Three Ponds Shelter
Open year-round, 24 hours daily. First-come, first-served with no fees or reservations. No potable water or restroom facilities; campers must treat water from nearby sources and pack out all trash.
Town Hall Road Camping and Fire Restrictions
Camping and campfires are restricted along Slippery Brook Road (Forest Road 17) and East Branch Road (Forest Road 38), which together form a 7‑mile road system collectively known as Town Hall Road. Camping within ¼ mile of these roads is only allowed at designated campsites marked with a tent…
Lincoln Woods Trail Closure
UPDATE: Lincoln Woods Trail will close beginning June 15th through November 2026 when when restoration work commences. See the Lincoln Woods Trailhead page for more information.
Pemigewasset Wilderness Food Storage Requirement
Effective May 1st, 2026, all overnight campers in the Pemigewasset Wilderness must store all food, food containers, scented items (such as soap, lip balm, and toothpaste) and refuse in a cylindrical, hard-sided, non-pliable Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) certified bear resistant…
About
Three Ponds Shelter is a rustic three-sided Adirondack-style shelter located in the Pemigewasset Ranger District of White Mountain National Forest near Rumney, New Hampshire. The shelter sits beside the scenic middle pond of the three trailside ponds, offering a classic White Mountains backcountry camping experience. With a capacity of 8 people and a fire ring for warmth and cooking, it provides basic overnight accommodation for hikers exploring this area. The shelter is reached via an easy 2.3-mile hike from the Three Ponds Trailhead, located on Stinson Lake Road just north of Stinson Lake. The trail doubles as a snowmobile route in winter, but is also open to skiers, snowshoers, and winter hikers. From the shelter, hikers can continue on an easy-to-moderate 5.3-mile loop back to the trailhead via the Donkey Hill Cut-off and Kineo Trail. This is a primitive backcountry site with no restroom facilities, no potable water, and no designated tent sites. Visitors must filter or treat water from nearby sources and pack out all trash. The shelter operates year-round, 24 hours daily, on a first-come, first-served basis with no fees or reservations.
Directions
Take Stinson Lake Road north from the Village of Rumney. The Three Ponds Trailhead is located on Stinson Lake Road just north of Stinson Lake. From the trailhead, hike 2.3 miles on the Three Ponds Trail to reach the shelter.
Location
Amenities
| Water | No |
| Fires Allowed | Yes |
| Toilets | No |
| Dump Station | No |
| Wifi | No |
| Pets Allowed | — |
| Showers | No |
| Electric Hookups | — |
| Water Hookups | — |
| Sewer Hookups | — |
| Camp Store | No |
| Price | $0 |
Vehicle
| Max RV Length | — |
| Max Trailer Length | — |
| Big Rig Friendly | No |
| Pull Through Sites | No |
Cell Service
| AT&T | Yes |
| Verizon | None |
| T-Mobile | None |
Useful Links
| USFS Three Ponds Shelter | |
| USFS Three Ponds Trailhead |
Community Posts
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