The 22 Best Campgrounds in New Hampshire: Top-Rated & Hidden Gems

The Granite State is like a natural playground for all to enjoy. Home to the highest peak as well as the third-largest lake in New England, a small coastline, gorgeous waterfalls, and so much more, you can certainly spend all day every day exploring the state’s great outdoors. And, perhaps, the best way to spend as much time in the wilderness as possible is camping. Why not surround yourself with nature at one of the best campgrounds in New Hampshire?

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Best State Park Campgrounds in New Hampshire

The Granite State is home to 42 state parks as well as four state forests. Additionally, there are two national parks here as well. Many of the state parks offer camping and if that sounds like something you’d like to do, here are the best state park campgrounds in New Hampshire:

2 Franconia Notch State Park, Franconia, NH 03580, USA

Old “ryan” Heads/Google Local

• Location: Franconia, NH
• Popularity: As a top-rated campground, this is a popular campground in the summer.
• Park Info: Franconia Notch State Park is nearly 7,000 acres tucked in the mountains and offers an array of outdoor activities.
• Price: $25/night

Lafayette Place Campground is considered one of the best places for camping in New Hampshire and makes a great home base for those who wish to enjoy all that Franconia Notch State Park has to offer. There are over 90 campsites, however, this campground offers no hookups. But you'll enjoy spending time at this state park where you can enjoy hiking, swimming, fishing, and boating.

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Dry River Campground, 2057 US-302, Bartlett, NH 03812, USA

Sneha Patel/Google Local

• Location: Bartlett, NH
• Popularity: Located off of Route 302, this is a popular campground in the White Mountains.
• Park Info: Located in the White Mountains, Crawford Notch State Park is a 5,775-acre state park located right off of Highway 302.
• Price: Prices start at $25/night and $75/week

Crawford Notch State Park's Dry River Campground offers 36 woodland sites including three lean-tos. Pets are allowed in the campground but must remain on a leash. While camping at Crawford Notch State Park, hike along one of the many trails to discover waterfalls and awe-inspiring vistas. This may become your favorite campground in New Hampshire!

Bear Brook State Park, 157 Deerfield Rd, Allenstown, NH 03275, USA

Katrina Bosk/Google Local

• Location: Allenstown, NH
• Popularity: As New Hampshire's largest state park, the campground here is popular especially in the summer.
• Park Info: Bear Brook State Park is New Hampshire's largest state park at over 10,000 acres and is home to the New Hampshire Antique Snowmobile Museum, Old Allenstown Meeting House, and the Richard Diehl Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Museum.
• Price: Campsites start at $25/night and cabins start a $50/night.

At Bear Brook State Park, there are 110 campsites including cabins. The campground is open between April and October and it makes a great basecamp for exploring the largest state park in NH. With over 40 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding as well as ponds for swimming and boating and even archery ranges, this park is an outdoor enthusiast's dream!

Pillsbury State Park, 100 Clemac Trail, Washington, NH 03280, USA

Daniel Andrews/Google Local

• Location: Washington, NH
• Popularity: The rustic campground at this underrated state park is quiet. Last-minute camping reservations may be available.
• Park Info: The 4,500-acre Pillsbury State Park is located along the Ashuelot River and offers an array of activities on the water.
• Price: $23/night

The campground at Pillsbury State Park is quite rustic with no electricity and limited access to water. This is one of the lesser-known parks in New Hampshire's state park system so you should find it to be quiet. It's a wonderful place to truly get away and unplug from the busyness of life.

128 Mountain Rd, Nottingham, NH 03290, USA

John Longan/Google Local

• Location: Nottingham, NH
• Popularity: This is a beautiful campground that is also
• Park Info: Pawtuckaway State Park charges a day-use fee of $5 for those who are 12 and older and $2 for children ages 6-11. There is a beach at this park as well as numerous hiking trails and even an observation tower.
• Price: Campsite prices range between $23 and $120 depending on the site and time of the season. Cabins start at $65/night.

There are 186 campsites at Pawtuckaway State Park including five cabins. Campsites are located along the lakeshore as well as on the park's island. Among the amenities to be enjoyed by campers at this state park are boating, mountain biking, hiking, fishing, and picnicking. Sites include fire rings and there's a store for supplies. There's no other campground quite as unique and beautiful as this one. In fact, it's one of the best places to camp in New Hampshire!

439 River Rd, Pittsburg, NH 03592, USA

Jeff Scorse/Google Local

• Location: Pittsburg, NH
• Popularity: This hidden gem state park offers a lovely, peaceful campground.
• Park Info: Lake Francis State Park is the smallest state park in New Hampshire at just 38 acres and is found on the shores of Lake Francis which is near the Connecticut Lakes.
• Price: $25/night (no hookups) or $35/night for water view and hookups

Lake Francis State Park offers large sites at a very clean, well-maintained campground. There's a total of 45 campsites including nine ATV campsites for those who enjoy hitting the trails on an ATV as well as nine sites with hookups. This may be a small, underrated state park but it offers plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation.

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Best Beach Camping in New Hampshire

Of all the coastal states, New Hampshire has the shortest coastline in the country. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t find a beach to camp by. There are also lakes throughout the state as well, including Lake Winnipesaukee, the third-largest lake in New England. Here are the best campsites in New Hampshire that are at the beach:

Umbagog Lake State Park Campground, RR 26, Errol, NH 03579, USA

Umbagog Lake State Park, NH-26, Errol, NH 03579, USA

Louis Madonna/Google Local

• Location: Errol, NH
• Popularity: This park is not as popular for camping as it offers numerous remote campsites.
• Park Info: Umbagog Lake State Park charges a day-use fee of $5 per adult and $2 per child ages 6-11. This park offers several remote campsites for those looking for a primitive camping option along the water.
• Price: Tent sites are $35/night, standard sites are $35-$50/night, remote sites are $30/night, and cabins are $50-$80/night.

Umbagog Lake State Park Campground offers 27 campsites at its base camp with water and electric hookups, three cabins, and 33 remote campsites as well as four remote cabins. The remote campsites and cabins around Umbagog Lake are only accessible by boat which offers quite an adventure! There's also a beach at the main campground as well as kayak and canoe rentals for some time out on the lake.

1632 White Mountain Hwy, Tamworth, NH 03886, USA

White Lake State Park, 1632 White Mountain Hwy, Tamworth, NH 03886, USA

Michael Beganny/Google Local

• Location: Tamworth, NH
• Popularity: White Lake is a popular place to swim in NH and a popular place to camp. Be sure to reserve a campsite ahead of time in the summer and on holiday weekends.
• Park Info: White Lake State Park sits along the shores of White Lake, a glacial lake that serves as an excellent swimming option in NH. The park charges a day-use fee of $5 per adult and $2 per child ages 6-11.
• Price: $25/night, $30/night for a water view site, $50/night for a family campsite.

White Lake State Park has a beach and a 200-site campground, some of which are right by the lake while others are in wooded areas. Amenities include a camp store, restrooms, showers, and a dump site. There are no hookups at this state park campground. Spend some time at the lake, rent a boat, go for a swim, or go for a hike! This is a gorgeous NH park to spend some time at.

631 Acton Ridge Rd, East Wakefield, NH 03830, USA

Lake Ivanhoe Campground, 631 Acton Ridge Rd, East Wakefield, NH 03830, USA

David Blouin/Google Local

• Location: East Wakefield, NH
• Popularity: The campground does get crowded during the summer months make a reservation in advance.
• Park Info: Lake Ivanhoe Campground is a family-owned and operated campground with a private beach.
• Price: Full hookup sites are $60/night, $360/week, and $1,200/month plus metered electric. Pop-up sites and tent sites with electric are $60/night, $360/week. Tent sites with no electric are $55/night.

Lake Ivanhoe Campground offers large wooded campsites by Lake Ivanhoe and a private beach. Amenities include a splash park, non-motorized boat and paddleboard rentals, a game room, volleyball, basketball, billiards, pinball, bocce ball, a playground, and more. This is a great campground the whole family can enjoy including your dog -- it's also pet-friendly here!

29 Long Island Rd, Moultonborough, NH 03254, USA

Long Island Bridge Campground, 29 Long Island Rd, Moultonborough, NH 03254, USA

Patrick Fallon/Google Local

• Location: Moultonborough, NH
• Popularity: The camping season runs mid-May through mid-October and is most popular during the summer and on holiday weekends.
• Park Info: Set along the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee, Long Island Bridge Campground has been popular among campers since 1966.
• Price: Tent sites are $42/night or $279/7 days; tent and pop-up sites with water and electricity are $50/night and $333/7 days; and trailer sites (30-amp or 50-amp) are $57-60/night or $379-$399/7 days.

Long Island Bridge Campground offers wooded and beach sites for RVs, pop-ups, tents, and trailers at Lake Winnipesaukee. Each site has its own fire pit and picnic table for your convenience. Campers enjoy spending time on the private, sandy beach or renting a canoe or kayak and spending some time out on the water. There are several other amenities including a horseshoe pit, a playground, a dock, restrooms, and hot showers. If you're planning on camping, this campground at Lake Winnipesaukee is the place to be!

88 E Shore Rd, Swanzey, NH 03446, USA

Swanzey Lake Camping Area, 88 E Shore Rd, Swanzey, NH 03446, USA

Evei Gaulin/Google Local

• Location: Swanzey, NH
• Popularity: This campground is open May 1 through Nov. 1 and offers a peaceful camping experience.
• Park Info: Swanzey Lake Camping Area is located in the Monadnock Region and is family-owned and operated.
• Price: Rustic campsites are $42/day and $260/week; Electric and water sites are $45/day, $290/week, and $1,075/month; and 4-way hookup sites are $48/day, $310/week, and $1175/month.

Swanzey Lake Camping Area offers 100 wooded sites close to the shores of the lake by the same name. This campground offers rustic campsites with no hookups as well as water and electric sites, and full four-way hookup sites. Many of the RV sites can accommodate trailers up to 35 feet in length. Among the amenities at this campground are a camp store, non-motorized boat rentals, Wi-Fi, a playground, fishing, basketball hoops, a laundry facility, and a bathhouse. Pets are welcome here but are not allowed on either the lawn or the beach.

Top Glamping in New Hampshire

Not all of us are meant for tent camping, right? I’ve tried it in the past and much prefer the comfort and convenience that glamping offers. If you feel the same, here are the best glamping spots in New Hampshire:

Pine Knoll Road, Pine Knoll Rd, Albany, NH 03818, USA

Management/TripAdvisor

• Location: Albany, NH
• Popularity: Open mid-May through mid-October, this is a popular glampground with comfortable accommodations and wonderful amenities.
• Park Info: Huttopia White Mountains is located on the shores of Iona Lake in the White Mountains. This glampground offers an array of accommodations and amenities you can't find anywhere else in the state.
• Price: Starts at $94/night

Huttopia White Mountains is a place where both nature and comfort are key elements for a memorable glamping experience. Located in close proximity to Mount Washington and White Mountains National Forest, you'll be fully immersed in nature here yet able to experience all the creature comforts and luxury of an upscale hotel. There are campsites available as well as chalets and canvas and wood tents with private bathrooms. Huttopia White Mountains has its own private beach, a floating dock, a store, a playground, volleyball, basketball, a playground, and a bistro, among other amenities. You'll experience some of the best camping in New Hampshire here.

76 Mountain Rd, Epsom, NH 03234, USA

Management/TripAdvisor

• Location: Epsom, NH
• Popularity: This glampground is located close to Concord, NH and is a popular yet relatively quiet getaway destination. It's open year-round. A waiting list is available to join if your chosen dates aren't immediately available.
• Park Info: Getaway Blake Brook Cabins is located on 49 acres in the woods of Epson, NH.
• Price: Prices range between $149 and $446 depending on the time of the year.

Just 1.5 hours from Boston is an extraordinary destination for a unique camping trip. Getaway Blake Brook Cabins offers 42 cabins on its wooded property with Blake Brook running through. The cabins are spaced out in such a way to allow maximum quiet and privacy for guests. Each cabin has its own kitchenette, private bathroom, queen bed, queen bunks, A/C, heat, and even a cellphone lock box to keep distractions out of your hands. For you hikers out there, Getaway Blake Brook is located close to hiking trails, so get out there and explore the wild side of New Hampshire!

96 Batchelder Brook Rd, Warren, NH 03279, USA

Moose Hillock Camping Resort, 96 Batchelder Brook Rd, Warren, NH 03279, USA

Jason Burns/Google Local

• Location: Warren, NH
• Popularity: This campground is popular among families due to its waterpark and other amenities. The season runs from mid-May through early October.
• Park Info: Moose Hillock Camping Resort is a private family campground on 90 acres within the White Mountains National Forest.
• Price: Campsites are $49-$99/night in spring and fall and $81-$129/night in summer.

Moose Hillock Camping Resort is a family-friendly camping trip destination in New Hampshire that has an on-site waterpark! Offering both RV and tent sites as well as two cabins and a slew of amenities, you'll want to return here year after year. In addition to the large heated swimming pool with water features, this campground has a cafe, entertainment, a swim-in movie theater, an arcade, hiking and biking trails, a playground, volleyball and basketball courts, and horseshoe pits. Your kids may never want to leave!

485 Prospect St, Lancaster, NH 03584, USA

Mountain Lake Camping Resort, 485 Prospect St (Route, 3, Lancaster, NH 03584, USA

Mountain Lake Camping Resort/Facebook

• Location: Lancaster, NH
• Popularity: This is a popular family camping destination during the summer.
• Park Info: Mountain Lake Camping Resort is considered one of the best family-friendly campgrounds in New Hampshire.
• Price: RV and tent sites range from $65 to $116.50/night. Log cabins range between $136-$314/night. The tipi is $139/night. A yurt is $111-$159/night.

Offering yurt, tipi, and cabin options as well as tent and RV sites and many amenities, Mountain Lake Camping Resort is among the best New Hampshire campgrounds. Families can enjoy use of the heated swimming pool with waterslides, a playground, and hiking trails. Lake swimming is also an option and there's a recreation hall as well as an on-site store and laundry facilities. Come and see why this is such a popular place to spend time as a family!

Best RV Camping Sites in New Hampshire

Do you love hitting the open road and exploring the state by RV? What an adventure RV camping can bring! If you don’t have your own camper, you can actually rent one on RVShare.com and drive it to one of the best RV camping spots in New Hampshire.

Hampton Beach State Park Campground, NH-1A, Hampton, NH 03842, USA

ZX/Google Local

• Location: Hampton, NH
• Popularity: This is a very popular coastal RV park, especially in the summer. The RV campground is open from Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day weekend.
• Park Info: Hampton Beach State Park Campground offers miles of sandy beach along the Atlantic Ocean.
• Price: $50/night.

At Hampton Beach State Park Campground, campers can enjoy swimming, fishing, picnicking, playing on the sandy beach, and 28 RV campsites with full hookups. Pets aren't allowed at the beach between May 1 and Sept. 30 but are allowed the rest of the year and must remain on a leash. This beach RV campground is conveniently close to restaurants and shopping.

Danforth Bay Camping & RV Resort, 196 Old Shawtown Rd #4154, Freedom, NH 03836, USA

Danforth Bay Camping & RV Resort/Facebook

• Location: Freedom, NH
• Popularity: As one of the best places to camp in New Hampshire, this is a popular RV resort during the summer months and on holiday weekends.
• Park Info: Danforth Bay Camping & RV Resort is a year-round camping resort providing outdoor recreation and live entertainment.
• Price: Rates start at $35/night.

Danforth Bay Camping & RV Resort is the largest RV camping resort in the Granite State that's open year-round. Whether you're coming from Maine, Vermont, Boston, or beyond, you can be certain to have a relaxing yet fun getaway at this campground. Danforth Bay provides plenty of options when it comes to RV sites. There are also cabins and tent sites we well if you prefer. Aside from the camping options, there are amenities galore here! You'll have fun spending time playing pickleball or tennis, taking the kids to the playground, challenging friends or family members to a game of volleyball or basketball, or sitting around the community fire pit in the evenings chatting with fellow guests.

Sea Coast Camping and RV Resort, 115 Lafayette Rd, North Hampton, NH 03862, USA

Sea Coast Camping and RV Resort/Google Local

• Location: North Hampton, NH
• Popularity: Due to its close proximity to New Hampshire's ocean beaches, this is a popular summertime vacation spot.
• Park Info: Sea Coast Camping and RV Resort is located just a few miles from New Hampshire beaches.
• Price: $49-$69/day, $343-$483/week, and 30/50 amp $3,850/season.

Sea Coast Camping and RV Resort offers 152 campsites, 65 of which are designated 30-amp RV sites with full hookups and 33 RV sites with 50-amp and full hookups. The campground has two bathhouses with showers, a game room, a playground, a laundry room, and a camp store filled with convenience items. This is a great RV resort for those looking for a family-friendly camping trip.

Field & Stream RV Park, 7 Dupaw Gould Rd, Brookline, NH 03033, USA

Glen Badger, Assisted Living Locators/Google Local

• Location: Brookline, NH
• Popularity: This is a popular RV park in New Hampshire and open year-round. Advanced reservations are strongly encouraged. The summer season runs from May 15 until Oct. 15.
• Park Info: The 5-acre Field & Stream RV Park is located within Merrimack Valley and is open to RVs and pop-ups only. It's been open for over 30 years.
• Price: Nightly rates start at $72, weekly rates start at $425, and monthly rates start at $1,580.

There are no tent sites at Field & Stream RV Park -- this is strictly an RV campground that's open year-round. All 54 sites have full hookups, picnic tables, and fire pits. This camping destination is located close to outdoor recreation areas for swimming and hiking.

Best Primitive Tent Camping in New Hampshire

If you don’t mind roughing it (and, I mean, really roughing it), primitive camping might be for you. You won’t have the comfort and convenience of glamping, or any amenities that most campgrounds offer but what you will have is some solitude and adventure. Here’s where you can go primitive tent camping in New Hampshire:

03215, WATERVL VLY, NH 03215, USA

Krunal Jayswal/Google Local

• Location: Waterville Valley, NH
• Popularity: This is a quiet campground with no amenities.
• Park Info: Waterville Campground is located in Waterville Valley within the White Mountains.
• Price: $22/night

The fee for each campsite at Waterville Campground includes space for two vehicles. The only conveniences here are vault toilets and hand pumps for water. There are 27 available, this may be your new favorite place to camp!

Franconia Brook Trail, Lincoln, NH, USA

Brian Robinson/Google Local

• Location: Lincoln, NH
• Popularity: This is a remote campground so you'll find a serene place to camp.
• Park Info: Thirteen Falls Tentsite is located within the Pemigewasset Wilderness at the junction of three trails. Hiking and backpacking is required to reach this campground.
• Price: $15/night per person

There are just nine tent pads available at Thirteen Falls Tentsite which is located at the junction of three trails -- Franconia Brook Trail, Lincoln Brook Trail, and Twin Brook Trail. Be sure you have everything you need with you to camp overnight and remember to take everything you brought with you back out. This campground is operated by the Appalachian Mountain Club and there's a seasonal attendant on duty.

43.996159589408826, -71.36937064447037

wandering Kate Murdock/Google Local

• Location: Albany, NH
• Popularity: This remote campground operates on a first-come, first-served basis. No reservations are accepted but you should be able to find a site when you arrive. This campground is open seasonally from mid-May until mid-October.
• Park Info: Set within the woods off the Kancamagus Highway, Passaconaway Campground is also close to the Swift River.
• Price: $27/night

Passaconaway Campground offers 33 campsites in the woods of the White Mountains. Two vehicles per campsite are allowed. If you enjoy hiking, the UNH Trail is located just across the highway from the campground. And the town of Conway, NH is only 14 miles away.

Which of these best campgrounds in New Hampshire will you visit first? What are your favorite places to camp in the state? We’d love to know!