Looking for the best campgrounds near White Mountain National Forest, NH? White Mountain National Forest is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in White Mountain National Forest, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.
$50 / night
"On the far side of the parking lot at Echo Lake Beach/Cannon Mountain you'll find 7 RV, full-hookup sites."
"We were ble to extend our slide out, but not our awning."
$64 - $69 / night
"These offer large, level, grassy sites. Check them out and come back here to leave them some love."
$49 - $59 / night
"The owners are super friendly and accommodating; the park is clean, comfortable, and convenient to adventures in the White Mountains; and the wifi worked great...especially when compared to other campgrounds"
$50 / night
"Dog friendly, mini golf, heated pool , two playgrounds, and crafts and fun things for the kids !"
"Lots of great sites, clean, lots of amenities (almost everything) and activities. Can be tough to get into because so nice and popular in a good location."
$46 - $429 / night
"Not much shade where we were so bring umbrellas/shades."
$33 - $60 / night
"The most important things we look for in a campground is a friendly host, safe grounds, and clean amenities. The campground was a great base location for the local attractions and sights."
$45 - $55 / night
"Silver Lake Park Campground and Cabins was an incredibly well maintained campground off Jamestown Road in Belmont NH. "
"We also were in the spot right next to the walkway to the bathhouse, so had steady traffic going by. Our site #60 was gravel, back in, 30 amp, full hookup."
"Such a nice well cared for campground. 39 sites with a combination of RV full hookup to primitive tent sites. Beautiful setting on a small babbling river and plenty of trees for shade."
$40 - $85 / night
"This campground is huge with over 300 sites set on nearly 200 acres and along a beautiful lake!"
"Full hookup sites. Large sites in the woods with picnic table and fire pit"
GuideFor a smaller campground it was everything we wanted; it was quiet; and the sites were a good size for our pop up; we stayed at site 20; which was the biggest along the waterfront. There is a nice walking trail and peaceful water view sites. The staff was super friendly and made our stay very enjoyable! Sites of all sizes from tent sites to large pull through sites for the big rigs! We will deff be back! Smaller camp store but there is a hardware/general store right down the road. Close to ATV trails. Ports potties were exceptionally clean. Propane is also sold on site. Pet friendly with appropriate documentation. I look forward to our next trip!
LegendThis is one of the rare New Hampshire campgrounds that is open year round. For years I drove by this campground deterred by the run-down, deserted red building next door that is NOT associated with the campground. On a last-minute whim I called and snagged one of the final two sites for the holiday weekend, spending 3 nights here. I wanted to be someplace where I could track the baseball playoffs, so finding a place with wifi (fair, better closer to the bath house) and 2-3 bar 3G/4G Verizon access was a plus. This campground has a large number of seasonal sites, but also has sites available for the occasional camper, with discounts available if you stay for a week.
Sites are wooded, generally moderately sized, though the seasonal sites are much larger. Tent sites do not have hook-ups, but they have small shelters that provide additional protection fro the weather. Some of the tent sites are sloped. They also tend to be long and narrow, opening up to a wider area with the picnic table, fire pit and tent pad. Tent sites in the K row are near the road, so although you don't get much campground noise, you do hear road traffic.
The bathhouse is clean, well-lit, and heated (a treat on those cold autumn mornings). There's also a laundry room with 4 washers and dryers if you need to clean up or dry out after a rough day on the trails. Sites are close to each other. They've separated sites with fence panels in some places to provide some privacy. There's an inground pool, a large playground, and a horsehoe pit.
Activities in the area include very convenient access to hiking trails ranging from family friendly Surgarloafs to classic 4000-footers along Franconia Ridge, and peaks along the northern ridge of the Pemi Wilderness (Garfield, Galehead, Twins), trails to Mt Washington and the Presidentials, as well as numerous peaks and waterfalls in the Crawford Notch area. Cog railway is just a few miles down the road if you want to catch an early ride. Trails for ATVs and snowmobiles are also nearby.
LegendWe chose to stay at this campground because it was close to downtown Bethel, had river access, and had a full hook-up site for our 45’ RV. Campsites vary from full hook-up pull through to grassy shaded private sites perfect for tent camping. The sites are pretty close together and ours was a buddy site which meant our patio faced our neighbor’s patio. Since the sites were so close, we were practically sitting next to them. Luckily, they were nice people and we enjoyed talking to them.
Not all sites are level and we found it difficult to get into because of the tight roads and dangling tree limbs. Some of the best sites are unfortunately reserved for work campers. These are pull-ins with a view of a grassy field. The wifi at our site (#21) was horrible and we never used it. There is no cable and we were not able to pick up any over-the-air television channels. The campground is pretty wooded which was nice for the shade but meant we were not able to get satellite reception with our dome mounted receiver. We ended up using our portable receiver and after two days of moving the unit we were finally able to lock into the satellites.
We selected a 50-amp full hookup pull through site which was $46/night. Our sewer was uphill at our site which is a big pet peeve of ours and super annoying when it comes to empty the tanks. The 50-amp worked well and it was well-placed in the site as was the water. The roads and campsites are gravel and the patios are a mix of gravel and grass. Each site has a picnic table and fire pit. The campground is adjacent to a paved walking/biking path that leads to downtown Bethel. We used the path to walk over to the farmers market and found it very convenient to walk our dog. There is also a mowed path through a field that we also liked for walking our dog.
The best aspect of this campground is the access to the Androscoggin River. The park rents kayaks, canoes, and tubes and has a shuttle service that will take you up river for so you can float back to the campground. We used the campgrounds shuttle livery service to take our kayak and paddleboard up river for a leisurely float down the river so we could enjoy the scenery, have a picnic, and fish. (Since we used our own boats, the coast was cheaper.) The campground offers this service to non-campers which meant there were a lot of people walking through the campground. The bathroom in the campground was old and tired and heavily used by people floating the river which and was pretty dirty. They also have a sluice on the property, where (for a fee) you can get a bucket of mined material and get to sort through it looking for minerals and gems. Whatever you find, you keep.
The campground is located off Route 2 which is fairly convenient but the road noise was pretty loud as this is a heavily trafficed road. Downtown Bethel is just a few minutes away and has a brewery, grocery, restaurants, shops, and the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum. About five miles away is Sunday River which is a ski area. We took the chair lift up the mountain so we could hike around and take in the beautiful views. On the way, we stopped at Sunday River Brewery and had a delicious meal and great beer.
LegendTurtle Kraal RV campground is a gated RV campground just outside Alton Bay NH. Lots of great restaurants, ice cream shops and water activities are nearby!
The sign was easy to spot, right off the road, GPS leading us right to the entrance. There is a long approach after you see the sign, and even a sharp turn before you see the gate. We met the man at the gate (with his incredibly enormous husky) and provided us all the information we needed. This campground has wifi, good cell signal (AT&T and Verizon), a great pool, is pet friendly and well maintained. The bathhouse and pool were both very clean, and for as many RV's that were there - that was amazing! Each site has a firepit and a picnic table - though many sites have additions and build for an extended stay!
This campground is huge - there is a lower loop and an upper loop with the bathhouse and pool right in the center. Kids can ride their bikes around both loops, walk the dogs, play cornhole or horseshoes, etc. Trash is well maintained, with enough dumpsters for the amount of campers they could hold at capacity. They also have firewood for sale on your way in, so you don't have to chase a campground host or a little golf cart - you can buy what you need on your way back. This is a very family friendly campground about an hour and a half north of Boston and about the same from the Whites. A great base-camp for amazing days on Lake Winnipesauke!!
GuideWe had a beautiful waterfront campsite (Site 113). The lake is gorgeous. Rocks make direct access to the water from the site difficult, but there is a beach for water access not too far away. The staff was extremely nice and helpful. The only cons: The sites are a little small and do not have any trees between them to shield you from those next to you. It appears that a majority of the tenants who were there during our visit were long term tenants so it has a bit of a different feel than some of the other campgrounds we’ve visited. Also, the road is tight so be prepared to drive close to trees. :) You’re within 30 minutes to White Mountain National Forest, which is gorgeous!
GuideI stayed here mid week in October 2020. Besides me and a tent camper, there was no-one here. But they all arrived for Columbus Day weekend of course. I was on site 17. Water+electric only. $25 per night. Good cell reception with Verizon and AT&T. Campground Wifi is workable. Dump station is located smartly away from most campsites, but on site. Cammy at the office was lovely and helpful. You can definitely hear the Highway, but I love that it’s easy to get to from the soutth (MA) and centered in the White Mountain National Forest. The campground is directly at the Pemigewasset River with several access points and plenty of space for walking and stretching your legs, if you don’t want to drive. Welch Dickey Trailhead is only 15 minutes away.
LegendI haven't stayed here, but I checked it out on Columbus Day weekend because it's one of the few campgrounds open year-round (plowed, unlike Lafayette Place, which is walk-in) in the White Mountains. Most of the reviews talk about the walk-in tent sites, but there's more to this campground that is located along the Kancamagus Highway just before the Lincoln Woods Visitors' Center.
If you're a tent camper and don't mind carrying your gear downhill to a site, drive straight ahead to a parking lot. A few of the sites (3 & 4) are accessible from the far end of the parking lot, but for most of them you'll head down the steps in the middle with sites in two levels branching out on each side. Sites are large, but close together and although you're in the woods, there's not much to separate you from your neighbors. Even sites 10-20 are directly on the water.
Sites 22-55 are suitable for RVs and tents. Those on the back side of the loop are close enough that you can hear the Pemi River running below. A few of the sites are pull-through. There are no hook-ups, but water available via spigots and flush toilets are available - except in winter. I'd recommend sites on the back side of the loop to provide some more distance from traffic noise. I chatted briefly with a host who remarked that sites on the western end of the loop have some cell phone coverage, unlike the rest of the campground.
If you stay here, you're only a few miles from Lincoln where you can pick up any necessary supplies. This end of the Kanc your nearest hiking options are Lincoln Woods and Greeley Pond for family friendly trails, or Lincoln Woods to head into the Pemi wilderness, including peaks in the Pemi loop and Owl's Head. The Hancocks are via a trail at the hairpin on the Kanc. Franconia Notch and its many hiking trails and the multi-use trail are a short drive away.
Bring cash or a check to pay your camping fee in the iron ranger. Fees cover the first vehicle; a second vehicle is an additional $5.
LegendThis is a small family-owned and operated campground just a few miles outside of St. Johnsbury, Vermont. The campground abuts the Moose River which makes for a pretty backdrop and wonderful place to dip your toes in the water. The shallow river is a clear flowing rocky river.
The campground is a mix of seasonal and transient campers with sites large enough to fit big rigs. There is also a rental camper and cabin available. There were tent sites but the owner mentioned they may fade those out. We stayed in a large pull thru (well over 125’), full hook-up site in the center section of the campground. (Site 27 @ $47/night). The electric worked fine and the sewer was easily reached with my 20’ sewer hose. The pad was gravel (as were the roads) and the patio was nice grass. Cable television is available and produced 32 stations. Our Verizon hotspot and phone worked well.
There are lots of activities at this park. It seems like every week there was a community bonfire where lots of palettes were set ablaze. During our stay, there was a potluck dinner in which the owners supplied roast beef and hosted us in a large covered pavilion. One evening they drove around the campground offering free ice cream sandwiches or drum sticks. Some mornings they supplied free bagels or donuts and always had free coffee. And, there were people always on the porch playing cards. Amenities include river access, a decent size dog park, large covered pavilion, bathhouse and laundry. When you arrive, you are given a swag bag with printed information about the surrounding area and businesses. This is a really nice touch because the reusable bag can be used in the grocery store as plastic bags have been banned in Vermont.
If you can score a riverfront site those are nice to sit outside and enjoy a fire. The pull thru sites are very close on one side as each RV pulls in the opposite direction; however, the sites are so long that if you pull up far enough you are not looking at your neighbor. Your patio opens to a neighbor but the sites are far enough away that it’s not a bother and you don’t feel like you are on top of them. Probably the nicest site in the park is #23 which is a back-in site with your patio facing the river.
The campground is in a good location, just a few miles from downtown St. Johnsbury, just a mile or so from “Dog Mountain,” and about 15 miles from Littleton, New Hampshire. There is a town forest just a few miles away that has some nice hiking trails. The campground is pretty small so we were happy to find places to hike with our dog.
LegendWhite 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.
Discover the beauty of RV camping near White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire, where stunning landscapes and outdoor adventures await.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best RV campgrounds in White Mountain National Forest?
White Mountain National Forest offers several excellent RV campgrounds. Hancock Campground is highly regarded for its year-round accessibility (plowed in winter) and location along the Kancamagus Highway. For those seeking more amenities, Danforth Bay Camping & RV Resort is a popular choice with full hookup sites and recreational facilities. Other notable options include White Ledge Campground with spacious sites near Conway, and Ammonoosuc Campground which remains open year-round. When booking, consider that many forest campgrounds have limited or no hookups, so come prepared with adequate water and power solutions. Peak season typically runs May through October, with some sites available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Are there resort-style amenities available at White Mountain National Forest RV sites?
Most campgrounds within White Mountain National Forest itself are rustic with basic amenities like vault toilets and drinking water, but limited resort-style features. For luxury camping experiences near the forest, several private options exist. Turtle Kraal RV Park is a gated facility near Alton Bay offering enhanced security and proximity to restaurants and water activities. Chocorua KOA provides a family-friendly environment with various activities and amenities. Other campgrounds like Moose River offer river access and scenic settings. For true resort-style camping, look to private campgrounds surrounding the national forest rather than the public sites within it, which generally maintain a more natural, less developed atmosphere.
What size RVs can be accommodated in White Mountain National Forest campgrounds?
White Mountain National Forest campgrounds vary in their ability to accommodate larger RVs. Bethel Outdoor Adventure and Campground can accommodate larger rigs up to 45' with full hook-up pull-through sites. Riverside Camping & RV Resort is also big-rig friendly with appropriate facilities. Within the national forest itself, White Ledge Campground offers generally large sites, though they may not all be suitable for the biggest RVs. Many campgrounds in the region have a mix of site sizes, so it's advisable to check specific site dimensions when making reservations. For larger RVs (over 35 feet), calling ahead to confirm accessibility is recommended, as some forest roads and campground entrances have tight turns that may present challenges.
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