The Dyrt can help you find the perfect horse camping site near Hampstead. Equestrian camping is the best way to experience nature. The Dyrt can help you find the perfect equestrian sites that are scenic and easy to access.
Hidden Valley, a 1300 acre outdoor recreation area offers a challenging 18-hole championship golf course, a Par 3 golf course, and a secluded 300 site campground.
Voted Best of NH 2023 by NH Magazine, Gunstock Mountain Resort's campground puts you in the heart of New Hampshire's Lakes Region, close to the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee. Surrounded by three mountain ranges, numerous lakes, a diverse assortment of recreational opportunities and small New England villages, Gunstock offers a rustic alpine setting for your visit to New Hampshire. Backed by over 80 years of camping experience, Gunstock's tradition of catering to recreational families ensures memorable vacations. Relax at your campsite and enjoy the natural habitat around the mountain or take a pleasurable drive to one of the many local attractions.
Has winter camping.
$35 - $80 / night
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
Above the notches and surrounded by an international border, Pittsburg New Hampshire’s lakes and streams form the headwaters of the Connecticut River. Thousands of protected acres of forest keep the water pure and wildlife active. Explore the forests on the expanding network of hiking, ATV, biking, snowmobile, and logging roads, or just sit back and enjoy the tranquility of the lakes and rivers. Our 30 site campground on a hillside spruce forest has sites for the everyone from tents to 40ft RVs. In addition, we have a variety of free and low-cost “extras” that help you relax and make the most of your time in Pittsburg, including direct access to the Cohos hiking trail, waterfront on 1st Lake with free paddleboat use (1/2 mile from campsites), and a full schedule of Saturday events throughout the summer. Please enjoy planning your trip with us, and always call or email if you have questions. There is no ATV trail access from the campground.
$25 - $45 / night
$20 - $50 / night
Traveler
Had an amazing stay, cabin was perfect and comfortable. Water was nice and fish were biting. Can’t wait to come back.
Traveler
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!
Scout
it is good
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.
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.
TravelerLarge campsites, clean amenities, nice dog park, great store with everything you need and located near like Winni.
RangerFun 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!
ScoutMountain coaster, lift, and zip like courses were all amazing. Will come once a year because it’s so fun! Bonus points for site #202!
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.
ScoutVery 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.
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.
TravelerWe have stayed here a few times and really enjoyed sites and hospitality!
ScoutNice RV campground with alot of seasonal residents. Plenty of tent sites. On site general store with grill. Fishing and swimming on property along with a club house.
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!
TravelerThis was my first visit to the campground. The staff and everyone was friendly. I stayed in the woods and it was great being out in nature. I went in 2018 and this year I am being my sister and nieces. Love the Segway tour and the adventure zip lining and the coaster it’s a fun place and I can’t wait to return.
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.
TravelerHas restrooms and showers and lots of fun activities to do.
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
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!
ScoutThe staff were friendly and helpful. We spent one night and did not visit any of the facilities, but all looked clean and well staffed.
Unfortunately, I can’t give high marks to our campsite. 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. The site had very long grass, bare rock and mud. It was not a site we would have wanted to stay on any longer than the one night.
TravelerIt has pretty spacious sites, they have an aerial obstacle course and a mountain coaster, places to swim, music festivals, hiking, etc.
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.
LegendThis campground is 1300 acres owned and operated by the Simonsen family in Derry, NH. The main attraction of this campground is the golf course of 9 or 18 holes. There is a pro shop, golf cart rentals, etc. There are 300 camping sites with full hookups. Very reasonably priced at $40 per night. A lot of the campers are seasonal which is May - October each year. I did not see any tents there, only hard-sided units. The amenities are state of the art, clean laundry center, restrooms, bath house, grocery store, bar & grill, playground & 2 swimming beaches. We had interactions with both Drew & Lauri Simonsen (brother & Sister) during our 2 night stay. Our generator was down and we needed to pick up our friend at the airport. Lauri loaned us her minivan to go to the airport and Drew loaned us some tools to work on the RV. They were so helpful and treated us like family. The kids were given a lot of grace and hung out in the grill/game room area for hours on end to use the wi-fi. I can't say enough about the customer service here. Anyone in this area should check it out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Hampstead, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Hampstead, NH is Hidden Valley RV and Golf Park with a 4-star rating from 4 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Hampstead, NH?
TheDyrt.com has all 5 equestrian camping locations near Hampstead, NH, with real photos and reviews from campers.
