The Word “Campground” Doesn’t Quite Cover It

Ossipee Lake is chocked full of smallmouth bass, sunfish and yellow perch. But in order to fish for them, a New Hampshire fishing license is required. Licenses can be purchased online from NH Fish and Game or in-person from The New Deal General Store in East Wakefield. Once you’ve secured your license, worms and fishing gear can be purchased on site from The Depot Store. In order to minimize the risk of injury, we ask that all guests fish away from the docks, beaches and swimming areas.

The adjacent Freedom Town Forrest is equipped with an unexpected amenity for bikers: logging roads. When not in use, these roads are perfect mountain biking. Just make sure to start your ride prepared with enough water to stay hydrated and adequate navigational gear to find your way back.

Between the 200 acres of land that make up Danforth Bay and the adjacent 2,660-acre Freedom Town Forrest, there are ample hiking opportunities that don’t require driving to a trailhead. A few of our favorites are the 1.5-mile Mary’s Mountain trail and the 3-mile Trout Pond hike. (You can inquire at The Depot Store for trail maps and directions.)

Before you head out, make sure to wear sunscreen and pack enough water to stay hydrated throughout your hike. And when you return, be sure to check yourself for ticks. With mosquitos, ticks and black flies in the area, it’s never a bad idea to bring bug spray. And with interesting plants and incredible views, you won’t want to leave your camera at your campsite either.

If you want to hike but feel wary about navigating the trail on your own, check out our Activities Calendar. Our events team frequently leads hiking trips for those who are more comfortable hiking in groups.

For licensed drivers 21 and older, Danforth Bay offers golf cart rentals to help you zip and zoom around our grounds with ease. During the spring and fall, golf carts are available for $60/day. And during the summer, rentals are available for $75/day or $400/week. A $200 damage deposit is required on all rentals. And during the summer, week-long golf cart rental reservations can be made in advance. Please inquire with The Depot Store for pick-up times (as they vary between peak and shoulder seasons). Drop-off time for all rental carts is 8:00 a.m.

Guests who own their own non-jet-powered watercrafts are welcome to bring them to Danforth—so long as they are no more than 21 feet in length. The state of New Hampshire requires most boats to be registered with the state. And Danforth Bay requires all boats to be registered with the front desk at check-in. Jet-powered boats are not permitted on the docks, the boat launch or the shoreline of Danforth Bay Camping & RV Resort.

Our boat launch is open from 7a.m.–dusk. Please be aware that the water is very shallow in the launch area, so you’ll want to trim your motor and proceed with caution until you are a minimum of 100 feet from shore. Towable watersports (such as waterskiing, wakeboarding and tubing) are not permitted to or from our waterfront. For these activities, we recommend driving out to Broad Bay or using the main body of Ossipee Lake.

Both before launching and after hauling, please inspect your boat for invasive plant species, such as zebra mussels and milfoil. Hoses are available both at the boat launch and at the maintenance building to help you keep your boat clean, so you can help us keep these invasive species in check.

For more information, please read our Boater Check-In Policy Sheet.