Camp Penacook Shelter

Its sites are first-come, first-served (no reservations), and camping is free. Camp Penacook Shelter is a National Forest campground near Carroll, New Hampshire.

First-come, first-served

National Forest · Carroll, New Hampshire

National Forest
Managed by

Camp Penacook Shelter sits inside White Mountain National Forest. Its dispersed-camping rule, ranger offices, and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com.

Getting a site

Managed by: National Forest
Reservations: None, first-come
Fee: Free

Source: apps.fs.usda.gov, accessed 2026-09-30

Access and cell service

Elevation: 2,655 ft

43.9581, -71.2688 in Carroll. Open in OpenStreetMap. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Open in Google Maps Directions

Common questions

Do you need a reservation at Camp Penacook Shelter?

No. Camp Penacook Shelter is first-come, first-served: there is no reservation system, so arrive early to claim an open site.

How much does it cost to camp at Camp Penacook Shelter?

Camping at Camp Penacook Shelter is free.

Who manages Camp Penacook Shelter?

Camp Penacook Shelter is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Around Camp Penacook Shelter

Waterfalls and swimming nearby

swimholesmap.com · within 30 miles

Nearest to Camp Penacook Shelter, in straight-line miles: Sabbaday Falls (waterfall, 6.8 miles), Lower Falls (swimming hole, 7.8 miles), Diana's Baths Pools (swimming hole, 9.2 miles), Diana's Baths (waterfall, 9.6 miles), and Jackson Falls (swimming hole, 14 miles). Each has its own page on swimholesmap.com.