Places to Camp in New Hampshire
When you’re camping in New Hampshire you don’t have to choose between going on a hardcore hike or relaxing in your hammock on a quiet lakeshore. With hundreds of campsites across the state—and with mountains and lakes close to so many of them—you can easily access the best of both worlds. Lake Winnipesaukee is by far the largest and best-known body of freshwater in the Granite State, but New Hampshire is dotted with bodies of water of all sizes, from the swimming holes and rushing rivers of the mountains, to the ponds and lakes lined with classic cottages in the aptly named Lakes Region.
Fortunately for all of us, mountains are just as plentiful. While Mount Washington, in the heart of the White Mountain National Forest, has the most name recognition in the state (and claims to have the worst weather in the world), it’s not even the only notable peak to bag in the Presidential Range. Adams, Jefferson, Monroe, Madison, Pierce, Eisenhower, and Jackson mountains can all be ticked off your list of New Hampshire’s 48 4,000-footers. And the White Mountains aren’t the only game in town either. Go camping at Monadnock State Park and do any number of hikes in the area, including the ever-popular Mount Monadnock, of course. Mount Monadnock’s isolated peak provides fantastic views and is one of the most frequently hiked mountains in the world.
Spend a quiet backcountry camping in New Hampshire night under a tarp, or bring beers and s’mores around the campfire at a popular state park campground like Pawtuckaway, Bear Brook, or White Lake. Consider a weekend hut trip when camping in New Hampshire, with stays at one or more of the eight huts maintained by the Appalachian Mountain Club or parking your RV and basecamping at Lafayette Campground while you tackle some of New England’s best dayhikes, like the Tuckerman-Lion Head loop on Mount Washington or the Lincoln-Lafayette loop in Franconia Notch.
The biggest challenge to camping in New Hampshire? Not having enough time to enjoy everything the Granite State has to offer.
