Cold River

Overview

Cold River Campground is located in a rustic, remote part of White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire, about 15 miles north of Fryeburg, Maine. It is a small facility with access to hiking and mountain biking trails and proximity to a small pond for fishing and canoeing.

The White Mountains boast pristine forests, clear mountain streams and rivers and the tallest peaks in the Northeast. The forest encompasses nearly 800,000 acres in New Hampshire and western Maine, and is one of the most popular in the country.

Recreation

The 4.5-mile Basin Trail leaves from nearby Basin Campground. Numerous other hiking and mountain biking trails lie within a short drive, including those in the Caribou Speckled Mountain Wilderness.

Trout fishing is available in Basin Pond. The pond's calm waters are also ideal for canoeing.

Learn more about recreation in the national forest.

Facilities

Cold River is a small facility with campsites organized around one loop. Accessible restrooms and a hand pump for water are provided. Picnic areas are nearby. There are no showers or a dump station.

Natural Features

The campground is in a pleasant mixed hardwood and pine forest, a short distance from Evans Brook and the 23-acre Basin Pond.

The national forest is home to many species of northern wildlife, including moose, white-tailed deer and black bear. Almost 200 species of birds, including the rare Bicknell's Thrush, live in the White Mountains.

Nearby Attractions

The towns of Fryeburg, Gilead and Stow, Maine have groceries, restaurants, gas and other conveniences.

Campers might enjoy a scenic day trip to the Presidential Range, which consists of the tallest mountains in the forest, including the 6,288-ft. Mount Washington, the highest peak north of the Smoky Mountains and east of the Mississippi River.

The area hosts four alpine and five nordic ski areas, which provide year-round recreation opportunities such as skiing, hiking, mountain biking, outdoor concerts, interpretive trails, special events and regional and national skiing and snowboarding races.