Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown, NH, is a great location to relax and enjoy camping with your family. For us, this Park was the beginning of CapeRvTravelers. Although, at the time, we didn’t know it.
We have traveled cross-country several times. However, of all the places we have camped, Bear Brook has a special place in our experience. This was the first campground we ever camped in. Of course, this first time was in a tent!
Please read about this incredible family campground and learn how it influenced CapeRvTravelers.
Bear Brook State Park Location
157 Deerfield Rd, Allenstown, NH
From I-93: Ex 9N onto Route 3/28 N and follow signs.
From I-95: Route 4 W to Route 28 S and follow signs.
Campground Facts and Amenities
- Bear Brook State Park protects 10,000 acres
- Located in the southeast region of the state
- The largest state park in New Hampshire.
- Activities include camping, hiking, biking, archery, swimming, and fishing.
- Has forty miles of trails through the heavily forested park.
- Offers a 101 site campground at Beaver Pond and camping cabins at Bear Hill Pond.
Campground Review
The Bear Brook campground is your typical State Park campground. It is nestled deep in the dense forest of New Hampshire. Therefore, you genuinely feel separated from the cities in the area. Many of the sites are tent sites. However, there are several RV sites. Yet, there are no hookups. Fortunately, a dump station in the park can easily be accessed.
There is a small camp store that offers a small number of supplies. In addition, it offers plenty of souvenirs to help you remember your stay.
The campground sits right on Beaver Pond. Here, you can go canoeing or kayaking. In addition, there is also a hiking trail that circles the entire pond. The campground also offers canoe and kayak rentals, coin-operated showers, ice, and firewood.
The State Park Rangers also offer guided hikes and other daily educational activities.
This beautiful State Park campground is often full of families enjoying time away from the hustle and bustle of life. If you are looking for a quiet place to camp and escape all the craziness of everyday life, this is an excellent campground.
Every time we camped at Bear Brook, the park was filled with families and kids. It is a great family experience and allows parents to relax while kids make friends and enjoy the outdoors.
We highly recommend Bear Brook for a getaway for a few days to enjoy the outdoors.
Campground reservations can be made on the New Hampshire State Parks website.
Nearby Attractions:
Canterbury Shaker Village (about 30 minutes away): Explore this historic site dedicated to the Shaker community, featuring restored buildings and beautiful gardens.
McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (about 25 minutes away): Located in Concord, this science museum features exhibits on space and aviation.
Pawtuckaway State Park (about 35 minutes away): Another great park for hiking, camping, and enjoying the outdoors, with a large lake for swimming and boating.
Charmingfare Farm (about 20 minutes away): A family-friendly farm offering animal encounters, hayrides, and seasonal activities.
Deerfield Fairgrounds (about 20 minutes away): If you’re visiting in the fall, the Deerfield Fair is one of New England’s oldest agricultural fairs, with plenty of attractions and events.
These activities make the area around Bear Brook State Park a great destination for outdoor enthusiasts and families alike.
Our Bear Brook Experience | Evolution of CapeRvTravelers
Tent Camping at Bear Brook
Our first camping trip was undoubtedly one to remember. We packed our tent, some food, and a Dutch oven (the first time we ever used one) and headed to New Hampshire in Mom’s mini-van. Of course, it was just the boys because Mom is NOT a fan of tent camping. Hence, the future purchase of the RV!
This was a quick weekend trip to New Hampshire for us. We had some great laughs and a memorable weekend we will never forget. In addition, during this weekend trip, we learned some valuable camping lessons.
Our site was extensive and included a nice fire ring. It was located not too far from the bathhouse and camp store. However, it was secluded enough that we had some privacy and could enjoy our time.
Lessons Learned at Bear Brook
- Cooking pizza in a Dutch oven is not as easy as it sounds.
- Make sure all the doors to the minivan are closed at night, or you’ll end up with a dead battery.
- Spiders enjoy sleeping under the rain tarp on top of the tent.
- Check the air mattresses BEFORE you leave home.
- Nothing is better than spending time away from home, work, and school with your family, hunting rubber snakes, chasing each other around the playground, hanging around the campfire, and relaxing with your family.
RV Camping at Bear Brook State Park
We returned a few years after our first tenting experience at Bear Brook. However, we traded the mini-van and tent for an RV this time.
There are some RV sites throughout the park. However, they do not offer any hookups.
The site had plenty of room for the RV and all RVing accessories.
We had no idea what the future held when we packed our tent and cooler into that mini-van and headed to New Hampshire for a weekend.
We would have never believed that our camping adventures that started in a tent, sleeping on the ground in the woods of New Hampshire, would eventually take us all over the country.
Little did we know this would be the trip that made s fall in love with traveling, and camping. This weekend’s getaway was the birth of the CapeRvTravelers. We have built this website to chronicle all of our camping adventures and help others make sure they can make the same great memories. This all began with that first tenting trip.
Of course, over time, we evolved from sleeping on air mattresses on the ground to the comforts of a bed in an RV. We evolved from trying to keep the food cold in a cooler for a weekend to grabbing something cold out of the refrigerator.
However, one thing has remained the same throughout the years: trips and adventures. We still pack the same Dutch Oven that we used at Bear Brook and continue to master the art of cooking over a campfire.
We still haven’t figured out pizza over the campfire very well, but Bryce has one heck of a Dutch oven donut recipe we have mastered!
We love to hear from our followers. Please leave a comment below.
How did your camping adventures start? What was your first, or most memorable camping trip?