New Discovery State Park Campground features specialized equestrian campsites 68 miles south of Enosburg Falls in Groton State Forest. These equestrian sites include practical amenities for horse owners with adequate space for trailers and direct access to extensive trail systems. Visitors should note that while the campground maintains clean facilities, showers require quarters, and the standard camping fee is $28 per night plus a $5 daily state park fee per adult.
What to do
Trail riding excursions: From New Discovery State Park, equestrians can access miles of trails through Groton State Forest. A camper noted, "Right along a long rail trail where you can put in many miles and not even know it. Swimming and boating is a short ride in a couple different directions, Osmore pond, Kettle pond, or Ricker pond."
Kayaking and canoeing: The park offers water access with ranger-operated rentals. According to Laura M., "You can also go down to the water and rent a kayak or canoe from the rangers."
Remote camping experience: For those seeking more isolation, consider the walk-in shelters. "There are more remote walk-in shelters on the Osmore Pond, located within New Discovery State Park. The shelters are rustic, have shared outhouses between a few sites, fire pits and small picnic tables," shares Sarah C..
What campers like
Private, secluded sites: The spacious sites at Groton Forest Road Campground offer good separation between campers. One visitor mentioned, "The spots were spacious with enough privacy between sites. The lake was gorgeous to swim in and had different rafts and stuff in the water for public use."
Water activities: Multiple ponds in the area provide swimming and boating opportunities. A camper at New Discovery State Park commented, "we had the most perfect spot in a private site on osmore pond that was accessible only by canoe! quiet, serene. beautiful!"
Variety of site options: The campground layout offers different camping experiences. As one visitor observed, "There are two loops of sites, some deep in the woods with great-looking trees, others in a field, and some in between. There are even sites with stalls if you're into horses."
What you should know
Bathroom maintenance issues: Some visitors have reported inconsistent facility maintenance. According to a camper at New Discovery State Park Campground, "The Women's bathroom ran out of toilet paper and was never replaced. More upsetting was that the soap container was empty all weekend."
Water access limitations: RVers should note water connection challenges. "The spigots for the water are not threaded. We tried our water bandit, with messy wet results. Luckily, we found we could unscrew the head of the hose at the dump station and had no problem filling our tank with potable water."
Varying site terrain: Sites differ significantly in suitability for different camping setups. "Some sites are so sloped I don't even know how a car would camp there. Some sites are out in the open grass where you just find a spot within the site that works for you."
Tips for camping with families
Lean-to options: Families might enjoy the covered shelter options. One camper noted, "The lean-to sites are really cool, and if I was tent camping I think they'd be so fun to sleep in."
