Best Dispersed Camping near Sullivan, NH
Primitive campsites dot the landscape around Sullivan, New Hampshire, with several dispersed camping options available in the nearby Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont. These free sites include the George D. Aiken Wilderness, Forest Road 71, Somerset Airfield, and the Stratton Pond area. Most sites require no permits and allow camping in designated clearings with established fire rings. The National Forest lands permit drive-in access to multiple sites where visitors can set up tents or small RVs without formal facilities or services.
Access roads throughout the region vary in quality and maintenance level. Many forest roads, particularly FR 71, may become muddy after rain, with several campers noting difficult conditions requiring higher ground clearance. Somerset Airfield provides more open, level terrain suitable for multiple vehicles, while sites along Forest Road 71 tend to be smaller clearings with existing fire rings. Most areas lack drinking water, restrooms, or trash service, requiring campers to pack in all necessities and pack out all waste. Winter camping is possible but challenging, with heavy snow and freezing temperatures common.
The dispersed camping areas provide good access to hiking trails, ponds, and reservoirs throughout the Green Mountain National Forest. Sites along FR 71 connect to trails leading to Stratton Pond and other backcountry destinations. Somerset Airfield offers proximity to Somerset Reservoir for fishing and paddling opportunities. Cell service ranges from spotty to nonexistent in most locations. "Different size sites, ATT cell reception. Mostly clean, short drive to pond and stores," noted one visitor to the George D. Aiken Wilderness area. Another camper at Forest Road 71 observed, "I would have given 5 stars except for the unfortunate fact that 2 years in a row my husband and I had to spend over an hour cleaning the site from the people before us."
