Good camping location for outdoor beginner

[Desalad]

My wife has finally expressed some interest in camping, and maybe some low impact hiking. I'd like to go up to the Kankamagus Highway or around that area. Can anyone recommend some good places to car camp, which are close to some easy trails that I could take my wife on. We did Boulder Loop many years ago, and I've been to Sawyer Pond in the winter, so I'm thinking Covered Bridge might be a good camp site. Some nice views and/or waterfalls would be nice to take her to.

Thanks in advance.

Scott

 

[djavaman]

How about Arethusa Falls/Frankenstein Cliff loop? The waterfall is impressive, the views from the cliff are great, and overall it is a pretty easy hike. It takes a few hours to complete and there is an ice cream shop in the parking lot.

 

[roadtripper]

always been a big fan of these places....

Dry River Campground - very clean, very quiet, good location
Nearby: Arethusa Falls, Ripley Falls, Mt. Crawford, Middle Sugarloaf, Lower Ammonoosuc Falls (swimming), Mt. Willard, Mt. Eisenhower, Mt. Jackson, Mt. Pierce

Lafayette Campground - spectacular location, sites a little small though
Nearby: The Basin, Lonesome Lake, Bald Mtn/Artist Bluff, Georgiana Falls, Mt. Pemigewasset, Bridal Veil Falls, Cannon Mtn
(another good nearby option is the Hancock Campground...one of my favs)

Dolly Copp Campground - spectacular location
Nearby: Pine Mountain, Crystal Cascade, Glen Ellis Falls, The Imp Face, Thompson Falls, Tuckerman's Ravine, Diana's Baths

 

[kennancow]

i hafta agree with the lafayette campground recommendation. definately close to everything. if you want to be on the kank try covered bridge. it can be crowded but the sites are nice and you're right next to the swift. they have a short hike at the campsite but there are better ones along the road.

 

[JOD]

car camping

Hancock is nice. It's close to lincoln woods. There a vault toilets adjacent to the walk-in campsites. The flush toilets are in the RV area. The more popular spots are next to the river. The river noise blocks out the traffic on the Kanc.

We think Russell Pond is nicer. My wife likes the hot showers (bring rolls of quarters), and flush toilets with lit bathrooms. It's on Tripoli Road. East Pond, Osceola, and Tecumseh trailheads are on Tripoli Rd. Very quiet. Remember to keep all your food in the car when you aren't eating. Bears are frequently spotted here. I've seen paw prints on cars, we've never had any issues with the bruins.


Lafeyette is at the bottom of Lonsome Lake and Lafayette. It's right on Route 93/3, i.e. lots of traffic noise. I think they have flush toilets and showers.

We have a house in North Woodstock, but still camp at Russell Pond at least one long weekend a summer. We get a kick out of it. My back yard used to be a campground on the Pemi.

OD

 

[Waumbek]

Lafeyette is at the bottom of Lonsome Lake and Lafayette. It's right on Route 93/3, i.e. lots of traffic noise. I think they have flush toilets and showers.
OD

Lafayette Capmground is ideally situated near some excellent beginner hikes but I agree that the traffic noise in the summer can be annoying. If you want to be in this area in a quieter location, consider a private campground, Franstead, in Franconia. It has all the amenities, some beautiful tent campsites along the Gale River, and it's been meticulously clean when I've ridden a bike through there this summer. RVs are separated from tent campers. Approximately 2 miles from a grocery store. Nearby good beginner hikes are: Bridal Veil Falls via the Coppermine Brook Tr, Artist's Bluff, Lonesome Lake, Indian Head, the lower mile or two of the Basin-Cascades Trail, even the Flume has a nice 2-mile loop trail.