Hancock Campground – Car Camping In The White Mountains
On a recent trip to the White Mountains of New Hampshire, we discovered Hancock Campground, a drive-in camping area operated by the United States Forest Service. The campground’s close proximity to Lincoln Woods (one of the most popular trailheads in the whites) makes it a great basecamp or spot to start your backpacking adventure.
We stayed at Hancock the night before a multi-day trip in the Pemigewasset wilderness and, as a result, were able to be on trail before 7:00 our first day of hiking. As a hiker who loves the Whites but lives about a four hour drive from them, I will definitely be staying at Hancock Campground again to maximize my time on trail. All of the information in this post is based on my experience during a June 2018 visit.
Location Of Hancock Campground
Hancock Campground is located in Lincoln, New Hampshire on the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River. The campground entrance is on the Kancamagus Highway (Route 112) a half mile west of the Lincoln Woods trailhead and information center.
Campsites At Hancock Campground
Hancock Campground has 56 sites divided into two different areas. On one side on the campground are typical car camping sites with parking available at each site. The campsites are wooded and shady and most seem fairly private.
The other section consists of a parking lot with nearby walk-in sites. We camped at a walk-in site and found most of them to be flat and shaded. Some of these sites are even riverfront! The hike-in sites are an easy walk from the parking area. We had our backpacking gear with us but could have easily managed with a small cooler and our car camping tent and stove. All walk-in sites except the row nearest to the parking lot have bear boxes.
Amenities At Hancock Campground
All sites at Hancock Campground have picnic tables and fire rings. Some sites are riverfront and river access is available to campers at other sites. The campground also provides outhouses, potable water, and dumpsters for trash disposal. Firewood is available for purchase.
Fees And Logistics At Hancock Campground
Camping at Hancock is first-come-first-served and reservations are not accepted. Campers claim a site by placing their gear on the site and pay via self-serve kiosk. Sites cost $24 per night and include parking for one vehicle. Parking an additional vehicle costs and extra $5 per night. To learn more about staying at Hancock Campground you can visit the United States Forest Service website by clicking here.
Have you camped at Hancock Campground? Share your experience in the comments below!
Hi! I popped over from Instagram, and was excited to find this post. We are visiting Lincoln in August and looking for places to camp and hike. This little campground will be perfect. Do you think it will fill up mid-week in August? Glad I found your site! Can’t wait to read more.✨
Hi Tara, I’m so glad you found this helpful! We stayed mid-week the last week of June and even though we arrived around dinner time, had many sites to choose from. If Hancock Campground was full, our backup was to try Big Rock Campground, just a few miles down the road. I haven’t stayed at Big Rock yet but it is also run by the forest service and from what I hear it is similar to Hancock. Lincoln is great, I hope you have an awesome trip!
If we arrived Saturday July 9 in the late afternoon are we likely to get a couple sites here or big rock?