NH campers may soon pay more for tent, RV sites

Camping at state parks would be considerably more expensive under a proposal going before lawmakers next week but still cheaper than camping elsewhere, according to the state Division of Parks and Recreation.

If approved, this would be the first increase in rates since 2012, Sarah Stewart, commissioner of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, told the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee in her request.

Nightly rates for primitive campsites, which are typically more remote and have pit toilets rather than bathrooms, would go from $23 to $29, while a standard campsite with more amenities would see a slightly higher increase, from $25 to $35.

Rates for larger double, triple, and quad sites would see even bigger jumps of $20 to $40, according to Stewart’s request. Rates for several other types of campsites would remain the same, including those for cabins at Umbagog Lake State Park in Errol, Pawtuckaway State Park in Nottingham, and Coleman State Park in Stewartstown.

A subcommittee of the State Park Advisory Council found that the existing fees are not competitive with those at comparable private campgrounds, Stewart wrote. They also do not reflect the major capital investments the state has made in expanding campgrounds and upgrading RV hookups and bathhouses, she said.

The Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee is scheduled to take up her request on Dec. 15.