a little tricky for big rigs to get to, but with lots of patience and skillful driving, it is doable. Salem is an old New England town so there are many narrow streets and some low clearances. Follow the directions on the parks website as they are designed for RVs– don’t use Google Maps unless you are a small camper. Even getting into the park is kind of challenging because of the way the entrance is laid out with the entrance booth and some low hanging trees. This campground is in a municipal park with a marina, beach, a short walking trail, and picnic areas. The campground has different sections and totally different feels to them. We arrived on a weekend and section we were in the section which is in the parking lot of a busy marina. The parking lot was half full which made for navigating our 45’ bus into our site pretty hard.
No sites have fire pits but you can have a fire if you bring your own above ground pit. Tent sites have picnic tables but nothing else. Some sites you can drive to and have a car onsite and others are non-vehicle access sites (11, 17, 18, 25, 26, 27& 38) in which you have to park in a parking lot. Some RV sites have great water views and others are in a back gravel lot. In my opinion, the best RV sites are 12-16(A-D) because they have a water view. Sites 16B-D are a little tricky for big-rigs to get into because of the tight space. Our site (#13) had a slight downhill slope. We pulled in forward so we could have a view of the harbor which meant the utilities (water electric only) were in the front of our site but we were able to reach without an extension cord. We loved watching the action in the harbor. There is a gazebo by the water which we enjoyed siting under and watching boats go in and out of the harbor while it rained.
There is a nice sandy beach onsite which attracts a lot of day use vistors. The grounds are interesting to walk around as the water views are nice and there is an old fort to explore. Nearby town of Salem Willows is(about½ mile away) is a cute old seaside town with restaurants and arcades. They have a Bluebike rental station which is an easy way to get downtown and explore the area if you don’t have a car.
LegendThis campground is mostly seasonal, privately owned park models, but has 45 spaces for RV’s. I was a little skeptical about staying at this campground with so many park models and seasonals but was pleasantly surprised at how nice, clean, and tidy all the sites were. They obviously take pride in how things look because the grounds and campsites were very well-kept.
All campsites are 50/30-amp full hook-up with level gravel pads with grassy patios, a picnic table, and fire pit. We stayed in site#702 which was long enough for our 45’ motorhome and tow car. All the utilities were easy to reach and the electric worked well. The only problem was that we were parked under a large oak tree that was profusely shedding large acorns. There are some sites that are in the open which I would definitely choose, if I came back in the fall. The campground is gated which is a nice feature. It is located a mile or so off Route 1 which means you don’t get the road noise and traffic, but still conveniently located near shops and restaurants.
One nice feature are the shaded walking trails in the park. While they are not super long, it is a nice change from walking the roads (which are paved). Other amenities include a decent size swimming pool (closed while we were there), a basketball court, playground, laundry, and camp store. I thought it was a little expensive at $75/night (for full hook-up) at the end of the season, especially since the pool was closed.
LegendWe stopped here in the summer to check out the coastal towns in southern Maine. There are many campgrounds in the area and we chose this one because they had a 25% off coupon (on a 7-night stay) which gave us the best nightly price in the area. However, the nightly rate was still$74/night, one reason being they charge a “resort fee” of$15/day which is ridiculous. This is a typical resort-style campground with lots of amenities (most of which we never use). But, for some people, this is a destination campground because of all the amenities- a large heated swimming pool, basketball courts, sand volleyball, bocce, fitness center, two playgrounds, 18-hole minigolf (that you pay extra for), and more.
The campsites in the front of the park are sandwiched between the swimming pool and Route 1 which is very busy and noisy. Campsites in the far back portion of the campground are shaded and a much quieter section. Camping pads and patios are a mix of gravel and sand. Many sites have shade and some have an astroturf patio (I think those are “premium” sites). Our campsite was in the middle section which was fairly quiet but the sites are close together with no privacy. The site was a long and level pull thru with a gravel pad and gravel/sand patio. All sites have a picnic table and fire pit.
There is a tent-only section and they have renal cabins. There is lots to do for families in the area including the beach and amusement and water parks. Restaurants of all sorts are nearby. You can easily walk to Congdon’s Donuts which is a Maine classic.
LegendThis is a nice, clean, well-maintained campground for RV and tenting. The campground is located on Route 1 which means you are convenient to a lot of things but there is lots of traffic. Half the campground is seasonal/long term campers and the other side is mostly transients. The roads and campsites are fine crushed gravel with nice grassy patios. The campground is very well maintained (the best part being that the mower collects they cut the grass so no clippings get tracked in your camper). There are some mature trees that provide shade but don’t impede navigating in and out of sites or impacting slide outs.
Campsites range from tent with water/electric to RV water/electric and RV full hook-up 50-amp and full hook-up 30-amp. There are three bathhouses on the property (one of which has a dishwashing sink) and laundry. Tent sites 50-55 are in an are set away from RV sites and more private. They are also close to a large bathhouse with multiple toilets and showers. Tent sites 90-100 are across from a large playground which can be quite chaotic, but if you have kids, this is a great spot.
Our site (#147) was a long pull-thru with a descent amount of space between our neighbors. We got about half a dozen over-the-air channels (one being a major network station) and were able to connect with eastern arc satellites with our Dish Satellite. The 50A electric was good as was the water pressure.
The campground does not have much in the way of amenities except for a game room, basketball court, and playground. The game room is pretty cool with lots of arcade-style games, a pool table, foosball, and table tennis. While we were there, they just finished putting in all new playground equipment and enlarged the size making it really big and a hit with the kids in the park. Once convenience is that maintenance picks up garbage at your site (between 8am– 3pm). Unfortunately, people leave them out after hours and animals got into them and scattered garbage everywhere. We've stayed here before and always enjoy being in the area as it is close to the fun cities of Portsmouth and Newburyport.
ScoutThe recreation hall was a nice surprise. We had some rainy weather one afternoon and the kids were able to play games while we relaxed for a bit. Saved the day honestly😂
ScoutWe were visiting family around Nashua and needed somewhere to park the RV nearby. Berry’s Grove ended up being a really good fit. We could come and go easily and still have a nice place to relax at the end of the day.
ScoutOceanfront camping at its best—full hookups just steps from the beach. Located in popular Hampton Beach, you'll be close to nightly bandshell concerts and vibrant nightlife. There is a lottery system in place for stays during the summer.
ScoutWe came up looking for a campground where we could actually spend a few days without constantly driving somewhere. Ended up fishing, swimming, walking along the river and exploring the area. The campground gave us plenty to do, but it was also nice having the option to just sit at the campsite and do nothing. Would definitley come back.
Bear Brook State Park offers year-round dog-friendly camping options within a 45-minute drive from Hooksett, New Hampshire. The park's elevation ranges from approximately 350 to 900 feet above sea level, with most campsites sitting around 500 feet. Winter camping is permitted in select areas when roads aren't snow-covered, though facilities are limited from November through April.
Lake activities at Pawtuckaway State Park: Multiple lakes and ponds provide water recreation options. "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. Sites on the water "book up quickly but they're perfect for fishing and boating," according to J L.
Mountain biking at Bear Brook State Park: Extensive trail system with varied difficulty levels. "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," writes Eammon C.
Hiking at Greenfield State Park: Multiple trails around the pond and through wooded areas. "Frog pond is fun to explore," says Ali B. The park serves as a good base camp for nearby peaks: "Monadnock State Park is about a 25 minute drive from the campground, and provides a beautiful hike," according to Emma N.
Private campsites at Epsom Valley Campground: Sites spaced for privacy along the river. "My FAVORITE part was what was called the 'wilderness area'. AMAZING little tent sites! They were secluded but still had full hookups," writes Molly G. Another camper notes the "nice quiet place to relax" atmosphere.
Multiple swimming options: Several campgrounds feature both natural swimming areas and pools. At Autumn Hills Campground, "They offer boat rentals, canoes, paddle boats and kayaks. They do have a pool, park, dog park, lake and food trucks visits at times," says Jen.
Clean facilities: Modern, well-maintained bathrooms and showers at many campgrounds. Cold Springs Camp Resort receives consistent praise: "Very clean and well maintained grounds and buildings," writes Shawn D. Another camper highlights "clean, flat sites, easy to navigate" and "facilities are spotless."
Cell service variability: Coverage differs by provider and location. "For cell service: ATT seems to have pretty decent coverage but not Verizon," reports Utshob A. about Bear Brook State Park.
Seasonal availability: Most campgrounds operate from May through October. "Went here to stay when attending a Tool concert in Manchester one summer. The facilities were close enough to the sites, but far enough away to not have the light shining into your tents," notes Jackie G.
Site sizes vary significantly: Research specific site numbers before booking. At Lazy River Family Campground, "Some of the sites are a bit too close to each other but there are some that are nice and private," according to Kimberly R. The campground has "mostly level sites sit under towering pines and vary greatly in size."
Activity-focused campgrounds: Choose parks with programming for children. Friendly Beaver Campground offers "crafts, hayrides and games, playground and other events," according to Kate C. The campground also features "3 outdoor pools (sports, toddler, regular) plus an indoor pool for rainy or chilly days."
Playground accessibility: Consider proximity to play areas. At Calef Lake Camping Area, "the playground is absolutely perfect for kids and adults alike," writes Alyse-Beast F., adding that the location is "perfect for a quick escape from southern NH without going too far north."
Weekend activity planning: Campgrounds often have organized events Friday through Sunday. Cold Springs Camp Resort "is definitely a top ten campground" with "great activities," notes Shawn D., while others mention the consistent programming throughout summer weekends.
Access considerations: Some campgrounds have tight turns and narrow roads. Jean C. notes about Bear Brook: "I was towing a 14' teardrop, not a big trailer and I had to be careful to swing wide at the corner" while accessing certain sites.
Hookup locations: Position can require extra equipment at some sites. At Friendly Beaver, "our 28 foot travel trailer barely fit into the site," reports Taylor H. Another camper at a different park mentions needing "a very long sewer hose" for certain sites.
Dog-friendly campgrounds near Hooksett: Many allow pets but have specific rules. Paula W. chose Bear Brook State Park "because I travel with dogs" and found it "quiet and accommodating." Another reviewer mentioned Greenfield State Park being "dog friendly" with wooded sites providing shade during summer months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Hooksett, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Hooksett, NH is Bear Brook State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 29 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Hooksett, NH?
TheDyrt.com has all 146 dog-friendly camping locations near Hooksett, NH, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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