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Limited horse camping options exist near Contoocook, New Hampshire, as none of the nearby campgrounds feature dedicated horse corrals according to available data. Gunstock Campground in Gilford offers cabins and RV sites with electric hookups but lacks specific equestrian facilities. While some campgrounds like Ramblewood Cabins and Campground and Tippicanoe Campground welcome pets, these properties are not specifically equipped for horses. Most sites require advance reservations and provide basic amenities such as picnic tables, drinking water, and fire rings. Large campsites at Gunstock provide ample space, though not specifically designed for equestrian use.
The surrounding area offers potential trail riding opportunities, though campers would need to trailer horses to separate riding locations. Gunstock Mountain Resort provides extensive outdoor activities including hiking trails and mountain biking routes in the warmer months. Hidden Valley RV and Golf Park spans 1300 acres with full hookup sites, though it similarly lacks dedicated horse facilities. Winter conditions restrict camping seasons, with most properties operating from late spring through early fall. Campers interested in bringing horses should contact these campgrounds directly about special arrangements, as standard amenities like water and electric hookups are available, but specialized equine infrastructure is not documented at these locations.
from $25 - $45 / night
Check Availability"Fairly extensive camp ground associated with Gunstock ski area on central New Hampshire."
"I was lucky to receive a tranquil, secluded spot next to a brook - perfect."
from $35 - $80 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $35 - $45 / night
Check Availability
GuideFairly extensive camp ground associated with Gunstock ski area on central New Hampshire. We arrived without a reservation a bit after the office closed, but Elena, the manager came out to let us in and allowed us to check in. She was great. Dogs must have proof of rabies vaccine. Very nice showers. Beautiful fall colors.
GuideI 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.
RangerPros: 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!
TravelerWe 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!
Scout⭐**Gunstock Campground: Apparently Your Reserved Site Is More of a Suggestion**
I don't believe I have**ever** left a negative Google review. I generally think that when something goes wrong, you contact the business, give them an opportunity to make it right, and most businesses are genuinely interested in doing exactly that.
Gunstock Campground has cured me of that quaint notion.
I reserved a full-hookup campsite for two nights. I was unable to make it there the first night, but arrived shortly after 7:00 a.m. the next morning. The camp store, where registration takes place, wasn't open yet, so I headed out for my planned hike— about six miles through the Belknaps, including summiting Rowe twice and Gunstock.
By the time I returned, I was utterly exhausted, starving, and actually feeling weak. My ambitions for the afternoon were modest:**eat something, take a shower, and collapse at the campsite I had paid for.**
The staff at the camp store greeted me warmly, checked me in, and sent me on my way.
I drove to my site. There was already a camper in it. Not merely*parked* there, mind you. They had apparently moved right in. They were hooked up to**my site's water and electric**, with water spraying from their ill-fitting hose connection and forming a rather impressive puddle underneath the camper.
I returned to the camp store to report that someone had apparently activated Gunstock's new**"Choose Any Site You Like"** camping plan. A staff member went down to speak with them and came back to tell me they were "packing up." Excellent! My mistake was assuming" packing up" meant**leaving**. It did not.
Apparently these campers had actually reserved a site**two rows away** that had**no water or electric**. Yet somehow, sometime after arriving the previous night, they had accidentally found themselves two rows over, in my clearly different site, connected to utilities their reservation didn't include.
We've all made mistakes. I've occasionally parked one space away from where I intended. I've never accidentally parked**two rows away, hooked myself up to someone else's electricity and water, and spent the night.**
But perhaps I lack imagination.
After they had now consumed about an hour of my afternoon— which, incidentally, is an hour I normally bill at attorney rates— I went back toward my site expecting to find it finally vacated.
And it was! Because Gunstock had moved these folks to another site**two spaces away from me**, apparently allowing them to pay for the upgrade they had already been test-driving. So the people who knowingly or unknowingly occupied my reserved full-hookup site, used the utilities, and delayed me from getting into the site I paid for were rewarded with...a nearby full-hookup site.
They never walked over to apologize. At that point, I no longer felt comfortable staying. It's difficult to relax at a campground when you've just discovered that site assignments appear to operate somewhat on the honor system— and that when someone helps themselves to your reserved site and utilities, management's solution is apparently to make sure *they* remain comfortably accommodated nearby. So I left. On my way home, I called Gunstock and asked for a refund. Surely, I thought, this would be the easy part. After all, I had paid for two nights, hadn't used the first, couldn't get into my site when I arrived for the second, waited while unauthorized occupants vacated it, and ultimately left because the entire experience had become so unpleasant.
Nope. Instead, the staff member **defended the other campers**. I was told they arrived late and "mistakenly" took my site. I was even told they supposedly **hadn't used the utilities**. This was particularly fascinating information for me to receive because **I PERSONALLY SAW THEM HOOKED UP TO THE WATER AND ELECTRIC.** I also took photographs. Including the enormous puddle underneath their camper from the leaking water connection. But apparently my eyewitness account and photographs were no match for the alternative version of events.
For my inconvenience, however, Gunstock did give me a coupon for a **free Bavarian pretzel**. So there is that.
I paid for a full-hookup campsite. Someone else occupied it and used the hookups. I lost roughly an hour waiting to access what I had reserved. The other campers were accommodated with an upgraded site nearby. I left because I no longer felt comfortable staying. And when I asked Gunstock to make the situation right, they refused to refund me and instead argued with me about things **I had personally witnessed and photographed**. The most disappointing part isn't that another camper took my site. Campers can behave badly. Businesses can't control everything their customers do. **What a business CAN control is how it responds when that happens. ** Gunstock had every opportunity to turn this into a mildly annoying story about a camping mix-up. Instead, they turned it into my first negative Google review.
But hey... **I do have that free pretzel coupon.**
GuideThis 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.
LegendFun 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!
GuideThis is a ski resort trying to make money in the summer. The campground feels like an afterthought. Facilities were not clean Or modern. There are 2 small bathhouses for 250 sites and they are right next to each other in the middle of the campground. Sometimes only one would be open. We camped in the BW area which is just a field. Other areas have many sites very close together. We left 2 days early.
GuideThis is an awesome campground! Lots to do with a nice pool and lots of land to walk the dogs. Seasonal camping is better here.
Horse campgrounds near Contoocook, New Hampshire remain limited with no dedicated equestrian facilities identified at local campgrounds. The region sits in the Merrimack River Valley at approximately 400 feet elevation, characterized by rolling hills and mixed hardwood forests that become particularly vibrant during fall foliage season. Most campgrounds in this area operate seasonally from May through October due to harsh New England winter conditions.
Hiking access from campsite: Gunstock Campground provides direct access to hiking trails with connections to the mountain resort area. "We arrived without a reservation a bit after the office closed, but Elena, the manager came out to let us in and allowed us to check in. She was great," notes Marc D., who appreciated the "beautiful fall colors" during his stay.
Golf while camping: Hidden Valley RV and Golf Park in Derry combines camping with a 9 or 18-hole golf course. "The main attraction of this campground is the golf course of 9 or 18 holes. There is a pro shop, golf cart rentals, etc," explains reviewer Christy C., describing the 1300-acre property with full hookup sites.
Fishing opportunities: Tippicanoe Campground features a trout-stocked pond for fishing enthusiasts. According to David G., "Rand Pond is the body of water at the campground and is restricted to under 10 HP boats. It is stocked with rainbow trout by the State of NH and is a spring fed sandy bottom pond."
Clean facilities: Tippicanoe Campground receives high marks for cleanliness and maintenance. "Everything is immaculate from the bathrooms, shower, clubhouse, store and grounds so you can relax and know that the kids are safe and you will be stress-free for your stay," explains David G., noting the campground's pride in property upkeep.
Quiet atmosphere: Gunstock Campground offers peaceful surroundings despite its proximity to recreation areas. Ryan F. commented, "Very well kept and quiet grounds. The lot I was in was not wooded but still quiet. Check in was quick and friendly." This sentiment was echoed by christine M., who appreciated that "It was so quiet at night!"
Spacious sites: Ramblewood Cabins and Campground provides generous camping spaces. "We have stayed here a few times and really enjoyed sites and hospitality!" reports Anne G., who rated the campground 5 stars for its spaciousness and views.
Limited equestrian accommodations: None of the campgrounds near Contoocook feature horse corrals or dedicated equestrian facilities. Riders must trailer horses to separate riding locations or arrange special accommodations.
Seasonal operations: Most campgrounds in the area operate from late spring through early fall. Winter camping options are extremely limited due to snow conditions and freezing temperatures.
Varied site privacy: Gunstock Campground has mixed site types with varying levels of seclusion. Melissa B. advises, "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."
Activity options: Gunstock Mountain offers numerous family-friendly recreation choices. Sara D. explains, "Beautiful area, not a bad size campground, quiet nights, 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."
Amenities for children: Multiple campgrounds feature dedicated facilities for younger campers. Melissa B. notes that Gunstock includes a "fenced in dog park, playground, showers, clean bathrooms, and laundry facilities."
Site selection advice: When camping with children at Gunstock, consider specific location factors. "The 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," shares Melissa B., though she adds, "the wooded area back there is beautiful though so the sites definitely made up for it."
Service accessibility: Hidden Valley RV Park has mixed reviews regarding utility placement. Carry M. notes, "The water and electric were between our site and the next on one side and sewer between our site and the one on the other side. This made it difficult to place our trailer on the slanted site and reach all services."
Full-hookup availability: Most campgrounds in the region offer complete utility connections for RVs. At Hidden Valley, Christy C. reports "There are 300 camping sites with full hookups. Very reasonably priced at $40 per night."
Site conditions: Be prepared for variable site quality. At Hidden Valley, one reviewer experienced a site with "very long grass, bare rock and mud," adding it "was not a site we would have wanted to stay on any longer than the one night."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Contoocook, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Contoocook, NH is Ramblewood Cabins and Campground with a 5-star rating from 1 review.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Contoocook, NH?
TheDyrt.com has all 4 equestrian camping locations near Contoocook, NH, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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