Best Campgrounds near Washington, NH

★☆☆☆☆ Worst Campground Experience of My Life — Unsafe, Unsanitary, and Exploitative

I’ve stayed at a lot of campgrounds — this was by far the worst. From day one, Circle 9 Ranch was filthy, mismanaged, and actively hostile toward anyone who questioned their bizarre rules or dangerous conditions.

The bathrooms were often locked, disgusting, or out of order — no hot water, no toilet paper, and sometimes you’re forced to use the wrong gender’s restroom because the others are shut down. Sewage odors were constant, and during dry weather, there were pools of water forming over the leach field, suggesting septic failure.

We were surrounded by unleashed pit bulls, some unneutered, and aggressive — multiple reviews mention attacks, and we personally saw at least one violent incident. No staff responded, and management takes no accountability.

The electric and water hookups are unsafe and outdated. Several other tenants reported thousands in repairs due to faulty wiring. They’re also charging commercial utility rates illegally, with no clear billing — 17 to 28 cents per KWH. That’s not legal in New Hampshire.

The place looks like a trailer park war zone — piles of junk, parties at all hours, yelling, possible drug activity, and tenants openly saying they've seen overdoses. Meanwhile, staff are rude, disorganized, and often try to intimidate people into silence or paying fees that aren’t in writing.

They also target vulnerable people — disabled campers, older folks, low-income residents — and once they have your money, they make it nearly impossible to leave. The lease is a trap, and if you ask for a refund, they just say "no."

 This place is unsafe for families, pets, and even basic health. Please read all the negative reviews across TripAdvisor, RVLife, Facebook, The Dyrt, and Yelp — there’s a reason so many people are warning you.

Do not camp here. Not even for a night. Not worth the risk.

My family and I’s experience at Northstar Campgrounds was disappointing and fell far below our expectations. During our stay, an individual who identified himself as Chad approached us and asked us to be quiet, despite it being approximately an hour and a half before the official quiet hours, which begin at 11:00 PM. Chad claimed that our children were too loud while playing, even though their noise level was a little loud, they were simply enjoying their time at this campground. Additionally, Chad consistently stated in his argument that he heard us by the bridge, which is located roughly 300 feet away from our site. This whole entire excuse was ridiculous as one of my friends, who was coming back from the bathroom(which is about 50 feet), said that our music was barely noticeable and perfectly fine and reasonably within our site. What was particularly frustrating was the timing and tone of the interaction. Approaching guests almost two hours before quiet hours, and implying that the noise was unacceptable at that time, felt unnecessary and overly strict. It created an uncomfortable atmosphere and made us feel unwelcome, especially since we had been respectful of the campground rules prior to this. Additionally, there was a lack of clear communication about the campground's policies and a seeming inflexibility that negatively impacted our overall experience. As a family, we value a relaxed and friendly environment, and this incident certainly detracted from that expectation. Regrettably, based on this encounter, I cannot recommend Northstar Campgrounds for families or anyone seeking a peaceful and welcoming outdoor experience with their kids. We hope management will consider giving their valued guests a more memorable, and fun experience.

This could be a nice campground and day use area. Unfortunately VT State Parks Leadership has allowed Fort Dummer State Park to become a haven for criminals and drug users. This campground and park are not safe. Within the first month of opening in 2025 there have been two assaults, multiple incidents of heroine and meth use and drug dealing, a DUI within the park, a trespass citation, multiple reports of high power automatic weapons being shot, and one of the park managers filed a restraining order against a camper for him threatening to “hit her in the mouth” when she tried to enforce the campground rules. Brattleboro police will not respond to incidents within the park boundary as it’s technically in the town of Guilford. VT State police will not respond to issues within the campground- it took 5 call to 911 over 6 hours for them to respond to the repeated DUI offenses in the park. VT F&W Officers are over half an hour away and are understaffed. VT State Parks policy states that their campgrounds are not a short term housing solution, but homeless have taken over the park and trash their sites and the public bathrooms. Highly suggest not hiking or camping at this location for your own safety. If you like used needles, the roar of highway traffic and sleeping next to felons, this is the park for you 🥴

We stayed in the cabin with a kitchenette and bathroom. The shower worked well and it was nice not to have to walk to the restrooms, though they were close by. Our stay was during the week so it wasn’t very crowded. Our son liked the playground and it was unfortunately too cold for the pool but it looked fun! It has a big slide and what looks like a splash pad. We enjoyed the arcade while waiting for our laundry to finish. The main trail leads to a kayak launch which we didn’t take advantage of but had a nice walk. Highly suggest checking out Tenney Farm nearby for fresh produce and treats.