This campground at Gilson Pond on Monadnock State park is only about 8 years old and is very well maintained. Staff is friendly and laid back. Campsites are well shaded but if you have an RV take the time to rent an RV site otherwise backing in will put you in and awkward position as the mixed use “standard” sites are oriented towards tent camping and have narrow driveways. We had to front in and 134 point turn in order to get the tow vehicle back out of the site as the edge dropped off a small ledge of boulders. There are no water hook ups on RV sites and public water faucets are not threaded for RV filling with the exception of one faucet we happened upon on the B loop, so plan accordingly if you plan on filling water tanks on site. Easy access to hiking trails to Mt Monadnock with plenty of day use parking. Bring plenty of mosquito repellent!
Monadnock State Park is a beautiful hiking adventure for families, beginners, and anyone looking for a fun weekend trip with amazing views. There are several lookouts on the journey to the summit, and the view from the top is amazing. This was my first benchmark and the adventure inspired me to go explore and collect more!
P.S. There are no pets allowed in Monadnock State Park.
awesome remote sites just have to get up a steep hill to get to it…
This was my first time to New Hampshire so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the state parks there. I was not disappointed. I arrived after 7, so there was no one to check me in but I had reserved a campsite ahead of time so I was I went right to my site and set up. The site was big with 2 platforms, a nice picnic table and a fire pit with a grill. I was right next to the bathroom but there was a lot of woods in between my site and the facilities so it didn’t matter at all. In fact I barely noticed any of the neighboring campsites. There is quite a bit of space between each site. The bathrooms and dish washing area are new and well kept. Bring quarters for hot water. The only bad thing was the only place to buy wood for a fire was the camp store which was closed, but my fault for coming late. It was open both days I was there until 6. The hiking is incredible, both from the site and by driving to the headquarters to park. The people working there were friendly and jump started my car when the battery went dead. It was a wonderful weekend away and I will definitely be back.
This is one of (if not THE) most beautiful and well maintained state parks I have ever been to. It’s on the newer side, so that does help. The camp sites are flat, spacious, wooded, and come equipped with large fire rings/grills. The park staff was so nice and helped us find a site even while showing up last minute on a weekend. It was so cool for me to camp in the area where Thoreau wrote some of his most famous works!! This place is great, I definitely would like to come back.
This is a beautiful campground. The park ranger at the front gate was very friendly and helpful. The bathrooms are immaculate. The showers take coins but the facilities are some of the best I've seen while camping on State Park grounds. The campsites are accessible by car but nice and secluded. You can hike the path to the mountain trailhead or drive over and park for the day.
I grew up in Southern NH and Monadnock has always been my backyard hike. After over 2000 miles of long distance hiking on the AT and PCT I'm still happy to come home and see the stunning NE views. Extra stunning if you can hit it in fall!
I arrived after 8 and couldn't find anyone to check me in--my fault. I set up at a site, but had to move in the morning. The Gilson Pond facility, two miles down the road from headquarters, was a bit remote and camp store/office was closed due to fund cut backs. Otherwise a clean and relatively quiet place for your large or small group. Access to trails leading to Mount Monadnock for a healthy 3,600 foot peak, or gentle, shorter pond walks--everyone happy! There is also a very nice playground--new!
