A
Amber G.
Scout
ScoutTripoli Road
So much fun!
Went on a weekend and it was still very peaceful! Lots to do on such a beautiful back road. We stayed at two different sites each night we were there and both were equally beautiful and peaceful
Camping near Madison, NH
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SUMMARY PRESENTED BY
The White Mountains region surrounding Madison, New Hampshire features a mix of established campgrounds and natural areas for overnight stays. Danforth Bay Camping & RV Resort in nearby Freedom offers tent sites, RV hookups, and cabin accommodations on nearly 200 acres along a scenic lake. White Lake State Park Campground in Tamworth, approximately 10 miles southwest of Madison, provides lakeside camping with swimming access. Several campgrounds in the area feature both wooded and open sites, with many offering amenities ranging from basic tent pads to full hookup RV sites with 50-amp service.
Seasonal considerations heavily impact camping availability throughout the region, with most campgrounds operating from May through October. White Lake State Park typically opens Memorial Day weekend and closes in early October, while other private campgrounds may extend their seasons slightly longer. Winter camping options are limited, though some areas remain accessible for experienced cold-weather campers. Reservations are strongly recommended during summer months and holiday weekends when campgrounds frequently reach capacity. Cell service varies significantly throughout the White Mountain National Forest and surrounding areas, with better coverage near towns and limited or no service in more remote locations. As one camper noted, "The White Mountains stretch quite some distance. While the Presidential peaks are often considered the jewel of this range, I find the Franconia Ridge just as beautiful and stunning."
Waterfront camping receives consistently high ratings from visitors to the region. Danforth Bay Camping & RV Resort earns praise for its lakeside setting and extensive amenities, including multiple pools, a boat launch, and weekend entertainment during peak season. Campers seeking more solitude may prefer the national forest campgrounds, which typically offer fewer amenities but more natural surroundings. Road noise can be an issue at some locations, particularly those situated near highways. According to feedback on The Dyrt, "My site was in the row closest to the road where there was truck noise for much of the night. I recommend getting a site as far away from the road as possible." Many campgrounds in the area provide access to hiking trails, fishing spots, and scenic drives through the White Mountains, making them popular base camps for exploring the region's natural attractions.
Best Campgrounds near Madison (325)
1. White Lake State Park Campground
"Last weekend, our family stayed at White Lake State Park for four days."
"I’ve stayed here a few times and love the location and access to White Lake."
from $35 - $105 / night
Check Availability2. Danforth Bay Camping & RV Resort
"This campground is huge with over 300 sites set on nearly 200 acres and along a beautiful lake!"
"We love the golf carts and sandy beaches as well as the proximity to North Conway and Lake Ossipee. Staff are nice, quiet time is a bit over enforced."
from $40 - $85 / night
Check Availability3. Eastern Slope Camping Area
"A large wooden shelter stood over our picnic table, with a decent amount of space next to it for tents or a small camper."
"Great location with easy ride to all North Conway attractions. Nice hay ride and playground. The beach is sandy and lots of room to spread out. We visited Story Land and Mt."
4. Covered Bridge
"He absolutely loved it and there was plenty of space in the tent site for him to roam around."
"This campground is in a great location. It’s nestled right off the Kancamagus with walking access to boulder loop trail and the swift river. It’s a quick drive to many hiking trails."
from $30 / night
Check Availability5. White Ledge Campground
"White Ledge Campground is in the White Mountain National Forest and should not be confused with nearby White Lake State Park."
"Water spigot and vault toilets, dumpsters all within easy walking distance of all sites. Great spot to start Carter Ledge Trail to hike Three Sisters and Mount Chocorua."
from $30 / night
Check Availability6. Chocorua KOA
"There were some rules in place in order to ensure social distancing and reduce risk to ourselves and to the staff."
"They were wooded and in a central location close to the playgrounds, pavilion, beach and nature trails."
from $45 - $110 / night
Check Availability7. Jigger Johnson Campground
"Located on the Kancamagus Highway in New Hampshire, Jigger Johnson is one of those great sites that has close proximity to plenty of hiking, exploring, swimming and isn't too far from the hustle and bustle"
"earlier in the day, around 1 pm when new campers are welcomed."
from $24 / night
Check Availability8. Saco River Camping Area
"They have bike rentals, disc golf, ping pong table, outside big chess game, pool, outlet shopping was near by, near by historic sites, like kangamangus Highway, diana’s Bath, cathedral ledge, we went"
"People to our left and the ones behind us were annual vistors to this campground. We are new to Rving it was refreshing to be around such nice people."
9. Dry River Campground — Crawford Notch State Park
"Cool location right on the edge of the Dry River Wilderness. Great Basecamp for lots of hikes in the area. Some spots are right on the highway with not much tree cover in between so can be loud."
"This state park campground located between Rte 302 and the Dry River in Crawford Notch is a great location for exploring family friendly trails to (Sawyer Pond, Arethusa Falls, Willard Cliffs to name a"
from $35 - $40 / night
Check Availability10. Town Hall Road Dispersed
"Awesome boondocking in New Hampshire, what a treat in the east coast! Just beautiful scenery, with trees, rivers, creeks, hiking trails with a pond- we absolutely loved our time here. "
"There were plenty of sites to choose from and most (not all) had access to the river as well as a fire ring. Sites were on a dirt road, but it was quiet for the most part."
Drive Time
- 1 hr 26 min from Lewiston, ME
- 1 hr 33 min from Manchester, NH
- 1 hr 33 min from Portland, ME
- 2 hrs 5 min from Boston, MA
Recent Camping Photos near Madison, NH
801 Photos of 325 Madison Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Recent Reviews near Madison, NH
1502 Reviews of 325 Madison Campgrounds
- MMarie S.Scout
Gunstock Campground
Apparently Your Reserved Site Is More of a Suggestion
⭐**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.**
- KKrista R.
TravelerMoose Brook State Park Campground
Like Dispersed Camping... For $42
Pros: We have the p lube nearly to ourselves, thus it was very similar to dispersed camping. Nice little campground with two small ponds (One for fishing, the other for swimming). Nothing very remarkable, though.
Cons: As others have mentioned, if you want flush toilets and pay showers, you have to either stay at the more crowded, larger loop or walk across the highway to get to those amenities.
Richard P.ScoutSebago Lake Family Campground
Find a better place!
We just came back from a big family weekend there. We had 5 sites with 19 people(including children). This is by far the most rundown campground I've stayed! Only 1 bathroom facility was functioning. Of the 3 times I tried taking a shower, I only succeeded 1 time. The other 2 times(once at night and once the following morning at 6am) I only got drops coming out of the hot and cold faucets. I tried the only 2 stalls. Speaking of bathrooms...these have not been updated since the 60s-early 70s when I was camping with the same style bathroom facilities. The children's playground should be condemned!!! At least 25% of the wood is rotted. Some steps are missing from ladders. My granddaughter was swinging in the childs swing, the bottom unlatched and she fell through the bottom. If she wasn't monkey like in holding on she would have done a face plant to the ground. After looking at the swing, I found the plastic latch broken! 2 positives: the campsites are very nice! and the beach is great! Bottom line, these owners are not putting any money back into the campground and it's facilities. They are running it into the ground. I won't be coming back again!
- ccarolyn H.Scout
Hemlock Grove Campground
Great stay! :)
Wonderful stay! Clean bathrooms/showers. Woodsy and quiet. Clean campsites with water and electric. The people were super helpful and friendly! Wonderful stay, would easy stay here again :)
Jen P.TravelerTwin Mountain Campground
Lovely and peaceful
It was everything we were looking for, right on the river, quiet and clean, the section we stayed in was all tent camping so we weren’t sandwiched in between a bunch of RVs blocking the view. There was no lights, generators or loud music. Alcohol wasn’t permitted so that really cuts down on a lot of unnecessary nonsense. Pets are permitted and our dog loved it. It was very pleasant and relaxing. Can’t wait to go back.
- JJose L.Traveler
Town Hall Road Dispersed
Dispersed it is!
Stayed 8 nights with complete solitude. Bugs weren't too bad. There were plenty of dead birch trees and beech trees for firewood. Not any evergreens though. Site 16 has two campsites. I took the further one with plenty of room. Good size fire pit, but people before me left some large pieces of wood not completely put out along with lit coals.
Nikki M.ScoutCherry Mountain Road Dispersed
Dispersed camping in white mountains
We stayed in site #5. It was grassy and had a little creek running next to it that was lovely to listen to.
- Amy D.Traveler
Ellacoya State Park Campground
Pretty ok!
No major complaints. Beautiful location, easy to get to, convenient RV hookups. Goose poop everywhere so watch your step. Showers are relatively expensive. Sites are very very close together.
Guide to Madison
Madison, New Hampshire camping sites offer a blend of forested and waterfront options with elevations ranging from 400 to 1,000 feet. Summer temperatures typically average 75-85°F during the day with cooler 50-60°F nights, making sleeping comfortable even without air conditioning. The region's mixed hardwood forests provide natural shade at many campsites during summer months.
What to do
Hiking trails: White Ledge Campground provides direct access to the Carter Ledge trail up Mt. Chocorua and shorter loop trails. "White Ledge Loop which was 4.1 miles and got amazing views. The brooks running through are beautiful," notes a camper at White Ledge Campground.
River activities: Visitors can enjoy the Saco River for tubing, swimming, and fishing at several campgrounds. "We tubed on the Saco river and it was like a lazy river. So nice and relaxing," reports one camper. Tube rentals and shuttle services are available at many locations.
Winter options: While most campgrounds close by mid-October, winter camping is available at select White Mountain National Forest sites for experienced cold-weather campers. Proper gear and preparation are required for subfreezing temperatures.
Family attractions: The region offers access to nearby attractions like Story Land. A visitor notes, "We visited Story Land and Mt. Washington during our stay" at a local campground. These attractions are typically open daily from 9:30am-5:00pm during summer months.
What campers like
Waterfront campsites: Danforth Bay Camping & RV Resort earns praise for its lakeside settings. "Really liked this campground, large sites with full hookups. Beach and boat ramp with some cabins on the water," writes one visitor. Waterfront sites tend to book 3-6 months in advance for summer weekends.
Privacy between sites: Campers appreciate campgrounds that offer space between neighbors. "The sites are well spaced, well maintained and provide you with a picnic table and fire pit," notes a visitor at one local campground. Sites with more trees and natural barriers provide better sound insulation.
Clean facilities: Many campers highlight well-maintained bathrooms and showers as important factors. "The bathrooms are quite dated but clean. The pool is freezing cold so the kids didn't swim much," reports one family. Most campgrounds charge $0.25-$2.50 for showers.
Natural beauty: The scenery around Madison features mountains, lakes, and forest views. "Waking up to the sound of the loons in the morning was wonderful," shares a visitor at Chocorua KOA.
What you should know
Road noise: Some campgrounds are located near highways. "White Ledge Campground is directly next to Rt 16, so expect to hear some road noise, more so during the day. Whole site is very quiet at night," advises one camper. Request sites further from main roads when possible.
Bear awareness: Black bears are active in the region. "We spent 5 days and wished it was longer. There were 2 active bears while we were there. They circled our camper at night. It was incredible to watch. Of course we never left any food out!" shares a visitor at Jellystone Park Glen Ellis.
Site leveling challenges: Some waterfront sites require significant leveling. One camper notes, "The only level part of the site is away from the deck and water. My wife wanted to get the camper up close to the deck so our area under the awning was close to that, which meant I had a lot more leveling to do."
Reservation timing: First-come, first-served campgrounds fill quickly in summer. "It is first-come, first-served, so if you want a site with a path to the water it is best to arrive earlier in the day, around 1 pm when new campers are welcomed," advises a camper at Jigger Johnson Campground.
Tips for camping with families
Campground amenities: Several locations offer family-focused activities. "This campground is great for family camping. Plenty to do at the campground and around the surrounding area for people of all ages," shares a visitor. Look for campgrounds with playgrounds, game rooms, and organized activities.
Swimming options: Many sites feature swimming areas in lakes or rivers. "The beach area is small and not deep enough to swim but the kids enjoyed playing in the sand and water," notes one parent. Some campgrounds also have pools as alternatives to natural swimming.
Bathroom proximity: For families with young children, choosing sites near facilities helps. "I had a site next to the bathroom, which was very helpful and I felt confident letting my children go to the bathroom alone," reports a camper at White Lake State Park Campground.
Wildlife viewing: The chance to see local wildlife adds to the experience. "The campground has a beach with lots of ducks swimming near by. The kids enjoyed ice cream tacos from the snack shack," shares one family.
Tips from RVers
Site selection for larger rigs: Not all campgrounds accommodate larger RVs. "Some sites have more privacy. The inside locations had more of the trees cut down directly around them," notes a camper. Request site dimensions before booking.
Hookup variations: Available utilities vary widely between campgrounds. "We stayed at site M-9 and M-10," notes a visitor at Danforth Bay, adding these sites had "full hookups." Many forest service campgrounds offer no hookups.
Leveling requirements: Prepare for uneven terrain at many camping sites near Madison, New Hampshire. "Our site was level but didn't provide any privacy from the neighboring sites," reports one RV camper at Covered Bridge Campground.
Height restrictions: Some areas have covered bridges with height limits. One camper notes, "Covered bridge has 7.9' height restriction from the main scenic highway. We had to go out to Conway and drive back in."
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find camping areas near Madison?
Where can I find camping areas near Madison?
The Madison area of New Hampshire offers several excellent camping options. Lafayette Place Campground — Franconia Notch State Park provides spectacular mountain views with access to hiking trails along the Franconia Ridge and Lonesome Lake. For a riverside experience, Country Bumpkins Campground and Cabins offers spots along the river with ample parking and proximity to local attractions. Other noteworthy options include Jigger Johnson Campground along the Kancamagus Highway, The Pastures Campground near the Vermont border, and White Lake State Park Campground which features boat-in access and reservable sites.
What camping is available near Madison, NH?
What camping is available near Madison, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, Madison, NH offers a wide range of camping options, with 325 campgrounds and RV parks near Madison, NH and 10 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Madison, NH?
Which is the most popular campground near Madison, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Madison, NH is White Lake State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 25 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Madison, NH?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Madison, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 10 free dispersed camping spots near Madison, NH.
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