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Pitts2112's avatar
Pitts2112
Explorer
Jul 23, 2018

First Autumn trip to White Mountains - CG suggestions

Hello!

My wife, our 14 year old daughter, and I will be taking our first autumn trip to the White Mountains in NH in Oct and I'm hoping for some good recommendations on which campgrounds would be good. She has friends in Ashland, near Squam Lake, but being near them isn't really a priority. We're hoping to do the Mt W cog railway and some easy-to-moderate hiking. I'd like this weekend to be about being in the mountains rather than the outlet malls, so I'm thinking N. Conway isn't the No. 1 destination.

Also, will it be too late to do some kayaking in the area? We hope to have our own kayaks by then but, if we don't, are there good rental places still open that late that you'd recommend?

Any tips will be much appreciated!

Many thanks!
Shawn
  • loggenrock's avatar
    loggenrock
    Explorer
    Jul 24, 2018
    Hi from NH - You don't say what you have for a rig - the following are all dry camping (no hookups) in the WMNF. Passaconaway CG, USFS CG off the Kancamagus Hwy is right opposite a couple nice, fairly easy hikes up Hedgehog Mtn. It's dry camping, 1st come no reservations. If you want to kayak, consider Russell Pond CG or Basin CG. Both also have some hiking opportunities. If you want to access the Cog, look at Zealand or Sugarloaf CG's. No kayaking there, but good hiking close by. Fryeburg is a fun time - see you there!
  • mdcamping's avatar
    mdcamping
    Explorer
    Jul 23, 2018
    Hi Shawn, welcome to the forum!

    Danforth Bay is on a lake and has kayak rentals and hiking directly connected to the campground. Campground is about 45 minute east of most major White Mountain attractions. DB gets great reviews and has lots of amenities. Well run campground, overall clean. large wooded sites for the most part.

    It's been a long time but if I remember If you take the cog railway it might be best to go on the diesal engine or you might get covered in soot vs the steam engines. Scenic Kancamagus highway is a must drive, but you will be VERY luckie if you see a moose as they are in decline.

    Also might want to consider Fransted family campground or Lincoln Woodstock KOA both get great reviews and are more centrally located to all White mountain attractions

    Hope this helps
    Mike
  • Pitts2112's avatar
    Pitts2112
    Explorer
    Jul 23, 2018
    Ah, my bad. We're going 14-15 September (October trip is to the Fryeburg Fair).

    Good input so far, and thank you to everyone who has taken them time to respond. I guess what I'm asking is more along the lines of which campgrounds are more handy to the hiking and kayaking we'd like to do without having to drive too far to get there.

    Thanks very much!
    Shawn
  • DrewE's avatar
    DrewE
    Explorer II
    Jul 23, 2018
    When in October?

    Columbus day weekend in particular will be busy (very busy) with leaf peepers clogging the roads etc. Depending on the year, it could be very pretty peak foliage, or it could be early or late, but that's very likely to be the busiest weekend regardless...one of the busiest of the year. Very soon after that (often the next day) many campgrounds will be closing or thinking of closing.

    I haven't done a lot of research, but if it were me I might go for one of the campgrounds along the Kancamagus highway--forest service campgrounds, so very, very limited amenities and no hookups.
  • azdryheat's avatar
    azdryheat
    Explorer
    Jul 23, 2018
    Use the RV Parks button at the top of this page to find parks. It works pretty well and you'll get a lot of info. Next I would go to http://www.rvparkreviews.com/ to read what users think of the parks. I travel all over the country and am rarely disappointed in the parks we stay at.
  • Johno02's avatar
    Johno02
    Explorer
    Jul 23, 2018
    Do the cog railroad, but carry a warm jacket. Don't even think about the rive up!!

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