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Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities

Edward MacDowell Lake — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: PETERBOROUGH, NH, NH

Price: From $60 per night

Price range: $60–$100 per night

Rating: 4.4 out of 5 (5 reviews)

Season: Year-round

Edward MacDowell Lake is situated in a quiet corner of the Monadnock Region of New Hampshire. This day-use area lies just off State Route 101 on the shores of the picturesque lake named after the famous composer and concert pianist, Edward Alexander MacDowell.This year-round park offers two day-use picnic shelters, perfect for large parties or family functions. Flush toilets, drinking water, picnic tables and grills are provided.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): strong signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: T-Mobile. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 100%. T-Mobile 4G: 100%.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Drinking Water, Fishing, Boat Launch

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/edward-macdowell-lake-day-use-facilities to be notified when sites open up.

Edward MacDowell Lake offers scenic kayaking, canoeing, and fishing on a picturesque lake in the quiet Monadnock Region, with full tree coverage and wooded trails that reviewers describe as magical.

Wildlife alert: North American River Otter, American Black Bear, Bobcat, American Beaver, Cooper's Hawk, and ring-necked snake present in the area.

Insider tips for Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities: Drive down to the parking spot for proper lake views and trail access. Swimming is available but the area is swampy — check yourself for parasites after swimming. The wooded trail near the dam offers scenic hiking with a possible loop option.

Skip Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities if: You need hookups — this facility has none.. You prefer more than 2 tent sites — only 2 sites available.. You dislike booking early — federal campground requires advance reservations..

Best time to visit Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities: Year-round — Campground operates year-round, though seasonal operations noted — verify availability before planning..

Nearby campgrounds: Otter Brook Lake Recreation Area (Keene, NH), Surry Mountain Lake Beach (Keene, NH), Tully Lake Recreation Area (Ma) (Royalston, MA), Elm Brook Park Rec Area (CONTOOCOOK, NH).

Cell Phone Coverage at Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities

Cell signal at Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities (PETERBOROUGH, NH): strong overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: T-Mobile.

  • Verizon 4G LTE: 100% coverage
  • AT&T 4G LTE: 100% coverage
  • T-Mobile 4G LTE: 100% coverage

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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CamperWatch›NH›Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities
Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities — photo 1
Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities — photo 2
Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities — photo 3
Edward MacDowell Lake — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities

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PETERBOROUGH, NH, NH★ 4.4 (5 reviews)From $60/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Edward MacDowell Lake is situated in a quiet corner of the Monadnock Region of New Hampshire. This day-use area lies just off State Route 101 on the shores of the picturesque lake named after the famous composer and concert pianist, Edward Alexander MacDowell.This year-round park offers two day-use picnic shelters, perfect for large parties or family functions. Flush toilets, drinking water, picnic tables and grills are provided.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersWildlife watchersSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonYear-round
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
ADA sites2 sites
PetsAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Flush ToiletsBoat Launch

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need hookups — this facility has none.✕ You prefer more than 2 tent sites — only 2 sites available.✕ You dislike booking early — federal campground requires advance reservations.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Drive down to the parking spot for proper lake views and trail access.

Swimming is available but the area is swampy

check yourself for parasites after swimming.

The wooded trail near the dam offers scenic hiking with a possible loop option.

Best: Year-round

Campground operates year-round, though seasonal operations noted — verify availability before planning.

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 100%
Verizon
4G · 100%
AT&T
4G · 100%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: T-Mobile.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: North American River Otter, American Black Bear, Bobcat, American Beaver, Cooper's Hawk, and ring-necked snake present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
603-924-3431· Edward MacDowell Lake
Getting there →

From Route 101 in Peterborough, take a right onto Union Street for 1/2-mile, then take a left onto Wilder Street and travel all the way to the end of the street.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Edward MacDowell Lake fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Edward MacDowell Lake before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities cost per night?+
Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities costs $60–$100 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities open?+
Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities?+
Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities?+
Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities is rated strong. Best carrier: T-Mobile. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities open, and what are check-in times?+
Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility Map
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$60 /night★ 4.4 (5)
SeasonYear-round
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities cost per night?+
What season is Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities open?+
Does Edward Macdowell Lake Day Use Facilities have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Otter Brook Lake Recreation Area

Keene, NH

From $30/night

Surry Mountain Lake Beach

Keene, NH

From $35/night

Tully Lake Recreation Area (Ma)

Royalston, MA

From $40/night

Elm Brook Park Rec Area

CONTOOCOOK, NH

From $60/night

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