White Mountain National Forest, near New Hampshire, is a fantastic spot for those who love the great outdoors. With a mix of tent, RV, and cabin accommodations, it caters to a variety of camping styles, making it a popular choice for families and groups alike.

The area is known for its stunning natural beauty, especially in the fall when the leaves change color. Visitors often rave about the picturesque sites, many of which are conveniently located near streams, perfect for a refreshing dip or some fishing. One camper mentioned, “Absolutely beautiful place to camp!” which sums up the vibe here pretty well.

For those who enjoy hiking, the forest offers a plethora of trails suitable for all skill levels. You can easily spend your days exploring the rugged terrain or simply relaxing by the water. Just keep in mind that some sites can fill up quickly, especially during peak seasons, so it’s wise to plan ahead.

While the campground doesn’t have drinking water or showers, it does allow fires and pets, making it a great choice for those looking to enjoy a more rustic experience. As one reviewer noted, “Be prepared and you can enjoy some of the best backpacking New England has to offer.” Whether you're here for a weekend or a longer stay, White Mountain National Forest is sure to provide a memorable outdoor adventure.

The White Mountain National Forest reaches from eastern New Hampshire to Western Maine and hosts a range of camping experiences from backcountry to cabins. Experience white mountain national forest camping in these 800,000 acres of recreation area by finding an individual campsite through the forest service of camping in the backcountry areas.

White Mountain National Forest

Looking for the best campgrounds near Bartlett, NH? There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Get the dirt on all the best camping near Bartlett. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.

Bartlett

The Best Camping Near Bartlett, New Hampshire

I generally tent or sometimes use a shelter. It is a pretty remote area with some of the worst weather and highest speed winds in the world. Don’t go into the woods in flip-flops, shorts and a tee shirt late in the day with no flashlight. Be prepared and you can enjoy some of the best backpacking New England has to offer.

I don’t use a specific campground but hike and stop when necessary 

We stayed at 13 Waterfalls tent site. It was rustic, small, a little cramped, but met all of our back country needs. It did cost us $20 a night. There were 7 dogs who barked all night and the sites were a few feet away from each other. There was an outhouse. I dont think the outhouse was worth $20/night... we would have been better off camping in the back country.

Small, pricey for what it offers.

Had to use freecamping.org to find a spot. We were naive thinking that National Forests have free dispersed camping, but the White Mountains charge at least $20 at their sites and forbid you to camp in any place we found. almost everywhere you look are no camping signs which is so unlike many other national forests.  Anyway we eventually found some spots on a forest road (I think752) that would have been very nice and secluded if it weren't already so late and they weren't already so full

Eventually found a nice spot, but was very hard to find free camping

Extremely beautiful in the fall, with the changing of the leaves. Lots of diners, restraunts, kayaking and hiking off and near the kancamagus highway.

Gorgeous in the fall!

Went camping here in a large group on the normal camp sites, had a couple booked next to each other. Worked out great, and the park has plenty of trails to explore for any level of fitness/expertise. 

Large group camping 

This was the furthest campsite down Town Hall Road (right before mountain pond trailhead) on the left  

Space for one/maybe two tents  

  

Pros:  

  

\-Nice little sites (most of them next to a stream) with additional space if you want to carry your stuff across the water.  

\-Super accessible being only a 21/2 hour drive from Boston and  very close to a lot of mountain town activities.  

\-Close to fishing (caught little brookies at our site and elsewhere nearby) and a bunch of hiking and mtb trails.  

\-Free!  

  

Cons:

  

\-Sites fill up fast  

\-Sites are all directly off the road.  

\-we had some car traffic coming through (possibly locals going hiking, fishing, etc)  

\- Really buggy (mid summer)

Lovely, Free, and Easy to get to

Family camping

Sometimes if you take a little hike into the woods and look around, you find a sweet camping spot for the night. We decided to get one more camping night in before the snow really fell for the winter, so we threw everything in the car and went for it. There was a little snow, cool temps and the time changed, it was just perfect. The spot we chose had clearly been camped at before so we made sure to keep our impact to the same area. Because this is a backcountry, dispersed site, be sure to practice Leave No Trace practices.

Photos of White Mountain National Forest

Real photos from real campers