Best Dispersed Camping near Keene, NH
Several free dispersed camping opportunities exist within an hour's drive of Keene, primarily in the Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont. Forest Road 71 offers multiple primitive sites with established fire rings and minimal amenities. Most sites accommodate tents and small RVs, though road conditions can be challenging after rain. Somerset Airfield provides a more open area with pit toilets and multiple campsites near Somerset Reservoir. A camper noted, "It's great to see families camping. There are pit toilets. AT&T service at bridge prior to camp - short walk."
The George D. Aiken Wilderness area features well-spaced sites that are generally flat and include fire pits. NF 83 offers riverside camping with limited access, requiring higher clearance vehicles. According to one visitor, "The beginning of the little driveway is quite rough with some bigger rocks." For backpackers, Stratton Pond Shelter provides tent platforms and bunk spaces along the Appalachian Trail. The standard 14-day camping limit applies throughout these areas, and all sites require pack-in, pack-out practices as most lack trash facilities.
