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The Bluffs at Danforth Bay
Written on Sunday, August 13, 2006 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Travel-Plans • Danforth-Bay
The Bluffs at Danforth Bay is a brand new Adult (50+) Seasonal Camping Community located in Freedom, New Hampshire. Sites are available for $3150 plus metered electric and an optional $100 winter on-site storage fee. Cable TV, Internet access, guest fees and canoe/kayak usage are all included in your yearly seasonal fee.
If you can’t wait until next season, there is a discounted rate of $1800 to stay from August to mid-November.
For those wanting to sign up for next year (mid-April to mid-Nov) a $500 is required, and you have the option to choose your site after September 1st.
Open House tours are available on Saturday, August 26 starting at 11am.
Our Tour
On Friday afternoon, Diane took Mike and me on an “official” tour of the Bluffs and to be honest, I was really impressed. So impressed, that for a few brief minutes I considered lying about our age, and signing up on the spot.
We fell in love with the Club House area. I think this is really the heart and soul of the campground.
Outside you’ll find two heated (salt water) pools and 3 tennis courts. Several canoes/kayaks are available for peaceful access to Huckins Pond.
When you walk inside the Club House (top floor), the large function area is outstanding. Lots of tables and chairs. High vaulted ceilings, and windows galore with access the wrap around deck out back (with a stunning view.) Several cozy sitting areas to read quietly or access the Internet. A large TV screen with DVDs along with a juke box. Access to a small full kitchen is great for functions or just a snack with friends.
Head downstairs, and you’ll find the laundry, showers/restrooms, fitness room, game room (pool tables, etc) and a wonderful library room. Both upstairs and downstairs are handicapped accessible.
No one under 21 years of age is allowed to utilize most amenities at the Bluffs; but members with younger guests will have no problem accessing all of Danforth Bay’s amenities, which includes 3 pools, 2 lake beaches, tennis courts, boating, playgrounds, entertainment, snack bar, and camp store.
Security is important at the Bluffs. Unlike Danforth Bay, there is a key pass (keypad), not a card pass. Each seasonal gets their own code and Danforth Bay guests (coming in by car or golf cart) are not able to access the grounds.
What About the Sites?
Most of the camp sites are large and spacious. They offer a little something for everyone’s tastes: sunny & open or more private. There are even some available for two or more “friends” that want sites close together.
If you like being near the action, there are many (sunny and open) sites available right near the Club House/pool area. There are also other sites that are still close by, but are a little more private, away from the business of the Club House area.
On our tour, Diane drove by many friendly, happy campers. We stopped and spoke to a couple with 3 precious Westie dogs and a gorgeous site. Besides fantastic landscaping, they had the most heavenly view of the mountains and fields below. The views from some sites at the top is breathtaking.
Open House at the Bluffs
The good news is there are still a lot of good sites available. They are hosting an Open House on Saturday, August 26 starting at 11AM. If you are looking for a new seasonal campsite, or if even if you are curious about seasonal camping and what it offers, it is a great opportunity to check out the Bluffs for yourself. There will be personal golf cart tours, or if you rather take a tour on your own that is also possible.
Article Categories: Travel-Plans • Danforth-Bay
Comments
The comment area is open for approximately one year after the article date.
Great Article!
Patty and I are however quite disappointed that we can’t take our golf cart and quietly ride through this section of the campground now with our golf cart and see this section park and the progress they are making. Its locked up tight!
Posted by Bob on 08/13/06I am sure you can request access to take a look, Bob. You could let the office know you want to drive up there, and once at the gate area, there is an intercom system.
Posted by That's Camping in the Northeast on 08/13/06Hi,
We just came back from Danforth Bay, my husband will be 50 next year and I’m a few years behind. Still have 3 children, youngest 13. I had no problem driving thru The Bluffs the first time with my 15 year old in the car(asked over the intercom) and the next time my husband & I tried to ride thru we needed to go to the office for a pass, not enough time. Some of the hills are amazing, I don’t know how they got some of the campers up there. I was actually scared driving up & down one of them. Very nice!
AndreaPosted by Andrea Bouchard on 08/13/06Oh those hills ARE scary....but I did find out that one very steep hill can be avoided. There are other ways around, thankfully!
But the good thing about the hills is the amazingly beautiful view at the top! aahhh.
Posted by That's Camping in the Northeast on 08/13/06I also took a tour of the Bluffs. I agree that the scenery is beautiful and that the Hoyt’s have done a wonderful job in developing the Bluffs. However, after my tour of the Bluffs, I am not impressed.
The Bluffs prides itself on its exclusivity. This would be fine if the Bluffs were its own separate campground, with its own entrance, exit, campground office, store, bathhouses and boating facilities.
However since the Bluffs shares a seasonal office, store, boat ramp & bathhouses with the main campground; DanforthBay Camping Resort, (DBCR), it is more accurate to call the Bluffs a campground within a campground.Druing my tour, I was surprised at the animosity my tour guide showed towards the regular DBCR seasonal and transient campers.
Some of his more notable quotes:
“The gates and rocks are there to keep the other seasonal campers out as they are the ones who cause all the problems”.
“If you have friends at the main (DBCR) campground, you will need to register them and request a written pass to visit you at the Bluffs”
“Our water supply is separate and set up to be superior to that at DBCR”.I guess the ideal Bluffs resident,is someone who want to be part of an exclusive group and doesn’t want to be bothered with others outside their age group.(even if those people are their friends and relatives).
I would suggest that you closely read the special rules for the Bluff seasonal campers before signing up.
- Maximum of two adults per site.
- Overnight guest: no more than two visits a month, totaling no more than 7 days within the same month.The season is “supposed” to be from April to November. However make sure to read the “fine print” that says the road and Bluffs utilities may be closed due to weather conditions during the months of April and November.
After the tour, I went around to both areas of the campground speaking to both residents of the Bluffs and the main campground. I was disappointed to find that there appears to be an undercurrent of resentment between the two groups of campers.
As history has shown, any time there are two groups of people with one group being touted as being “superior” to the other, problems will occur.
If the management of DanforthBay doesn’t recognize and respond to these issues, the end result may be the demise of both campground sections.Posted by Not A Curmudgeon on 08/20/06“Not A Curmudgeon”, thank you for your opinion of the Bluffs tour. Are you a seasonal camper in Danforth Bay or the Bluffs?
The Bluffs people do pay quite a bit more to be seasonal there so I can understand why they have access to all of Danforth Bay facilities as well as their own facilities and space. Also several people bring in their grandchildren and can use the beach, pool, etc. at Danforth.
You are right, as a seasonal camper at Danforth Bay, I do feel a bit slighted that I can’t have golf cart and walking access into the Bluffs (I’m not sure if I’m allowed in there and being a good neighbor don’t want to break the rules) during normal daylight hours.
I know there is a bunch of older teens/young adults that ride through the park on the golf carts and perhaps this is what this tour guide is referring too (not to say that they are causing problems). I do take offense that someone thinks that the main DBCR seasonal campers are the ones causing all the problems.
The seasonal campers that come in are screened well by Danforth Management and most (if not all) the seasonal campers understand and obey the rules. There has been a lot of problems with the transient campers this year from what I hear. So perhaps this is the problem.
Weather is weather but last November was GORGEOUS and so wasn’t april.
Posted by Bob on 08/20/06I respect your right to voice your opinion, but I think you are stating unfair comments and misinterpretations. I would like to address some of your comments:
The Bluffs prides itself on its exclusivity. This would be fine if the Bluffs were its own separate campground, with its own entrance, exit, campground office, store, bathhouses and boating facilities.
However since the Bluffs shares a seasonal office, store, boat ramp & bathhouses with the main campground; DanforthBay Camping Resort, (DBCR), it is more accurate to call the Bluffs a campground within a campground.There are two exit/entrances to the Bluffs, one is at the ball field inside DB, and one is a separate entrance/exit all by itself on the same road as the main area of DB.
There is a public bathroom and shower in the club house (downstairs.) I am not sure why you would expect them to waste money in building additional bathhouses, when 100% of the residents will have facilities in their own trailer.
As for the campground office, yes, eventually I imagine they will have a separate office. It would be silly at this early stage to hire a full time staff for the Bluffs when it hasn’t been fully rented. As for not offering a camp store, most would probably want to shop at a full grocery store. For quick purchases, the DB store will due in a pinch.
To categorize it as a “campground in a campground” is not fair.
Druing my tour, I was surprised at the animosity my tour guide showed towards the regular DBCR seasonal and transient campers.
Some of his more notable quotes:
“The gates and rocks are there to keep the other seasonal campers out as they are the ones who cause all the problems”.
“If you have friends at the main (DBCR) campground, you will need to register them and request a written pass to visit you at the Bluffs”
“Our water supply is separate and set up to be superior to that at DBCR”.
Maybe you misinterpreted his comments, or perhaps he was joking around; I find it hard to believe someone that works for the Hoyts would speak poorly about the people that are indirectly paying his payroll check.
As for requiring a pass, how is that hostile toward the regular DB campers? It sounds like they are protecting the Bluffs campers, and he probably told you that so you would be assured of their security measures. It helps control visitors and makes sure no one is visiting when they shouldn’t be. I would be grateful if I were a Bluffs resident.
Not sure I see anything wrong with what he said about the water supply. Since the DB water system is a few years older now, could be that they found a better way to transport water up hills at the Bluffs and that is a point they like to stress when trying to sell the campground to new visitors. Again, it is not a negative comment against DB, because their water system is excellent. One of the best we have encountered.
I guess the ideal Bluffs resident,is someone who want to be part of an exclusive group and doesn’t want to be bothered with others outside their age group.(even if those people are their friends and relatives).
I would suggest that you closely read the special rules for the Bluff seasonal campers before signing up.
- Maximum of two adults per site.
- Overnight guest: no more than two visits a month, totaling no more than 7 days within the same month.
Yes, I did read the special rules, but I am not sure that you read them as carefully as you should.
First, the maximum of 2 adults is to protect their business so that two families are not sharing the same site inappropriately. I imagine most thorough seasonal contracts state the very same thing. If they don’t, the campground runs the risk of someone possibly renting/leasing their site or sharing the site.
The second part of your comment is misleading and untrue. There are no limits on the number of guests, just a limit on the same guest(s). It states that the same individual or family unit cannot visit more than 2 times per month. Since guests are free, they have to set boundaries. How fair would it be if one resident invited the same family members to visit every single weekend for free? It would be taking unfair advantage of the “free guests” rule, and taking unfair advantage of the DB facilities. They would be getting for free what a regular DB camper had to pay for.
The season is “supposed” to be from April to November. However make sure to read the “fine print” that says the road and Bluffs utilities may be closed due to weather conditions during the months of April and November.
Of course they have to protect themselves. Common sense tells you that if there is a large snow fall, they will not be responsible to plow the roads. If the frost comes early or stays late, they cannot possibly risk damaging their water system. Dry camping is actually acceptable if someone wants to still visit their site. They just won’t have water. It is the same as winter camping.
After the tour, I went around to both areas of the campground speaking to both residents of the Bluffs and the main campground. I was disappointed to find that there appears to be an undercurrent of resentment between the two groups of campers.
As history has shown, any time there are two groups of people with one group being touted as being “superior” to the other, problems will occur.
If the management of DanforthBay doesn’t recognize and respond to these issues, the end result may be the demise of both campground sections.This is pure speculation on your part. Until I hear direct quotes from seasonal campers, you are just stating interpretations of conversations between you and anonymous groups of people.
Every campground has seasonal campers with snobby attitudes about “being a seasonal”; campers that think they have “special rights”. We have seen it at DB and at other campgrounds as well. It is par for the course. Normal human nature.
As for management not controlling one group being touted as “superior”, again, that is your own personal interpretation, not actual fact. If management handles a situation incorrectly, then I guess that is their business decision. But to speculate on the possibility of mismanagement is just destructive.
I have no problems with our site visitors posting negative comments, but they must be constructive and helpful. If you would like to make further comments, please refrain from posting unproven gossip and misinterpreted assumptions.
Posted by That's Camping in the Northeast on 08/20/06
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