Best Dispersed Camping near North Conway, NH
Several dispersed camping options exist in the White Mountain National Forest near North Conway, New Hampshire. Free primitive sites are available along Town Hall Road, Tripoli Road, Cherry Mountain Road, Haystack Road, and Hogan Road. These areas provide roadside camping with minimal amenities in wooded settings, often near rivers or with mountain views. Most sites are managed by the U.S. Forest Service and feature established fire rings to designate camping spots.
Access roads to these dispersed sites vary from maintained dirt and gravel to rougher forest roads requiring careful navigation. Town Hall Road features multiple pull-offs along a river, while Tripoli Road offers sites that stretch for about 3 miles. Most areas have no amenities beyond fire rings, with no drinking water, toilets, or trash service available. Campers must pack out all waste and follow leave-no-trace principles. Many sites permit stays up to 14 days, though some areas like Tripoli Road require self-registration and payment at a ranger station. Bear activity is common throughout the region, necessitating proper food storage.
The dispersed sites near North Conway provide varying levels of privacy and natural features. Cherry Mountain Road sites offer excellent seclusion, with one camper noting it was "super quiet and lots of privacy" with sites spaced far enough apart that "we did not hear any other camping sounds at all." Town Hall Road receives positive reviews for its riverside locations, with one visitor describing it as "beautiful scenery, with trees, rivers, creeks, hiking trails with a pond." Tripoli Road provides access to hiking trails including the Osceolas, Tripyramid, and Tecumseh. Wildlife sightings are common, with one reviewer mentioning, "wildlife like bear and moose will visit you at night. It's almost a certainty, keep your food locked in a bear tight container."