Camping/waterholes
You could maybe camp at Dolly Copp and climb Madison from the campground at the start of a north/south traverse. It's a long drive back to Dolly Copp, though. Just below Crawford Notch on 302 is Dry River Campground. About a mile of flat walking out in back is one of the best swimmin' holes I know of in that part of the mountains. Here's links to the campsites:
http://www.campsnh.com/dollycopp.htm
http://www.nhstateparks.org/ParksPages/DryRiver/DryRiverCmp.html
As far as backcountry camping, there's no camping above treeline anywhere in the Whites, (except on 2' of snowpack). You'd have to come down below treeline and hope to find a place.
Here are the rules:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/whit...es_2006-07.pdf
Also:
The link covers back country camping, but doesn't really cover camping in the Presidentials. Here is what the AMC Guide to the White Mountains says:
CAMPING
Presidential Range-Dry River Wilderness
Wilderness regulations, intended to protect Wilderness resources and promote opportunities for challenge and solitude, prohibit use of motorized equipment or mechanical means of transportation of any sort. Camping and wood or charcoal fires are not allowed within 200 ft. of any trail except at designated campsites. Hiking and camping group size must be no larger than 10 people. Camping and fires are also prohibited above the treeline (where trees are less than 8 ft. tall), except in winter, when camping is permitted above the treeline in places where snow cover is at least 2 ft. deep, but not on any frozen body of water. Many shelters have been removed, and the remaining ones will be dismantled when major maintenance is required; one should not count on using any of these shelters.
Forest Protection Areas
The WMNF has established a number of Forest Protection Areas (FPAs)—
formerly known as Restricted Use Areas—where camping and wood or charcoal fires are prohibited throughout the year. The specific areas are under continual review, and areas are added to or subtracted from the list in order to provide the greatest amount of protection to areas subject to damage by excessive camping, while imposing the lowest level of restrictions possible. A general list of FPAs in this section follows, but since there are often major changes from year to year, one should obtain current information on FPAs from the WMNF.
(1) No camping is permitted above treeline (where trees are less than
8 ft. tall), except in winter, and then only in places where there is at least
2 ft. of snow cover on the ground—but not on any frozen body of water,
and not on the east face of Mt. Washington's summit cone from Boott
Spur to Nelson Crag (the area above Tuckerman and Huntington Ravines,
including the Alpine Garden area). The point where the above-treeline
restricted area begins is marked on most trails with small signs, but the
absence of such signs should not be construed as proof of the legality of
a site.
(2) No camping is permitted within a quarter mile of any trailhead,
picnic area, or any facility for overnight accommodation such as a hut,
cabin, shelter, tentsite, or campground, except as designated at the facility
itself. In the area covered by Section 1, camping is also forbidden within a
quarter mile of Glen Ellis Falls.
(3) No camping is permitted within 200 ft. of certain trails. In 2002
designated trails included the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail.
(4) No camping is permitted on WMNF land within a quarter mile
of certain roads (camping on private roadside land is illegal except by
permission of the landowner). In 2002 these roads included US 302 west
of Bartlett NH, NH 16 north of Glen Ellis Falls, the Base Road (PR 173),
the Jefferson Notch Rd. from the Base Rd. to the Caps Ridge Trail trail-
head, and the Rocky Branch Rd. (FR 27, a.k.a. Jericho Rd.).
(5) In Tuckerman and Huntington Ravines (Cutler River drainage,
including the Alpine Garden and the east face of the Mt. Washington
summit cone), camping is prohibited throughout the year; the only year-
round exception is the Hermit Lake Shelters and adjoining tent platforms
(management policies described below under campsites). Visitors in the '
ravine areas may not kindle charcoal or wood fires; people intending to
cook must bring their own small stoves. Day visitors and shelter users
alike are required to carry out all their own trash and garbage—no recep-
tacles are provided. This operating policy is under continual review, so it
can change from time to time; current information is available at Pinkham
Notch Visitor Center or the Tuckerman Ravine caretaker's residence, or
from WMNF offices. There is no warming room open to the public, and
refreshments are not available.
Crawford Notch State Park
No camping is permitted in Crawford Notch State Park, except at the public Dry River Campground (fee charged).
Established Trailside Campsites
Hermit Lake Campsite (AMC/WMNF), located in Tuckerman Ravine, consists of 10 open-front shelters with a capacity of 86 and three tent platforms open to the public. Tickets for shelter and tentsite space (nontransferable and nonrefundable) must be purchased for a nominal fee at Pinkham Notch Visitor Center in person (first come, first served). Campers are limited to a maximum of seven consecutive nights, and pets are not allowed to stay overnight.
Also this information can be found on this website:
http://www.mountwashington.org/about...eave_no_trace/
Hope all this helps out.
KDT
