Campgrounds and Cabins in the Great North Woods

The Great North Woods is the part of New Hampshire where the pavement thins out and the forest takes over. At its top sits Pittsburg, a town of lakes, streams and moose country that borders Canada. Lodging here looks different from the rest of the state. Instead of big hotels you find cabin colonies on the lakes, family-run lodges with fly shops, and simple state park campgrounds. This guide covers Pittsburg NH cabins and the campgrounds around them, with listings from our directory and practical advice on planning a stay this far north.

Pittsburg at a glance

Pittsburg is the largest town by area in New England and the northernmost town in New Hampshire, making up about 3 percent of the state's area. The population was 800 at the 2020 census. It is the only New Hampshire municipality to border Canada, sharing a border with Quebec to the west and north, and it also borders Maine and a small part of Vermont.

The town has an unusual history. Before it was incorporated in 1840, the area was known as the Territory of Indian Stream, and in the 1830s it briefly operated as its own small republic, the Republic of Indian Stream, because of an unclear boundary between the United States and Canada. The Indian Stream Schoolhouse on Tabor Road, dating to 1897, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

U.S. Route 3 is the only major highway through town, and it is the spine of any visit. It follows the chain of lakes north toward the Canadian border.

The lakes that shape a stay

Most lodging in Pittsburg is built around water. The Connecticut Lakes are four lakes along the headwaters of the Connecticut River, named First through Fourth from south to north. They get smaller and higher in elevation as you go north, and the Fourth Connecticut Lake is the source of the river. The first three can be seen and reached from Route 3. First Connecticut Lake, about 7 miles northeast of the village center, covers 3,071 acres and is the eighth-largest lake located entirely in New Hampshire. Its fish species include landlocked salmon and lake trout.

Lake Francis, south of the Connecticut Lakes, is a man-made reservoir. Back Lake, smaller and closer to the village, is home to several long-running cabin colonies.

The strip of state forest along Route 3 north of First Connecticut Lake is known for moose viewing in late spring and summer, especially in the mornings and evenings. That stretch has earned the nickname Moose Alley, and many visitors schedule a slow drive at dusk into every trip.

Lakeside lodges and cabin colonies

• Tall Timber Lodge sits on Back Lake and has offered cabin and room rentals since 1946, according to its site. The property includes lakeside and woodside cabins, a knotty-pine main lodge with guest rooms, a gift, tackle and fly shop, and the Rainbow Grille. Its site covers fishing, boat rentals, guide services, moose watching, paddling and snowmobiling.
• The Partridge Cabins & Lodge describes itself as a Great North Woods tradition since 1975 and is open year-round. Its individually named cabins sleep from two up to eight, and it caters to snowmobilers, anglers, hunters, hikers and anyone who simply wants a quiet cabin.
• Lake View Cabins is a small, family-owned business offering lakefront cabins in Pittsburg with snowmobile trail access. Its site also lists canoe, kayak and motorboat rentals.

Cabin stays suit families and groups well. You get a kitchen, room to spread out, and often a dock or shoreline right outside the door. Many cabins are booked by repeat guests, so reserve early for peak summer weeks and the snowmobile season.

Cabins and campsites together

Ramblewood Cabins & Campground offers both cottages and campsites in the Connecticut Lakes region. Its site notes that the property closes in April for mud season and that it offers winter camping on plowed sites with electric hookups, with access to snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and sledding. That makes it one of the few places in the region where you can camp in a North Country winter.

State park campgrounds

New Hampshire State Parks runs three campgrounds in and around Pittsburg, and they are the most affordable way to stay in the area.

• Lake Francis State Park Campground is on River Road in Pittsburg. The park has a boat launch, visitor center and playground, and offers fishing, canoeing on the reservoir and the upper Connecticut River, ATV riding and camping.
• Deer Mountain Campground is on North Main Street (Route 3) in Pittsburg, far up toward the Canadian border. Its sites have no hookups, and the state park listing also mentions a camping cabin. It is the closest state campground to the upper Connecticut Lakes and Moose Alley.
• Coleman State Park Campground is on Little Diamond Pond in neighboring Stewartstown. The state bought the 1,200-acre former Camp Diamond property for the park in 1956. Activities include camping, hiking, fishing, ATV riding and picnicking, and the park also has lodges.

State park campgrounds in the north have shorter seasons than those further south. Check the New Hampshire State Parks site for opening and closing dates and book through its reservation system.

Beyond Pittsburg: Errol and Lake Umbagog

If your trip swings east, Akers Pond Inn Cabins & RV Sites in Errol offers rooms and cabins for outdoor-minded visitors. Errol sits at the junction of Routes 16 and 26 and is the gateway to Umbagog Lake, a wilderness lake on the Maine border. The lake is part of the Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge and Umbagog Lake State Park, and it has 33 wilderness campsites reachable only by boat. Wildlife around the lake includes bald eagles, osprey, moose, bear and loons.

Choosing between a cabin and a campsite

• Choose a cabin if you are traveling with small children, visiting in the shoulder seasons, or want a kitchen and a real bed after a long day outdoors.
• Choose a state park campsite if you have your own gear, want the lowest cost, and are visiting in the main summer season.
• Choose a combined property like Ramblewood if your group includes both campers and people who want a roof.
• For winter, look for properties that advertise snowmobile trail access or winter camping, and check road conditions before you drive north.

Planning tips for the Great North Woods

• Fill your gas tank and stock up on groceries before you head north. Services are spread out.
• Cell service can be limited in parts of the region. Download maps ahead of time.
• Drive slowly at dawn and dusk. Moose are large, dark and hard to see on the road.
• Bring insect repellent for early summer and warm layers year-round, since evenings in the North Country can be cool.
• If you plan to fish, buy a New Hampshire fishing license before you go.
• Spring brings mud season, and some properties close for part of it, so check before booking an April trip.

FAQ

What is the best base for a trip to the Connecticut Lakes?

Pittsburg itself. Back Lake and the Lake Francis area are close to the village, while Deer Mountain Campground is closest to the upper lakes.

Where can I see moose in New Hampshire?

The stretch of Route 3 north of First Connecticut Lake, known as Moose Alley, is famous for moose sightings in the mornings and evenings in late spring and summer.

Are there state park campgrounds near Pittsburg?

Yes. Lake Francis and Deer Mountain are in Pittsburg, and Coleman State Park is in Stewartstown.

Can I stay in Pittsburg in winter?

Yes. Several cabin properties are open year-round and advertise snowmobile trail access, and Ramblewood offers winter camping.

Sources

• Pittsburg, New Hampshire, Wikipedia (area, population, borders, Indian Stream): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburg,_New_Hampshire
• Connecticut Lakes, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_Lakes
• Connecticut Lakes State Forest, Wikipedia (Moose Alley): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_Lakes_State_Forest
• Lake Francis State Park, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Francis_State_Park
• Coleman State Park, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleman_State_Park
• Umbagog Lake, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umbagog_Lake
• Errol, New Hampshire, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Errol,_New_Hampshire
• NH State Parks, Lake Francis State Park: https://www.nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails/lake-francis-state-park/
• NH State Parks, Deer Mountain Campground: https://www.nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails/deer-mountain-campground/
• NH State Parks, Coleman State Park: https://www.nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails/coleman-state-park/
• Tall Timber Lodge official site: https://www.talltimber.com/
• Partridge Cabins official site: https://partridgecabins.com/
• Lake View Cabins official site: https://www.lakeviewcabinsnh.com/
• Ramblewood Cabins & Campground official site: https://ramblewoodcabins.com/
• Akers Pond Inn & Cabins official site: https://akerspondinn.com/