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Madbury, New Hampshire serves as a gateway to diverse camping options across southeastern New Hampshire and southern Maine. Within a 30-mile radius, campgrounds like Pawtuckaway State Park and Bear Brook State Park provide developed facilities for tent camping, RV hookups, and cabin rentals. The region balances coastal and inland options, with campgrounds scattered throughout forested areas and near waterways. Local campgrounds are searchable through The Dyrt's listings.
Seasonal considerations significantly impact camping in the Madbury region, with most campgrounds operating from May through October. State parks like Pawtuckaway offer reservable sites with amenities such as picnic tables, fire rings, and bathhouses with flush toilets and showers. Many campgrounds provide electric and water hookups for RVs, though sewer connections vary by location. Reservations are strongly recommended during summer weekends and holidays when waterfront sites fill quickly. Most sites accommodate both tents and smaller RVs, with some campgrounds offering big-rig friendly options. According to one visitor, "The park includes a large family beach on the lake with many opportunities for hiking, with trails leading to special points of interest, including a mountaintop fire tower."
Water access represents a major draw for campers visiting the Madbury area, with several campgrounds situated on lakes or ponds. Pawtuckaway State Park features waterfront campsites that allow campers to launch boats directly from their site, though reviews note these premium locations require advance booking. Bear Brook State Park offers multiple ponds for paddling, swimming, and fishing, with campsites set among towering pines. Many campgrounds maintain a family-friendly atmosphere with amenities like playgrounds, camp stores, and recreational facilities. The proximity to both forest trails and coastal beaches provides varied outdoor recreation opportunities. As one reviewer noted, "We loved paddle boarding in the river where seals were plentiful and fun to watch. There is also another winding river that goes through a marshy area that was great for bird watching."
"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."
from $35 - $140 / night
Check Availability"Walking distance to rest rooms and showers. Great owners. 1st trip in a hurricane."
"Learning to get away from the bad campers."
from $43 - $47 / night
Check Availability"We had bathrooms located near our site. They were four separate bathrooms that had a sink and toilet and were clean. They did offer showers in another area but I did not use them."
"Our full hookup site was very close to other sites, so unfortunately we had to deal with some noise issues."
from $48 - $97 / night
Check Availability"Had to walk around to find signal for phone call."
"Sites are wide I parked my truck next to camper and still had enough space for a safe fire in the pit."
from $45 - $55 / night
Check Availability"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."
from $35 - $45 / night
Check Availability"So clean, friendly staff and plenty to do here or close by. Minutes away from some very nice beaches"
"Their location is close to Hampton Beach and Rye sea walk and good restaurants including a doughnut shop within walking distance."
"Campground is superior in its warmth, cleanliness, dog friendly and access to points of interest."
"LOTS OF GREAT restaurants there and nearby, like Ogunquit Maine and York Maine, etc. THERE is plenty to do if you canoe or kayak, there is a pond right there, there is a swimming area in the pond. "
"You are steps away from the beach from the time you arrive to the time you departed the staff is always available and always willing to help, answer any questions and give recommendations where to go eat"
"Love the location & the town of York! The views are beautiful!"
from $50 - $125 / night
Check Availability"Lots of things to do in surrounding towns and easy access to the river."
"We were able to book last minute and got a great tenting site, next to a running river that was great to sleep to. Very buggy, but it's outside, what do you expect?"
"Staff was very friendly and extremely cautious about their surroundings. Plenty of things to do to stay busy during the rainy days."
ScoutWe travel in a larger RV and always check campground access before deciding where to stay. We were able to get situated without turning arrival day into an ordeal, which anyone with a big rig knows is a win.
TravelerI recently spent 5 days here camping with my dog and my family and we enjoyed it immensely! The staff was all extremely kind, helpful, and they worked hard to keep the campground clean. The bathrooms especially wete always clean. Its nice to be able to be comfortably in the woods while also having other amenities within 15-20 minute driving to pick up things we forgot or a little adventure. The sites were huge and had plenty of space for all our stuff and were all extremely well maintained.
ScoutReally nice little campground. We loved how peaceful it was, especially in the mornings when the lake was quiet. We made coffee, sat outside by the camper, and watched the water before starting our day. The campground was clean and our hookups worked perfectly. Nothing complicated or overdone, just a comfortable place to camp and enjoy being outside. We would definitely return.
TravelerA mix of seasonal and short term campers. Here for 3 nights I did not feel out of place at all - quite the opposite. Staff are very nice, campground is quiet, clean and has lots of amenities(laundry, games- pool, table tennis, badminton, small kids playground, kayak rental for the placid river, swimming area at the river"beach"). All sites have water and hookup. Couple of excellent tent spots right on the river. I had a small space down by the river for my tent trailer and found it quite spacious. Sites overall are somewhat close together but not overly and it remains peaceful. About 30 minute easy drive to the coast (Portsmouth, Hampton Beach etc.).
ScoutWe wanted somewhere outside the city where we could stay with our RV but still be close enough to drive into Boston for the day. Berry’s Grove worked really well for that. After spending the day sightseeing, it was nice coming back somewhere quiet and relaxing by the lake.
ScoutWe wanted to spend a day in Boston but had zero interest in bringing the RV into the city. Berry’s Grove gave us a completely different experience. We could do the sightseeing and crowds during the day and come back somewhere much calmer at night.
ScoutThe location is what made this place for us. Waking up and being able to walk right down to the water was great. We spent most of our stay fishing, sitting outside, and just enjoying the campground. It is not one of those huge campgrounds packed with activities, which was honestly exactly what we wanted. Small, peaceful, and a nice place to enjoy some downtime.
Scout⭐**Gunstock Campground: Apparently Your Reserved Site Is More of a Suggestion**
I don't believe I have**ever** left a negative Google review. I generally think that when something goes wrong, you contact the business, give them an opportunity to make it right, and most businesses are genuinely interested in doing exactly that.
Gunstock Campground has cured me of that quaint notion.
I reserved a full-hookup campsite for two nights. I was unable to make it there the first night, but arrived shortly after 7:00 a.m. the next morning. The camp store, where registration takes place, wasn't open yet, so I headed out for my planned hike— about six miles through the Belknaps, including summiting Rowe twice and Gunstock.
By the time I returned, I was utterly exhausted, starving, and actually feeling weak. My ambitions for the afternoon were modest:**eat something, take a shower, and collapse at the campsite I had paid for.**
The staff at the camp store greeted me warmly, checked me in, and sent me on my way.
I drove to my site. There was already a camper in it. Not merely*parked* there, mind you. They had apparently moved right in. They were hooked up to**my site's water and electric**, with water spraying from their ill-fitting hose connection and forming a rather impressive puddle underneath the camper.
I returned to the camp store to report that someone had apparently activated Gunstock's new**"Choose Any Site You Like"** camping plan. A staff member went down to speak with them and came back to tell me they were "packing up." Excellent! My mistake was assuming" packing up" meant**leaving**. It did not.
Apparently these campers had actually reserved a site**two rows away** that had**no water or electric**. Yet somehow, sometime after arriving the previous night, they had accidentally found themselves two rows over, in my clearly different site, connected to utilities their reservation didn't include.
We've all made mistakes. I've occasionally parked one space away from where I intended. I've never accidentally parked**two rows away, hooked myself up to someone else's electricity and water, and spent the night.**
But perhaps I lack imagination.
After they had now consumed about an hour of my afternoon— which, incidentally, is an hour I normally bill at attorney rates— I went back toward my site expecting to find it finally vacated.
And it was! Because Gunstock had moved these folks to another site**two spaces away from me**, apparently allowing them to pay for the upgrade they had already been test-driving. So the people who knowingly or unknowingly occupied my reserved full-hookup site, used the utilities, and delayed me from getting into the site I paid for were rewarded with...a nearby full-hookup site.
They never walked over to apologize. At that point, I no longer felt comfortable staying. It's difficult to relax at a campground when you've just discovered that site assignments appear to operate somewhat on the honor system— and that when someone helps themselves to your reserved site and utilities, management's solution is apparently to make sure *they* remain comfortably accommodated nearby. So I left. On my way home, I called Gunstock and asked for a refund. Surely, I thought, this would be the easy part. After all, I had paid for two nights, hadn't used the first, couldn't get into my site when I arrived for the second, waited while unauthorized occupants vacated it, and ultimately left because the entire experience had become so unpleasant.
Nope. Instead, the staff member **defended the other campers**. I was told they arrived late and "mistakenly" took my site. I was even told they supposedly **hadn't used the utilities**. This was particularly fascinating information for me to receive because **I PERSONALLY SAW THEM HOOKED UP TO THE WATER AND ELECTRIC.** I also took photographs. Including the enormous puddle underneath their camper from the leaking water connection. But apparently my eyewitness account and photographs were no match for the alternative version of events.
For my inconvenience, however, Gunstock did give me a coupon for a **free Bavarian pretzel**. So there is that.
I paid for a full-hookup campsite. Someone else occupied it and used the hookups. I lost roughly an hour waiting to access what I had reserved. The other campers were accommodated with an upgraded site nearby. I left because I no longer felt comfortable staying. And when I asked Gunstock to make the situation right, they refused to refund me and instead argued with me about things **I had personally witnessed and photographed**. The most disappointing part isn't that another camper took my site. Campers can behave badly. Businesses can't control everything their customers do. **What a business CAN control is how it responds when that happens. ** Gunstock had every opportunity to turn this into a mildly annoying story about a camping mix-up. Instead, they turned it into my first negative Google review.
But hey... **I do have that free pretzel coupon.**
ScoutWe stopped at Berry’s Grove while traveling through Massachusetts and were really happy with our stay. The hookups were convenient, our site was easy to get into, and having water and sewer right there made things simple.
Madbury, New Hampshire offers four-season camping opportunities with varied terrain ranging from riverside sites to wooded retreats. The region sits at elevations between 50-350 feet above sea level, creating diverse microclimates for campers throughout the area. Seasonal flooding can affect riverside campgrounds during spring melt, particularly at lower elevations near the Lamprey and Salmon Falls Rivers.
Paddling opportunities: Launch directly from Pawtuckaway State Park for easy water access on the lake. "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," reports Matt R.
Mountain biking trails: Bear Brook State Park Campground maintains extensive trail networks for riders of all skill 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," notes Eammon C.
Beach activities: Within 30 minutes of Madbury, coastal beaches offer alternatives to pond swimming. At Libbys Oceanside Camp in York Harbor, Maine, "This campsite has a great view over the ocean towards the lighthouse. The site is very tidy and toilets clean! Everything you would need available," according to Olaf.
Waterfront sites: Premium lakeside spots at Pawtuckaway State Park Campground fill quickly but reward early planners. "The sites on the water book up quickly but they're perfect for fishing and boating. Also, the view!" notes J L.
Clean facilities: Wellington Camping Park maintains exceptionally clean bathrooms and common areas. "Nice, quiet campground on the Lamprey River, sites are gravel and sand. Sites are wide I parked my truck next to camper and still had enough space for a safe fire in the pit. The shower/toilet house was very clean and open for use," reports Harold C.
Wildlife viewing: Many campgrounds provide opportunities to observe local fauna. "Not far from Boston, making this a nice escape but also a pretty crowded day use park and campground. Excellent hiking, beach, wildlife-filled wetlands, girding, geology, forests, and water to enjoy," states Harry H. about Pawtuckaway State Park.
Reservation requirements: The best places to camp near Madbury require advance planning, especially for water sites. At Wakeda Campground, "We stayed three months here last summer. The beach and pool are small and quiet. Baths are new and clean. Only one washer/dryer. Driveway is hard to see and difficult to get in and out of. Owners were responsive," notes Constance S.
Site selection matters: Campgrounds near Madbury vary significantly in site privacy and quality. "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. There are some spectacular views of the lake and mountains from many sites," reports Kris M. about Bear Brook State Park.
Weather considerations: Early and late season camping requires preparation for temperature swings. "In 2013 - site 25 was a little challenging since it was on a downgrade and we were hit with a an unexpected 36 hour downpour and there was only one suitable spot for our tent since the terrain is very rocky. After a few hours of constant rain I realized the water runoff from the road above and the driveway all ended up flowing right under our tent into the lake," warns Ellen C. about Pawtuckaway State Park.
Kid-friendly campgrounds: Old Stage Campground in Dover offers family-oriented amenities. "Kid. Accommodating. Family friendly. Kid infested. Safe. Scenic. Perfect," reports Lyndzie O.
Activity planning: Campgrounds with diverse recreation options keep children engaged. "This Campground is family friendly and has a lot to offer. Our camping group consisted of children from the ages of 8-17 yrs old. No one was bored. If you want to keep your family engaged and happy, this campground is a sure bet," explains J B. about Salmon Falls / Lebanon KOA.
Wildlife education: Introduce children to local fauna through campground observation. "I forgot the daily visits from the ducks, like clockwork morning and dusk a family of ducks visited looking for grub and although most feed them bread, I know that's not good for them so they left unsatisfied. The next day I bought uncooked Quaker Oats and some grapes that I cut in quarters for them," shares Ellen C. about wildlife encounters at Pawtuckaway State Park.
Site leveling: Some of the best places to camp near Madbury require attention to leveling. "Sites are level and roomy. The bathroom was clean. The walk to the beach was along a public parking lot. The beach was clean. The small store is well stocked. You can rent kayaks here. Lots of small people powered boats on the lake," notes Susan B. about Pawtuckaway State Park.
Hookup quality: Sea Coast Camping and RV Resort offers reliable services for RVers. "Friendly staff, hard gravel access roads, level gravel sites. No issues with electric, sewer or water hookups. Some of the best clear, clean, drinking water at high pressure we have come across. Great access to beaches, numerous eateries and shopping minutes away," reports Chuck H.
Signal considerations: Check connectivity before arrival if working remotely. "Very friendly. Good size lots. A lot of seasonal campers there give this place a neighborhood atmosphere. 10 to 15 minutes to stores and other needs. 30 minutes to coast. Portsmouth harbor cruise and many small coastal pubs and restaurants. Here is the 'BUT'. Wi-Fi is barely usable after 8am. And phone signal is spotty at best. Had to walk around to find signal for phone call," warns Ray P. about Wellington Camping Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Madbury, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Madbury, NH is Pawtuckaway State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 44 reviews.
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