Pets allowed
Allowed
Guided tours
No
Backcountry camping
Yes
Lodging
No
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

Pillsbury State Park is the perfect place to get away from it all, relax with the family, and explore some of the most scenic ponds around. This area was known as Cherry Valley in the early 1800s, and today you can hike the trails to look for old cellar holes and stone walls that offer a glimpse into the past. The Monadnock-Sunapee-Greenway Trail runs through the park and leads up to Lucias Lookout outside the park, and other trails bring you to several beautiful ponds and Balance Rock. The Narrows Trail is a must-see and great for kids of all ages. This short trail offers an interpretive guide to help you identify your surroundings, and leads to a view across Butterfield Pond. Look for black spruce, rhodora azalea, lowbush blueberry, and wintergreen along the way.

Pillsbury State Park is known for camping and paddling, and it would be easy to spend several days here. Canoes and kayaks are available to rent, so you don’t need to bring your own, and be sure to keep an eye out for moose, loons, turtles, and ducks. The campground at Pillsbury State Park provides a picturesque, primitive experience with campsites located along five different ponds. While you can drive to many of the sites, a handful of them are hike-in or canoe-in sites, offering a more remote feel. A small playground and picnic area are located on Mill Pond, and they offer a fantastic view of the mountains across the water. The main gate is closed during the winter months, but the trails are still open to snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

Low

Parking Pass

State Park Fee

Pros

Quiet. Scenic. Good for all ages.

Cons

Primitive campground. Limited amenities.

Features

Backcountry camping
Flushing toilets
Boat ramp(s)
Bicycling
Potable water
Picnic tables
Covered picnic areas
Waterfalls
Fishing
Playground
Bird watching
Wildlife
Big Game Watching

Location

Nearby Adventures

Nearby Lodging + Camping

Comments

Have updates, photos, alerts, or just want to leave a comment?
Sign In and share them.