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Best Tent Camping near Wolfeboro, NH

1,238 Reviews

Dispersed camping areas around Wolfeboro, New Hampshire provide access to several primitive tent sites within the White Mountain National Forest. Nearby options include Squam Lakes Association's tent sites, which offer more structured camping experiences, and sites at Paugus Brook Farm, where tent campers can find established field camping with level ground and outhouse facilities. Both areas serve as gateways to the broader Lakes Region and mountain terrain that characterizes this part of New Hampshire.

Most walk-in tent sites in the region require modest hikes from parking areas to reach camping locations. At Paugus Brook Farm, tent campers walk a short distance to reach the camping field, while Squam Lakes Association maintains approximately a dozen campsites—some hike-in and others boat-in only. According to one visitor, "Simple, but gorgeous. The association maintains about a dozen campsites in the Squam Lake area—some hike-in and others boat-in only." These sites typically include fire rings, but campers should bring their own water or filtering equipment, as drinking water is rarely provided. Bear activity is common throughout the region, so proper food storage is essential at all tent camping locations.

Tent campers in the Wolfeboro area experience varying levels of seclusion depending on site location and season. The field camping at Paugus Brook Farm offers open spaces with mountain views, while the tent platforms at some Squam Lakes Association sites provide more wooded settings. One camper shared that "The sites are pricey and fill up quickly when reservations open for the year on Feb 15, but the money supports the conservation of the area." Summer weekends see the highest occupancy rates at established tent campgrounds, with primitive backcountry sites offering more solitude options. Most tent-only areas remain open from May through October, though specific opening and closing dates vary by location and seasonal conditions.

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Best Tent Sites Near Wolfeboro, New Hampshire (41)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Wolfeboro, NH

75 Photos of 41 Wolfeboro Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Wolfeboro, NH

1238 Reviews of 41 Wolfeboro Campgrounds

  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 27, 2018

    Big Rock

    WMNF rustic campground on the Kanc

    There are 2 Big Rock Campgrounds in NH and they are very different! This is not the resort campground convenient to ATV trails, but a rustic campground offering large, level, wooded sites along the Kancamagus Highway just 2 miles east of the Lincoln Woods Visitor Center. It's a great location for exploring the sites and beautiful vistas along the Kancamagus, easy access to Franconia Notch and Lincoln, NH. Lincoln also offers a grocery store, restaurants, stores selling outdoor gear, moose tours, and adventure tours (zip/climbing).

    Some of the sites are tent only, with parking separated from the tent pad/fire ring/picnic table. Others are large and level with ample space for RVs. You'll get some traffic noise, but there's less here than at places along 3 & 93.

    There are no reservations; all sites are first-come, first serve and it's open from mid-May to mid-October. Bring cash or a check to pay for your campsite. It's self-service with an iron ranger. Fee (2018) is $22, an extra $5 for a second car.

    Water is available. There are vault toilets and no showers. No cell phone service.

  • J
    Sep. 4, 2022

    Lafayette Place Campground — Franconia Notch State Park

    Beautiful spot, but noisy

    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.

  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 31, 2019

    White Mountain National Forest Wildwood Campground

    quiet, large sites

    I reviewed this campground last fall after visiting on the final day of the season, but I just had a chance to sty here during a peak summer weekend and have a few additional insights. Fees are now up to $20/night, still a bargain, but it comes with only the most basic amenities, i.e. vault toilets, running water at faucets, picnic tables and fire rings. Although the campground description indicates that the sites are first-come, first-served, this has changed and many of them are available online in advance. I didn't realize this and when i arrived late Friday afternoon I had 5 or 6 campsites to choose from that could accommodate my small teardrop camper; if I were tent camping, I'd have had a couple more sites available to me. The tent only sites require a short walk from the parking area.

    When you arrive, each site will be labelled either Reserved or _Open. _ If it is Reserved, the dates it is reserved will be listed and they may not be contiguous. All the sites filled up Friday night. 

    I had site 24 which I liked. it was very large and level, with ample space for today's large tents. The water spigot was near the site next door. I could see my neighbors, but they didn't bother me. Every host site always seems to look messy with tarp-covered items and wood piles and site 24 will give you a view of the host site, but it's far enough away that you can ignore it. 

    If I were in a tent, I'd try for site 22. It's a walk-in site that includes 7-8 steps down, but it opens into a large open area and just a bit beyond there is a small brook, too.

    The campground is just a few miles west of I-93 and the town of Woodstock. If you want to hike Mooselauke or the Kinsmans, the Appalachian Trail crosses 112 nearby. Lost River Gorge is nearby as are numerous tourist attractions/activities in Woodstock and Lincoln. Take some time to explore Cascade Park in Woodstock if you want to cool off in the river and lounge on the rocks (park on the street or in the lot that is north of 112 just before the traffic light at Rte 3 in Woodstock). While you're there, pick up ice cream at Coneheads; choose among numerous hard serve ice cream made on site (downstairs) or dozens of soft-serve flavors.

    This side of 112 seems quieter than the stretch east of Lincoln. Noise level was quite low. Cell coverage is non-existent for several miles around here; you'll start to get a signal closer to Lost River Gorge in the direction of Woodstock.

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    May. 6, 2024

    Dry River Campground — Crawford Notch State Park

    Nice place

    Cool location right on the edge of the Dry River Wilderness. Great Basecamp for lots of hikes in the area. Some spots are right on the highway with not much tree cover in between so can be loud. Some walk in sites with platforms are further from the road

    Vid is from the river off the trail that starts in the campground

  • Beau B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 14, 2018

    Russell Pond Campground

    Russell Pond Campground (Walk in)

    Walk in sites at Russel Pond are nice. spacious sites with fire pits and a picnic table. Potable water is close by along with a bear box. Bathrooms are clean and the showers are $2.50 for 5 minutes. Genuinely nice staff a close proximity to several nice hikes.

  • Kate K.
    Aug. 22, 2019

    Hancock Campground

    The White Mountains Stole My Heart!

    We had a last minute change of plans to our hiking trip due to a delay. We wouldn’t have the time to hike into our pre planned area before dark, so decided to set up shop here. This place was actually pretty great. Each site was pretty large and most of them had access to the river. Which had nice areas for swimming and wading. Each site had its own bear box and it was only a short hike down from the car. The park connected directly to some beautiful AT trails that we took advantage of the next day. It was also pretty cheap! $12 or $15 if I remember correctly. All self registration.

  • L
    May. 30, 2019

    Guyot Shelter - Dispersed Camping

    Amazing Views

    Step walk in and out though most of the tent plat forms have amazing views. I have stayed here twice and had great experiences. A outhouse is located at this tent site as well as pump-able water, bear boxes and a shelter. Great place to stay on the Pemi Loop. It is a carry in carry out campsite.

  • d
    Jun. 18, 2018

    Osceola Vista Campground

    great for group camping

    i stayed here for one night with a large group (maybe 40ish people) prior to setting out on our backpacking weekend.

    This is a great campground, very clean. toilets available, and dumpster for trash were very convenient. There was potable water available also, and picnic tables. parking was tricky for our large group, and we had a bit of trouble fitting in all of the cars, but if you have a smaller group it should be no problem.

    campground was very quiet, no real road noise or anything could be heard. ground was soft and grassy, although i would still recommend using a sleeping pad, was not as hard as some other campgrounds I have stayed at. had a nice big grassy area for the large group.

  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 26, 2018

    Dry River Campground — Crawford Notch State Park

    Nice base for exploring Crawford Notch

    This state park campground located between Rte 302 and the Dry River in Crawford Notch is a great location for exploring family friendly trails to (Sawyer Pond, Arethusa Falls, Willard Cliffs to name a few) or longer excursions to Mt Washington and other peaks in the Whites & Presidentials. Story Land is an easy drive, too, if you have young children.

    Fees are a reasonable $25/night. Facilities include clean bathrooms with showers. In addition to the full-service, handicap accessible wash house, there are vault toilets around the loop. Cell service is poor to absent throughout Crawford Notch. If you need to connect, drive south toward Bartlett or North to Bretton Woods.

    Sites are spacious, level, and wooded, though some have no real demarcation between them. This can be good if you are with friends and reserve sites side by side (2 & 3; 12 & 13), Because most of the sites are on the outside of the loop or opposite sides of the road, you won't feel surrounded. There are no hookups. Site are back-in. A few of the drive-to sites include small lean-tos. In addition, there are a few sites that are more secluded, set back further in the woods and providing a tent platform as well as a fire ring and picnic table. The entire campground is close to the road, so you will hear traffic noise. Sites 27-31 are particularly close to the main road. Although sites 2-7 appear to be far from the river, it's still just a short walk. There's a formal trail to the river from the back of the loop, near 16B (lean-to). Reservations open 11 months in advance. Mid-Oct to Dec 1 sites are walk-in only. Pre-register online and bring your print-out with you to save yourself some time.

    There's no camp store, though they do have firewood for sale if you see someone. During the peak season, i expect the sites fill up in advance, but this early in the season there were sites available for Friday night when I checked in (though most only for 1 night; Saturday night was definitely harder to come by). If you haven't stocked up in advance, your best bet for groceries when coming from the south/east are Grant's Supermarket at the junction of 302 & 16 or your choice of major supermarkets in Conway.

Guide to Wolfeboro

Nestled in the scenic beauty of New Hampshire, tent camping near Wolfeboro offers a perfect blend of nature and adventure for outdoor enthusiasts.

Tent campers like these nearby activities

  • Enjoy a fun-filled family experience at Salmon Falls River RV Resort and Family Campground, featuring multiple pools, a water slide, and mini-golf, making it ideal for kids and adults alike.
  • For those who appreciate tranquility, Squam Lakes Association provides beautiful trails and excellent kayaking opportunities, perfect for a peaceful day on the water.
  • Experience the charm of the area with a stay at Paugus Brook Farm, where you can explore nearby Mount Chocorua and Chocorua Lake, offering stunning views and outdoor activities.

Local attractions tent campers should check out

  • The picturesque landscapes surrounding Viewland Campground make it a great base for exploring local swimming spots, restaurants, and shops, all within walking distance.
  • For a unique camping experience, Crown Point Campground offers a variety of amenities, including electric hookups and a market, ensuring a comfortable stay while you enjoy the great outdoors.
  • If you're looking for a more rustic experience, Browns Ridge Family Farm allows for hike-in and walk-in camping, providing a true escape into nature.

Features that enhance your tent camping experience

  • Salmon Falls River RV Resort and Family Campground is big rig friendly and offers amenities like drinking water, showers, and picnic tables, making it convenient for families.
  • At Squam Lakes Association, you can enjoy a secluded camping experience with well-maintained composting toilets and fire rings at each site, perfect for a cozy evening under the stars.
  • Paugus Brook Farm features a clean and modern outhouse, ensuring a pleasant stay while you immerse yourself in the surrounding natural beauty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Wolfeboro, NH?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Wolfeboro, NH is Viewland Campground with a 1-star rating from 1 review.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Wolfeboro, NH?

TheDyrt.com has all 41 tent camping locations near Wolfeboro, NH, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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