Pawtuckaway State Park Campground & Lake

Pawtuckaway State Park Campground

Pawtuckaway State Park Campground in Nottingham, NH offers 192 camp sites, running water, large beach, camp store, flush toilets and coin operated showers. Pawtuckaway State Park is known for is huge boulders left behind by glaciers.

Pawtuckaway State Park offers many different types of recreation, including: Swimming, boating, hiking, biking, rock climbing, snowshoeing, kayaking, fishing, cross country skiing, horseback riding, snowmobiling, a fire tower, to hike to with great views, playground, and more.

Pawtuckaway Beach

Pawtuckaway Beach is a common place on nice days. If you are planning to spend the day in the beach area at Pawtuckaway State Park be sure to get there early. Once the beach area fills to capacity they will begin to turn visitors to the beach away for safety reasons.

Pawtuckaway State Park Pet Policy

Pets are only allowed on the hiking trails through Reservation Rd and Round Pond Rd only. Pets are not allowed through the main gate at Pawtuckaway State Park into the campground or beach areas from Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day weekend. Pets are allowed through the main gate for hiking and camping before Memorial Day weekend and after Columbus Day weekend. Pets are not allowed at the beach or picnic areas any time of the year.

Outdoor Weddings in NH at Pawtuckaway

Weddings at Pawtuckaway are allowed by contacting the Pawtuckaway State Park manager for pricing, permits, and scheduling. Pawtuckaway offers a pavilion which holds about 400 guests for your wedding.

Outdoor Outings at NH State Parks

Outdoor outings at NH state parks are also allowed by contacting the Pawtuckaway State Park manager for pricing, permits, and scheduling. The pavilion at Pawtuckaway State Park holds approximately 400 people. Perfect for a family reunion, wedding, or corporate event.

Boat Ramp / Launch at Pawtuckaway State Park

Boat ramp at Pawtuckaway State Park on Horse Island is limited to rooftop boats but there is a boat launch for larger boats in Fundy Cove on Pawtuckaway Lake. The Fundy Cove Boat Launch offers quite a bit of parking but you will still need to get there early if you want a spot to park your vehicle and boat trailer. The boat ramp has concrete strips laid down into the water to drive your trailer on but the spacing is fairly far apart so you will feel the trailer bounce over each one and sometimes you have to apply more throttle to get the trailer back out of the water. You should also be careful when getting your boat on and off your trailer as this ramp can not only be a little slippery at times but you can easily get your foot caught between the concrete pieces and twist your ankle (my personal experience). With that said it is best to have a decent pair of water shoes for launching and loading your boat here. Click Here for more info about Pawtuckaway Lake depth charts, boat ramp access, and map.

Kayaking / Boating at Pawtuckaway Lake

While Pawtuckaway Lake is beautiful it is best suited for kayaks, canoes, row boats and smaller powered boats. The lake is very tricky to navigate! The entire place (land and water) is absolutely loaded with giant boulders and rocks. You will want to be sure you have mastered navigational markers to get around Pawtuckaway Lake if using a powered boat. With powered boats you will not find many places that are safe to travel at higher speeds than no wake. The lake will surprise you with suddenly shallow areas, drop-offs, etc. This is definitely a place you will want to use a depth finder/fish finder setup and use extreme caution. I use the Hummingbird Fish Finder/Depth Finder as it is inexpensive and works well. I have hit rocks here, and lost anchors. I have seen other power boats destroy their lower units. All of that can be avoided by being extra careful here. When I take my pontoon boat to Pawtuckaway I bring my trolling motor which comes in very handy here!

On the other hand, if you like to kayak or canoe this place is great! The big rocks and shallow areas make it harder for larger boats to navigate which keeps them at slower speeds and not able to navigate most parts of the lake without a trolling motor.