Best Dog-Friendly Camping near White Mountain National Forest

The grounds are well maintained with flowers planted everywhere. Staff is extra friendly. Bathrooms and showers could use updating but were spotless. Very pet friendly with dog park, agility equipment, dog pond and dog wash.

Beautiful Campground near a stream. Has a nice store and giftshop, lots of spots for water fill up and two bathhouses so you're always close to one. Also close to tons of activities near White Mountains National Forest.

With very few sites, the Dry River Campground is one of our favorite places to camp.  The location is the White Mountain National Forest is spectacular and allows easy access to the trails.

The rangers are friendly and helpful, but mostly leave you alone.  

Facilities are basic but well maintained.  Hot showers are welcome after a long day on the trail!

We pulled in around 7:30 pm on a Sunday night and there were plenty of open spots. We took a huge one. Found a fairly flat area and stayed for the night.

Just enough t-mobile / starlink signal to watch streaming and message, but wouldn't be enough for remote work so we went to the White Mountain National Forest Picnic area off the main road about 5 minutes away and had great signal

My first time in camping in New Hampshire, the whole area is spectacular and I felt lucky to find a spot in this campground next to the stream. There was a microburst over the campground the night I was there but the water drained down into the stream so I was not sleeping in a puddle. My site was in the row closest to the road where there was truck noise for much of the night. I recommend getting a site as far away from the road as possible.

Private Field and Woods Camping in New Hampshire is a true paradise for lovers of nature and secluded recreation. After spending several days here, I was delighted with the beauty of nature and the comfort that this unique camp offers. The first thing that catches your eye is the amazing landscape.

Situated deep in the forests, the camp is surrounded by spacious fields and wild nature. Sunrises and sunsets at this place are a real miracle that makes you forget about the hustle and bustle of everyday life and enjoy the moment. The camp itself provides unique opportunities for close contact with nature.

The opportunity to locate your tent camp in a private field surrounded by forest creates a unique atmosphere of comfort and privacy. The absence of city noise and light pollution allows you to enjoy the silence and sounds of nature. The camp infrastructure also deserves the highest praise. Ecologically built showers and toilets provide everything you need for a comfortable stay away from civilization. Fire pits and cooking areas allow you to enjoy delicious meals cooked outdoors.

Private Field and Woods Camping in New Hampshire is the perfect place for those who want a real getaway in nature, far from the hustle and bustle of the city. I left this place with a feeling of complete relaxation and deep gratitude to the team who created this unique corner of nature.

We stayed at Covered Bridge one night. It is a great location relative to activities in the White Mountain National Forest. Extra bonus is the Boulder Loop Trail that is attached to the campground(it’s relatively short, offers several great vista views, and you can walk there from the campground and not have to deal with parking). The campground is clean and well kept. Pit toilets don’t bother me- they were very clean but if you struggle with using a pit or not having a shower, this isn’t your campground. The sites are quite large and have a good amount of space between them. Picnic tables and firepits are in great shape.

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).

Sawyer Pond was my introduction to backpacking more than 40 years ago. We approached it from the Kancamagus side, which necessitates a crossing of the Swift River early in the hike and may be dangerous if the river is high. The easier access is from the Sawyer River Rd, though until the road opens after mud season, it will be a longer hike. Check the White Mountain National Forest website for information about road openings in the spring and fall. Either approach, but particularly the one from Sawyer River Rd, is family friendly. It's easy access means it can also attract weekend partiers. 

This is open year round and each season offers something different. It's a nice snowshoe hike in winter. I've ice-fished on the pond. Sites are first-come, first-serve with a tent platform and fire pit. Plan to hang your food due to bears. No cell service. Autumn colors across the pond are pretty.

Just a few miles from the AT and about 10 miles west of North Woodstock, convenient for heading up to Mt Moosilauke or up the Kinsman Ridge. Other activities in the area are Clark's Trading Post, Franconia Notch State Park, all the hikes and adventures along the Kanc.

There's potable water available and pit toilets. Sites are large and level, as they usually are in the White Mountain National Forest campgrounds. Some of them are better suited to tents than trailers/RVs.

Sites are first-come, first served, and because it's on a less-traveled stretch of 112, I suspect it fills later than other campgrounds. Cell phone coverage is poor to absent. You can hear some road traffic, but not as much as other campgrounds in the Woodstock/Lincoln/Franconia area. Fees were only $18 summer of 2018; an extra car was $5 more. Campground is open May-October, closing at noon on Columbus Day.

I was looking for an inexpensive(i.e. free) place to crash on a Thursday night, so I headed toward Gale River Loop Rd to see if I could snag one of the 11 dispersed camping sites in the White Mountain National Forest. It was nearly dark when I arrived after my 3+ hour drive from Boston, so it was hard to identify the sites and determine whether they were occupied. Turned out they were all occupied, though not all had vehicles. You may have better luck midweek. 

I returned in the morning to get a better sense of the area. I’ve driven along this road a few times because the trailheads for Garfield and Gale River, along the northern edge of the Pemi Wilderness, leave from here. The Gale River Trailhead is also an AMC Shuttle Stop. These sites are free and offer no amenities beyond a fire ring; there is water from the Gale River. 

They are heavily wooded, though some of these open into open fields. It has been a very wet spring(2019), so some of the sites were quite wet. Please either bury your waste or use a portable toilet! You must stay in a numbered site (there is a numbered pole by each pull-out/site), may stay up to 14 days, and may have up to 15 people and 3 vehicles at each site. Some of the sites are better suited to larger vehicles (one was more open and had a bus parked in it). Other sites require you to park near the road and walk a bit to the site. Rangers patrol the area. 

The Gale River Loop Rd is also known as FR 25& FR 92, leaving from the east side of US3, between I-93& US302. This road is closed in the winter, will open after mud season, usually in mid to late May, and close in the fall generally in October. The White Mountain National Forest Facebook page will generally provide more up-to-date status lists than the website, so check there before heading out. There are moose in this area, so if you are traveling around dawn or dusk, stay alert! You don’t want to hit a moose. I’ve seen them in the wet areas beside the road. 

If you’ve forgotten something, you may be able to pick it up at Fosters Crossroads in Twin Mountain, just north of the loop road. The Walmart in Littleton, NH is about 20 miles away for larger purchases. 

In addition to the hikes to Galehead and Garfield, this is a central location for family friendly hikes such as Artist’s Bluff and Bald Mountain or the Sugarloafs as well as exploring all the treats in Franconia Notch and other peaks in the Pemi Wilderness.

White Ledge Campground is in the White Mountain National Forest and should not be confused with nearby White Lake State Park. Located a few miles south of the Kancamagus and Conway, you have ready access to the Carter Ledge trail up Mt Chocurua or shorter loop trails. 

The sites are generally large and wooded. Designated tent sites are not suitable for RVs/trailers because the site may require a short walk or steps. Facilities include potable water and vault toilets. There are no hookups and no dump station. The lack of amenities contributes to the low fee of$20/night, though online reservation fees will add somewhat to that. If you want a shower, they are available at Jigger Johnson campground along the Kancamagus Hwy, about 20 minutes away.

If you head up on a holiday weekend, get an early start or be ready for traffic. The loop for sites 14-28 parallels NH16; you WILL hear and even see road traffic and Rte 16 is busy.  Sites 2-5 are more open, larger, and suitable for RV or tent. Site 10 is a nicely wooded, level site for tent or RV. About half the sites are reservable. The campground is open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.

We enjoyed our stay here and our dog loved the dog park! We would highly recommend this campground.

This campground off 49 in the southern part of the White Mountain National Forest offers sites along two loops that run parallel to the road. The sites on the southern site of the loop are VERY close to the road.  the sites are generally level and a decent size. Unlike many of national forest campgrounds, this one offers both flush toilets and showers. I was in site 9, which offered ample space for my vehicle and teardrop.

I stayed here on a June weekend in 2019 and the campground was not full. The back sites fill up earlier because they provide a little more distance from the road. Although some sites are reservable, others are saved for first come, first served, so it's a good option if you're heading to the mountains last minute.

It's in a great location if you want to enjoy some popular hikes such as Welch-Dickey, with great open ledges, and the Osceolas. A few other 4000-footers in the area include Mt Tecumseh and the Tripyramids. It's also close to I-93 if you want to head a little farther north to the Kanc. The Pemi river offers tubing, kayaking, and boating opportunities. If you're looking for outdoor resort activities, Waterville Valley offers biking and disc golf. Grab some ice cream after a hike or other outdoor fun at the Bear Den. Fishing opportunities on Campton Pond and the Mad River.

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.

If you can't snag a site along Gale River Rd or you are looking to hike the Twin Mountains, then continue a little farther north on US 3 near Twin Mountain (a little north of the Beaver Brook Picnic Area) and try your luck on Haystack Rd. This road is closed in winter and will open in late spring after the road has dried out and any repairs have been made. In 2019, it opened in mid-June. Check the the White Mountain National Forest FB page or website (FB is usually more up-to-date) for road status, including closures in the autumn.

When open, you can drive in to one of 11 numbered, wooded sites and camp up to 14 nights for free. You may have up to 3 vehicles and 15 people on a site. The only amenity is a fire pit, but the road ends at the Little River, offering fishing and swimming options. The parking lot at the end of Haystack Rd serves as the Twin Mountain trail head. You may see moose or bears in the area.

Franconia Notch State Park is just south of here, with its hikes, recreation trail, echo lake, and the Flume. Head east on 302 and you'll find yourself in Crawford Notch State Park with waterfalls and hikes.

Forgot something? Fosters Corners just a few miles north has an eclectic selection of essentials as well as gas. Or take I-93 north to Littleton to a wider variety of shops.

This National Forest campground in Albany, NH is just west of Conway on the Kancamagus, which means it's a great location for hiking, tubing (Saco Rv in Conway), fishing, and even shopping; the choice is yours. To reach it from the Kanc, you'll need to cross the covered bridge where there's a height restriction. If your rig is >7'9" you'll need to enter via Passaconaway Rd via West Side Rd in Conway [heading north on 113/Main St, turn left just before the library and then after going through the Swift River covered bridge, turn left again on Passaconaway Rd].

Some of these sites are reservable online, but others are first-come, first-served. If you're in a tent, the sites along the back side of the loop, up the hill, offer some extra privacy. These sites won't work for an RV, but the other sites will. This campground is a bit quieter than others along the Kanc because it is set apart by Passaconaway Rd. For services you have water and vault toilets; no hookups. Nearest showers are down the road at Jigger Johnson campground, but not until Memorial Day. For cell service, you'll need to head back into Conway; it is absent for most of the Kanc. If it's open and you're passing by, you can also get cell service near height of land on Bear Notch Rd, but this is closed until late spring.

Lower Falls and Rocky Gorge are nearby. If you're going to be in the area for a while, stop by the Saco Ranger Station and purchase a weekly parking pass for all the White Mountain National Forest parking areas/trailheads. Hiking opportunities abound. Popular nearby hikes include Champney Falls/Mt Chocura. Potash Mountain and Hedgehog Mountain are hikes with nice rewards for moderate effort. The Russell Colbath House offers ranger talks during high season.