Horse camping is the perfect way to enjoy West Barnstable. If you're an equestrian lover who prefers nature-based adventure, yet still wants comfort, this is the perfect opportunity for you. Camping with horses is a beautiful way to experience nature. You're sure to find the perfect site for your Massachusetts horse camping excursion.
Tent and RV sites.
AMC Ponkapoag Camp is located on the east shore of Ponakpoag Pond at the end of a gravel road. Access is granted through a locked gate directly across the street from the Canton Equestrian Center. Call the manager for the gate combination. Please be considerate of hikers and equestrian traffic on the access road.
20 cabins (sleep two to seven). Two tent sites. Bunks with mattresses (no linens provided). Wood stove (firewood is available for purchase, or may be gathered). No running water. No electricity in cabins. The main lodge is lighted during the evenings (summer only). Outhouses.
$20 - $65 / night
Guide
Nice warm showers and our tent site was kept away from a lot, so it was calm and quiet. Nice staff and would definitely visit again.
Traveler
Had an amazing stay, cabin was perfect and comfortable. Water was nice and fish were biting. Can’t wait to come back.
RangerA very nice place to stay! Lots of things to do on Cape Cod and this campground is centrally located. Friendly staff, clean facilities. There's a little store adjacent to the office just in case you forgot something. Playground for the kids. Was very quiet, of course I was there at the end of the season.
Beware of the nomes! ;)
GuideWe booked our site early and made sure they were “big rig” friendly. The entrance was encouraging. However, the dirty dusty heavily trees (hence the name Forest) curves narrow road down to our site was not pleasant. The site was narrow, table and fire pit behind the rv and did I say dust? Ugh. And a lack of rain really made it twice as bad.
That being said, the store was nicely kept as was the rec room. Staff was also pleasant. The location is great. If considering ask for a site on the main drag. Much easier to get into.
GuideThis campground is the perfect little summer getaway. The sites are secluded and spaced decently apart. They have many options of places to explore and things to do.
RangerThis campground is beautiful! Each site is sectioned off to its own space (no pass throughs), is dirt, level, and tree-hugged on every site. Sites are very large! Full hook ups available. Beautiful playgrounds (yes multiple), game room, camp store, bathrooms are immaculate. Clean showers available at each comfort station located throughout the campground. Camp office staff were very nice and helpful! Centrally located to everything! Can get to the cape cod rail trail easily!
TravelerSeparate RV and tent areas. The tent area is in a woodsy hollow full of birds and interesting wildlife. This isn’t a camping resort but they have clean restrooms and a game room with a pool table, puzzles, and board games. Plus multiple playgrounds and a pond that’s good for boating but not swimming. The staff were super helpful when I had a dead car battery and when my car got stuck on a road.
ScoutWe have always loved it here. It is rustic camping, no water or electricity and the bathroom is an outhouse and no showers. The people are friendly and we have always had a good time. The kids can hang out in the clubhouse if it’s raining or swim in the pond if it’s hot. Lots of hiking trails.
TravelerThis campground was fantastic. The sites were very unique, hilly and wooded. We had a great site...site G. The kids enjoyed the playgrounds and putt putt. We enjoyed the proximity to beaches on the Cape. Also enjoyed a whale watch tour which left from a harbor nearby. FYI, no pool or laundry...which didn't affect our stay, but good to know.
ScoutI stayed here a few times before working here one summer. The family and staff are really good people. The campsites are well maintained and the grounds offer plenty of amenities. From someone who has been on both ends (employee & customer) I can highly recommend staying here. On top of a great place to stay, it’s located in the heart of Brewster less than 10 min from the ocean and only minutes from freshwater swimming at Long Pond.
ScoutAnd its great every time. Nothing but positive things to say, if you haven’t tried it, defintely do. C loop sites our favorite, but really not a terrible site in the place, depending on what you camp in. Only drawbacks are that there are limited full hookup big rig sites, and they book up in advance; also water view sites down at the pond also book up in advance. Shower/bath facilities extremely well kept and accessible. Just a great family campground in a great location on The Cape.
TravelerSweetwater Forest has pleasant, secluded sites. This was the quietest campground during "quiet hours" that I've ever visited. Walking my dog late at night or early in the morning was absolutely silent. The camp store was well stocked and offered hot coffee and a variety of grocery items. There are a lot of touristy Cape spots a short drive away. It sits adjacent to a small horse farm, so that adds to the ambiance.
TravelerWe were on site B17 and it was perfect. Complete 360 privacy, well wooded, and just what was needed. Listen to the sounds of frogs at night was kinda awesome. Few little things that take it from 5 to 4 star...dumpsters were always full, no separate recycling, roads weren’t clearly marked, bathrooms mostly clean but missing TP at times. Close drive to a beautiful beach and other area beach activities. Overall, would go again while in Cape Cod.
TravelerWe stayed on site A-31 for 3 nights with full hookup while we checked out Cape Cod. Campground is lovely, with many trees (and birds) and close proximity to the bike trail and town of Brewster. A little dusty because of the sand lot and roads. Well stocked camp store and friendly staff, would definitely stay here again.
LegendCame here while in college at Brandeis University with my field Biology class. We explored all over the bog looking for interesting species of plants and animals and found so many amazing things. This is an amazing site to take anyone who is adventurous and loves to explore. It also doesn't hurt that it's so close to Boston. I agree with all the other reviewers and definitely suggest checking this site out.
TravelerThe guy above me gave you most of the skinny, so I can keep this short and sweet. This campsite is superlatively convenient if you live in the Boston area, especially so if you’re like me and you’re one of those “Boston kids who don’t cross the bridge,” both proverbial and otherwise. The area around Ponkapog is beautiful, showcasing a wetland climate that, while common, is an integral part of the Massachusetts ecosystem that many people don’t even realize is within a stones throw. Why spend a summer weekend baking like a sausage next to a big of townies when you can chill in the bog with bogey-bogmen?
Highlights:
serviceable and cheap campground with limited amenities
some natural peace and quite close to the city
lots of good berry picking and trails
not far from the blue hills
good family fun
swimming
Lowlights:
bogmen
ScoutThis was my first time at this campground and I have to say, it was a great place to stay. I camp with my dog and sometimes I want to explore places that he can't go. Sweetwater Forest has a small doggy day care where I can safely leave him and not worry. It's air conditioned and they have mellow music on.
The comfort stations were clean and the showers have hot water and there's an outdoor sink & counter to wash dishes. The camp store is stocked with food and camping gear you may have forgotten or broke.
The campsites that I saw are not right on top of each other, my site was a little above the other sites near me and the foot path to the bathroom was clearly marked and clear.
The staff were friendly and although I did not have children with me, they have a lot of things for kids to do. There's an arcade, playground, basketball court and arcade. I definitely plan on going back and would recommend it to others.
ScoutGreat People, Great Times.
Ponky is a hidden jem! Minutes from Boston, feels Miles away. Love the cabins! Spending Friday & Saturday in one of the cabins (w/woodstove) is deal for a winter weekend adventure!
RangerI found this campground in a totally roundabout way, while searching for lodging during a field trip to Plimouth Plantation. After discovering it, I decided that we HAD to plan a trip here sometime soon.
Ponkapoag Camp is run by the AMC. The camp is on a beautiful piece of wooded land surrounding a large pond/lake. There are about 25 rustic cabins, and a few tent sites dispersed throughout the camping area. There is a year round caretaker there to help folks check in, and she also sells firewood. Reservations are by mail only, although you can call the caretaker to confirm availability.
Before I continue my review, it is important to note: THERE IS NO ELECTRICITY OR RUNNING WATER.
We brought all our water from home, and it worked well. Make sure you bring campsuds or other eco-friendly soap since the toilets are just outhouses without running water much of the year.
The Cabins:
Each cabin has between 2-6 beds. The mattresses in our large cabin were brand new dorm style mattresses, which were slippery but comfortable. The cabins have assorted dressers and shelves for storage, and a table for dining on those bad weather days. The floors are wooden. Many cabins have wood stoves, which is great for the cooler parts of the year. We were there Memorial Day weekend, and needed the stove when it dipped to 40 degrees. Outside of the cabin is a pedestal grill, and a picnic table. My children found trees close by to hang their hammocks.
Upon departure from the camp, you are required to sweep and tidy up the cabin.
The Grounds:
Hiking trails abound on the property. While none of the trails are steep, they all go through beautiful ares, with views of the pond, and interesting rock formations. Blue Hill is within hiking distance, and it is a favorite spot for seeing the sunrise. Apparently you can see all the way to Boston!
The pond itself is a wonderful place for kayaking and canoeing. There are several rocky boulders poking out of the water that make fun spots to discover. The sunsets over the pond are spectacular to watch from the dock.
Getting there: The driveway to the camp is totally unmarked. It is a gate studded with two american flags. When you confirm your reservation (by mail), the caretaker will give you the access code for the gate. We enjoyed being somewhere that was so close to people, but felt so remote and had no traffic.
Downsides: One of the nights we stayed, the flight path to Logan International Airport was right over the campground. We all slept fine, but it was distracting. Thankfully, they change the flight path every night, so it should not happen every night!
WILD ZORA FOOD review:
As a Ranger with The Dyrt, I was given the opportunity to test out food from Wild Zora Foods. https://wildzora.com.
This is a premade meal company, focusing on Paleo and Primal recipes. We tried out a sampler pack of their meat bars, and then two meal-in-a-bag freeze dried entrees. We ended up eating several meat bars while making the trip to the campground, since we were stuck in traffic and everyone was hungry. Our 5 children helped do the sampling. Out of the six flavors (Parmesan Beef, BBQ beef, Mediterranean Lamb, Curry Turkey, Chili Beef, and Taco Pork), our favorites were Parmesan Beef ad Mediterranean Lamb. The other flavors seemed a bit too sweet for our liking. However, the bars were a great substitute for junk food when everyone is hungry. Everyone enjoyed eating them. I liked that they used food such as dates and dried apricots as sweeteners. My children all wanted more. I'd say that one bar would be a good snack for an adult.
We also cooked up a batch of a berry breakfast cacao bowl, and their Chicken Caldera Curry. Both meals were super convenient in their pouches that could be cooked and eaten in. We just poured boiling water in, and let them sit. The Caldera Chicken Curry was well seasoned, and very meaty. I was impressed by how filling it was without needing any rice. The texture was a bit chalky, but overall, it was a great option for a Paleo freeze-dried meal. The berry breakfast meal was less satisfying--but it tasted very fresh, and not overly sweet.
It was fun to test these foods out. When camping with kids, it is often hard to have time to cook a camp meal each night, so having quick options can really make a trip go more smoothly. I recommend checking out Wild Zora if you are interested in a preservative free, high protein freeze dried meal option.
TravelerAll around, this place is a nice and quiet place to camp on the cape at an affordable price. A single campsite without electricity and water hookups is $30 and they are quite spacey. Nestled in the woods with tables and plenty of space for setting up tents and/or hammocks. My only complaint was with the campground staff. The woman who handled my reservation was not very welcoming. Sure, she did the job - explaining the rules, helping me pick a site, taking my payment - but very coldly. Imagine really being in the mood for filling breakfast at a diner and you get there and your waiter/waitress takes your order with a bite in their voice and a glare in their eyes. Sure, you'll get your food and it will be satisfying, but the service ruined the experience a bit. You didn't feel very welcome there. Anyone could cook eggs and hashbrowns for themselves at home just like many people could camp in their backyard. You go to diners and campgrounds for something else that you can't get from your kitchen or backyard.
GuideThis campground is one that my father camped at with his brothers when they were young. There is a pond, but it is not swimmable due to the snappers, but when you are on the cape, there is always the ocean to find. The snapper pond is great for fishing too. It is a clean campground, with many different playgrounds. There is also a horse farm in the front of the grounds. The bike trails are a short ride away as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near West Barnstable, MA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near West Barnstable, MA is Sweetwater Forest with a 4.5-star rating from 15 reviews.
