New Discovery State Park Campground in Marshfield offers popular equestrian camping near Huntington, Vermont. Located in the Groton State Forest region at elevations ranging from 900-1000 feet, the area features dense northern hardwood forests intersected with numerous ponds and wetlands. Summer temperatures typically remain mild, rarely exceeding 85°F even in July, with cool evenings in the 50s.
What to do
Trail riding from camp: At New Discovery State Park Campground, equestrian campers can access riding trails directly from their sites. As one visitor notes, "There are sites with stalls if you're into horses" and "trails accessible directly from the campground provide riding opportunities through Groton State Forest."
Water activities on multiple ponds: Several ponds within 10-15 minutes of the campgrounds offer swimming and boating. At Branbury State Park Campground, "The day use section has a wonderful beach with a swimming area and boat launch. Large trees provide shade on a grassy lawn, and grills are available. The concession stand is open during day use hours."
Hiking varied terrain: The region offers trails for all skill levels. At Branbury, "We showed up on a busy Memorial Day weekend without reservations and the staff was kind enough to give us their last leanto. This place has access to some of the best hiking and paddling in the state."
What campers like
Privacy between sites: Many campers appreciate the spaciousness at Groton Forest Road Campground where "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."
Clean facilities: Campground maintenance receives consistent praise. At Frontier Town Campground, "The bathrooms are the cleanest I've seen so far and we do this full time. The sites in the equestrian camping area are huge and so clean."
Natural features: Campers enjoy the varied landscapes. At Branbury State Park, "I couldn't believe how large the lots were. While they aren't super far from one another, they are large enough that they seem further than they are. Nice beautiful wooded area, we were able to put a tent and hang a hammock for sleeping."
What you should know
Equestrian site layouts: At Frontier Town, equestrian sites have unique configurations. One camper noted, "I drove through the equestrian loop and found it very confusing. Lots of fences and shared pedestals."
Seasonal considerations: Most campgrounds in the region operate from Memorial Day through Columbus Day weekend. Bear activity requires proper food storage, especially at Branbury where a camper mentioned: "There are bears in the area, so be aware and store all food properly."
Water access limitations: At AuSable Chasm Campground, a camper found: "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."
Tips for camping with families
Playground and beach access: Branbury State Park offers extensive family amenities. "Spacious sites, hiking trails, biking trails, nice beach and grounds. Fishing, kayak, canoe, paddle boat and paddle board rentals. There's a nature center with all kinds of information and activities. A large playground. Volleyball and horseshoe pits."
Book lean-tos early: Shelters are popular for families at New Discovery. "The lean-to sites are really cool, and if I was tent camping I think they'd be so fun to sleep in."
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Kids can spot various wildlife throughout the area. At AuSable Chasm, "There were squirrels that would spend lots of time throughout the day sending loose the green pine cones and then come down and chew them up. Pretty entertaining except for when they drop them on your tarps."
Tips from RVers
Site leveling challenges: Some campgrounds require significant leveling equipment. One RVer at Frontier Town stated, "I was in site 43, it was long enough it could have fit two of the biggest RVs I have ever seen. My 75 foot starling cable did not even reach all the way back out to the road."
Dump station availability: Most state parks have dump stations but limited hookups. At AuSable Chasm, "We travel in a 17-foot camper van, but no one ever believes that we are no bigger than a standard cargo van and can easily fit in a regular size parking space."
Shower amenities vary: Expect coin-operated showers in state parks. New Discovery charges "something like $1 for 8 minutes, quarters only" while Frontier Town has free showers, though "the hot water doesn't get very hot in the shower so you better do some jumping jacks to get pumped before showering during colder temps!"
Ranger
