Best Campgrounds near Gilford, NH

Recent Reviews near Gilford, NH

1324 Reviews of 292 Gilford Campgrounds

• 

  Utshob A.

  Traveler

  Sep. 2, 2025

  Bear Brook State Park Campground

  Convenient and fun

  The park was easy to get to, only about half an hour from Manchester. It has kayak rentals and a very well stocked camp store, that was close to the camp sites. Our campsite was only about a hundred feet away from the camp store but still felt private.

  Our campsite also had a fire pit and a picnic table which were great.

  The size of the sites varies quite a bit though as well as their isolation, some were out in the open.

  For cell service: ATT seems to have pretty decent coverage but not Verizon.

• 

  Erin D.

  Scout

  Sep. 1, 2025

  Lost River Valley Campground

  Dirty and Disappointing

  Here’s the revised version of your review with the laundry issue added in seamlessly:⸻ I came to this campground after seeing it advertised in a New Hampshire magazine, noting that it had once been recommended by Yankee Magazine. Unfortunately, it seems that recommendation must have been from many years ago, because what we experienced was nothing like what was promised. From the moment we arrived, it was clear the property was extremely rundown. The entrance and camp store were full of broken wood, broken signs, and musty smells. The bathrooms were absolutely atrocious—filthy, smelly, and clearly not maintained. They may not have been updated in years, but they could at least be kept clean, and they were not. The playgrounds—despite this being advertised as a family-friendly campground—were unsafe and neglected. Structures were practically falling down, weeds were everywhere, and one so-called playground was nothing more than a tarp on the ground with a tiny jungle gym. The game room was equally disappointing: dirty, moldy, and unusable. We had also looked forward to using the laundry facilities, but they were completely out of order and appeared to have been that way for quite some time. This was extremely disappointing and added to the sense that the entire campground is neglected. The swimming area was also a major letdown. The water was murky and uninviting—I wouldn’t even consider kayaking or putting my feet in it. Calling it a“beach” is misleading; it was unkempt and unpleasant. Overall, this campground was an extreme disappointment. It felt neglected, unsafe, and unhygienic in every way. I will not be returning, and I would strongly caution others to look elsewhere for a true family-friendly New Hampshire camping experience.⸻ Would you like me to shorten this into a punchier version(since some review sites have word limits), or keep it as a full detailed account for maximum impact?

  Read More
• 

  Kaileigh K.

  Guide

  Aug. 25, 2025

  Sandy Pines Campground

  Amazing location and campground amenities

  We had an amazing long weekend at Sandy Pines and will definitely plan to return. I loved that there was a tent only area that felt a little more secluded and quiet with some nice privacy between sites. The playground and pool were a hit with the kids. The bathrooms were always clean and single user, some had showers as well. The proximity to goose rocks beach was a major plus!

• S

  Sheila C.

  Scout

  Aug. 23, 2025

  Cold Springs Camp Resort

  All Around Exceptional

  This place is just great! They have clean, flat sites, easy to navigate and get our fifth wheel in. The facilities are spotless. There are numerous pools and hot tubs, activities and the people that work there are just the nicest! Our kids were never scolded for being loud and neither were the adults. We have booked our return trip already and can't wait to go back!

• 

  Dale S.

  Scout

  Aug. 23, 2025

  Nauman Tentsite

  Perfect Camping Adventure in White Mountains

  This campsite sounds like a perfect spot for nature lovers who enjoy rugged terrain and peaceful surroundings. The mix of wooden platforms, nearby water sources, and bear protection measures shows how well-prepared it is for group camping. Exploring trails like the Appalachian or enjoying the views from Mount Washington would make the trip even more memorable— almost like the adventure and excitement you find in an android game.

• J

  Jeremiah C.

  Scout

  Aug. 20, 2025

  Plymouth Sands Camping Area

  Nice campground with amenities and friendly owners

  The campground is in a convenient location near lots of hiking trails and attractions. The sites are decently spacious and have various configurations for utilities. There is a nice beach on the river with a rope swing and ability to swim. We were there while the water was fairly low, so it was great for kids. Firewood is available on site. There is a bathroom with a few stalls and sinks that is well kept and clean. The showers are quarter operated with a coin heat lamp as well for the colder seasons. The office has a lending library of games available. The couple that owns the campground are very friendly and have owned it for 3 seasons now and they have done a great job making sure that amenities are kept up and upgrades are being made.

  Read More
• R

  Russ V.

  Scout

  Aug. 15, 2025

  Sun Outdoors Wells Beach

  Zero wifi or cell signal

  Stayed back in 2023 with travel trailer and experienced almost zero wifi signal as well as verizon cell signal. Returned this past week and found no improvement whatsoever. This on back half of property. Manager stated they are awar and working on it. (For 2 years?). Could not plan anything, check weather unless you walked or drive up front. Light globes at various sites next to campers lit all night and were annoying so covered with bag. Some sites are just bad..huge pine tree at 428 caused camper to park his angled. Fire wood being sold is all pine & burns up immediately.

• 

  Cassie G.

  Traveler

  Aug. 12, 2025

  Winding River Campground

  Fun laid back place. This campground has a lot of potential. Some info on their website and Facebook isn’t accurate.

  I would like to share my experience this past weekend at Winding River in Exeter NH. My family of 3 Stayed at tent site 523 in the Oak area. We also had family at 553 and 554 and Cabin 2.

  About site 523: I clearly had one of the largest and most private tent sites. It was set back with a long driveway tucked between 522 and 524. It’s a very steep drop into the river making most sites a little nerve wracking with a little one. Online it said water available nearby. Most sites had a hookup but there wasn’t a one on my site. It looked like there may have been one to share on the road, but I didn’t end up needing to figure that out.

  Tent sites 522 and 524: Along with most of the tent sites these sites were very close to each other, much smaller and closer to the road. I wished my family members had gotten 552 and 553 as they blended together nicely if you are tenting in side by side spaces. The ground was very rocky making staking tents down difficult. They were right next to the bathroom which was convenient but loud. Ventilation in the bathroom was not good so the doors were propped open much of the time and loud hand dryers.

  Shower:

  • This is the smaller of the two bathrooms in the campground. There are 2 showers there. Each with a single insufficient curtain and no hooks on the wall or bench to place things down. Water was hot enough, pressure was ok if you set it to the high power massage-like setting.
  • The showers in other bathroom (near the town center area) had a door and two curtains. Some had hooks (some of which were broken). I almost tripped going in and out of these bathroom stalls because they are raised up but there is no marking on the ground to indicate that.

  Cabin 2: Ac worked well. There was a good sized bed downstairs, smaller beds in two lofts. I was surprised the couch didn’t pull out. Fridge and all dishes were nice and clean. All the cabins seem to have different back porch setups. This porch was smaller than C1. There was a propane grill that smelled rancid with sooo much caked on The burners. The location of the ceiling fan under the other lights in the ceiling gave them a flashing effect that really bothered me.

  Pros:

  • Lower price compared to other campgrounds (but I don’t feel like I got everything advertised on the website)
  • Two playgrounds, both were nice.
  • Water slide was fun
  • We arrived Thursday at the gate and were told how to get to our site, to set up and then come over to the office which was nice.

  Cons:

  • The river is very low and yucky so none of the boating or fishing advertised was possible. likely causing the massive amount of mosquitos.
  • The whole arcade building was was “out of order”
  • The laundry room had two washers (one was broken) and two dryers 2.50 each per load. Not sufficient for a campground this size (especially when people leave their clothes in the machine for 30 mins after they’re done!)
  • Camp store was poorly stocked (multiple empty coolers).
  • Ice $3 per SMALL bag.
  • Wood $10 per bundle and rules say you can’t bring from off-site. I saw people with huge metal bins of wood but was never offered that option when I payed for multiple bundles.
  • Camp store closes at 3 on Sunday and doesn’t open until 11 am during the week (which is also checkout). This made it a little confusing when I wanted to return the golf cart. They have a small area with icecream that is scooped and maybe a kitchen. I never saw it open but I think the sign said open morning to 12 and then again in the evening.
  • The pool was green and cloudy on day 3. I called the office and was told they had just shocked it and that was a result of the copper. I am not informed enough on pool safety so I opted out of swimming on the hottest day of our stay. My son was bummed.
  • Planned activities were only scheduled for Friday and Saturday, when online mentions “daily”. During adult kareoke there were plenty of kids and really poor wifi (wasting so much time between songs).

  And just to add:

  • Staff I encountered was friendly enough, but It would be nice if they wore shirts to identify themselves.
  • Golf cart was great, but cost more than the site per night.
  • Pedal go-carts were available for rent (I didn’t ask a price).

  Read More
• 

  Rae Y.

  Scout

  Aug. 11, 2025

  Saddleback Campground

  Uncomfortable feeling for my girls

  I made everyone stay in the trailer every night , we just didn’t feel comfortable with our girls being out after dark. There was def a lot of questionable rif raf that were definitely on something and it was obvious that there were a few girls there that were working.   Always men working on vehicles.  Family will not go back. Don’t want my daughter around that