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Best Equestrian Camping near Newburgh, NY

79 Reviews

Stokes State Forest provides primitive equestrian camping options near Newburgh, New York. The forest maintains trails suitable for horseback riding throughout its expansive woodland terrain. Campsite options include tent sites, RV spaces, and cabins, with picnic tables and fire rings at each location. The campground features drinking water stations, showers, toilet facilities, and trash collection services. While no dedicated horse corrals are listed in the facilities, the forest allows pets and maintains sanitary dump stations. Open year-round, Stokes receives consistently positive reviews for its spacious sites and natural setting. Campers note the well-maintained trails and peaceful atmosphere, particularly appreciating the sites positioned near water features.

The forest connects to an extensive network of hiking and riding paths, allowing equestrians to explore the natural landscape. Trailheads are accessible from the campground, providing direct access to forest routes. The campground maintains a mix of drive-in and walk-in sites, with boat access available for certain areas. Reservations are recommended, particularly for the cabins which feature basic amenities including wood stoves, tables, and bunk beds with vinyl-covered mattresses. The surrounding area includes lakes and streams suitable for watering horses. Sites are generally well-spaced, providing adequate room for horse trailers and equipment. Winter camping is available, though riders should be prepared for seasonal conditions and potentially muddy trails during wet weather periods.

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Best Equestrian Sites Near Newburgh, New York (3)

    1. North-South Lake Campground

    43 Reviews
    Palenville, NY
    48 miles
    Website
    +1 (518) 589-5058

    $22 - $44 / night

    "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."

    "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."

    2. Stokes State Forest

    27 Reviews
    Layton, NJ
    46 miles
    Website

    $7 - $55 / night

    "We stayed at the campsite at Lake Ocquittunk Area. Campsite was very spacious and had a platform where we were able to fit two tents. There was plenty of space on the site for more tents."

    "* Water and dumpsters are within walking distance, or if you are not up to walking you can just take a short drive to fill up and dispose of your trash

    • There are outhouses scattered around, or if"

    3. Ocquittunk

    7 Reviews
    Layton, NJ
    43 miles
    Website
    +1 (973) 948-3820

    "We stayed at site #T007 is was a short walk from the car to the site, but so worth it for many reasons."

    "The caping set up was nice and I enjoyed the proximity to available hikes in the area. The ‘lake’ however, was kind of a disappointment."

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Equestrian Camping Reviews near Newburgh, NY

79 Reviews of 3 Newburgh 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.

  • 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.

  • 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!

  • 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!!

  • E. M. V.
    Sep. 9, 2019

    Stokes State Forest

    Spacious and peaceful camping

    Enjoyed a great weekend at Stokes State Forest. We stayed at the campsite at Lake Ocquittunk Area. Campsite was very spacious and had a platform where we were able to fit two tents. There was plenty of space on the site for more tents. Site came with bear proof bin for garbage and fire ring. Very comfortable site, quiet but still with plenty of amenities. Bathrooms and shower were all single stall and very clean, only a 5 min walk from our site. Two water sources nearby as well. We didn’t have direct views of the lake, but were within a minute walk to some quiet views of the lake. Also the location is amazing; there are trail heads near the campsites and longer trails, including access to the Appalachian Trail within a short 10-15 minute drive. You can also rent kayaks and SUP at the main office. Highly recommend Stokes.

  • Christina H.
    Aug. 6, 2019

    Stokes State Forest

    Stokes State Forest: A nature-lovers dream (Review for Shotwell Campsite)

    I would definitely recommend this campsite to anyone wanting a beautiful, remote setting, but with all of the conveniences that the campgrounds offer. Anyone from a beginner to an expert would enjoy Stokes. Whether it be just a short, relaxing weekend trip or an adventure-packed week long trip, this place has the potential to be whatever you make it.

    Pros:

    • Has the perfect balance of feeling secluded without feeling completely alone in the middle of nowhere; the campsite we were specifically on was just far enough to be remote-feeling and fully private with trees surrounding it

    • Cute little pond right on the campgrounds

    • Our site had a fire ring, a picnic table, and a large sturdy pole with a hook for your lantern/mesh dry bag/etc

    • Even, rocky, yet soft enough ground to sleep on, many trees available for hammock camping

    • There was a huge, nasty storm one night that we stayed there, with terrible downpour and flash flood warnings, our site was elevated and did not get flooded

    • A lot of firewood and kindling in the area to be gathered, or you can buy firewood right from the office

    • Lots of stuff to do in the area for nature-lovers and outdoors-enthusiasts (Hiking trails, fishing/fly-fishing, sightseeing, mountain-biking, kayaking/paddle-boarding (rentals in the area if you do not own), hunting, swimming, horseback riding, waterfall-hunting, bird/wildlife watching (there are hawks, rabbits, owls, deer, toads, snakes, turtles, frogs, foxes, bats, salamanders, many interesting bugs, beavers, and bears in the area, you never know what you will see), lots of beautiful brooks and streams throughout the entire park, many awesome remote areas to set up your hammock and relax) Whoever said that there wasn't much to do here is just either not an outdoors person or straight up lying!

    • Water and dumpsters are within walking distance, or if you are not up to walking you can just take a short drive to fill up and dispose of your trash

    • There are outhouses scattered around, or if you are really needing a clean restroom where you can wash your hands, the park office's restroom is always open and very clean

    • Can be buggy at night time however, I was pleasantly surprised to have experienced zero mosquito bites and ZERO ticks on ourselves and even our dog (however she did have a leech on her from playing in the brook all day). We moderately used bug spray on ourselves and the dog had her flea and tick topical on.

    • Beautiful view of the stars on a clear night (Which can be breathtaking especially to city folk or those that cannot see stars from their homes)

    Cons:

    • Can hear the traffic from 206, but generally gets much quieter at night

    • Campsites are close enough that you may occasionally hear other groups if they are being very loud (We were next to a group campsite that had a very noisy party crowd, but could really only hear them at their loudest, and we weren't bothered)

    • Tent sites are located just off the dirt road where people travel to get to their sites, which means other campers' cars will occasionally pass right through your area. If this bothers you, be sure to book a site as far back as possible. Ex: Site T137 should have no vehicle traffic but your own and is the most remote of that area

    • Water fill stations can be a bit busy at certain times

    • Our fire ring rack was bent, but luckily we came prepared with our own rack to place on top of it and it worked out

    • Lots of poison ivy in the area, if you are not immune to it be very mindful of where you are stepping!

    • Our neighbor warned us that they got a flat tire after arriving at their campsite, and after searching their site found a bunch of nails almost intentionally thrown about. It's not the park's fault and the rangers were made aware of it. Carefully check your site after arriving for anything out of place and report to the office if necessary to keep these campsites safe and enjoyable.

    Points of interest nearby the campsite:

    • Big Flat Brook - A beautiful babbling brook that runs all throughout the area. Has great fly fishing for stocked rainbow trout. Access to the brook was only a short but beautiful hike north from our site through some thistle fields and woodlands.

    • Buttermilk falls (Tallest waterfall in NJ), Tillman Ravine, Dingmans Ferry/Falls, and my personal favorite, Silver Spray Falls - Multiple gorgeous waterfalls and ravines just waiting to be explored, all within ~15-20 min by car. I definitely recommend checking them out while you are camping here especially if you live far away from the area.

    • Sunrise Mountain and Rattlesnake Mountain - Catch a beautiful sunrise or sunset on top of Sunrise Mountain, which is a pleasant, scenic car ride directly to the top where there is a small parking lot, a smelly outhouse, and a nice picnic table area with a great view. Rattlesnake Mountain is a part of the Appalachian Trail and is somewhat barren towards the top which makes for excellent views. Like its name, it's not uncommon to see many snakes in the area, rattlesnakes tend to hang out on the top and sunbathe on the rocks. Keep your pets on a leash and have a stick handy just in case, however, they will leave you alone if you keep your distance.

    • Lake Ashroe, Stony Lake, Lake Ocquittunk - Many lakes for multiple activities in the area such as fishing (trout stocked waters), kayaking, swimming (Stony lake has a beach area with lifeguards, restrooms, and picnic areas. Check their website for more info.)

    • Horseback riding - A few great horseback riding places nearby, some offering trail rides through the beautiful park.

    • Appalachian Trail - The widely-known Appalachian Trail, the longest hiking-only trail in the world, that runs all the way from Maine to Georgia goes right through this area. You may run into very interesting people from all over who are thru-hiking the AT.

    PLEASE CLEAN UP AFTER YOUR VISIT. LEAVE NO TRACE. KEEP OUR PARKS BEAUTIFUL. THANK YOU.

  • Kara L.
    Oct. 18, 2021

    Ocquittunk

    Beautiful Lakeside site

    We stayed at site #T007 is was a short walk from the car to the site, but so worth it for many reasons. The site itself is huge and we were able to position our tent facing the lake, it was beautiful!

  • Damia F.
    Aug. 23, 2024

    Stokes State Forest

    Campsites too close together and camping areas are greatly spaced out

    Stokes State Forest is a beautiful park with a lot of different trails to check out, though some of them are difficult to access due to parking. The camping areas are split between two different entrances. If you’re in Lake Ocquitunk, like I was, you don’t enter at the main entrance, you have to go past the main entrance about another mile on rt. 15 N. and enter by the YMCA. All the other camping areas are near the main entrance by the forest office. The campsites themselves are a little too close together in some spots with little coverage or privacy. There is a day parking area which is only accessible going through the main entrance by the forest office— if you visit during the week park entrance is free, but on the weekend fees can be a bit steep. I wasn’t super happy with my campsite as I wasn’t able to physically have my car on the site like I thought. I had to park in a small lot above my campsite and carry my belongings down a short slope to the site. I like to car-camp so this was a bit of a let down having my car separate from my actual campsite.

    The bathrooms were nice and had flush toilets, but the showers were out of service during my time. Bathrooms are extremely spaced out so you will have to walk a far distance unless you strategically choose a site next to one. I drove through the other campsite and only saw 1 set of bathrooms that had toilets and showers per campground, not including the outhouses I saw for those in the small cabins.

Guide to Newburgh

Stokes State Forest offers equestrian-friendly camping 60 miles northwest of Newburgh, New York. The forest spans 16,447 acres across Sussex County, New Jersey, with elevations ranging from 400 to 1,653 feet. Winter temperatures average 15-35°F, while summer temperatures typically range between 55-85°F with higher humidity.

What to do

Trail riding with horses: Stokes State Forest maintains extensive bridle paths connecting to broader trail networks. Riders can access paths directly from equestrian-friendly campsites. "Sussex county is beautiful. Stokes is such a peaceful campground! We stay in the cabins. It's great to have the small kitchen when camping with the family," notes Amy B. from Stokes State Forest.

Swimming in natural lakes: The forest features multiple swimming areas with varying amenities. "I go there almost every year to go swimming with my family and friends and it's always a good time," shares Lizz H. from North-South Lake Campground.

Hiking to scenic viewpoints: Access the Appalachian Trail and numerous connecting paths. Hike to the Tillman Ravine or Sunset Mountain Scenic Overlook. "There are 21 marked trails that cover over 63 miles within the boundaries of Stokes State Forest. Twelve miles are part of the Appalachian Trail," explains Trip Over Life at Stokes State Forest.

What campers like

Spacious sites for horse trailers: Sites provide ample room for equipment and animals. "We stayed at the campsite at Lake Ocquittunk Area. Campsite was very spacious and had a platform where we were able to fit two tents. There was plenty of space on the site for more tents," reports E.M.V. at Lake Ocquittunk.

Clean facilities: Bathhouses and showers receive regular maintenance. "The bathrooms are clean and nicely placed. The sites had a fire ring with a cooking grate and a picnic table and were well spaced out from other sites," notes Catherine S. at Lake Ocquittunk.

Proximity to water sources: Many sites offer direct access to streams and lakes suitable for watering horses. "We stayed on a beautiful mossy bank, next to a river and a lake. The area was quiet and peaceful, and areas with waterfalls and great views were easily accessable," shares Kiya N. from Stokes State Forest.

What you should know

Seasonal conditions affect trails: Spring often brings muddy conditions while summer humidity can be challenging for horses. "Due to cooler temps there were really no bugs to complain about while camping," mentions Josh S. at Stokes State Forest.

Bear safety protocols: The region requires proper food storage for equestrian campers. "Remember, this is bear country so proper food storage is a must. Bear lockers are not provided. The area also has ticks and rattlesnakes," warns Trip Over Life at Stokes State Forest.

Reservation requirements: Horse campgrounds near Newburgh require advance booking, especially for cabin accommodations. "The campground seemed pretty full in August. There are other campgrounds in this park if you can't get reservations or a spot," advises Harry H. at Lake Ocquittunk.

Tips for camping with families

Cabin options for mixed groups: Families with both riders and non-riders can utilize cabin facilities. "Rented a cabin in November (#009) and again in December (#008) of 2021. I favored Cabin 8, the kitchen and bathroom were separated from the main room," explains W L. at Stokes State Forest.

Kid-friendly water features: Select sites with lake access for children. "We stayed at site #T007 is was a short walk from the car to the site, but so worth it for many reasons. The site itself is huge and we were able to position our tent facing the lake, it was beautiful!" shares Kara L. at Lake Ocquittunk.

Educational hiking opportunities: Families can combine horseback riding with educational hikes. "Enjoyed a great weekend at Stokes State Forest. There are trail heads near the campsites and longer trails, including access to the Appalachian Trail within a short 10-15 minute drive," notes E.M.V. at Lake Ocquittunk.

Tips from RVers

Site selection for horse trailers: Choose wider sites that accommodate both RVs and horse trailers. "We stayed at site 11 on Lake Ocquittunk. It was a fair sized site with room for a couple large tents. If you are looking for more secluded campsites try to get 13 or 14 as they seem to sick back more," advises Josh S. at Stokes State Forest.

Water and sanitation access: Position your RV for convenient access to water sources for horses. "The site came with bear proof bin for garbage and fire ring. Very comfortable site, quiet but still with plenty of amenities. Bathrooms and shower were all single stall and very clean, only a 5 min walk from our site. Two water sources nearby as well," reports E.M.V. at Lake Ocquittunk.

Winter preparation: For off-season equestrian camping, prepare for cold conditions. "I bought wood from a house across the street from the entrance to the cabins and it was damp, but in November, I wasn't complaining, it took awhile but I got a nice blaze going. You need that wood stove to heat up the cabin," explains W L. at Stokes State Forest.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Newburgh, NY is North-South Lake Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 43 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 3 equestrian camping locations near Newburgh, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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