Wild River Campground, near the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire, is a fantastic spot for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Tucked away down a gravel road, this campground offers a peaceful retreat with well-maintained sites that are perfect for both tent and RV camping.

The campground features clean pit toilets and drinking water, ensuring you have the essentials covered. Visitors have noted the spacious sites, with some right by the river, providing a nice backdrop for your camping experience. As one camper put it, “You want to get away from the world, this is your destination.” 

For outdoor enthusiasts, the Wild River is just a short walk away, offering opportunities for swimming and exploring nearby hiking trails. The area is known for its beautiful scenery, and the shaded sites make for a comfortable stay, even on warmer days. Just keep in mind that access to the river can be a bit tricky due to steep banks, but it’s worth the effort for a refreshing dip.

While the campground is off the beaten path, it’s a great starting point for adventures in the Wild River Wilderness. With a camp host on-site to assist and a self-service pay station for convenience, you’ll find everything you need for a relaxing getaway. Whether you’re planning a weekend trip or a longer stay, Wild River Campground is a solid choice for a nature-filled escape.

Visitors can enjoy a variety of recreation opportunities around the campground, including fishing in the Wild River, strolling along the easy grade of the Wild River Trail, or exploring the rugged Wild River Wilderness.

Wild River Campground

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Gilead

The Best Camping Near Gilead, Maine

If you're looking for a nice secluded spot a little bit out of the way but not totally in the middle of nowhere, this is a great spot. The campground is 5.5 miles off of state route 113 down a gravel Forest Service road that is well maintained, however the road is gated and not maintained in winter.

The campground is a small USFS run facility with two small loops of sites. One loop has three sites and the other has 9\. All sites are nicely shaded and have fire pits and picnic tables. The three sites in the lower loop are all pull through or back in sites. The remaining 9 are a bit elevated and have a small parking area about 20 yards (nice or take) from each site. Some require climbing a small set of stairs to access.

The lower loop's sites are right on the Wild River and are a bit larger than the others. The campground has two sets of vault toilets which are well maintained and odor free (at least in the fall). The campground only had two other sites occupied so it was like we had the place to ourselves.

There is a water spigot available for fresh water and serves as the only running water at the campground. There is a camp host on site that is eager to help and answer questions if needed. Sites are $18/night and there is an "iron ranger" (pay station) at the entrance.

If you're looking for something a little off the main road, this is your spot!

Off the beaten path!

Entrance for night is $18\. Two sets of pit toilets (very clean), clean water for drinking. There is a camp host who has firewood available for $6 bundle.

Off the beaten track, 12 tent sites steps away from the Wild River 

In an effort to help continue providing accurate and up to date information, I wanted to take a moment and write a second review for this campground (my last one was roughly 2 years ago). There is currently conflicting information regarding the operation status of this campground on the US Forest Service's website. As of 6/21/20 this campground IS open despite being listed as closed on the USFS website as of today, 6/26/20. So fret not, the road and the campground are open and operational for the summer season.

  

The campground is first come-first serve and is off the beaten path at the end of an approximately 7.5 mile gravel road, crossing from Maine into New Hampshire. There is a host present for the summer season in site 1. There is a parking area available for day users for a fee and the Access Pass or similar annual agency passes are honored here.

  

Sites are $20/night and there are two lean-to shelters available. A few of the sites are drive in/up to while others are a short walk from various parking areas so plan accordingly, as you may need to carry your gear in a short distance. You may want to pack in a consolidated manner.

  

We stayed here the night before we headed into the Wild River Wilderness for a few nights of backcountry travel. It was a great starting point. Sites were incredibly well maintained (raked and free of any debris) and the campground is quiet, sites are well spaced out. The septic pump truck was pumping and cleaning the pit toilets when we arrived back at the campground at the end of our backcountry travel. 

  

There is a self service pay station and map of the campground as you arrive, making it easy to find sites and get a lay of the land before settling in for your stay. The Wild River is in the campground and depending on the water levels, can be a wonderful place to sit and cool off or ford and access trails across the river. Be advised, there is only one bridge constructed across the Wild River and it is just off Route 113 BEFORE you turn onto the gravel forest service road that leads to the campground (so 7.5 miles from the campground). So if you are looking at old maps, any "footbridge" or "suspension bridge" listed no longer exists. The river does flood, especially in the spring and fall so be sure to have backup plans should you not be able to cross on a planned hike. 

  

This is a hidden gem and a great place to spend a long weekend. There is great hiking and swimming holes are plentiful. Pit toilets are clean as are site, spacious too! Check it out.

Update/continuation to previous review

Based on the other reviews, I was pretty excited about this campground, but found myself pretty disappointed.

  

First, this campground is not exactly "on" the Wild River--it is probably 100 yards away through the forest, but I could barely hear the river from my campsite (one of the "riverside" sites) and of course could not see it at all.  There are a couple of small tributaries between the campground and the river, but there were basically dry when I was there in September.  

  

There are three "riverside" campsites, but one is permanently occupied by the manager, so really there are two.  The sites are large enough, and there is probably 40 yards between campsites, but there is little tree cover, so there is little privacy between these "riverfront" sites--see photos.  I didn't look at the "walk up" campsites, but they seemed to all be up a flight of 10-12 steps from their parking spots.  

  

I didn't have time to do any extended hikes, but did go down to the river.  The banks are generally 6-8 foot drops to the river bed, with access points here and there, so access to the river is kind of limited near the campsite.  When I was there in September, the river was flowing pretty well, but probably occupied about 20% of the riverbed (the rest being river rock).  

  

The night I was there, the occupants of campsite 3 were filming some kind of movie involving women gyrating around in the woods at night, not sure what that was all about.  At least they were quiet; the bright lights were a bit obnoxious, but no big deal.

  

Bathrooms were fine.  $20 seemed like a lot for this campground to me.

Pretty Mediocre

You want to get away from the world this is your destination.

Photos of Wild River Campground

Real photos from real campers