North Conway, New Hampshire, is situated within the town of Conway and borders the state of Maine to the north. This small town is home to national and state protected areas and is visited by sports and outdoor enthusiasts year-round. Camping is an affordable and flexible lodging option when visiting the North Conway area.
Activities
North Conway area campers can enjoy dozens of year-round activities. In spring and summer, go kayaking, canoeing or white-water rafting, fishing or boating on a local lake or river. Head to a park or protected area for a nature hike or horseback ride, or polish your golf or tennis game at one of the local courses and courts. If you like adventure sports, go mountain climbing, mountain biking or rock climbing or take the entire family out on a hot air balloon ride.
In fall, thousands of visitors head to North Conway to enjoy the autumn colors, and wintertime offers activities such as downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing, water-shoeing, dog sledding, snowmobiling, ice-skating or winter horseback riding.
Attractions
Sports and outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy visiting White Mountain National Forest, home to Mount Washington, the highest mountain on the East Coast, or climbing Cathedral Ledge at Echo Lake State Park. Black Mountain and Wildcat Mountain are also popular mountain and rock climbing destinations.
Children will enjoy the Conway Scenic Railroad as well as the Santa's Village and Story Land amusement parks. For an adrenaline-filled adventure, Monkey Trunks offers 65-foot high zip-lines above the White Mountains.
The beach at White Mountain National Forest fills up in the summer months with sunbathers and water-sports enthusiasts.
Public Camping
Public campgrounds can be found at White Mountain National Forest and other protected areas. As a general rule, public campgrounds tend to offer lower rates and fewer amenities than private campgrounds.
White Mountain National Forest boasts 23 campgrounds with seven to 176 sites. Although there are backcountry and developed sites available, none of the campgrounds have hookups, and if you're traveling with young children, you'll want to make sure your campground of choice has restroom and shower facilities.
Franconia Notch State Park offers RV and tent-camping, as well as restroom facilities, a cafeteria, paved hiking trails and a ski resort. Non-hookup sites costs $24 and full hookup sites cost $34 per night as of 2010. Because it has more services and amenities than White Mountain National Forest, this is is better camping option if you have young children.
Private Campgrounds
Private campgrounds in or near North Conway generally offer more amenities and services than public campgrounds but also tend to charge more. However, they are generally more kid-friendly and still offer easy access to area attractions and activities.
There are more than a dozen area private campgrounds, nearly all with full-hookup sites and RV and tent-site availability. Some include: Green Meadow Camping Area, situated in the Mt. Washington Valley with amenities such as a pool, playground, merry-go-round and sports fields and courts; the Glenn Ellis Family Campground, which is situated on 65 acres that offers amenities and services such as an arcade barn, complimentary Wi-Fi, sports fields, courts and activities and a camp store; and the Chocorua KOA, which offers Wi-Fi and cable TV for an extra charge, a pool, sports fields and courts, guided activities and a laundromat.
Private campgrounds generally cost between $40-$60 per night for four people as of 2010.
Camping Considerations
Many campgrounds are only open May 1 through Oct. 1, so it's wise to call ahead and confirm your campground of choice is open if you decide to go camping in the off-season fall and winter months. Heavy snowfall and twisty, narrow mountain roads can make winter driving dangerous, especially if you're driving a large RV or pulling an over-sized trailer.
In summer, be sure to bring plenty of sunscreen and bug repellent, and where protective clothing, such as long-sleeved shirts and long pants if you're going to be doing a lot of park and forest hiking, as Lyme Disease, caused by a bite from infected ticks, is present in this area.
Lastly, if you plan to go camping in or around North Conway on holiday weekends or during the summer months, make your reservations at least a few weeks in advance, the exception being national and state protected areas, which function in a first-come, first-served basis.
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