Pawtuckaway Reservations

Pawtuckaway campsites and cabins are reserved through ReserveAmerica, the NH State Parks booking system, online or by calling 1-877-647-2757. Sites open 11 months ahead of the arrival date. Day visitors can also reserve a beach pass or a hiking pass up to 30 days ahead, which holds a parking space on the busy summer weekends when the park fills. Both kinds of reservation carry a small non-refundable fee: $7.00 for camping and $1 for day use.

How to Reserve a Campsite

1. Go to the Pawtuckaway page on ReserveAmerica, or call the call center at 1-877-647-2757.
2. Pick your dates and a site. The campground map shows which sites are on Big Island, Horse Island and Neals Cove.
3. Pay the site fee plus the $7.00 reservation fee.
4. Only the person named on the reservation can check in, and reservations can't be handed to someone else at the park.

The call center is open Monday to Friday 8 am to 8 pm and Saturday and Sunday 9 am to 6 pm. Nobody under 18 can hold a camping reservation.

When Sites Open: the 11-Month Window

NH State Parks opens each campsite 11 months before the arrival date. New dates release at 8 am Monday to Friday and 9 am on Saturday and Sunday. For a summer weekend on the water, that is the moment to be at the screen.

Minimum Stays

• Any reservation for next season needs at least 3 nights.
• For this season, reservations made before April 1 need 3 nights. From April 1 on, one night is enough.
• Holiday reservations carry a 3-night minimum, per the park's campground sheet.
• The longest stay at any NH state campground is 14 days.

Changing or Cancelling a Campsite

Changes are made by phone through the call center, before the cut-off one day ahead, and cost $2.15. Changing the name on a reservation counts as a cancellation.

• 10 or more days before arrival: full refund, minus the transaction fee.
• 4 to 9 days before: refund minus the reservation fee and the cost of one night.
• 0 to 3 days before: no refund.

NH State Parks does not refund for weather or mosquitoes. Other refund requests go in writing within 14 days of departure, by email to nhstateparkscamping@dncr.nh.gov.

Day-Use Reservations: Beach and Hiking Passes

Day visitors don't have to reserve, but parking is limited on nice weekends and holidays, and the beach often closes to new arrivals once it fills. NH State Parks sells two separate day passes for Pawtuckaway: a beach pass and a hiking pass. You can book up to 30 days ahead, and tickets stay on sale until 5 pm, including after you arrive. Walk-in spaces are first come, first served.

The booking adds a $1 transaction fee that isn't refunded. Cancel by 9 am on the day of your visit and the admission fee comes back. Changes can only be made by phone. NH State Parks lists the hiking reservation location as 7 Pawtuckaway Road in Nottingham, a different address from the main entrance; see parking.

Season Pass, Parks Plate and NH Seniors

Season pass and State Parks license plate holders get a few spaces held first come, first served, but NH State Parks still encourages them to reserve, and the $1 fee applies. New Hampshire residents 65 and older enter the number of seniors in the vehicle when they book, and their admission is free. Prices for passes are on the hours and fees page.

Youth Groups and Pavilions

Youth group campsites can't be booked online. Call the NH State Parks office in Concord at 603-271-3556 on a weekday between 9 am and 4 pm. Youth and school groups visiting for the day must call the park at least two weeks ahead. Campsites and pavilions can both be booked up to 11 months in advance.