Best Cabin Camping near Manchester, NH
Pawtuckaway State Park Campground and Bear Brook State Park Campground offer rustic cabin accommodations within an hour's drive of Manchester. The cabins at Pawtuckaway feature electricity, sleeping space for six people, fire rings, and picnic tables, though they lack running water or bathrooms. Bear Brook's cabins are situated on a remote lake with no electricity, making them ideal for stargazing. "Cabins are on a remote lake. Perfect for star gazing! Rustic but comfy (beds) cabins. Bring all your own stuff. No electricity, so no lights," notes one visitor about the Bear Brook experience.
While some campgrounds maintain rustic aesthetics, others like Spacious Skies Seven Maples and Friendly Beaver Campground provide more furnished cabin options. Spacious Skies Seven Maples offers cabins with kitchenettes and private bathrooms, eliminating the need to use communal facilities. Cold Springs Camp Resort and Calef Lake Camping Area maintain cabins available from May through October, with most requiring reservations well in advance for summer weekends. One camper who stayed in a cabin with kitchenette noted, "The shower worked well and it was nice not to have to walk to the restrooms, though they were close by."
Most rustic cabins provide only basic furnishings, requiring guests to bring bedding, pillows, lighting, and cooking supplies. Campground stores at locations like Pawtuckaway State Park sell firewood, ice, and basic provisions, though selection varies widely. Cabins with kitchenettes typically include refrigerators and basic cooking equipment but may still require visitors to bring their own cookware, dishes, and utensils. Fire rings are standard at most cabin sites, and many campers cook outdoors rather than inside the cabins themselves.