Best Equestrian Camping near Lovell, ME

Recent Equestrian Reviews in Lovell

51 Reviews of 3 Lovell Campgrounds

• c

  christine M.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 15, 2024

  Gunstock Campground

  Peaceful and great location

  We enjoyed this campground! The staff upon arrival was so nice. It was so quiet at night! Got to walk to hike Gunstock. Wished there was a restaurant within walking distance. But not a show stopper. We will be back!

• S

  Sean F.

  Guide

  

  May. 7, 2024

  Hancock Campground

  A little cramped, great location though

  Open year round. Most sites are close together with very little privacy

  A few sites are pretty much right on the river which is awesome. There's a nearby swimming hole. Campground is only short drive away from an endless amount of hiking options

• 

  Miccal M.

  Legend

  

  Jan. 18, 2024

  Hancock Campground

  Small but nice

  I just spent a cold rainy, snowy weekend camping here in January, and had a blast. The campground is plowed, sites have their access plowed with various widths depending on the site.  The sites are a little close together, and for winter there was a number of them being used.

  The campground is close to Lincoln, NH so if you need supplies you can easily run into town for food and drink.  It's even closer to Loon Mtn and the Pemigewasset wilderness allowing for some amazing outdoor activities.

  There are many dumpsters and bear boxes throughout the campground, the walk-in sites all have bear boxes.  Every site has a fire pit.  The campground is easily accessible by pavement.

• 

  Ann P.

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 30, 2023

  Hancock Campground

  Pretty but not clean

  Some pros and lots of cons. We stayed at a walk-in site by the river.

  I never fully appreciated just how much camp hosts do. There was no ranger and no host. We arrived early on a Thursday, hopeful we could get a spot by the water. There are only two spots that are truly private in any way. They were both taken- fine. However, one of the groups had not registered and stayed until 4 or 5pm until everyone else had already set up for the day…then they left! So uncool. The site went unused because at that point, no one was going to move all their stuff. Maybe a camp host would’ve noticed that?

  The sites were FILTHY with trash, dog poop and food waste. Pretty crazy considering this was supposed to be a bear area. There was also a bad smell wafting around, hmm…maybe because of the trash and dog poop? Stepping in dog poop and trying to clean off your boots is a significant bummer. The site we were stuck at also had ashes and chunks of wood all over the picnic table. Cleaning up this much in order to feel comfortable really sucked.

  There was no running water at any of the pumps and the pit toilets were quite full.

  There is a bridge nearby but the river covered any vehicle noise very well. It was also nice to be right off the highway and five minutes from town, yet it felt like a proper national forest experience.

  There’s an upper loop with drive in sites. They didn’t seem very private and you could see the road. I wouldn’t stay up there.

  Being by the river was beautiful. I would stay here again, but with more preparation for the campground’s limitations.

• 

  Iris A.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 6, 2023

  Freeport / Durham KOA

  Cute Family KOA

  This is a cute little KOA with lots of things for smaller kids to do. We visited during their Halloween weekend. They had costume making and trick or treating for kids (bring candy) and a renaissance fair/party for adults. There is a pool with slide, a playground, a basketball hoop, a disc golf net. They have hayrides and a nightly train ride for younger visitors.

  WiFi and cell service are both spotty.

• R

  Randall M.

  Scout

  

  May. 3, 2023

  Homestead by the River Campground - PERMANENTLY CLOSED

  Good not great

  I been there twice. Not bad I did lose my wedding ban in the leach filled river on the second visit. The sites are good. Not too close.

• 

  Austin M.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 11, 2022

  Gunstock Campground

  Gunstock campground

  This is an awesome campground! Lots to do with a nice pool and lots of land to walk the dogs. Seasonal camping is better here.

• 

  Carolyn S.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 10, 2022

  Gunstock Campground

  Gunstock Mountain

  I was lucky to receive a tranquil, secluded spot next to a brook - perfect. This campground has nothing to do, or plenty you can do - walking, hiking, biking, and close access to all Gunstock's adventures.

• 

  Ryan P.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 31, 2022

  Gunstock Campground

  Amazing stay

  Large campsites, clean amenities, nice dog park, great store with everything you need and located near like Winni.

• 

  Kirsten J.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 10, 2022

  Hancock Campground

  Young little trees, little buffer between sites

  Hancock is a first-come, first-serve campground close to the visitor center as you enter the Whites.  It is also close to Loon Mountain Resort.  Camping at this campground provides you river access, or is relatively close to the Hwy, depending which site you choose.  One area is your standard campground - parking area, tent area, next site.  The other area, only for tents, is a communal parking area with walk-in campsites near the water.  

  This campground had clean pit-toilets, no shower, spotty cell service, and both trash and recycling dumpsters, which were nice to see!

• L

  Lynn T.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 9, 2022

  Freeport / Durham KOA

  Boston/Cape Cod KOA Holiday

  Pro’s:

  • spacious, shady campgrounds (take a back-in site)
  • quite and relaxing
  • lots of entertainment and activities for all
  • large leash free dog zone Con’s:
  • bad WiFi and poor Verizon reception
  • laundry room was not operational (mid July! 🤨)
  • still 45 minutes from touristic sites (Portland, lighthouse)
• 

  Greg S.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 8, 2022

  Gunstock Campground

  4.7 stars

  Fun place! The mountain coaster and chairlift were great for the little ones and the ziplines are epic! They give discounts to campers. We stayed in 255, which was really nice, wooded, and right by the creek. Site 254 next door us easily the best trailer site in the entire place. It is huge and has two levels and tons of creek frontage. These two sites are nestled in a quiet tent area. The grid RV area was not very impressive, but all of the tent sites in the woods were really cool. The open field rv area was really exposed but close to amenities. Our family stayed in the cabins and they are nicely situated for privacy. Rustic and no AC or bathrooms but clean and nice little porch. The pool was nice, two excellent playgrounds, and everything well kept. You get your own keycard for the gate. Epic views from top of mountain!

• 

  Tim P.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 2, 2022

  Gunstock Campground

  Gunstock Mountain

  Mountain coaster, lift, and zip like courses were all amazing. Will come once a year because it’s so fun! Bonus points for site #202!

• 

  Jamie M.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 30, 2021

  Homestead by the River Campground - PERMANENTLY CLOSED

  Camping with a farm

  Wonderful little farm campground! The animals were friendly, the beach was clean and perfect for my kids. The playground kept them entertained and happy. Would definitely stay again!

• R

  Ryan F.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 11, 2021

  Gunstock Campground

  Quiet and relaxing

  Very well kept and quiet grounds. The lot I was in was not wooded but still quiet. Check in was quick and friendly. All other guests were friendly as well. I’ll be back for sure.

• 

  Brooke F.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 24, 2021

  Freeport / Durham KOA

  Awesome place!

  Very low key relaxed place. Facilities are new and clean! Staff is friendly and accommodating. Campsites are large. Full hook ups. Pool is clean and well maintained.

• J

  Jerome S.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 6, 2021

  Hancock Campground

  Great campground for a pre Pemi Loop night

  Great campground. Stayed at site #32. This side was near the street but at night there is minimal traffic. Higher side is by the river so the preferable side to stay on.

  There is an area for tents only where you park in a lot and walk to the site.

  This campground is first come first serve.

  Some of the restrooms have running water. Some are only privies.

  As for showers or areas to wash dishes, i was not able to find either. There is potable water.

  Stayed here the night before i started the Pemi loop, and it was perfect.

• 

  Melissa B.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 19, 2021

  Gunstock Campground

  Cute campground, wooded sites are limited.

  This campground overall is very nice. The camp store has most everything you could need, and the campground is gated so you have to make sure you keep your key card with you whenever leaving in order to get back in. Most of the sites are out in the open though, or very close together. Not so bad if you're camping in trailers or RVs, but if tent camping you won't really have any privacy in those locations. I recommend the sites back in Breezy Knolls (K01-K17 I think?) and then I believe sites 203 and 205 were nice and tucked away in the trees as well. There is a zip line course and a metal "slide" or coaster behind the Breezy Knolls area which can get kind of noisy between the sounds of the gear and the kids screaming. Lol. But it didn't really bother me personally. The wooded area back there is beautiful though so the sites definitely made up for it. Campground has a fenced in dog park, playground, showers, clean bathrooms, and laundry facilities. Would definitely camp here again. I just prefer the wooded/shaded tent sites...which are limited at this place.

• C

  Casey

  Traveler

  

  May. 29, 2021

  Hancock Campground

  Riverside Paradise

  Most amazing spot I’ve ever camped and not too many people. Used the tent sides a quick hill walk down from the parking lot. River great for splashing around and nearby path to Lincoln Woods trail.

• R

  Rebus B.

  Scout

  

  May. 20, 2021

  Freeport / Durham KOA

  Halloween!

  This visit we had our hybrid camper in one of the wooded sites. The Halloween celebration is really well done- campers decorate their sites, there is an in-costume parade, and the central, bigger rigs are set up for trick or treating. The haunted house is scary enough that I waited by the exit! (This part is NOT for the little kids). The campground fills up for this event so make reservations early.

• R

  Rebus B.

  Scout

  

  May. 17, 2021

  Freeport / Durham KOA

  Great spot, great hosts

  Kid and pet friendly. Lots of activities for kids including a flashlight candy hunt, water slide, and s’more roast. We’ve been coming back for years and the addition of a glamping tent, cabins, and domes have made it even nicer!

• 

  Nancy W.

  Legend

  

  Apr. 16, 2021

  Freeport / Durham KOA

  Good Location, Clean, Lots of Camping Options

  I have a love– hate relationship with KOA campgrounds. They tend to be overpriced and not consistent. You will find one that has nice sites at a decent price. Then, there are the others which are complete opposite. This KOA is on my good side.  There are lots of site choices, cabins, yurts, and tent sites to choose from.  The location is good as it is about 10-15 minutes far from the town of Freeport(home to L.L. Bean and tons of outlet stores), the pretty coastal town of South Freeport, four craft breweries and a cidery, and Bradbury Mountain State Park. The owners and work campers are very friendly and the super welcoming. Normally I am not concerned how nice people are but they go out of their way to make sure you get all the discounts you can and put you in a site that you prefer. 

  We have stayed here a few times and are always impressed how well-cared for the grounds are and how and clean the common areas, bathrooms, and pool are. The grass is always cut, weeds trimmed, fire pits cleaned and there is no trash lying on the ground. There are lots of seasonal sites but they are in the back portion of the park with the transients being in the front. The park has nice super long 50 amp FHU pull-thrus in the front of the park which will fit any length RV and tow vehicle. Some of these sites are “buddy” sites with a shared patio, but are so wide that even if you don’t know your neighbors, it would not be a bother because you are far enough apart. The only downside to these pull thrus is there is no shade. We tend to be there in cooler months so shade is not a problem. However, the rest of the campground has a very park-like feel with over 50 acres there is plenty of room to roam and even a short nature trail through a wooded area. Many sites backup against the woods or are in wooded areas so keep that in mind when making your reservation. We give this park two thumbs up for their dog park which is ten times the size of the average KOA dog park. My lab had plenty of room to run and chase a ball and there were never any other dogs there which was nice. Plus, it was clean and free of dog poop! Normally, there are plenty of activities like s’mores by the fire, crafts, pony rides (yes, they have their own ponies on site), ice cream social, hay rides but this year they were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We don’t use those amenities anyway so that wasn’t a problem but can see that would be fun activities for kids. We were in a buddy sites with our friends and liked the shared patio. Since we were in the open area, we were able to get both satellite with our roof-mounted dome and some over-the-air channels from Portland which is about 45 minutes away. All of our hook-ups were in an accessible place but we were also in a long pull thru and could position the RV in the site accordingly. 

  Some of the cons for this park are the lack of cable, so-so wifi, and the dusty gravel roads and pot holes. There are a few restrooms buildings scattered around the park which may not be close depending on what site you are in.

• 

  Heather B.

  Guide

  

  Dec. 31, 2020

  Hancock Campground

  Awesome winter camping

  Stayed here for two nights in late December. Site #40 along the river was close to the bathroom yet had plenty of privacy from other sites. The campgrounds were well cared for and the staff was friendly. There are some nice looking tent only sites we plan to experience come springtime. Water would have earned it five stars.

• 

  Ashley S.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 1, 2020

  Hancock Campground

  Home Away From Home

  We’ve been going to Hancock for a couple of years now. We just saw our first bear in the campground which was awesome. We love the location and being at that elevation the stars are amazing at night. Lots of fun to be had whether it’s hiking, seeing waterfalls, stargazing, swimming in the Pemigewasset River, shopping in North Conway, eating at one of the many local restaurants, etc. There’s something for everyone and this campground is dog friendly too. Great sites that are well maintained and clean bathrooms.

• L

  Lindsey M.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 29, 2020

  Hancock Campground

  Nice river location; Lots of bees

  We camped here Wednesday-Friday on one of the riverfront tent sites. We arrived around 11:15 am and got the last site on the river, which had a nice little opening to the water and had a bit more tree coverage to separate us from our neighbors; the only remaining sites otherwise were a bit small and clustered together or tandem so that we’d have lots of foot traffic through and around our site. These sites were carry-in only, which wasn’t convenient, and it was a lot of work to carry all of our gear from the parking lot to the site (the main part of the path was a hill).

  Big negative: Our site was completely swarmed with bees. We checked a few vacant sites to see if maybe it was just our site, but we found them all around, including all over the cars in the lot. They calmed down in the evening once it got chilly, but otherwise, they were constant. They were the worst on our last day; we planned to hang out, make breakfast, enjoy the river, and take our time packing up. But they were unbearable and we had a couple stings, so we rushed to pack up and left early, which was very disappointing and felt like a waste.

  The river access was great, though the water was very low. We appreciated having a bear box on our site, especially since we couldn’t keep anything in our car. It was big enough to fit our grill, cooler, trash, and bag of groceries. The campground also has flush toilets, which was a big plus, since most other campgrounds in the area only have vault toilets. There were vault ones near our site, but I preferred to walk a bit further to the flush ones. They were near the campsites by the main road; the traffic was loud in this area and the sites didn’t have bear boxes, but there were no bees to be found.

  We’d likely stay here again if something was done about the swarms of bees, and would probably bring some sort of cart to get our stuff from the car to the site.

• 

  Sara D.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 24, 2020

  Gunstock Campground

  Pretty Decent Little Camping Spot

  Pros: Beautiful area, not a bad size campground, quiet nights (but this could be because 3 out of the 4 sites right near us were empty), free hot showers that are not dirty, lots of trails on edge of the grounds, lots and lots of tent sites, platform on campsite, pool and playground available, camp store, bike & Segway trails, quick access to some of NH’s most beautiful mountains. Staff is friendly. Cons: So many roots all over the sites, the platform did not fit our tent for 12 on it. More of the sites have very little separation from the neighboring campers near you. We explored the grounds & noted some sites that were a smidge more secluded and plan to return again sometime!

• 

  Rebecca A.

  Ranger

  

  Sep. 19, 2019

  Hancock Campground

  Good location!

  This campground is in a good location to explore the kanagamus highway and the white mountains! It is close to Franconia notch and plenty of hiking/other activities. Bathrooms and running water available! Nice spot.