Three Ponds Shelter

Open — Open year-round, first-come, first-served. No reservations or fees required.

About

Three Ponds Shelter is a free backcountry Adirondack-style shelter in the White Mountain National Forest, accessible via a 2.3-mile trail from the Three Ponds Trailhead off Stinson Lake Road. The three-sided shelter sleeps 8 people and features a fire ring, offering a classic backcountry camping experience near the scenic middle pond. The trail to the shelter follows old logging roads and snowmobile trails, making for an easy to moderate hike through forested terrain with some boggy sections. From the shelter, campers can extend their adventure via the Donkey Hill Cut-off and Kineo Trail for a 5.3-mile loop, or explore routes to Carr Mountain and Mt. Kineo. This is a primitive first-come, first-served facility with no toilets or designated tent sites. Water must be filtered or treated from nearby ponds. The shelter is open year-round and accessible to hikers, snowshoers, and skiers in winter months when the trail serves as a snowmobile route.

Directions

Take Stinson Lake Road north from the Village of Rumney. The Three Ponds Trailhead is located 6.9 miles from Route 25 and 1.8 miles from the Stinson Lake General Store. The shelter is 2.3 miles from the trailhead.

Nearby Campgrounds