Pawtuckaway State Park Campground lines the shore of beautiful Pawtuckaway Lake.  The 192 sites are wooded and many provide views of the lake.  Each campsite has an open fire ring, picnic table, flat areas for a tent, and a parking space. The bathhouses are equipped with running water, flush toilets, and 24 hour showers.  There are no hook-ups at any of the campsites. The park also has a camp store where canoe and kayak rentals are available, as well as a public canoe and kayak launch. Five cabins are available; each sleeps six people, has electricity, and includes a fire ring and picnic table. Pets are not allowed in the campground or beach area of the park.

Pawtuckaway State Park Campground

We stayed here twice, once in September 2013 and then again in September 2018 and it is one of my favorites.

In 2013  -site 25 was a little challenging since it was on a downgrade and we were hit with a an unexpected 36 hour downpour and there was only one suitable spot for our tent since the terrain is very rocky.  After a few hours of constant rain I realized the water runoff from the road above and the driveway all ended up flowing right under our tent into the lake. At least I was able to experience a water bed for the first time in my life.  

The closest bath/shower was well kept, with four bathroom stalls and the one huge shower, I imagine that the wait times in the summer months might be a hassle but in the off season it was hardly used. 

In 2018 we stayed in sites 110 and our friends stayed in 109 on Big Island.  Those were wonderful sites, level with great views of the lake and are situated  right across from the bath/shower.  It was in need of an upgrade but with several facilities throughout the island we had other nearby options for a shower.

I forgot the daily visits from the ducks, like clockwork morning and dusk a family of ducks visited looking for grub and although most feed them bread, I know that's not good for them so they left unsatisfied.  

The next day I bought uncooked Quaker Oats and some grapes  that I cut in quarters for them, after that visit I realized that they would never leave so we became less generous.  Eventually, they realized we were on to them.

One of my favorites!  

This campground is beautiful and in a nice location in the state park but is really crowded in the summer months with large groups of loud children.

Crowded campground

We visited this campground with a large group of extended family. Some families stayed in great little cabins, and some of us tented. The bath house was clean, the sites were well spaced and quite private. The lake is wonderful for kayaking and canoeing--we loved the many blueberry bushes scattered around the shores. There seemed to be good hiking trails as well--however during our particular visit the mosquitoes were quite ferocious and didn't make it too far down the trail.

The children all had fun biking around too. There are fun bridges to some of the smaller islands in the park.

Although we didn't end up visiting the ocean during our stay, one of the reasons we chose Pawtuckaway was because it was within a reasonable drive of the coast,

There were gas stations, grocery stores, and a drug store not more than 20 minutes from the campground

Delightful Camping Spot not far from the Coast

Slept here 2 nights. Its definitely a decent campground and good for the whole family. Theres swimming in the lake right on the campground as well as hiking, biking, fishing, and climbing.

Pawtuckaway state park is beautiful.We had some owls keep us company the entire night which was also pretty interesting. Where its located in NH its just such a random beautiful place. Besides the uneven camping areas the park is over priced in my opinion. Fortunately there good climbing near by and that makes up for it in my opinion.

Cheers.

Uneven tent areas make for a difficult night sleep.

I camped here last year. The sites are level and roomy. The bathroom was clean. The walk to the beach was along a public parking lot. The beach was clean. The small store is well stocked. You can rent kayaks here. Lots of small people powered boats on the lake.

Pawtuckaway State Park

We spent a weekend in October camping here. We stayed in site 78 on Horse Island. We were caught off guard by how far we had to drive from the entrance into the park to reach out campsite, but that was great - far away from the road. The check in was easy and the desk staff very helpful. I wish we were given a little bit more information like a hiking map or information on things to do in the park. Horse Island was really nice. Some of the sites were right on the lake. Most were very generous in size. There are no hook ups. We didn't ask about a dump station and didn't see any signs for one. We knew there was a potable water spigot near our site so we filled our tank there before parking our pop up. Our site was quite large. The only draw back to it was that there wasn't much foliage between us and the site behind us. So it felt like we were constantly looking at them. But again, the site was large so it wasn't like we were on top of them. The restrooms were clean, but the one shower in each restroom was old and not well kept. We rode our bikes to the store and the beach and checked out some of the little islands connected by foot bridges. We also brought our kayak and took it out through the boat launch. You can also rent canoes and kayaks through the store. The store had coffee, drinks, gadgets, some food and snacks. It was pretty well stocked for being at the end of the season. There are ranger programs (it was the last weekend of the season for them while were there). We did ask for a hiking map, but unfortunately it didn't list distances on the hikes. But it appears that here are quite a few interesting hikes. It was a beautiful weekend and we really enjoyed camping at the park. I can only imagine its crazy busy during the summer, but I think we'll try to go back.

Nice park

Pawtuckaway State Park campground ranks extremely high on our list of favorite campgrounds. There are 192 sites in wooded areas; many have direct access to Pawtuckaway Lake. No hookups are available and there is not a dump station. There are *old* bathroom facilities with paid showers (paying mechanism is broken - donations are accepted).

The park includes a lake beach, fishing and boating opportunities, hiking trails, a marsh with wildlife sighting possibilities, and unique boulder fields containing glacial erratics (large boulders that were deposited when glacial ice melted).

After staying one night on the way to Maine we made a point to book another night on our return journey.  It’s super beautiful and tranquil. However, the campground is very popular in high season and it is reported that the beach will fill to capacity early in the morning.

TIP: Stay in site 43 or 44 on Horse Head Island. They are both large private sites with direct lake access.

Amazing Campsites on Pawtuckaway Lake

Home is the place in the world where we can just be. For me, this is home. Maybe it's because I was born and raised not so far away, and I've visited the park for years, marking my growth by the granite boulders dispersed throughout the park. Yet, even as a child, I was always drawn to Pawtuckaway, the still waters, the quiet sunset, the loons calling across the ripples in the lake, and the soft pine needles below bare feet.

Pawtuckaway is a great spot to set up camp in New England. It is a preserve for loons and dotted with islands where they nest. It is close enough to the White Mountains of NH and all they have to offer (Lost River, Flume Gorge, etc.), NH's seacoast and colonial Portsmouth, the seacoast of Southern Maine with its widow's walks and seafaring charm, and Boston with all of its heritage, history, and great food.

The campground and park offer several amenities, including a swimming beach, boat rentals, snack bar, playground, showers, and a small campstore where firewood and ice are sold. There is a grocery store, a laundromat, and a Dunkin' Donuts only a few minutes from the park. If you are not from New England, you may not understand the Dunkin' Donuts reference, but trust me, it's relevant. There are several shower houses, although hot water may be an issue--or maybe it was just getting in after a woman decided to stand under the shower for 40 minutes while others were waiting?

The camping is divided into three main areas: Horse Island, Big Island, and Neal's Cove. All offer lakefront campsites, and there is at least one remote, hike-in site on Big Island. The lakefront sites easily accommodate kayaks and canoes for instant access to the water. The campsites are all very spacious and fairly private.

When visiting, site selection is everything (as we discovered). We first ended up with an interior site. A handful of the sites on Big Island, and even in Neal's Cove may be lying next to a wet, muddy and wooded area--and # 97 was one of those. In the evening so many mosquitos swarmed our site that we couldn't stand outside long enough to cook (we didn't even dare to open our mouths). That was a Saturday night. On Sunday, campsites opened up that were otherwise available for the rest of our stay. We swapped our reservation to site number 6 on Horse Island. Our family picked up the still-pitched tent and marched it down the road with air mattresses hanging out of the back of our van. Site 6 was absolutely amazing (and there wasn't a single mosquito). The breeze from the lake and lack of standing water makes these sites ideal (not to mention, they are lakefront). Lesson learned: be weary of interior sites! Some of the interior sites are on high ground and quite fabulous, offering few mosquitos, but a few them are an absolute disaster.

Home

About an 1 1/2 hours north of Boston and 40 minutes west of Hampton Beach lies Pawtuckaway State Park. Many of the reviews I perused before my visit balked at how busy the park was, and it was generally busy, but it was beautiful and turned out to be one of my favorite parks.

After you register its about a 1.5 mile drive before you hit the camping areas. The park isn’t completely isolated, but you get that sense that you’re headed out into the wilderness. You’re passing wetlands, trailheads; there are three separate camping areas- Horse Island, Neal’s Cove and Big Island. Each seems to have their own vibe and feel. The park also has a visitor’s beach, playground, store, plenty of boat access and modern bathroom facilities.

I had site 35 on Horse Island. Gorgeous. It’s a longer “driveway” to the site, but it’s like you’re tucked away in this secret hideout. It was decently sized and shaded, with a fire pit and picnic table. It was also right on the water (Pawtuckaway Lake). There was a small sandy access-you’re not supposed to swim anywhere besides the beach-but I didn’t notice anyone enforcing this. For future notice bring water shoes, but the swimming was amazing. So many other campers had their paddle boards and kayaks out-just such a nice amenity. I really lucked out.

Truly, there really wasn’t a bad site in the park-some are better and more private than others, but this is one of the more solid parks I’ve come across. After some exploring, I compiled a list of some other A-list sites; and while it is by no means exhaustive (ran out of time to explore everything) it could come in handy! As far as Horse Island goes, sites 1, 4 and 48 really knocked it out of the park. 7, 16 and 17 are also some pretty stellar options. If you’re looking for secluded, waterfront- these are excellent sites! On Big Island, my go-to sites would be: 90, 93, 95 and 122\. 90-95 aren’t waterfront, but they’re incredibly shaded, private and genuinely seemed to have that in-the-wilderness feel. (at least those are my favorite qualities in a good camping spot!) 111 and 112 are also strong contenders. I didn’t get to explore much of Neal’s Cove, so I will be saving that for my next visit.

I definitely recommend this park-yes there are many campers, seems to be a popular place. But it’s well taken care of, offers a host of amenities and has many beautiful sites to choose from!

Facilities are very clean. The staff are great. We book a site every year. The tent sites are large and well maintained.

Great place

Lovely wooded campground where you can swim, hike, kayak, bike, canoe, fish, boulder, geocache and explore to your heart's content. Generally large and level sites, many with water access, Make your reservation well in advance if you're planning to visit during peak season or if you want a prime waterfront site. Sites on Horse Island will cost you $5 more than those on Big Island, but many of the sites are directly on the water, making it easy to slip your boat into the lake from your site. There's a campers only boat launch on Horse Island. Much of the lake is better suited to paddle craft rather than motor boats due to it's shallow nature and rocks. The an expansive beach as well, a camp store and boat rentals.

I've had a weekend when my neighbors were playing loud music all afternoon and stumbled drunk through my campsite after dark and other weekends when it was hard to tell there was anyone around.

Driving around this past weekend I did notice that some of the sites had damp spots; site 71 was the worst with deep mud on the long approach. Site 73 is near the bath house, but it has a long approach that provides a little privacy and it's higher than the surrounding sites with water access. Sites in the 3-15 range are waterfront, but they're higher off the water. Site 43-45 are great. Those along the southern edge of Horse Island offer a more level entry. Roads are narrow and many of the site entrances are narrow with rock/tree obstructions in places that may make backing in more of a challenge to thsoe with trailers or RVs. No hookups.

The bath houses are tired, but they offer free showers. Would love to see them renovated and brightened up. Big Island also has cabins available. Phone coverage is poor (Verizon); can usually get texts out. If you want to geocache, download the info for offline use!

If you are used to camping with pets, you'll need to visit outside of peak season as they are not allowed in the campground Memorial Day to Columbus Day and never on the beach.

It has a longer season than many campgrounds in New Hampshire, running to the end of October, and you can generally get a site last minute if you're waiting on the weather and don't need/want a water site. Its proximity to Boston makes it great for a quick getaway.

Something for everyone

Lots to do, Kayak, Swim, Hike and more.
Very friendly staff, very scenic location many sites are on the water.
Only drawback is you can’t bring your dog 😪.

Beautiful Location on the Lake!

Great state park campground! Some of the sites are close together but there are lakes to swim and places to rent kayaks/canoes/etc. if you need it.

State park

Went there this past weekend. Brought our kayaks. I reserved a water front site for that reason. Well worth it. Amazing lake for kayaking, swimming, fishing and exploring. So many little islands and shallow spots to swim around or jump off rocks.

  

The public beach area is a nightmare, super busy. And we found that there were a few people who didnt respect the quiet hours.  Plus people would drive their cars to the bathrooms at night, in my opinion if you cant walk there, dont go camping. That was a nuisance. A big reason for me only giving 3 stars. Otherwise it's easily a 4 or 5 star.

Great campground to boat on

We camped for a weekend here in a group of 6 people on Horse Island spread out over 2 sites. Checking in at the park office was easy and we received our parking pass. Each campsite can hold two vehicles. 

There are several bathrooms placed all over the campground with toilets, sinks, and showers (no quarters needed). There are also water spigots placed around which is nice to refill containers. 

I only give 4 stars due to two issues: 
One of the showers was unusable as it was FILLED with insects. After scoping out a few other bathrooms the problem seemed to be isolated to just that one.

Secondly, the park office seemed to be out of firewood the whole weekend. We were able to find some at the grocery store ($18 for 3 small bundles), and a random house selling some ($10 for the equivalent of 4 small bundles). 

Nonetheless, we had a great time, undisturbed by all around us, and we did a 5 mile round trip hike to the the Pawtuckaway Fire Tower (view from the top attached).

Thank You!




Tucked-Away 

This a a fantastic little camp for if you want to go canoeing or kayaking or boating of any kind!  It's set up of three islands and a large majority of the campsites are right on the water 

Great campround for water activities 

\*CAMPGROUND REVIEW\*

This campground is definitely a dazzler and I was fortunate to visit on a quieter weekend. I was able to enjoy an especially picturesque sunset over the lake and I would definitely visit this spot again, especially with how accessible the campground is. There is a nice stretch of sandy beach at the campground as well as canoes and kayaks for rent. The convenience store at the campground had essentially everything you would need for a good camping trip. Definitely do your research on the different site numbers because some sites are much more private and scenic than others. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and fire pit as an added bonus.

Pros: 

\-Within a short driving distance from the Boston area 

\-Lakefront sites available 

\-Canoe and kayak rentals available 

\-Well stocked convenience store 

\-Reasonable cell reception

Cons: 

 -Can get busy during peak camping times 

 -Some sites have a lack of privacy

\*PRODUCT REVIEW\*

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time. During this trip, I took out a pair of [Red Ledge Rain Pants](https://www.redledge.com/products/womens-rebel-stretch-shell-pant). While it didn’t rain during my camping stay (great from a camper perspective, not so great from a reviewer perspective), I was able to try out the general fit of the pants. They have a nice stretch fit to them and a certainly one of the more stylish options as far as rain pants go. As is true for most waterproof gear, they run on the warmer side and don’t have a ton of ventilation so they may not be the best choice for hotter weather. Although I didn’t get to test out the pants in a camping setting, I did wear them a few days ago while making the 1.5 km evacuation route trek from my apartment to the flood shelter during one of the biggest typhoons to make landfall in Japan. After about 25-30 mins of walking in record breaking-ly heavy rain, the pants started to saturate around the knees and the upper thigh area started to get a bit soggy. That being said, this is probably the most extreme possible test setting and they did hold up reasonably well. Due to the aforementioned, I would recommend using these pants as a waterproof option when skiing/snowboarding in warmer weather where you still want a snow barrier but may not necessarily need the insulative warmth offered by actual snow pants.

Pros: 

\-Stylish look 

 -Stretch fit 

 -Waterproof 

 Cons: 

 -Trap heat 

 -Not typhoon proof

Ranger Review: Red Ledge Rebel Shell Rain Pants at Pawtuckaway State Park

The spots them selves had a fire pure with grill grate and a picnic table. A parking spot and a decent amount of room to spread out. The have a hike with a fire tower at the top and you can see for miles every which way. Theres a lake and spots to swim with beach access. And they have kayak rentals. I love this place and a few friends an I go every year. Oh on a ledge at the top of the hike I also proposed to my wife. I 100%recommend this area for a fun get away

Great spot

Some campsites are spread out and secluded. Swimming is good until later in the summer when the water gets a little high with algae. 

Similar to Bear Brook

This is an amazing and large campground, and it has everything. Lots of sites right on the water, a camp store, friendly staff.  I'd highly recommend this camp to anyone 

My girls favorite campground. 

This is one of our favorites. So convenient, close to everything, but when you're there all the distraction is gone. Private sites right on the water. Lots to explore. Nice beach for kids to play and swim. Playground at beach. Does get mucky beyond the swim zone. Bathrooms are fine for their purpose, but are limited- not the cleanest. Dogs welcome.

Love it

What a beautiful location! If you plan ahead and get a water front site it’s amazing... but all the sites are roomy and lovely to camp at!  I went one summer on the way to Maine and loved everything!  Kayaking, swimming area and hiking were all 5 stars!  Tried to plan ahead this year and get a prime site to learn they don’t allow dogs anywhere in the campground during summer months. I would of hoped for one loop but NH state parks are anti-dog I guess.   

Side note.. campers aren’t respectful of other campers and very noisy here. 

5 stars if they allowed dogs

Well maintained hiking trails near the campsite. Beautiful shoreline with some fishing and boating spots. 

Bathrooms facilities were mediocre, and camp spots could be larger - a bit of a squeeze for my vehicle.

Main attraction would be the many trails near the campsite!

Beautiful area, basic campsite

This has quickly become my favorite place to camp solely because of the sites all being in wooded areas that aren't cramped, and also for the kayaking. The lake itself is beautiful and so fun to be out on the water. There are a bunch of small islands throughout the lake to pull up on a sandbar and hang out, or swim around for a bit. The water is clear and clean in most parts of the lake, and the campsites are all in nice shaded areas that aren't super crowded or close to one another. Only heads up I would say is to be aware that this is a carry-in, carry-out park...meaning you need to take your trash with you. They do not have dumpsters for you to throw your garbage away on the way out.

You really can't go wrong with choosing a site here though. Big Island has the most choices, but very few (if any) are actually waterfront sites. Horse Island is where most of the waterfront sites are, which are super convenient for kayaking in and out directly from your campsite. They have a small beach area to hang out at, as well as another location to park and put in kayaks or canoes at Neal's Cove. If you don't have your own gear, they offer rentals at the main camp store, but I think they have to be returned by 5pm. If I remember right, they had sit-in kayaks, sit-on-top kayaks, canoes, and a few paddleboards as well. So there were plenty of options, but it's first come, first serve.

I've stayed at both a waterfront site on Horse Island and a wooded site on Big Island now, and both times were great experiences. Can't go wrong camping here. 

Favorite NH Spot 

Campground is big and spaced out. Campgrounds are private and is great for hiking and fishing

Great Campground

Pawtuckaway is beautiful. Wonderful lake for paddling and the restrooms are clean.  They offer many types of camping and two park stores. 

Week trip

Amazing

Pawtuckaway State Park has three sections: **Big Island** has a few good sites along and above Pawtuckaway Lake. Otherwise the Big Island campground is a ramble of inconsistent quality with many sites lacking grading and site preparation. A flat site? Dream on….One risks flooding the tent in so many of the sites. 

**Horse Island** probably has the best sites with water views and better shore locations except for a stretch of sites such as 44; 45; 46; 47; 56;54; 53; 58; 60; 68; 62…that seem to face a residential neighborhood across a narrow cove. A very good site on Horse Island is site# 1…but, there are several reasonable choices…if you disregard level site prep. 

**Neals Cove** has an extremely rough access road throughout the loop that needs A-Z maintenance and grading. What happens to vehicles on this road in wet seasons? 

Throughout the park be wary of sites with steep driveways both up and down and poor leveling and lack of grading. My site was# 90 on Big Island; and, it was so steep that I dared not put the car on the slope when rain was threatening. I noticed that site 156 was a good ADA site and since it was vacant overnight, I parked the car there. 

The campground was only about 10% full when I camped there in late September. This is a deep forest so all sites are shady.

Only 2 stars because of neglect and poor engineering throughout.

A vast sprawling forest supports 3 campgrounds

Beautiful campsite with some beautiful spots right on the lake. Plenty of amenities, water, restrooms, and park store near by. Easy trip from Boston. 

Great Campsite - Easy & Accesible 

My first time experiencing a park in the New Hampshire Park system. We went down with a group. Pawtuckaway State Park offers a variety of landscapes, with something to do and see for everyone. The park includes a large family beach on the lake. There are many opportunities for hiking, with trails leading to many special points of interest, including a mountaintop fire tower; an extensive marsh where beavers, deer, and great blue herons may be seen.


The park lines the shore of beautiful Pawtuckaway Lake.  The 192 sites are wooded and many provide views of the lake.  Each campsite has an open fire ring, picnic table, flat areas for a tent, and a parking space. The bathhouses are equipped with running water, flush toilets, and 24 hour showers.  There are no hook-ups at any of the campsites. The park also has a camp store where canoe and kayaks are available, as well as a plublic canoe and kayak launch. Five cabins are available; each sleeps six people, has electricity, and includes a fire ring and picnic table. Pets are not allowed in the campground or beach area of the park.