Lafayette Place Campground — Hotel in Lincoln

We stayed here 2 separate trips in summer 2021. It is the only campground I've ever experienced, so hard to compare, but everything was smooth sailing here. Bathrooms were cleaned several times a day, and the rest of the place is kept spotless. I appreciate the coin operated showers the most after a day of playing outside. It is smack at the base of the best hiking in the state in my opinion (Lafayette Ridge), though that is very strenuous and should only be attempted by people hiking frequently. In July, we went up to Lonesome Lake on the campground side, which is rated as a moderate hike. I would say, take a look at the mountain grade from the highway, and be prepared. We saw people with toddlers on that trail, which I wouldn't recommend unless your toddler is used to scrambling over lots of large boulder stairs. Back to the campground.... there are large sinks with running hot water to wash dishes. There is even at least one set of coin washer/drier. The traffic noise can bother some, but we stayed on the road side, and I always sleep with foam earplugs, so it didn't bother me. Truck noise woke hubby up a few times he said. There were no issues with load neighbors or sites being too close as I've seen in other reviews. No large critters. Very quiet and peaceful both times. Smack in the middle of the summer is the best time to come for me, as it is cooler here than in other parts of the State. In Sept, we had overnight of 47F, and then driving home south, the temp rose to 65F within 20 miles. So, slower to warm up in the spring, and gets cold faster in the fall. Bring warmer clothes to layer or sleep in. Also, if you're planning on hiking, carrying some winter jacket is appropriate on many days even mid summer. We passed one girl hiking up Mt. Washington in a bikini top, who didn't seem to believe me that she would freeze above tree line. Also, plan more time to hike short distances. Pace can run as slow as 1 mi per hour, especially if you don't hike regularly. The views along Lafayette Ridge are the best anywhere on a clear day.||We fly fished in Profile, which is best early morning, or late afternoon, and was better in mid-July when I had an amazing day of trout hitting any dry fly in late afternoon, versus late August, which was a bust.||There is a well maintained paved bike path right alongside the campground, which was a popular family activity, and the water in the river is tame enough to swim in at many spots mid summer, although sourced from the mountains, so colder than you might expect. There is a small playground off the loop closest to the office (sites 1-10ish).||The best restaurant options are a drive back down to Lincoln. We love the Common Man, but recommend hitting it right at 4pm when it opens bc its the best one in town and everyone knows it. I would skip the tourist trap bfast place in Sugar Hill, there is a ridiculous, like 2 to 3 hour ridiculous, wait there almost every day...

Stayed here for three nights on a recent visit. So lets break down the good, the bad and the ugly.

The good, staff was very helpful and friendly the times I called in advance and while checking in. The location is also good as there are many things to do in the area and have the Franconia Notch Bike patch in front which we used to do many things with.

The bad: The roads are quite narrow in the campground and to my surprise multi direction which could be an issue if one pulling a camper meets another. Very few spots in here to fit a 27' foot camper but we managed to get in there, staff did mention this in advance. (highly recommend you advance scout before going in to see your spot and the direction of travel so that you nail it the first time if you have a camper, we did this using our bikes and made for a flawless entry and exit).

The bad: Quiet hours are from 10-7am but no such utopia exist with a major interstate 150-200yds away, trucks and engine braking all day and night. We were fortunate to have a camper with walls and portable power station and could run a fan but still just loud all the time. No fault of the staff but letting you know what to expect.

I can't say anything to the conditions of the bathrooms as we had our own but will say only one of the three were open on the map we were given. I would probably not stay here again simply because of the noise from the interstate, just not many options in the...

Come be humbled by one of the most magnificent forests you’ve ever seen. If you think your tent ⛺️ is enough, you are wrong. We visited in mid August and it rained all night, every night, even though the weather forecast said no rain. The mornings were sunny and hot, the nights frigid (we slept under 4 blankets, bring thermal undergarments, extra thick jacket and wool hat and socks). Trees act like a magnet for water. Bring heavy duty tarps and paracord + foldable canopy… put one tarp under your tent, one above. Bring quarters for the (surprisingly hot) showers and laundry machines, and silicone earplugs for the highway. It’s barely noticeable during the day, but a rig going uphill, echoing through the valley at 4am, will wake you right up. Cellphone reception is poor to non-existing. Be very mindful with your food, coolers (we kept ours in the car overnight), and cooking area, and diligently dispose of any smelly garbage at the dump station by the office…there are bears! The fire rings here have very nice grill attachments. We used foil for cooking to make sure we didn’t leave any grease by the fire overnight. Each site comes with a long picnic table, but definitely bring your own foldable chair. This place is not for the faint of heart, but its beauty will stay with...