Best Campgrounds near Pittsburg, NH

Camping near Pittsburg, New Hampshire encompasses a range of remote wilderness experiences in the northernmost region of the state, just south of the Canadian border. The area is known locally as "Moose Alley" for its abundant wildlife viewing opportunities. State-managed facilities like Lake Francis State Park and Deer Mountain Campground provide established sites with varying levels of amenities, while private operations such as Buck Rub's Hidden Acres and Mountain View Cabins & Campground offer additional options. The Connecticut Lakes region provides a backdrop for camping, with multiple water bodies supporting fishing, boating, and paddling activities. As one camper noted, "Lake Francis is a nice place to go in the wilderness where it is quiet and no cell phone service at all for miles."

Most campgrounds in the Pittsburg area operate seasonally from mid-May through early November, with state parks typically closing after Columbus Day weekend. Winter conditions arrive early and stay late at this northern latitude. Summer brings warm days and cool nights, while black flies and mosquitoes can be prevalent in June and early July. Cell service is limited or non-existent throughout much of the region, with spotty Verizon coverage reported at some private campgrounds. The small general store in town, Treats & Treasures, offers Wi-Fi for those needing to connect. Fire permits are required for campfires, and firewood is available for purchase at most established campgrounds.

The camping options in Pittsburg cater to different preferences, from primitive sites to full-service facilities. Deer Mountain Campground offers a more rustic experience with outhouses and no showers, though campers can use shower facilities at nearby Lake Francis. Sites with ATV trail access are available at several campgrounds, reflecting the popularity of this activity in the region. Fishing opportunities abound in the Connecticut Lakes and rivers, with boat launches available at Lake Francis. Wildlife viewing, particularly moose watching at dawn and dusk, is a popular activity, and the Cohos Trail provides hiking opportunities that extend from the Canadian border south through New Hampshire.

Best Camping Sites Near Pittsburg, New Hampshire (98)

    1. Lake Francis State Park Campground

    15 Reviews
    Pittsburg, NH
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 538-6965

    $35 - $65 / night

    "It is a New Hampshire state campground so the prices are low and the place is very well-kept. They even have a sink with hot running water where you can wash your dishes at the main house."

    "Off the beaten path way up north in Coos country and absolutely stunning."

    2. Coleman State Park Campground

    5 Reviews
    Clarksville, NH
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 237-5382

    $35 - $195 / night

    "One of the furthest north campgrounds in New Hampshire is a great place to stay.  If you don't mind the sound of ATVs this place is great. "

    "First of all, be careful when following certain gps/google directions…depending where you are coming from, you may end up on dirt roads/ATV trails (common in this region of NH) that could be hazardous"

    3. Deer Mountain Campground

    8 Reviews
    Pittsburg, NH
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 538-6965

    $29 - $50 / night

    "These sites lack amenities, however, the primitive feel really helps you enjoy the beauties of new Hampshire, some of these sites require you to walk about half a mile into them which really adds to the"

    "Head to the last town in NH on RT.3 before you hit the Canadian border. Called "Moose Alley" the area of Pittsburg has a very rugged off the grid feel with the border close by."

    4. Buck Rub's Hidden Acres Campground

    2 Reviews
    Pittsburg, NH
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 538-6935

    $27 - $35 / night

    "Large campground near the all the outdoor activities in Pittsburg and surrounded by beautiful scenery just outside the grounds."

    "Pittsburg, NH is an area popular with those who enjoy riding ATVs, hunting, fishing, and boating and Buck Rub's Hidden Acres Campground is a nice good place to make your base with easy access to trails"

    5. Ladd Pond Cabins And Campground

    1 Review
    Clarksville, NH
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 237-9881

    $25 - $145 / night

    6. Rudys Cabins and Campground

    1 Review
    Clarksville, NH
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 246-3418

    "I stopped for one night while I was thru-hiking the Cohos Trail in New Hampshire and had a great experience."

    7. Mountain View Cabins & Cmpgrnd

    1 Review
    Pittsburg, NH
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 538-6305

    "This is a family run campground located on a hillside between Lake Francis and First Connecticut Lake in Pittsburg, NH."

    8. Mollidgewock State Park Campground

    14 Reviews
    Errol, NH
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 482-3373

    $29 - $40 / night

    "Absolutely beautiful positioning next to a river. Clean sites - many covered in grass with wildflowers which were stunning."

    "While this is close to the road, there is a good buffer of vegetation between the road and the campsites. I've camped here multiple times and never hear the road."

    9. Aziscoos Valley Camping Area

    3 Reviews
    Errol, ME
    20 miles
    Website

    $15 - $25 / night

    "Some of the best brook trout and landlocked salmon fishing nearby. Great place for canoe or kayak trips. Make sure you are well provisioned before arriving, there are no supplies nearby."

    "You can put your boat in upstream of the campground and paddle to the area or you can drive. We paddled from just upstream and continued on the following day."

    10. Brighton State Park Campground

    12 Reviews
    Island Pond, VT
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 723-4360

    $20 - $50 / night

    "I usually don't camp near other people, but I really like this site. I think every site has a waterfront view."

    "We stayed in the Poplar lean-to, which was very private, with a short trail leading down to the lake. Some of the other sites are right on the water, which would have been nice too!"

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Recent Reviews near Pittsburg, NH

368 Reviews of 98 Pittsburg Campgrounds


  • Josh S.
    Aug. 31, 2025

    Mountain Lake Camping Resort

    Great campground for families!

    If you're looking for a safe, family friendly, quiet campground this is it.

    Pool with water slides for kids, Kayaks, paddle boats, canoes, playground with slides and a pirate ship.

    Strict quiet hours at 1030 make it very quiet in the evening with no worry of loud parties keeping you up.

    Super clean restrooms and sites and a camp store with about everything in it.

    10 minute drive to the cute town of Lancaster which has coffee shops, brewery, restaurants, bakery and groceries.

  • jonathan M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 18, 2025

    Ladd Pond Cabins And Campground

    Hidden gem

    Stayed in a tent they do have multiple tent sites RV sites and cabins available more than enough room for tents they have a beautiful pond in the back they have showers or a shower and toilet for those that need it a common room for those that want to cook food play games watch movies. it's about 11 minutes to the grocery store in downtown colebrook. The owners are amazing people they are very nice and kind. This place is really a hidden gem

  • J
    Aug. 11, 2025

    Mollidgewock State Park Campground

    One night getaway

    Staff was very helpful. We arrived,after a 3 1/2 hour drive, early for check in but were able to go to our site. The lean-to site was beautifully situated by the incredible river making it easy to take a dip or go fishing. The pit toilet behind the site is our only complaint. There were times we could smell the stench from our site. There is construction work at the campground as they build bathhouses that should be done by next spring. Hopefully, they get rid of the pit toilets.

  • Jim S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 10, 2025

    Happy Hill Maple Farms

    Offseason

    Quiet spot just off the Hwy. you can hear traffic but not many cars out this time of year(August). They had a fire pit and picnic table . No electricity so we used the generator. We the only one here so the noise should not bother anyone. Great pace for fall visits

  • Jonathan M.
    Aug. 10, 2025

    Stony Brook Recreation and Campground

    All year round RV camping.

    I am currently living all year round at Stony Brook Campgrounds. Showers clean ,bathrooms clean. Very nice pool. Basketball and volleyball. RV pull thru sites and tents and cabins as well. Excellent campgrounds to call home.

  • Matilda A.
    Jul. 21, 2025

    Maidstone State Park — Maidstone State Forest

    QUERRS AND DISABLED AVOID!!!

    AVOID MAIDSTONE STATE PARK

    Being thrown out of Maidstone because Tom thinks he can make up the ADA, threatened to call the police over nothing and threw us out.

    We have been in the state parks this summer since the 9th of may missed 7 days and us and our dogs have had zero issues until Maidstone

    Great a transphobic park manager targeted us over service dogs and harassed a teenager who has major medical issues, purposely not going to the sight leader and harassing a disabled teenager when isolated from the rest of our site.

    Maybe I’ll post the videos here, it’s unhinged.

    Our lives are worth so much more then some unhinged manager trying to make up his own version of the ADA

    Throw on transphobia was the motivation, awards Maidstone as the worst state park in the system so far.

    My ex wife’s 3 sisters all worked for him at basin harbor club in there younger years and he was unhinged and problematic then, I remember how elated they were to see him move on to the state parks and out of the community.

    Maidstone state park horrific transphobic and disability based discrimination was the most surprising, according to Maidstone one of our service dogs is not allowed in the state parks system. Yet Kathy up in the Ilands who runs that campground with an iron fist didn’t have any problems in the 46 days I spent there to open the season………

    The documentation I have is shocking, way yo cut our time short by 2 weeks and have to panic pack and flee

    

    0 stars

    It’s also alarming how the manager and the staff are excited attendance it’s down 30%, 3 of the 5 employees stating they don’t want it busy and the collective goal of the campground was low attendance for less work.

    What a disgusting audited to have. I’m way over qualified to run Maidstone state park, 1/3 of side A is closed, soon side B as soon as that bath house gives out.

    It’s a small place, it should be packed with Vermonters, as a businesswoman it would be ridiculously easy to pack that campground week in and week out, quickly justifying new facilities and oping back up the loop

    2 years at the helm, I’d be planing a summer of renovations at Maidstone

    Instead it’s going to fizzle and fail under its current management.

  • Alicia B.
    Jul. 13, 2025

    Deer Mountain Campground

    Gorgeous Site and Peaceful

    May Camping Weekend Recap – Moose Alley Magic (Even in a Cold Snap!) ❄️🏕️

    We weren’t expecting a cold spell this late in May, but Mother Nature had her own plans! Even with the surprise chill, we had such a wonderful time at our campsite nestled along Moose Alley. While it’s near a road, don’t worry—it’s not a main highway, just a quiet local path that adds to the peaceful vibe of the area.

    Though the moose kept their distance, we did spot some fresh footprints—which made the search feel extra magical! The surrounding views of the mountains and water were breathtaking, and there were plenty of short and long hikes to explore for all experience levels.

    We brought my Grandma and Service Dog along, and both were welcomed with kindness. The folks who braved the cold weather like us were so sweet, and the community feel at the campground made the chilly temps totally worth it. Huge shoutout to the park rangers—they’re around, approachable, and truly there to help, so don’t hesitate to ask them anything you need.

    Pro tip: Buy those fire starters! They’re a lifesaver in cold, damp weather and made our fires easy and cozy every night.

    All in all, cold weather or not, it was a heartwarming weekend surrounded by nature, lovely people, and good vibes. Moose Alley—we’ll definitely be back (hopefully next time with a moose sighting too)!

    #CampingInMay #MooseAlley #ColdSnapAdventure #CampfireVibes #NatureLovers #MountainViews #FamilyCamping #AccessibleAdventures #ServiceDogFriendly #CampgroundCommunity #MemorialWeekend

  • E
    Jul. 10, 2025

    Deer Mountain Campground

    Great for Birding

    I was shocked to find Deer Mountain mostly empty in the middle of summer.  It doesn’t have the amenities of some state parks, but nearby Lake Francis SP is available for showers, etc.  This is a great location for those who want to get away from the crowds and noise.  There’s a wide variety of birds for those who are interested.

    Site 28 is worth the short hike to get there.  Don’t be put off if you don’t have backpacking gear:  there is a wagon to help haul stuff to the site and back.  

    A few things to know, though:  the trees have grown and the view from the tent platform no longer looks like the photos on ReserveAmerica.  It’s a much more limited water view, but still gorgeous.  There are no trees suitable for hammock camping with a view.  And much of the site and surrounding area is a giant Canada Goose latrine.  (Imagine a dog park where no one has ever cleaned up after their pets.)

  • david B.
    Jun. 22, 2025

    Coos Canyon Campground and Cabins

    Great spot for gold panning!

    We had a great stay at coos canyon campground! Didn't have too much interaction with staff, but when we did they were very friendly. We had site 7. Sites are good size, and not super close to neighbors. Wifi only works at the camp store, there are extenders throughout the camp, and it worked at our site the first day but didn't after that. The office was surprised it worked for us on day 1 and said they couldn't fix it because it wasn't supposed to work. There isnt any activities like some other campgrounds we've been to, just a small playground, but the canyon and the river give you lots of outdoor things to do. Rent a pan or sluice from the coos canyon rock and gem shop a 3 min walk from the office and pan for gold in the river right from the campground! Fishing, hiking, cliff jumping, and swimming can all be done with a quick walk all while staying in the campground. The camp store has some bare necessities, but did not have any bug swatters (the horse flys can get crazy here) but a spatula from the camp store worked OK. We will definetly be back for some more gold prospecting!


Guide to Pittsburg

Camping near Pittsburg, New Hampshire, offers a fantastic escape into nature with beautiful landscapes and plenty of outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled getaway, this area has something for everyone.

What to do:

  • Hiking: Explore the numerous trails in the area. Many campers enjoy the access to trails that lead to stunning views and natural beauty. One visitor at Dry River — Crawford Notch State Park mentioned, "Great Basecamp for lots of hikes in the area."

  • Fishing: The lakes and rivers around Pittsburg are perfect for fishing. A camper at Umbagog Lake State Park Campground shared, "You can kayak right from your campsite," highlighting the easy access to fishing spots.

  • Kayaking and Canoeing: Many campgrounds offer boat rentals or have easy access to water for kayaking. A review from Lake Francis State Park Campground noted, "There is a public boat launch," making it convenient for water activities.

What campers like:

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate well-maintained restrooms and showers. One visitor at Moose Brook State Park Campground said, "Nice small campground with very clean bathrooms and showers!"
  • Privacy: Many sites offer a sense of seclusion. A camper at Mollidgewock State Park Campground mentioned, "Most sites are grassy but a few are hard packed dirt... Many have direct access to the river."
  • Friendly Staff: Campers often rave about the helpfulness of campground staff. A review from Dolly Copp Campground highlighted, "The gentleman working the office was super kind and helpful."

What you should know:

  • Reservation System: Some campers find the reservation system frustrating. A visitor at Moose Brook State Park Campground noted, "The nicest sites were reserved the entire time we were there and they were total no-shows."
  • Limited Amenities: Not all campgrounds have full amenities. A camper at Mollidgewock State Park Campground pointed out, "This is primitive camping, no water, no electrical, but it does have pit toilets."
  • Road Noise: Some campgrounds are close to roads, which can lead to noise. A review from Mollidgewock State Park Campground mentioned, "The main bummer was the proximity to a road -- the road noise was pretty significant."

Tips for camping with families:

  • Choose the Right Campsite: Look for sites that offer privacy and space for kids to play. A family at Mount Blue State Park Campground enjoyed, "Our group had the South Shelter group camping area, lakefront with small beachfront."
  • Plan Activities: Make sure to have a list of activities to keep everyone entertained. A camper at Lake Francis State Park Campground mentioned, "Perfect for fishing, hiking, and kayaking."
  • Pack Essentials: Bring along games and outdoor gear to keep the kids engaged. A visitor at Brighton State Park Campground noted, "The campsite itself is beautiful... Camp sites are not too close together for privacy."

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Site Size: Make sure your RV fits the site. A camper at Moose Brook State Park Campground mentioned, "Not great for larger RV or trailers but we found accommodation for our 27 footer."
  • Electric Hookups: Look for campgrounds that offer electric hookups if you need them. A review from Lake Francis State Park Campground highlighted, "Campsite had a fire ring with grill top, 30amp elec, and potable water."
  • Plan for Dump Stations: Know where the nearest dump station is located. A visitor at Umbagog Lake State Park Campground mentioned, "There is a dump station onsite."

Camping around Pittsburg, NH, is a great way to enjoy the outdoors, whether you're in a tent, RV, or cabin. With beautiful scenery and plenty of activities, it’s a perfect spot for families and adventurers alike.

Frequently Asked Questions

What campgrounds are available in Pittsburg, NH?

Pittsburg, NH offers diverse camping options for outdoor enthusiasts. Deer Mountain Campground provides 30 well-spaced primitive sites with a true off-grid feel near the Canadian border in an area known as 'Moose Alley.' Buck Rub's Hidden Acres Campground offers both wooded and open lawn sites with electricity/water hookups, picnic tables, and fire pits. Other options include Private Field and Woods Camping for secluded nature lovers, Rudy's Cabins and Campground with RV facilities, and Lake Francis State Park Campground featuring clean, affordable sites with hot water facilities. For those seeking more remote experiences, Coleman State Park provides quieter camping opportunities. Most campgrounds in the region cater to outdoor activities like ATV riding, hunting, fishing, and boating that Pittsburg is known for.

What is the best time of year to go camping in Pittsburg, NH?

Summer through early fall (June to September) offers the best camping conditions in Pittsburg, NH. The weather is mild with comfortable temperatures perfect for outdoor activities. September provides a quieter experience after peak season with stunning fall foliage beginning to emerge. Lake Francis State Park Campground remains serene and clean during these months, while Coleman State Park Campground tends to be quieter after Labor Day. Winter camping is possible for experienced adventurers, but facilities are limited and many campgrounds close seasonally. For the best combination of good weather, accessibility, and natural beauty, aim for a late summer visit when you can enjoy water activities and hiking without the peak crowds.

Is Hidden Acres Campground in Pittsburg, NH good for tent camping?

While Buck Rub's Hidden Acres Campground primarily caters to RVs with electric/water hookups, it does accommodate tent camping. The campground offers sites in both wooded areas and open lawns, each equipped with a picnic table and fire pit. Tent campers will appreciate the plumbed bathrooms that are illuminated for nighttime use, though they are described as rustic. The campground's location is ideal, surrounded by beautiful scenery and close to Pittsburg's outdoor activities. For those seeking a more primitive tent camping experience, Private Field and Woods Camping offers a more secluded, nature-immersive option nearby. Hidden Acres works well for tent campers who prefer some amenities while still enjoying the natural surroundings of New Hampshire's northernmost region.