White Mountain National Forest
Dispersed camping is generally allowed
On national forest and grassland, camping outside developed campgrounds is generally permitted unless an area is posted closed or a local order says otherwise. Stay on existing surfaces, camp away from water and trailheads, and check the forest's current orders before you go — fire restrictions change through the season.
Rules change with fire season and local order. Checked 2026-08-05. Confirm on the managing office’s official page
- Area
- 1,479 sq mi
- Managed by
- Forest Service
- Campgrounds
- 63
- Longest rig
- 50 ft
Where the land is, and what fits
The official Forest Service boundary with every campground we hold inside it. Tell it how long your rig is and the map keeps only what takes it — public land rarely matches the shape people picture, and neither does what you can actually get into.
Official unit boundary · USDA Forest Service · 63 campgrounds shown
- Baldface ShelterSeason not published
- Barnes Field Group CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Basin Campgroundto 40 ft · 21 sitesMid-May – October · Reservations accepted
- Beaver Brook ShelterFirst-come, first-served
- Big Rock Campgroundto 40 ft · 28 sitesmid-May – mid-October · First-come, first-served
- Black Mountain Cabin1 sitesReservations accepted
- Blackberry Crossing CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Camp Penacook ShelterSeason not published
- Campton Campgroundto 50 ft · 91 sitesMay – mid-October · Reservations accepted
- Campton Day Use AreaSeason not published
- Cold River Campgroundto 40 ft · 14 sitesmid-May – mid-October · Reservations accepted
- Coppermine ShelterSeason not published
- Covered Bridge Campgroundto 35 ft · 50 sitesmid-May – mid-October · Reservations accepted
- Crocker Pond CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Dolly Copp Campgroundto 45 ft · 175 sites · Electric · Pull-throughmid-May – mid-October
- Doublehead Cabin1 sitesReservations accepted
- Dry River Shelter #3Season not published
- Eliza Brook ShelterFirst-come, first-served
- Ethan Pond ShelterMemorial Season – Columbus Day · First-come, first-served
- Flat Mountain Pond ShelterSeason not published
- Fourth Iron CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Franconia Brook TentsiteSeason not published
- Garfield Ridge ShelterFirst-come, first-served
- Gentian Pond ShelterSeason not published
- Guyot ShelterFirst-come, first-served
- Hancock CampgroundReservations accepted
- Hastings Campgroundto 35 ft · 25 sitesmid-May – mid-October · Reservations accepted
- Hermit Lake SheltersSeason not published
- Hexacuba ShelterFirst-come, first-served
- Imp ShelterSeason not published
- Jeffers Brook ShelterFirst-come, first-served
- Jigger Johnson Campgroundmid-May – mid-October · First-come, first-served
- Jim Liberty CabinSeason not published
- Kinsman Pond ShelterFirst-come, first-served
- Liberty Springs TentsiteFirst-come, first-served
- Moose Mountain ShelterSeason not published
- Mountain Pond ShelterSeason not published
- Mt Cabot CabinSeason not published
- Osceola Vista Campground/Group Campgroundmid-May – mid-October · Reservations accepted
- Osgood TentsiteSeason not published
- Passaconaway Campgroundmid-May – mid-October · First-come, first-served
- Province Pond ShelterSeason not published
- Radeke Cabinto 20 ft · 1 sitesReservations accepted
- Rattle River ShelterSeason not published
- Rocky Branch Shelter #1Season not published
- Russell Pond Campgroundto 40 ft · 86 sites · Electricmid-May – mid-October · First-come, first-served
- Sawyer Pond Shelter & TentsiteSeason not published
- Smarts Mountain CampsiteFirst-come, first-served
- Sugarloaf I Campgroundmid-May – mid-October · Reservations accepted
- Sugarloaf II Campgroundmid-May – mid-October · Reservations accepted
- Thirteen Falls TentsiteFirst-come, first-served
- Three Ponds ShelterSeason not published
- Trapper John ShelterFirst-come, first-served
- Trident Col TentsiteSeason not published
- Tripoli Road Camping Areamid-May – October
- Unknown Pond TentsiteSeason not published
- Valley Way TentsiteSeason not published
- Velvet Rocks ShelterSeason not published
- Waterville Campgroundto 30 ft · 29 sitesmid-May – mid-October · Reservations accepted
- White Ledge Campgroundto 35 ft · 29 sitesmid-May – mid-September · Reservations accepted
- Wild River Campgroundmid-May – mid-October · First-come, first-served
- Wildwood Campgroundto 50 ft · 26 sitesmid-May – mid-October · First-come, first-served
- Zealand Campgroundmid-May – mid-October · First-come, first-served
White Mountain National Forest
The White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) is a federally managed forest contained within the White Mountains in the northeastern United States. It was established in 1918 as a result of the Weeks Act of 1911; federal acquisition of land had already begun in 1914. It has a total area of 750,852 acres (303,859 ha). Most of the WMNF is in New Hampshire; a small part is in the neighboring state of Maine. Conservationist and community activist Katherine Sleeper Walden was instrumental in securing at-risk land for the forest, including thousands of acres in the region surrounding the locally famous Bowl near Wonalancet.
Extract from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA. Agency description not published.
No vehicles past these lines
Designated wilderness is closed to every wheeled vehicle, including bicycles. You can walk in and camp; you cannot drive or park a rig inside one.
- Pemigewasset Wilderness45,809 acres
- Sandwich Range Wilderness35,299 acres
- Presidential Range-Dry River Wilderness27,645 acres
- Wild River Wilderness24,032 acres
- Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness11,250 acres
- Great Gulf Wilderness5,658 acres
Byways through this country
Places worth pulling over
Drive to White Mountain the long way
Byway plans the road in, not just the destination — real places along the way, weighted to what you like, with nothing invented.