5 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Near Madison, New Hampshire, horse camping options are limited as none of the available campgrounds offer dedicated horse corrals or specialized equestrian facilities. Gunstock Campground in Gilford provides camping accommodations including tent sites, RV spots, and cabins across 250 sites, but lacks specific horse amenities. Ramblewood Cabins and Campground and Freeport/Durham KOA also accommodate tent campers, RV users and cabin guests, yet neither explicitly mentions horse-friendly features in their amenities list. Campers report that the campgrounds maintain clean facilities and accessible bathrooms, making them suitable for general camping purposes. Sites at these campgrounds typically include fire pits, picnic tables, and access to drinking water.
The White Mountain National Forest surrounding Madison offers more potential for riders seeking trail access, though dedicated equestrian camping infrastructure is minimal. Hancock Campground, located along the Kancamagus Highway, provides first-come, first-served sites for tent and RV camping near hiking trails, but does not specify horse accommodations. Visitors to the region's campgrounds appreciate the riverside sites and proximity to natural features like the Pemigewasset River. For serious equestrians, contacting campgrounds directly before arrival to inquire about accommodating horses is essential, as trailer parking, manure disposal, and animal policies vary significantly between properties. The regional trail systems offer scenic riding opportunities despite the limited horse-specific camping infrastructure.
"This would be one of few places I find acceptable to camp, that are near other people. I usually don't like camping with 20+ other people in one looped area."
"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."
from $30 / 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 Availability"It is next to the Highway on a paved fire road. So you can hear traffic. And it is paved (which is good if it’s wet and muddy elsewhere). The other spots looked amazing."
"They have a fire pit, plenty of woods around, and are free."
"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."
"The location is good as it is about 10-15 minutes far from the town of Freeport(home to L.L."
from $25 - $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.
RangerThis would be one of few places I find acceptable to camp, that are near other people. I usually don't like camping with 20+ other people in one looped area. The sites here are pretty well spread out. Not ALL of them, but look around. We found what I would think is the best. The one we ended up at had stairs leading from the car down to our site. It was further away from the other sites and had the pretty much private stream running by it. The area we had for use was pretty huge, we had a giant tent 10-12 plus a pop up tent to put over the picnic table, and there was still a ton of room for the car, fire pit and general run around area for our dog. I never felt like we had to lock up everything we owned either. A short walk to the toilets from all sites. Bring a headlamp of course. TP is in the outhouses bring a spare hand sanitizer bottle to use after.
FYI there is a pretty awesome hike close by you can do. I mean you have to drive there but it wasn't far. It goes up to Mt Moosilauke. We ended up taking Beaver Brook Trail to the Cascades, checked out the shelter and headed to Moosilauke Summit. A crazy hike pretty much going up the side of a waterfall. The peak was 4,802ft. Worth it! I'd say an 8 mile trek from the car, up, and back. I included just a couple pictures to entice you since its not about the campsite! There are a TON of trails near this campsite, this would just be my favorite of the 6 or 7 we did.
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.
TravelerMost 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.
LegendI haven't stayed here, but I checked it out on Columbus Day weekend because it's one of the few campgrounds open year-round (plowed, unlike Lafayette Place, which is walk-in) in the White Mountains. Most of the reviews talk about the walk-in tent sites, but there's more to this campground that is located along the Kancamagus Highway just before the Lincoln Woods Visitors' Center.
If you're a tent camper and don't mind carrying your gear downhill to a site, drive straight ahead to a parking lot. A few of the sites (3 & 4) are accessible from the far end of the parking lot, but for most of them you'll head down the steps in the middle with sites in two levels branching out on each side. Sites are large, but close together and although you're in the woods, there's not much to separate you from your neighbors. Even sites 10-20 are directly on the water.
Sites 22-55 are suitable for RVs and tents. Those on the back side of the loop are close enough that you can hear the Pemi River running below. A few of the sites are pull-through. There are no hook-ups, but water available via spigots and flush toilets are available - except in winter. I'd recommend sites on the back side of the loop to provide some more distance from traffic noise. I chatted briefly with a host who remarked that sites on the western end of the loop have some cell phone coverage, unlike the rest of the campground.
If you stay here, you're only a few miles from Lincoln where you can pick up any necessary supplies. This end of the Kanc your nearest hiking options are Lincoln Woods and Greeley Pond for family friendly trails, or Lincoln Woods to head into the Pemi wilderness, including peaks in the Pemi loop and Owl's Head. The Hancocks are via a trail at the hairpin on the Kanc. Franconia Notch and its many hiking trails and the multi-use trail are a short drive away.
Bring cash or a check to pay your camping fee in the iron ranger. Fees cover the first vehicle; a second vehicle is an additional $5.
LegendHancock Campground is one of 6 national forest campgrounds along the Kancamagus Highway. Campsites can't be reserved and the campground does fill up on the weekends. We were lucky to score a walk-in tent site on a Saturday in August, and while it did feel a bit like a tent city, we loved that there were no cars at the campsites. It made the tenting area feel more like a community. This is a busy campground, but lovely all the same.
We got site #19, which was one of the last sites available. It had a picnic table, fire pit, and bear box. There were awesome waterfront sites nearby, but they were taken, of course. Cost was reasonable - $22 per night. Pit toilets were near the parking area, but there was a real bathroom with a sink and a flush toilet in the car camping area. There is also a fabulous swimming hole. Clear, cold and deep just off the car camping area.
Hancock Campground is a five-minute drive from Lincoln, NH, and very close to awesome hiking trails in the White Mountain National Forest and Franconia Notch State Park.
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!
ScoutI stayed at Hancock campground in mid April this year. Great clean accessible bathrooms, beautiful grounds and large campgrounds. Leashed dogs are allowed. There are both walk-in and drive up tent sites. The walk-in sites are directly next to the beautiful Pemi River. Great overall would return again.
RangerSome 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.
Equestrian camping near Madison, New Hampshire offers limited specialized facilities but provides access to numerous trail systems throughout the White Mountain National Forest. Madison sits at an elevation of approximately 452 feet with terrain that transitions from valley farmland to mountain forests. Seasonal temperatures range from below freezing in winter to mid-80s°F in summer, affecting camping availability and trail conditions.
Explore White Mountain trails: Hancock Campground provides an excellent base for hikers looking to tackle nearby mountain peaks. "Great place to set up camp to get some 4Ks in the whites. Some lovely spots by the water. Open year round!! I have stayed here many times, three times in the winter (it is so nice to have an open bathroom in the winter!) and a few times in the summer," notes Kim O. about Hancock Campground.
Winter camping adventures: For experienced campers, winter offers a unique perspective of the area. "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," shares Heather B. about her winter experience at Hancock Campground.
Mountain recreation activities: Beyond traditional hiking, some areas offer additional mountain activities. "It has pretty spacious sites, they have an aerial obstacle course and a mountain coaster, places to swim, music festivals, hiking, etc.," says Kasey H. about the amenities at Gunstock Campground, located about 30 miles from Madison.
Riverside camping spots: Sites adjacent to water features are consistently praised. "This campground is great! I recommend getting a site in the river side away from the street. Absolutely beautiful!" advises Lisa S. about Hancock Campground.
Off-season tranquility: Many campers recommend visiting outside peak times for a better experience. "We came at the end of October to try to hike Franconia Ridge...and we stumbled upon this campground. We were the only ones in it and we picked the site right next to the rambling river. It was amazing," reports Molly G. from Ramblewood Cabins and Campground.
Clean facilities: Well-maintained bathrooms and showers rank high with campers. "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," notes Ryan F. about his stay at Gunstock Campground.
Bear safety requirements: Some campgrounds provide bear boxes at campsites. "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," explains Lindsey M. about her stay at Hancock Campground.
Insect activity: Be prepared for possible insect encounters. "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," warns Lindsey M. about her summer experience at Freeport/Durham KOA.
Seasonal water levels: River access can vary dramatically by season. "The river access was great, though the water was very low," notes Lindsey M. about conditions at Hancock Campground in late summer.
Halloween events: Some campgrounds host special seasonal activities. "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," recommends Rebus B. about their experience at Freeport/Durham KOA.
Kid-friendly amenities: Look for campgrounds with dedicated children's facilities. "This is a cute little KOA with lots of things for smaller kids to do... 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," shares Iris A. about their family experience.
Site selection strategy: Choose sites based on your family's needs. "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," explains Nancy W. about the layout at Freeport/Durham KOA.
Pull-through availability: Several campgrounds offer accessible pull-through sites. "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," notes Nancy W. about the RV accommodations at Freeport/Durham KOA.
Site privacy considerations: RV sites vary significantly in terms of privacy and spacing. "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!" advises Sara D. about her experience at Gunstock Campground.
Seasonal site options: For those seeking longer stays, some campgrounds accommodate seasonal campers. "There are lots of seasonal sites but they are in the back portion of the park with the transients being in the front," explains Nancy W. about the layout at Freeport/Durham KOA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Madison, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Madison, NH is Hancock Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 27 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Madison, NH?
TheDyrt.com has all 5 equestrian camping locations near Madison, NH, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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