We had an idyllic trip to Franconia Notch in July 2020. We camped here as a jumping-off point for the popular Lincoln-Lafayette-Little Haystack loop, which is walking distance from the campground. The trail gets crowded and trailhead parking runs out, so camping is a perfect way to access the hike. And it's totally worth the trip! We were equally impressed by the gentler hike up to Lonesome Lake and the eponymous AMC hut, an incredibly gorgeous spot.

The camp store was closed due to Covid-19, and staff have been checking in campers through the windows. You can still buy merchandise without going inside.

Our site (022) was great for tent campers, with a large terrace area, but wouldn't have worked for a larger vehicle. I would recommend this site for its incredible views of the mountains! Note that the sites in the "circle" across from 022 (see photo) are  in the middle of a grassy field without much shade or privacy, although most sites outside of this area are wooded. We had a lot of hoverflies (the little yellow and black guys), but they don't sting or bite, and they don't even seem particularly attracted to food. We didn't encounter more problematic insects at our campsite, although there were mosquitoes on one walk we took on the Pemi trail near the highway.

There was a bit of a party atmosphere during our visit, but in a nice way -- we didn't encounter loud late-night drinking or yelling.

Restrooms and the dish-washing area were very clean. We didn't use the showers, which are coin-operated.

The highway noise was annoying at night, as other reviews have mentioned. Earplugs would be a great investment!

PLEASE practice bear safety-- and protect both bears and humans-- by storing all food and scented items in your vehicle. We had to scare a large black bear away from our neighbor's tent around 5 am.

Despite some of the imperfections mentioned above, we had a wonderful time on this trip. The access to amazing hikes is unparalleled, and the campground was a fun place to spend the rest of our time.