Ames Brook Campground

Picture a campground in New Hampshire where you can set up a tent or roll your RV into a superbly rustic setting with majestic trees all around. If that sounds like your version of vacation heaven, set a course for Ames Brooke Campground, where you’ll experience primitive campsites with A-plus amenities and activities.

You get the best of both worlds at this utopia, situated in the foothills of the White Mountains, a natural wonder that time forgot with its enviable beauty and rugged magnificence. Check in and be fully hooked up to electricity 30/50 amps water, sewer and cable TV on a fairly level, gravel pad next to Ames Brook, a rapid flow of water that breezes through the grounds. Pull-through and back-in sites make setting up camp easy with a picnic table and fire ring for eating outdoors.

The camp has wifi and sparkling restrooms, showers, and a laundry to match their glittering swimming pool, a favorite place to be in the summer. Back in the day, campers would rough it with no electricity and probably get their water from the creek, but now campgrounds incorporate the wilderness appeal so many folks love to camp in, along with the finer comforts of home.

Ames Brook Campground is a 21st-century marvel and a popular place to spend a night or the entire summer. Kids have a blast with a great playground and the creek to try their hand at fishing. Horseshoe pits and a paved basketball court offer hours of family fun, so expect your activities card to be full, as the friendly staff has set up a ton of things to do, including a potluck cookout, Fourth of July weekend celebrations, and opening day amusements.

The kids will be ultra happy if they can bring their dog, and that’s okay as Ames Campground is pet-friendly. The family pooch is required to stay on a leash, and their adoring owners must dispose of their waste. Pack plenty of litter bags and keep the camp clean.

A two-minute drive takes you to Ashland, a pretty rural town in New Hampshire with pioneer, log cabin, and craftsmen architecture. If you’re using Ames Brook campground as a base to explore the exceptional walking trails, try the Whitten Woods Trailhead with your dog. It's around 2.5 miles and takes you on an adventure around the area with stunning views of Squam Lake.