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Best Equestrian Camping near Hunter, NY

54 Reviews

Arcadian Pastures Equine offers tent and RV camping with drive-in and walk-in access, located near Hunter in the Catskill Mountains. The campground provides a rustic experience for riders seeking access to regional trail systems. Fire rings and picnic tables are available at each site, and firewood is provided for campers. The grounds maintain strict trash collection policies to minimize wildlife encounters. Sites are positioned with adequate spacing to accommodate horse trailers alongside camping equipment.

Bear Spring Mountain features horse-friendly campsites with access to extensive bridle trails throughout the surrounding woodland areas. The campground offers drinking water, electric hookups with both thirty and fifty-amp service, and complete sewer hookups for extended stays. Shower facilities and toilets are maintained regularly during the May through August operating season. The campground connects to multiple trail networks that accommodate various riding skill levels, from beginner loops to more challenging terrain with elevation changes. Trailer parking is available adjacent to campsites, allowing horses to remain close to their owners throughout the stay. Reservations are recommended, especially during peak summer months when equestrian camping areas reach capacity.

Best Equestrian Sites Near Hunter, New York (6)

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Equestrian Camping Reviews near Hunter, NY

54 Reviews of 6 Hunter Campgrounds

  • Cynthia K.
    Aug. 29, 2024

    North-South Lake Campground

    New York

    We were on a 5 state East Coast camping trip. Our first campground was in New York Aug 8th. Unfortunately, Debbie was socking New York hard. North South Lake Campground in the Catskills was our camping home. Thursday & Friday it was Neverending rain & wind. Saturday was the nice day.

    North South Lake has no electricity. The sites are almost all beautiful, tucked in under shady trees. Not a good way to try out our solar panel! Some are by a stream. A few are by the lake. This is a tent campers paradise. New York tent campers are hard core camping during Tropical Storm Debbie!

     There are 7 loops. We were in loop 2. Site 85. There are some sites with an incline down to the site. That might give some rvs trouble. It did for us & I had to be driven out of the campground to call 911. Thank you Mary!! It all ended well & we got a different site.

     There are bears that visit the campground & one came one of the nights & visited our camping neighbor's site. They showed us a picture- it was a large black bear. 

    Generators are allowed for 5 hours & they tell you when you can use them. 

    The bathrooms/showers are state park clean- which means not very.

     There is NO cell service & just forget about WiFi. You are unplugged.

    This is a hiking park & for this middle aged overweight flatlander they are pretty strenuous. Kaaterskill Falls is an exception - short, easy trail, but the parking fills up quickly. Then they close it! You'll have to take a shuttle to get in.

    The trail to the Mountain House Site is also pretty easy, with more of an incline.

    There's 2 nice lakes with beaches. 

    The Catskills are very scenic& we enjoyed our time there!

  • Tara L.
    May. 21, 2018

    North-South Lake Campground

    NYS camping.

    North South lake is one of the larger public camp grounds in New York. The sites are well spaced out. Great for families. The lake is huge.

    Avoid holidays to avoid the crowds.

  • Amber A.
    Jul. 31, 2016

    Bear Spring Mountain — DEC

    Classic catskills

    Went here with some friends who had never been outside NYC before. They were absolutely blown away. For me, it was a nice site but not exceptional. Bring or rent a kayak! There is some pretty serious hiking on site and nearby. There was a lot of horse activity but I don’t know if you can hire them here. Lots of wildlife! There are two areas for camping, check out both though one smells kind of like a barn. Site was typical of state park campgrounds, all up to expectations. Obey bear rules!

  • nThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 22, 2021

    North-South Lake Campground

    Beautiful grounds but…

    Gorgeous campgrounds, friendly staff, and spectacular facilities. Loved that trailheads are walking distance from the sites. But we felt very close to campers next to us, not a lot of shrubbery between sites to feel somewhat private. Fire pits are very nice but more catered to cooking instead of being able to sit around in a circle. Also, we picked a site hoping we’d have a nice view of the lake but it’s hard to see from the site and a good walk away. Overall, beautiful grounds but I’d take less facilities to have a more “woodsy” vibe but that’s just my preference!

  • Lena L.
    Jun. 14, 2018

    North-South Lake Campground

    Family friendly

    Had a great time at this campground- surrounded by many returning campers which gave the whole experience a good community vibe. Ice cream truck comes around each evening in the summer. Sites are tucked away in the trees for privacy. We set up our 6 person tent and two hammocks comfortably. Long walk to the beach from our site but enjoyable anyway. Nice little hiking trails nearby.

  • R
    Aug. 26, 2018

    North-South Lake Campground

    Love this place

    The sites are spacious and private and there are lake side sites available too. Perfect for groups!! We were able to maximize our lake experience by bringing an inflatable kayak. I was able to explore many different parts of the lake and do a decent amount of fishing. There were a few hiking trails walking distance of the campground that were fun to explore. We will def come back!!

  • k
    Jun. 17, 2016

    Bear Spring Mountain — DEC

    Bear spring

    I drove to NYC for a business trip and ended up driving 1 and a half hour to reach this place. I always carry a tent in the back of my trunk and decided to go camping. This campsite isn't the best but is still good. Thee is horses so you will smell them. There is a lake, grills restrooms and showers. This is one of the more fancy campsites and is definitely worth it for only 18 dollars. You can also do short day hikes

  • M
    Jul. 3, 2019

    North-South Lake Campground

    Great family campground

    This place is enormous. This is a NYS park run by DEC. They are very strict with quite hours which are from 10pm to 7am. The had a truck come around many times after 10pm to make sure everyone was quite. This is a great spot for young kids. I was warned about high black bear activity in the region and even had to sign a waiver acknowledging their presence and all the rules associated.

    Each site had a fire pit with a grill on top of it and a picnic table. Sites are very close together but that didn’t bother me. There are bathrooms and showers, both very clean in every loop. Attached to the bathroom area is a large sink to wash dishes.

    The north lake is under construction so there is not beach front there. Beware of staying in Loop 6 as you will probably hear the construction noises.

    The north lake does however have a nice path alongside it and a spot to deploy a non motorized boat.

    No cell service anywhere in the park or close by.

    I highly recommend staying here.

  • M
    Oct. 26, 2025

    North-South Lake Campground

    Beautiful grounds HORRIBLE STAFF

    I don’t normally write reviews especially a negative one. We had a very upsetting experience at North-South Lake. We drove over two hours to visit my husband’s childhood campground for the first time with our three kids(ages 5, 7, and 9). When we arrived at the entrance, we were asked if it was a day visit, and we said yes, we were only staying for the day. We paid the fee, received a map, and drove in. My husband was so excited to finally share this place and create memories with our children. Looking for a place to park, we thought we were lucky to find an empty campsite in one of the loops where he used to camp as a child.

    We parked the car hoping to enjoy the view of the lake, take a walk, and maybe make the kids a couple of s’mores before heading home.

     At around 2:15–2:30 p.m., the “SUPERVISOR” in the white Kia approached us in an extremely rude and nasty manner, speaking as if we were committing a serious crime and comparing our situation to“sleeping in someone else’s hotel room.” She asked us if we had a reservation; we said no. She said,“Someone else reserved this spot.” We were very apologetic, embarrassed, and immediately put our stuff in the car. I said they could have told us; we would have moved right away. I’m sorry. 

    She said,“They aren’t supposed to talk to you; that’s why they send me here.” She told us we had ten minutes to leave, waited there while we put our chair, blanket, and s’more cookies in the car, and refused our 9-year-old daughter access to the bathroom while we packed up our three things, and even followed us out of the loop to make sure we didn’t park elsewhere. My daughter came to us crying because the lady told her she couldn’t use the bathroom and had to get in the car. Well, she had an accident in the car right as we were pulling out. 

    We were mortified and apologetic. My husband even offered to leave the firewood we had just purchased for the next campers, but she was dismissive and harsh about that as well. 

    The following day, I called and asked to speak with a manager to explain how we were treated. The manager was just as unfriendly and miserable sounding as the supervisor. I was told they had been looking for us“for hours” and that it’s“common sense” not to park in a campsite. She actually said it’s considered trespassing. So, a friendly warning for first-time visitors: Apparently, if you don’t know that“day use” doesn’t mean“park in any empty campsite,” just for the day, you’re officially a trespassing criminal, at least according to the manager. 

    Reading the website now, I see that check-in for people with reservations is at 2 p.m., which was the time we were trying to make a small fire, so unless someone left their site and returned, it’s unclear how they could have been looking for us“for hours.” We were right there at 2pm. 

    The website also states: Day Use• Anyone who is not camping is a day-user. Day-use hours are from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Day-users are not allowed between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. 

    We were not camping but didn’t realize we couldn’t park in an empty campsite. I think“common sense” would be to inform DAY USE visitors at the ENTRANCE to use public parking, especially for families or first-time visitors who may not be camping experts. Bottom line: this was my husband’s childhood family spot. We just wanted to take a beautiful fall drive and have a special day with our kids. 

    We understand now that we needed to reserve the parking spot ahead of time, and it was an honest misunderstanding. I would have even offered to pay for the campers’ stay for their trouble. What we wish for is that the staff had approached us respectfully and explained the situation instead of treating us like criminals. Imagine being such a miserable person and working in such a BEAUTIFUL and peaceful place for families. 

    This was meant to be a special family day, honoring memories of my father-in-law and creating new ones with our children. Instead, it became stressful and humiliating. Sadly, this is what our children will remember about the day and about North South Lake

Guide to Hunter

Equestrian camping near Hunter, New York places riders close to extensive trail systems in the Catskill Mountains. The region sits at elevations between 1,600-4,000 feet, creating varied terrain for both horse and rider. Summer temperatures typically range from 55-78°F, while spring and fall bring cooler conditions requiring additional layering for comfort.

What to do

Trail riding connections: North-South Lake Campground provides access to the Catskill Escarpment trail system. "A lot of the hiking nearby is also relatively easy and includes the newly opened (as of 2016) viewing platform for Kaasterskill falls, which is minutes down the road from the campground," notes Jessica W.

Water activities: Swimming opportunities exist at several locations during summer months. North-South Lake Campground features "two lakes" according to Luka M., while Lizz H. considers it "one of my favorite swimming spots. I go there almost every year to go swimming with my family and friends and it's always a good time."

Wildlife observation: Bear Spring Mountain offers encounters with local fauna throughout its woodland areas. Amber A. reports, "Lots of wildlife! There are two areas for camping, check out both though one smells kind of like a barn. Obey bear rules!"

What campers like

Natural water sources: Betty Brook Camp offers primitive sites adjacent to running water. Robert B. notes, "You camp on the stream. There is a couple of spots," making it appealing for those seeking more remote experiences.

Clean facilities: Well-maintained amenities receive consistent praise. At North-South Lake, Jessica W. remarks that "bathrooms & beach areas are always clean, & the hiking nearby is fantastic," while Bear Spring Mountain campers note the "standard bath houses and camp site picnic tables and grills."

Seasonal flexibility: Some locations remain accessible beyond peak summer months. Betty Brook Camp allows camping "all year long" according to Robert B., who has "been coming to the area for a couple of decades now."

What you should know

Reservation timing: Popular locations fill quickly, especially waterfront sites. At North-South Lake Campground, Rachel G. advises campers to "reserve very early for waterfront" to secure premium locations.

Site sizes vary: Campgrounds offer different spacing configurations. North-South Lake has "many different size sites big enough for groups and small for just single," according to Eliany L.

Water availability: Water sources differ between established and primitive sites. Betty Brook Camp features a natural stream, while Bear Spring Mountain offers potable water where "you can drink straight from the pipes," according to Kimberly S.

Tips for camping with families

Swimming access: North-South Lake Campground provides designated swimming areas suitable for various age groups. Described as a "large family friendly campground with all the amenities - boating, showers, great hiking" by Becky G.

Playground amenities: Some locations include facilities specifically for children. Bear Spring Mountain features a "small playground was nice for the kids," according to Becky S.

Crowd management: Holiday periods see increased usage at popular sites. Tara L. recommends visitors "avoid holidays to avoid the crowds" at North-South Lake, which is "one of the larger public camp grounds in New York" where "the sites are well spaced out. Great for families."

Tips from RVers

Site accessibility: Not all locations accommodate larger vehicles. Betty Brook Camp is not recommended "for large trailers. The site is fairly small," cautions Peter, though it connects to extensive state park lands.

Service hookups: Bear Spring Mountain provides various utility connections for extended stays. The campground features "clean, private, and quiet" sites according to Amanda P., making it suitable for RVers seeking more solitude.

Terrain considerations: Topography affects both driving and recreational activities. At Bear Spring Mountain, Becky S. notes that they "brought bikes but the roads were way too steep," an important consideration for RV campers planning activities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Hunter, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Hunter, NY is North-South Lake Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 43 reviews.

What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Hunter, NY?

TheDyrt.com has all 6 equestrian camping locations near Hunter, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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