Pawtuckaway State Park Campground
Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
Reviewed Oct. 17, 2018

Something for everyone

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.

Site58, 73, 78
Month of VisitNovember
  • I wish I had captured the site number for this one...I think this is Site 77, Horse Island
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  • Site 79, Horse Island
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  • Site 75
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  • Site 74
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  • Site 73, Horse Island
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  • Site 72, Horse Island
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  • Site 71 Horse Island...muddy in October. generally secluded, below the wash house
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  • Sites 62 & 63, Horse Island
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  • Campers boat launch on Horse Island
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  • Site 70, Horse Island, water site
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  • Site 66 (very shallow water)
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  • Site 67, Horse Island, Approach is slightly muddy after rain. This is a triple family site that can accommodate up to 15 adults, 20 children, of which 6 adults and 12 children are covered by the $90/night fee as of Oct 2018. Additional adults are $10 each, paid at check-in.
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  • Site 58, along southern edge of Horse Island
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  • Site 53, Horse Island, waterfront
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  • Site 54, Horse Island, flat and level
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  • 56, Horse Island, near the wash house
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  • Site 70, Horse island
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  • Sites 37-38-39, Horse Island
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  • Sits 41-44, Horse Island
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  • Site 45-46
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  • Site 48, Horse Island
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  • Site 3, Horse Island
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