North Conway Camping

I have searched everywhere for beta on camping near North Conway. I saw there is camping along the Kancamagus road. But it is a bit expensive. Any cheap places? Toilets/water unnecessary.

In many areas, like hiking trails in the nat. forest, you must be 200' from any trail or water source to have a legit camp site. There is no camping above a specific altitude, can't remember specifics.

Check out a White Mountain Guide trail guide book. They spell it out. You can bivouac off of trails if you follow the rules and leave no trace.

I'm not sure if it's no campfires or no camping within 1/4 mile of the road, but if you plan on getting at least 1/4 mile off of the road you should be fine. The magic number is definitely 1/4 mile, not 200 feet.

If you are looking for somewhere off of the Kanc, I doubt you'll run into any altitudes that are too high. If I had to guess, it's either "above treeline" or somewhere around 4,000 feet that is the cutoff.

I saw that but I also saw that you have to be a 1/4 mile from the road. Is this enforced? If we keep a low profile and pack out early you think we would be ok?

If they can't find you.... It is hit or miss. There is an old ranger (not sure if he is still working) who could be a real ball buster who would hunt you down in the middle of the night. He nailed me once about 11 pm when I set up a tent not quite 1/4 mile from the road on an unused gated out of the way logging trail because it was pouring rain and I had a wicked stomach ache. He wouldn't even let us wait until the rain stopped, but made us pack up and move right then. I have also bivied in my car at times and not been bothered. if they want, they can fine you as well as boot you out

The rangers have to enforce the rule, or the place would be a mess, but if you are smart about it (no tent, quiet, hidden)and legitimately no trace, I bet you could find a spot. Remember, the rangers are going to probably know the area well. If your car is in an unusual spot, that seems to pique their interest.

There is legal camping on Tripoli Road south of Lincoln, but its still $8.00 a night and a haul to N. Conway. There is the Fourth Iron Campsite outside of Bartlett, again $8.00 / night. The FS road to North Twin Mountain trail head and Gale River trail heads used to have primitive pay camping along them, that is out Twin Mountain way which is also a haul to N. Conway.

Here is the complete list of "dispersed" camping in the WMNF.
fs.usda.gov/activity/whitem…

Hey I went to North Conway late August and stayed at this campground kancamagushighway.com/campg…

I seem to recall it was 8$ a night. There's a bunch of other same type of campgrounds in that area and they are all first come first serve. Don't know how many non-climber yahoos camp this time of year though? Probably won't be full...

Edit: It was 20$ a night for a site but there were 3 of us so it wasn't too bad.

Thanks for all the info! Hopefully the rain holds off and we get a bit of climbing in this weekend.

When I asked where I could camp for free at IME, I got pretty good directions that I can't remember well enough to help you right now. But it sounds like the same area off an old logging road that Mark has used.

Also, my spot sucked, and I awoke covered in ticks. But hey, it is what it is.

I think that is a differant spot, that I can't mention here or it will be overrun and ruined and people would have my head. Where I got rousted was off of Bear Notch rd. (n of Rob Brook rd) If we had gone in further to the old log dump clearings or not had a tent and been hidden in the woods, it would have been fine.

According to my AMC White Mountain Guide:

"Overnight camping is permitted in almost all of the WMNF...The1986 RUA rules [ prohibit camping and fires above treeline] or within a specified distance of certain roads, trails, streams, and other locations..."

It goes on to say that in the area around Mt. Washington you need to be 200ft from most trails and 1/4 mile from any shelter and some trails.

Bottom line, this land is your land, but you've got to live free or die at most 1/4 mile from the road/trail. Also no camping in the ravines.

P.S. Can you tie in up on a ledge in Huntington Ravine and call it a bivy?