Campground Review: Beech Hill Cabins and Campground

I’ve camped at many of the campgrounds in the Twin Mountain, NH area and wanted to try a new spot. Beech Hill Campground did not disappoint with its large wooded campsite and numerous campground amenities at a fair price. You have to call to make reservations and can’t see the sites, but there aren’t many sites I wouldn’t want (3& 4 are small sites just across from a street light; a few others had slopes or a lot of roots). I was along Blueberry Lane, one of the roads on either side of the power line and all the sports areas(basketball, volleyball, horseshoes, shuffleboard) with some park benches and a view of Mt Washington). You may borrow equipment at the store. 

The sites are often narrower at the road (but still wide enough to make backing a trailerRV in easy) and then open up to a spacious site. There’s enough low growth under the trees that although you are aware of your neighbors, you’re not on top of each other. I was there on an early August weekend and the campground was not close to full. It was quiet and folks were friendly. There are a large number of seasonal sites in areas separate from the rest of the campers that are generally well maintained and neat. They also have some cabins and a park unit (see their photos on the website as I didn’t get to see the insides). Full hookups including cable will run $50/night. 

Laundry, bathrooms with showers, and a dishwashing sink are in a building near the entrance. Bathrooms are clean, if worn. They’ve been recently painted; the caulking/edges show their age more. Other amenities include an indoor heated pool, outdoor chess and checkers, a game room with air hockey, pool, and arcade games, and an outdoor playground. Saturday evenings there may be ice cream sundaes for a small fee; check their calendar for special events. 

The store is well stocked with everything from camping supplies, ice, and firewood to knick knacks, snacks, and maps. They also sell some campfire grills, which could be helpful if you’re cooking over a fire; the fire rings do not have grills. There’s a gated entrance, so you need to check in before the camp store closes on your first night. There will be a $20 cash deposit for the access card, refundable when you return the card. My cell phone had 2-3 bars 4G on Verizon. 

Product Review: Banner& Oak  Freedom Hoodie in Heathered Black 

As a Ranger for The Dyrt I sometimes get to review equipment. Just before I headed out on this camping trip I received a Banner& Oak Freedom Hoodie in heathered black. I was grateful for the cool evenings and mornings so I could try this out. I usually wear a women’s large, so I ordered this in a medium and the fit was perfect, coming down over my waist and wrists. I like the length, but if you’re shortwaisted, you may find it is too long. The fabric is super soft and lightweight, not bulky. 

When I put my hands in the pockets I discovered the left pocket had an~1 1/2” hole where the stitching didn’t join the front and back of the pockets. It was high enough that I wasn’t too worried about losing something through the hole, but I did make a point not to put my keys in that pocket; I’ll be running it through the sewing machine. The graphics are simple light gray lettering. It’s 60% cotton/40% poly, so you won’t want to rely on it for a hiking trip, but for hanging around a campsite, it's perfect!

the showers weren’t the greatest even by campground standards, but other than that amazing views

Very clean, very well organized, friendly staff. The lake is beautiful. Brand new bath house. Dog friendly!

We stayed in our pop up for a quick weekend and we were very impressed. There were several small bathrooms throughout the park which made it super convenient with little kids! We stayed in loop B which was nice and wooded. Plenty of space to back in to and there was a fire ring and picnic table, with plenty of room. There were TONS of kids which was great for us, but may not be everyone’s cup of tea. The band on Saturday night was so fun and the kids loved it. The pool was extra clean and nice. Everything else was super clean and easy to access. We will be back for sure!

Very clean facilities. Friendly staff. I only explored sites 1-21, but all of those sites without hook ups are pretty private. Sites with hook ups are more open. There IS cell service, at least with Verizon. We didn’t spend any time on Lake Francis, but I highly recommend paddling at East Inlet (30min east of the campground).

Campground/Hut Review

I stayed at Zealand Falls hut a few years ago while finishing my pursuit of the New Hampshire 4000-footers and have revisited it a few times on shorter hikes (it’s ony 600’ of elevation and less than 3 miles), including this weekend. It serves as a family-friendly first destination for new backpackers, a jumping off spot for a Bond traverse, or a winter destination. This is one of the few huts open year-round, although in winter you’ll have to hike up Zealand Road to the trailhead. 

With a stay in the hut during peak season, you’ll receive a pillow, 3 wool blankets, and family style dinner and breakfast. The rest of the year you’ll have a pillow and maybe a fire in the fireplace in the evening; everything else is on you, so plan accordingly. The co-ed bunkrooms are on either side of the central dining room and kitchen. The bunks are triple deckers and are not assigned. You have lots of neighbors in the bunkroom and someone is likely to snore, so you'll want some earplugs(usually supplied) if you can't sleep through it. 

It’s clean, folks are friendly, and the Croo will entertain while reminding you of the rules of hut life. There are compost toilets and cold running water. There are games and books for entertainment. Snacks are available. There may be a nature talk. If the skies are clear, you’ll want to check out the stars. A stay in the hut is pricey, but it's a great bargain if you have a long traverse ahead of you and want to keep your load a bit lighter.  Be sure to make your reservation well in advance; the ease in reaching it makes it a popular spot! Zealand is one of the cozier huts. 

One of the nice things about this hut is its location next to Zealand Falls. This late in the summer the water flow was on the low side, but I’ve been here when it’s been so high after a heavy storm that hikers had difficulty crossing it. From the ledges you have a view across the pond toward Mt. Tom and toward Nancy, Chocorua, and Carrigain. Relax on the rocks and soak up the sun, listen to the water, & chat with fellow explorers, or sit on the porch and greet hikers as they arrive. Time it right and you’ll likely meet AT through hikers with tales to tell. 

Product Review: Banner & Oak Trek Burgundy ladies cap

As a Ranger with The Dyrt, I sometimes get to review equipment. This time around I had a Banner & Oak Trek Burgundy cap for ladies. I chose it because I like caps with a low crown and this was in a color I frequently wear. Rain was threatening and I’m always trying to keep raindrops off my glasses, so this seemed like a good time to try it out; I find a cap also helps keep my hood in place. The fabric is so soft (true of all 3 Banner & Oak items I tested) and it’s easily adjustable, so the fit was perfect. Easily…that’s the operative word here. Banner& Oak chose a closure that makes adjustments so much easier than the ones where you have feed it through a bit at a time. Open the clip, pull the end, close the clip when it’s at the right spot.There’s a metal rim where the tab feeds into the cap so it won’t wear. The brim is slightly curved, which I like. I’m looking forward to a lot more hikes with my Banner and Oak cap!

Great campground. Middle of the woods, on the Saco river, with all your friends, no electricity, off your phone and enjoying the moment. Best for College kids and partiers between mid July & early August. Never a dull moment

This is the most beautiful place. The lake is very large. My son and I went took a hired boat out to an island. They boat took all our camping stuff and 2kayaks!  We stayed three nights. There are tent platforms, picnic table and fire pit at each site. We were the only ones on the island. We kayaked in the day. Was amazing! I would highly 

recommend this beautiful spot in NH!

We just spent 5 days at this wonderful campground. They have paid attention to all of the finer details. Beautiful landscaping, well leveled sites, very clean and neat. The staff is wonderful. My only disappointment with the camp is that there are only a few sites with sewer hookup. However, the dumping station is conveniently located, so if you have a small tank, daily trips are not a problem. There is plenty to do in the area - Littleton is a beautiful little town. The old houses in are incredible. New Hampshire is not a dog friendly state, but a short Drive into Vermont gets you access to many fine restaurants where you can bring your dog. Be sure to visit Dog Mountain in Vermont- a truly touching memorial to departed pets.

Clean, beautiful state park. Love camping in the lean-tos! My boyfriend & I camp here on a yearly basis with his fam. Love listening to the loons in the morning.

This is an RV campground w a handful of tent spots. We stayed at T4, a site w electric right on the lake. I was initially very excited to be so close to the lake but my enthusiasm waned a little after a swim- the lake bottom was murky sticky mud which is fine it’s just not my favorite. My fiancé went swimming and got a leech or leech-like thing on his foot so swimming for him was pretty much over. Being at the lake meant a lot of noise from others including the campers that use the facility, I mean like actual camp, like groups of kids and counselors. I don’t mind kids but others might. It was the usual kid squealing and stuff. When we arrived a counselor was using our site and picnic table, spilling cheese-it’s all over the place which made us popular with the many many seagulls. She left when she saw us pulling in but left the mess behind so the birds were an issue. They continued to be an issue the whole 3 days we were there- every day we’d come back to our tent to find our stuff scattered a bit- not a huge problem but a present nuisance nonetheless. We tried to keep our things contained but still they tried to carry some stuff away. On the lake shore was a lot of seagull feathers and goose presence, poop, it’s not my favorite way to swim. The bathrooms were ok, pretty basic, very much reminiscent of when you get sent to camp as a child, bare bones. The stalls in the bathroom are uncomfortably short so when you stand up your head is poking out over the door, you can make eye contact w everyone else in the room which is just weird! We went two days without paper towels being restocked to dry your hands, I finally had to call the office. (Everyone in the office was super awesomely nice, always!) Sunday morning there is a group that makes breakfast in the pavilion I guess for donations which they use to beautify the campground. This is a lovely gesture. However the pavilion is right next to the tent sites and the group started setting up about 6:30 AM, which included honking their car horn, and talking very loudly with complete disregard for quiet hours or the full row of tent sleepers. My fiancé finally approached them and told them they must be unaware of how much their voices are carrying but that everyone was still sleeping. They didn’t apologize or say anything and honestly I don’t think they cared or lowered their voices at all. Our site was comfortable, water and electric worked fine, clean fire ring, we didn’t use it. The group next to us talked late past quiet hours (I didn’t not approach the campground about it we just dealt w it), and used a drone which was extremely uncomfortable, loud, and disruptive. I did call the office about that the next day and asked if there was a drone policy, she said there was not but that she would address it if they used it again, they ended up leaving so it wasn’t a problem but there should definitely be a policy about it. All in all, people were nice but the lake location meant a LOT of additional noise from other users and there did not seem to be any reminders about quiet time. Don’t come here if you’re looking for solitude but do come here if you’re looking for a great location in northern Vermont close to a cute town and amenities. Just set your mindset that it’s not a secluded or quiet spot but a spot w stuff to do and lots of people to interact w. We did not use the boat rentals or tennis courts or other stuff.

When checking in, the ranger described this as "a pretty chill campground"; he wasn't wrong. Even though my dog joined in with some other camp dogs barking at people walking by (sorry neighbors), no one seemed to mind. Most everyone packed and headed out early in the mornings, since Crawford Notch is the perfect place to explore hiking, climbing, swimming…generally being outside. For such a prime location, the campsites don't feel cramped, and there's enough trees surrounding most spots to hang hammocks. No cell or internet service, but who wants that in the middle of the Whites anyway?

I reviewed this campground last fall after visiting on the final day of the season, but I just had a chance to sty here during a peak summer weekend and have a few additional insights. Fees are now up to $20/night, still a bargain, but it comes with only the most basic amenities, i.e. vault toilets, running water at faucets, picnic tables and fire rings. Although the campground description indicates that the sites are first-come, first-served, this has changed and many of them are available online in advance. I didn't realize this and when i arrived late Friday afternoon I had 5 or 6 campsites to choose from that could accommodate my small teardrop camper; if I were tent camping, I'd have had a couple more sites available to me. The tent only sites require a short walk from the parking area.

When you arrive, each site will be labelled either Reserved or Open.  If it is Reserved, the dates it is reserved will be listed and they may not be contiguous. All the sites filled up Friday night. 

I had site 24 which I liked. it was very large and level, with ample space for today's large tents. The water spigot was near the site next door. I could see my neighbors, but they didn't bother me. Every host site always seems to look messy with tarp-covered items and wood piles and site 24 will give you a view of the host site, but it's far enough away that you can ignore it. 

If I were in a tent, I'd try for site 22. It's a walk-in site that includes 7-8 steps down, but it opens into a large open area and just a bit beyond there is a small brook, too.

The campground is just a few miles west of I-93 and the town of Woodstock. If you want to hike Mooselauke or the Kinsmans, the Appalachian Trail crosses 112 nearby. Lost River Gorge is nearby as are numerous tourist attractions/activities in Woodstock and Lincoln. Take some time to explore Cascade Park in Woodstock if you want to cool off in the river and lounge on the rocks (park on the street or in the lot that is north of 112 just before the traffic light at Rte 3 in Woodstock). While you're there, pick up ice cream at Coneheads; choose among numerous hard serve ice cream made on site (downstairs) or dozens of soft-serve flavors.

This side of 112 seems quieter than the stretch east of Lincoln. Noise level was quite low. Cell coverage is non-existent for several miles around here; you'll start to get a signal closer to Lost River Gorge in the direction of Woodstock.

We camped at Lone Mountain Riverfront Campground with all our children and grandchildren and with our camping buddies and all their children and grandchildren. I believe there were 30 of us. The day before our trip Corrie ( the owner) called to offer to switch us to the water and electric sites because of the impending hot weather. We are so grateful because it was HOT and the bugs were bad in the field (late spring). We had the best time! Our families had started camping together 30 years ago, when our kids were little. The owners let us all stay together and our grandkids had fun riding bikes and playing in the river. Campfires at night and stargazing. The bathrooms are clean and beautiful. The river is pristine and safe for little ones. Tom and Corrie did everything g to make our stay memorable and comfortable. This our new FAVORiTE campground. It’s a new start up and the sites spacious and mostly grassy. There are water and electric $39. A night and there are sites along the river and under trees with no hook ups. There is also a fully equipped tent with bunk beds on site in a field. Beautiful location with beautiful people. Come check it out, but save a site for me!

We stayed late July for 3 nights during the week. Our site was right next to the river and was fantastic. Ellis pond and Webb lake were close and great to take to canoe out. Worth the trip up to rangeley roughly 40 miles from the camp. Overall great stay.

Very quiet and peaceful place. Facilities were cleaned twice a day. Kayak and paddle boat rentals available. Keep your eyes out for loons and bald eagles on Little Diamond Pond. There is no cell service (at least for Verizon users), but that’s exactly what we wanted. There will be ATVs cruising around, so avoid sites along the main road if that noise would bother you (it’s really not bad, though). Note that many of the sites will fit much larger vehicles than what is stated on Reserve America, especially if you have a trailer and can unhook.

Lovely staff and campground . Sites are wide and long enough . Great Wifi and they use satellite TV, you need their converter but you get your deposit back when you turn it in. It is very close to the highway so there there is some traffic noise but not bad. Tents are in a different area.

Older campground, friendly staff with lots of older seasonal sites. We paid $35 for a full hook up and had no problems. Rest rooms could use some updating, the large one was clean, the smaller one not so much and had no TP that day. The fire pits were full of ashes so maybe he only cleans it once a week and we were there on a Wednesday. For that price I would stay there again if I was in the area.

7/16-7/19

Love state parks. This campground is just north bordering the White Mountain NF. Close to northern trailheads. NH take care in keeping their parks orderly.

Nice site. We stayed close to the restrooms and the shower house (.75 for 3 minutes) was close walk as well.

There’s a fishing pond and a swimming pond. Super clean cold mountain water. And there’s an awesome platform for jumping or diving in.

My husband, two dogs and I came to Lone Mountain (with 6 other families) and had a wonderful time! Tom and Corie are absolutely amazing. The campground is fantastic. The bathhouse is clean and beautiful. The beach is so awesome, Great for small kids and adults alike.  There are so many options for campsites (power, no power, field, woods, even a Tentrr (?) to rent?) there are a couple of stores nearby if you forgot essentials. (And the stores were pretty great too) We can’t wait for our next trip!!!! 

Casey and Nathaniel Alves (and Ria and Ella 🐾)

Basic well spaced campsites. Flush toilets. No cell service. Allows dogs and cats. Dirt road to campground, friendly staff.

We had such an incredible time while here! The campgrounds store is open until 10pm which is pretty convenient! They have a private trail about 1.6 miles there and back that leads to a swimming basin, it’s absolutely gorgeous and a must see. Quite a few activities for kids- bounce house, play ground and heated swimming pool. On Saturday nights around 7pm they blow up a projector for movie night which was a pleasant surprise. However, quiet time isn’t until 11pm which is kinda late compared to other campgrounds I’ve been too. Also, they require a $10 CASH deposit for access to the gate key which we weren’t aware of when we got here and I couldn’t find any mention of it on their website. Only about a 5 minute drive to the center of town/Walmart and about a 15-20 minute drive to the Mt Washington Auto Road. Overall a great experience!

This was a great campground that we stayed at in July 2019. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. Over the weekend, they organized various activities including a pancake breakfast. The whole campground was very well maintained and the bathrooms were very clean.

Went camping here in a large group on the normal camp sites, had a couple booked next to each other. Worked out great, and the park has plenty of trails to explore for any level of fitness/expertise.

Tripoli Road is a seasonal road, opening in late May most years and closing in autumn. Check the White Mountain National Forest Facebook page for up to date road closures/status. The section before Russell Pond often opens before the rest of it, which is graded, not paved. The road runs between the Waterville Valley area and I-93 exit 31. This is roadside camping, no frills, first come, first served. You must stay at a site with a fire ring, but sites are not numbered. Road signs demarcate no camping zones; some areas look like they could be campsites, but will also be marked with no camping signs. 

You must register at the ranger station on the western end of the road, shortly past the entrance to the Russell Pond campground. Rates are a flat rate set per car and per weekends or weekday period. In other words, you pay one rate for 1-5 weekdays ($20 in 2019) and another fee for a weekend($25-30 - holidays). It’s self service most of the time, with the ranger available Friday and Saturday evenings. 

The sites vary from sites near and level with the road to ones set above or well below the road. Some are near a river, most are wooded. Some are isolated, others are close together. There are no reservations, so you'll be choosing your own when you arrive. Downhill sites closest to the Russell Pond area seem to be most popular. Most of these were occupied on a late June weekend, while those farther down the road remained empty.

There are port-a-potties near the western entrance, but otherwise you’re on your own with cat holes or portable toilet solutions. Nearest showers are at Russell Pond. Please keep it clean and protect the area. I’ve passed through several times while hiking My Osceola and have observed that these sites are often filled with groups or families with multiple tents. On a late June weekend there are numerous empty sites, so they seem to be more available than the dispersed sites along Gale River Rd and Haystack Rd (farther north in Twin Mountain). Excessive drinking and noise can be an issue. 

You need to be aware that bears are in the area. Following the July 4, 2019 holiday, the camping area was closed after bears visited campsites and got into food that was left in the open and not secured in vehicles or bear canisters. The camping area re-opened July 19, but check the White Mountain National Forest FB page before heading up there. If the issue recurs, I wouldn't be surprised if they close it again.

Hiking in the region include the Osceolas (moderate hike with beautiful views, exceedingly popular and crowded on autumn weekends - get there early!), Tripyramid, and Tecumseh. Shorter treks include Welch-Dickey (great open ledges) and Snow's Mountain (along a river with falls). Nearby Russell Pond offers ranger programs, fishing, and you can put a kayak or canoe in. The Pemigewassett offers tubing and kayaking put ins. Outfitters one exit south can provide you with transportation and rentals. Exit 32 for Lincoln, Woodstock, and the Kanc is less than 5 miles north.

Cell service is decent at nearby Russell Pond (Verizon seemed to offer better service than AT&T).

Grest spot for some river fun and relaxing. Very central to white mountain region. Fun for all ages. Tubing, swimming, playing in the river that runs along the campground.

Eastern Slope is a very friendly campground.  The site's are not very private, but that is hard to come by if looking for a camp ground with amenities.   This Camp ground has 2 Beaches on the Saco!  I could see the ball field from my site and was very happy as my 7 year old wanted to play with the kids and we could see him.  

We cant wait to go back.

The new owner is friendly. The location is beautiful. Limited cell service in the area. WiFi at the store only. Camp store is well supplied. Multiple shower/bathhouse/restroom buildings but the one near our site was small and not well lit. Shower stalls could to be longer to allow for dressing after shower. Shower use is $.25 for 5 or 6 minutes, which is fine because the nightly site fees are reasonable. Our site was on the river which was scenic and nice to listen to. River is rocky and shallow, not good for tubing, swimming, etc., we were also very close to the road, which was fine most nights but there was a lot of late Saturday night traffic that was noisy.

We have camped at Papoose Pond every year for the last three years. Everyone is friendly and helpful. Lots of activities and fun things to do. You definitely get your money’s worth with Papoose Pond Camping!

There aren't many campgrounds open in the winter in NH, but this campground just before the entrance to the larger Dolly Copp campground in Gorham is one of them. During the summer, it offers 11 sites for groups only with reservations required. 

There's a blend of wooded/open sites located in a loop. So often it seems that group sites are wide open fields with minimal separation. Barnes Field provides clearly defined sites with picnic tables and fire pits. Water is supplied by a hand pump and toilets are vault. There are showers ($) nearby in Dolly Copp. 

Rates in summer start at $40 for 10 campers and increase by $10 increments to $70 for 40. In winter you pay a per vehicle fee of $15.

There were youth groups and adult AMC groups at the campground. 

Site 8 is more secluded and up a small hill. Site 7 is in inside of the loop, wooded, and wet around the perimeter.

It's located in close proximity to hiking trails in the northern Presidentials and Carter range. Wildcat ski is 6 miles south. There are numerous trails around for cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and ATVs.