This is perhaps one of my most favorite sites. 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 of North Conway. I really enjoyed the sites here, and the showers weren't bad for a government owned campground. The sites are decently sized, we fit three good size tents on ours.
Blackberry Crossing Campground is a first-come, first-served White Mountain National Forest campground just west of Conway, NH on the Kancamagus Highway. It’s an old CCC base from the 1930s and there’s evidence of it’s former life all around, with chimneys and foundations in the center of the main loop. It’s small, with only 26 sites. The small loop to the right runs parallel to the Kanc, so you’ll get more highway noise there. There are some walk-in tent sites toward the back of the campground. It has been a very wet spring with a lot of rain and snowmelt and this open, walk-in area showed the effects. The tent sites are spaced around the perimeter, at the edge of the woods, but they’re in an open field. The middle of the field was very wet, but the tent sites themselves were elevated and dry.
I was in site 12A, next to the hand pump for water. Vault toilets were a campsite away. There is a small stream running behind the campsite and trillium were starting to bloom. Like most WMNF campgrounds, the sites are large and generally level. Site 12, next door to mine, is probably least attractive, because it has a large slab covering most of the site and it’s right next to the vault toilet. This campground is smaller than the nearby Covered Bridge Campground (also WMNF), so there are fewer people to make noise. The campground host was friendly and available, offering to delivery firewood ($7) to my site for me.
Prices have gone up from what the website states; it’s now $25/night. If you have a second vehicle, you’ll pay an additional $5. If you want a shower, you’ll need to hope that Passaconaway Campground is open for the season and be prepared with quarters (it wasn’t this weekend in mid-May, but Franconia Notch State Park is if you’re in that area). Bring cash to pay.
If you’re looking to get out and explore, the Champney Falls trailhead for the hike to Mt. Chocura is a few miles west of the campground, but get there early to beat the crowds. Other fun, family friendly areas to explore include the Lower Gorge, Rocky Gorge, Sabbaday Falls, and Potash & Hedgehog Mountains. I was out driving early and encountered a young moose crossing the road. Consider stopping at the Ranger Station at the beginning of the Kanc (from either end) to pick up a parking pass so you don’t have to pay the iron ranger at each spot if you’ll be driving around a lot. If it’s summer and you need to cool off, there are many places to go tubing on the Saco River.
If you’ve forgotten anything or need to fill the car up before you drive across the scenic Kanc, you’ll find it in Conway, just a few miles north of the junction of the Kanc and 16.
Aftershokz Trekz Air headphones
As a Ranger for the Dyrt, it’s my privilege to test different gear and provide a review. My AfterShokz Trekz Air bone conduction headphones arrived and I was anxious to check them out. Let’s just say, I’m in love. Like any partner, there’s a lot of good along with a few negatives that I’m willing to overlook. The Trekz Air have been my constant companion for the past month. Right out of the box, I turned them on, paired them with my phone with ease, and was listening to my audiobook in a minute or two. Also in the box was a smooth, zippered, waterproof storage pocket that held the USB charging cord and some foam earplugs in a plastic holder. It’s large enough that I could easily store a portable battery pack in the pouch, too.
The packaging doesn’t contain clear instructions about how the headphones are supposed to fit, but there are online videos that I watched just to be sure I was wearing them correctly. The headphones slide over the ears and are held in place with a light tension from the speaker/microphone units just in front of the ears; the band in back doesn’t touch my head. After a couple of days, I didn’t feel the slight pressure behind the ears. I sometimes forget I’m wearing them if I’ve turned them off. I love not having something IN my ears, especially when I’m listening for extended periods! I wear glasses most of the time and found there was no problem fitting them over my glasses. Friends with longer hair had a little extra challenge putting them on.
The fit is comfortable and secure. I tried shaking my head all around and these didn’t budge. What a great difference from some other in-the-ear wireless earphones that I’ve used that fall out or transmit extraneous sound. For the past month they’ve joined me for my daily commute on foot, bus, and subway; while working on projects around the house and yard, setting up my campsite, and hiking up and down mountains, and biking around the campground. Occasionally the loop behind my head bounces off a pack, but a light touch puts it back in place. It didn’t interfere with a bike helmet. I loved that I could put my phone down and listen to music, books, or podcasts as long as I stayed within about 30’ of the phone before it started cutting out. That meant I could set up my campsite without having to worry about dropping my phone, etc. The button on the left side lets me stop and start the playback with a touch; buttons on the right let me adjust volume or turn it on or off. Turn it on and it announces the battery level.
These are great for times when you are hiking alone, want to enjoy the sounds around you, but would like some additional entertainment or inspiration. My trail this weekend included rumbling brooks, beautiful waterfalls, and fellow hikers…and I could enjoy all of them. They are not great when riding on the old, noisy subway in Boston unless you use the foam earplugs to block external sound. If you turn the volume up too high, you’ll start to feel a slight vibration on your cheek from the headphones. Battery life is substantial, reaching a full charge in a few hours and lasting for at least 8 hours of playback in my experience. And I would love a color other than black for the storage pouch. Finding a black pouch in a black-lined bag is a nightmare! (And no, it doesn’t need to be orange.) Thrilled with these comfortable headphones!
This spot is an absolute gem of a campground. Not only does it have hot showers (that are free!), clean bathrooms, and spacious sites, but the owner is the nicest lady who is extremely knowledgeable about the area. The spots were all affordable and set up as first come first serve, and they have some awesome hammock trees (which is how we like to spend our nights.) There was an adorable sitting area outside of the shower house with a fire place and a horseshoe pit for entertainment. My dog was welcomed and she enjoied the giant site we were at. There is a small store at the check-in desk and a ton of wood to choose from for the campfires at night. We were so happy and felt safe and got a great night sleep for our 4kfooter in the morning!
Stayed here for a wedding. They sites were clean and everyone was friendly. The pool and bathrooms are clean and very nice! Quiet campground, we were there during the fall. Loved our grassy site!
Within walking distance to Santas Village. Would highly recommend Waterwheel for breakfast/brunch!
Great family hike in with an optional over night. The walk is step to start and then is relatively flat. No major river crossings just a few small ones. Once you reach the campsite 1.8 miles from route 4 there are tent platforms, tent only spots and a lean-to. There is a fire pit by the lean-to. A outhouse is located right by the lean-to. The campsite is also close to Piazza rock and some beautiful waterfalls. The AT passes right through Piazza Rock Campsite. Saddleback mountain and the horn are relatively close to this campsite.
This place is a gem. It closes after the first snowfall of the year and will not re open untill it all thaws. But head here in the fall to see the beautiful colors. Outhouse toilet no running water but there are wells to get fresh water. Hiking all over around here.
Lots of family oriented activities. Fire truck ride, flashlight candy scavenger hunt, etc.
Things appear to be clean and well maintained. 50amp didn't seem to work at my site but 30amp was fine.
The mini-golf is in bad shape.
The camp store is well stocked but pricey, even for a convenience store.
The sites are very close together with very little trees or anything to break it up. You are right on top of your neighbors.
Easy access.clise to everything you might want to do and still a quite place. Showers are great. Fishing is great with many locations to fish at
Bond cliff trail wooden platforms and a three sided cabin (fills up quickly) at 4360 ft. Getting to the sites is pretty strenuous, but totally worth it!
We got to the site, claimed our platform and hiked over to West Bond to catch a beautiful sunset. Bear box located at a communal “cooking area” and cold spring water located at the site. Composting outhouse was surprisingly very clean!
There are some overflow sites that are more private, which I wish we knew about!
Small fee of $10 to stay, caretakers are awesome and knowledgeable! Would go back again in a heartbeat!
First come first serve off the Kancamagus Highway on the Lincoln side. Pick your site and pay (cash or check) using the envelopes provided.
Stayed here before we hiked the Hancocks. Had to find the caretaker, but he was friendly.
Sites were clean, we went off season so we had the whole place to ourselves. Would go again!
Cool campground, dog friendly. Lots of trails for biking and hiking. Great shaded sites, very clean! Sites were private and staff were friendly and welcoming.
The Camp Penacook Shelter is a nice stopping point on a moderately difficult hike up to the peak of Mt. Chocorua. As you head up the Piper Trail, as you're nearing the 3 mile mark, it starts to get steep and mostly stone steps. Luckily, right as you begin to tire, the branch for the Spur Trail appears! A little bit down this trail, and boom, you can see the Camp Penacook shelter tucked away in a little clearing with a vista.
This is a 3-sided shelter with a fairly low roof. You could fit one larger tent or two smaller tents, but I highly suggest sleeping in the open air! When I stayed here, there were 7 of us, and we comfortably laid side by side with our packs tucked against the back wall. The roof peaks in the middle, and it was nice to have the extra space in front of the shelter that is still covered by the roof (it was a little drizzly the morning we left). There is a fire pit with a grill rack, but I highly recommend a personal camp stove for reliability.
Back towards the main piper trail is a brook where you can pump water if you have a filter. It can be hard to determine where the bank is if there's still snow on the ground, so be careful! But the proximity of the stream was very convenient. Also nearby the shelter is a pit toilet. There's a social trail down to the toilet which is kind of tough to spot, so make sure you find it in the daylight! And bring your own TP.
The Camp Penacook Shelter is a first-come, first-serve deal, so get there first! It's not really out of the way, so drop your big packs off in the shelter to mark your spot, and then finish the hike to the top with just your water bottle (and camera!). The mile and a half to the summit is scrambles up some slick rock, which can still be icy in spots in the spring. It was very helpful that I removed my pack to do this! The views from the summit are breathtaking, and with a place to sleep not far below, you can stay at the summit as long as you want. This shelter has many amenities for being stuck on the side of a mountain, and I highly recommend making the trip with some friends.
This is a nice little campground for families, especially those looking to check out Story Land which is literally next door. We stayed here for a few days. One bath house and multiple flush out houses around. Pool and playground were great for our little ones. The people running the site were very nice and accommodating. They do wagon rides around the site in the evening too.
Beautiful campground. Great sites neat the pond.
Miniature golf. Community gatherings and fires. Paddle boat rentals. Great store. Good and bad. Good.. Train tracks close to the campground. Great for little ones to watch go by, or adults at night to watch by the campfire. Bad. Train is loud.
Mom and Pops campground. They make you feel like part of the family. Well kept and clean. Great campers to be around.
The beach is worth it but the campground needs updating for electricity and water. Not enough electricity to run acs last summer. Water can be turned off with out being warned. So it don't mind boondocking if trouble arises then your good.
Camping here is always nice since it never closes. Near the river allows for relaxing nights.
We were here back in September of 2018 and have a trip already planned for the end of May 2019! We fell in love with the family feel, nice campsites, location and the owners are just fantastic! Love the picnic they had for Labor Day!
I stayed at Hancock campground in mid April this year. Great clean accessible bathrooms, beautiful grounds and large campgrounds. Leashed dogs are allowed. There are both walk-in and drive up tent sites. The walk-in sites are directly next to the beautiful Pemi River. Great overall would return again.
Right on the lake beach access, boat launch, short drive to town plus the AT and many other hiking areas, and senic vistas!
We spent 5 days and wished it was longer. The campground was clean, staff was wonderful and the amenities were great! 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! It was the vacation of a lifetime for our grandchildren. This campground has a beautiful pool to cool off in, a nice playground and arcade for the kids. It’s located in the heart of everything. If you need something it’s a quick drive away. We will be going back for sure!
My girlfriend and I visited last year for a nice getaway and absolutely loved the park. The spots were spacious with enough privacy between sites. The lake was gorgeous to swim in and had different rafts and stuff in the water for public use. The bathrooms were well maintained along with the showers.
Only stayed at the shelter. It was late march with over 4' of snow still on the ground. Not sure if tent platforms still available. Shelter is in decent shape. Older but good. Super quiet. No human noise. We never saw any else. Had to blaze our own trail on Ethan pond trail. New snow over a week old and no tracks
Nice campsite downstairs and then flat. Plenty of room. Used it for daughter to teach me field hockey. In sept. Got a little cold at night but had plenty to cover up with. Make sure have some dry wood & fire starter help to keep that fire going for s’mores, but we still did some. Only if don’t mind very minimal outhouse type bathroom. Only 1 night while we went to Highland games at loon mountain practically next door the next day. Ate at Chinese food place up the street and went shopping too.
We are -campground owners and get one or two opportunities to escape our campground during the summer for 1 or 2 nights. We always choose to go camping. We love the white mountains and often choose Lost River! We choose the furthest site out next to the river. It's great to be in nature, next to the flow of the river, enjoying a nap or a morning cup of coffee. Lost river is very popular but we escape during the week so things are less hectic, which we prefer. The owners are great and always open to swapping -campground owner stories. We recommend this place to all of our friends.
Pool, playground, larger campground for this area. Full hookups, seasonal options, new owners!
This campground has everything! Horse carriage rides, paved roads, 2 pools, playgrounds, mini golf, fireworks…
Super friendly staff. We go the same week each year with a hoard of kids and they remember us each year. My daughter had gotten more candy out of them then she know what to do with answering the daily trivia question right. Clean, great sites for the person who goes the scenery as well as those wanting to hike, fish, hunt, and more! Some sites have new shelters, which are nice when you camp and it’s calling for rain. Easily pitch a couple four person tents or a tent and table area, off the groups and well protected in the protected deck shelter. Convenience store less than a mile each way, In an area that is much less populated.