5 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
The Manchester area offers limited dedicated equestrian camping facilities. None of the campgrounds in the immediate vicinity feature horse corrals or specialized equestrian amenities according to available data. Horse owners seeking campgrounds must look beyond Manchester proper for accommodations. Moreau Lake State Park Campground, located approximately 35 miles southwest in Gansevoort, NY, allows pets but does not have designated horse facilities. The campground provides spacious, wooded sites with good separation between neighbors, making it suitable for primitive camping with appropriate animal containment. Sites are clean and well-maintained with access to showers, toilets, and various hookup options for those bringing horse trailers.
Several trails suitable for day riding exist near the Manchester area, though overnight horse camping requires proper planning. Campers must bring their own containment systems as none of the nearby established campgrounds provide horse corrals or dedicated equestrian facilities. Luzerne Campground, located about 40 miles southwest of Manchester, offers another option with pet-friendly policies but similarly lacks specialized horse amenities. Both Moreau Lake and Luzerne provide access to trail systems that may accommodate horseback riding with proper permits. Many visitors note the clean facilities and wooded privacy at these campgrounds when traveling with animals. Advance reservations are recommended for those planning to bring horses, as specific site requirements and regulations should be confirmed directly with campground management.
"This campground is close to the highway between Albany and the Adirondacks. There’s a nice big lake and the Hudson RIver. Many campsites are near the lake."
"Great thing about this park is the hiking trails and lake so you don’t even have to leave to the park to enjoy great outdoor recreation."
from $20 - $143 / night
Check Availability"Decent bathroom situation--I've seen better and I've seen worse in Vermont."
"The park is amazingly clean, well run, located just of RT 4 and very near to Killington, Vermont. It has multiple lean-to sites which are in wooded areas."
"There are campsites that also come with stalls for your horse!"
"We get our site close to the lake so we can walk down and swim and my husband fishes. The showers are so nice and private and clean. Love that we can rent boats too."
from $22 - $40 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $125 - $500 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $35 - $45 / night
Check Availability
LegendPlenty of space between sites. Decent bathroom situation--I've seen better and I've seen worse in Vermont. The (AT&T) cell phone reception was pretty good, but could be slow at times (which could be because of the area or because of the busy fall color season.)
ScoutI've stayed at 10 of the state parks of VT. Gifford Woods takes the cake in friendliness of its staff. The park is amazingly clean, well run, located just of RT 4 and very near to Killington, Vermont. It has multiple lean-to sites which are in wooded areas. Cool stone bathrooms and playing fields for kids but the highlight (for me) is access to the Appalachian Trail. The AT runs directly through this park. While on a 4 state section hike I traveled by foot through this park. The ranger gave me an ice cream, pointed me to the showers and then chatted with me for an hour about my hike so far. He also gave me a ride to the Inn at Long Trail to pick up a resupply box since I was a few days behind schedule and low on food. I'll always remember his kindness. Living just across the state line in NH, I have frequented Gifford Woods on 4 other occasions for day hiking with family. Enjoy! I sure did!
ScoutThe only campground in all of New York that acquires to house back riders. There are campsites that also come with stalls for your horse!
GuideThis campground is the number one rated in Vermont for a reason. The staff were wonderful, the sites are pristine and picturesque, the faculties are decorated with wildflowers. We met a number of AT through hikers, who were very willing to share their adventure stories.
RangerThis campground is close to the highway between Albany and the Adirondacks. There’s a nice big lake and the Hudson RIver. Many campsites are near the lake. The sites are shady and close together, but still feel fairly private. We enjoyed the hiking trails and beach while camping, then went further north for the full ADK experience.
ScoutWhen camping in VT it is usually our goal to hike, rest, cook, and relax at camp. We live in a busy/loud city so we really love a rural spot where we can just unplug and enjoy nature. Gifford Woods has great access to the AT and the Long Trail, nice bathrooms, and kind staff... but campers beware- it is wedged between two major highways. Initially we pulled up to the site "Poplar" after driving 4+ hours and I could have cried, this site faces a large DOT/Parks Dept. parking lot with a huge building and trucks everywhere. Luckily the (very sweet) staff said they understood that this was an issue and that they do get lots of complaints about that site. They moved us to T02 which was dramatically better. Unfortunately, you can still hear trucks/car honking/ambulances from that site and I assume all other sites. I understand now that people camp here just for AT access, but I would probably not go back due to the sheer volume of the neighboring highways and quieter camping options nearby.
RangerAlthough the campground was right off the road, it's still in a forest with big pine trees and mossy boulders. It was easy to access from 87. Given the proximity to the road, there is road noise, so that doesn't allow for that super outdoorsy experience you might desire. At night though it would get very dark and quiet - there weren't a lot of campers there during our stay. The camphost lives in a home onsite and was mostly helpful. Be sure to mention the 5 nights for 4 deal on their website upfront, otherwise she won't reimburse. Upon working with her to extend our stay, she said people were scheduled to come into our spot. We moved and no one arrived, so that was a bit annoying.
To get to the sites, we had to take it a bit slow because there are some low hanging trees and a turn, but made it fine. Our first site, 22, was a back-in, 30 amp, full hook-up. It was a long site with plenty of room for our RV and SUV. We had to back it up to the very end to find the flattest option to level. With the way they have their sites set up, you need a 50 ft hose for water. This site was close to the showerhouse but next to a longterm trailer with crap everywhere and we weren't super thrilled that was our view from our windows in our living area. Our second site, 50, was also a back-in, 30 amp, full hookup. It was very pretty but hard to level. The site slopes up, so the backend was high. We tried about every way to sit our rig in there to level, but we ended up driving our front tires up on some leveling blocks and went up with the jacks as much as we safely could. We didn't get a perfect level, but we decided it was ok since we only had 2 days left. We had to wiggle our SUV in kind of sideways, but it worked.
There were some "residents" there in tents, which was interesting and a couple longterm trailers (with the typical cluttered lots you see at campgrounds that offer longterm stays). The campground is clean and the shower houses were faithfully cleaned everyday around 11a. Showerhouses were dated, but had super hot water for showers.
A few miles further down the road is the town of Lake Luzerne. We visited their small grocery which had the basics and we ate at one of the restaurants which had a view of the water (Upriver Cafe). The campground was in a perfect location to visit Lake George and surrounding area (Six Flags, outlet shops, putt-putt, restaurants etc). If you're wanting to explore even more you're only 1.5 hrs to Lake Placid and the Green Mountain National Forest.
Work was difficult with my husband dependent on AT&T. The Weboost got Verizon working fine, but AT&T was spotty. We had some issues with our RV that we were trying to get fixed locally which extended our stay, otherwise we would have left earlier due to this. The camphost told us that they had invested in some sort of mini Verizon tower for their personal use, so that was what was helping the Verizon signal. The campground offers wifi at the office/pool/rec room area, but when the "residents" come down, it brings it to a snails pace. My husband would go down there in the morning to work and had to go to Starbucks in Lake George at times when all the kids at camp decided to be on their devices at the same time.
Pool is not heated, so not many people were using it. They charge $2 per garbage bag to be put in their dumpster. They sell a few necessities in their office and firewood. They have laundry with 1 working residential washer $1 and 1 residential dryer $.75 and 1 industrial sized dryer $1. We did a couple loads with no issue. They are outside in a patio area.
Bring the bug spray. The mosquitos were as big as birds and tenacious!
LegendThe road to our campsite was paved and in good shape but there were a few tight spots because of the trees that make it tricky for a big rig (Loop A seems to be the best for big-rigs). Great thing about this park is the hiking trails and lake so you don’t even have to leave to the park to enjoy great outdoor recreation. We found it enjoyable just to hang out in the park rather than trying to find things to do in the area. After hiking and paddling, we loved relaxing out at our campsite with a campfire.
Our campsite was spacious but required some maneuvering to avoid scraping trees with our RV. Campsites are spacious, shady, and had good separation between the neighboring sites which we enjoyed. Generators are allowed but not too many people were using them. The few other campers around that used them were mindful of quiet hours. Since it was still a little cool and our windows were closed and we never heard anyone’s generator. The park was not very crowded when we were there, but we can imagine it could get very busy and noisy in the busy summer season. The beach area seems to be a draw for people so the summer camping season is probably packed. The snack bar and gift/supplies shop at the sandy beach area were not open as we were there late in the season. There is also a nice playground for kids to enjoy.
This is dry camping so there are no hook-ups but there are restrooms and shower. Both were clean but the shower fluctuated between lukewarm, hot, and warm during my shower. Oh well, the shower felt good after our active days. There are two pavilions you can rent which are nice if big groups want to gather. Take note that only two pets are allowed per campsite, so plan accordingly if you are a pet owner.
Access is fairly easy, just off I-87, and there are plenty of signs directing you which way to go. Saratoga Springs and Lake George are nearby if you want to explore. We recommend visiting the National Horse Racing Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, if you have time. We would definitely stay here again.
GuideThis campsite was amazing. Each site had a fair amount of isolation and trees surrounding it, and the mosquitoes aren't too bad there either. 10 minutes away is the trail head for the Bucklin Trail (one of the most difficult trails for Mt. Killington).
Also, the campsite lies directly on the Appalachian trail, so for a shorter or less-intensive hike, walk about 2.5 miles to the Deer Leap Overlook for some incredible views of the mountain ranges nearby.
Equestrian camping near Manchester, Vermont offers limited dedicated facilities within the immediate area. Visitors seeking horse-friendly accommodations typically travel 35-40 miles from Manchester to find suitable options. Several campgrounds in the surrounding region accommodate horses with appropriate containment systems, though specialized equestrian amenities vary by location. Trail access for horseback riding requires proper permits and advance planning.
Horseback riding trails: Luzerne Campground provides access to multiple riding opportunities. According to Brittnay B., "The only campground in all of New York that acquires to house back riders. There are campsites that also come with stalls for your horse!"
Water recreation: Moreau Lake State Park Campground offers multiple water activities after a day with horses. Amber A. notes, "Nice sandy beach with lifeguard hours. Small quiet lake. Nice stopover or basecamp for this area."
Hiking with four-legged companions: Multiple trail systems accommodate both humans and animals. Troy H. mentions, "Small state run campground in the SE Adirondacks- plenty to do: tubing and white water rafting (spring) great hikes, horseback riding, canoe/kayaking, zip lines."
Privacy between sites: Most horse-friendly campsites provide adequate spacing. A camper at Luzerne Campground shares, "We loved being deep in the woods! It was nice to have a little country store right across the street from the entrance of the campground. They had anything and everything you might need or had forgotten!"
Clean facilities: Maintaining equipment and tack requires proper facilities. Antoinette W. reports, "The showers are so nice and private and clean. Love that we can rent boats too."
Proximity to supplies: Stocking feed and equipment is convenient. Emily B. notes, "It was nice to have a little country store right across the street from the entrance of the campground. They had anything and everything you might need or had forgotten!"
Reservation requirements: Horse sites fill quickly during peak seasons. Robert L. advises about Tippicanoe Campground, "Very few tenting, mostly RVs on the well laid out grounds where you are not far from the beautiful beach, trout stocked pond and all amenities."
Pet limitations: Some campgrounds restrict the number of animals allowed. Nancy W. cautions, "Take note that only two pets are allowed per campsite, so plan accordingly if you are a pet owner."
Seasonal considerations: Most equestrian-friendly facilities operate on limited schedules. Moreau Lake State Park operates from May 6 to October 13, while Luzerne Campground runs from May 19 to September 10.
Kid-friendly activities: Plan additional recreation beyond horseback riding. Robert L. recommends, "Older camp facilities but well maintained, nice swim at your own risk beach (no guards), boat rentals, good fishing."
Multi-generational traditions: NV Farms Outfitters and Cabins offers opportunities for creating family traditions. At other nearby campgrounds, Antoinette W. shares, "We have been going to this campground for almost 15 years and my husband went here as a kid with his family. We always get the same site, for 15 years. My daughter loves it here."
Nearby attractions: Plan day trips to complement your equestrian activities. Amy M. notes, "Beautiful beaches, lots of places to hike and lots of places to take a bicycle and go exploring! We loved it here and will be returning!"
Site selection considerations: Choose locations that accommodate both horses and RVs. According to David G., "The sites all have water, 50amp and sewer hookups. Very few tenting, mostly RVs on the well laid out grounds."
Maneuvering challenges: Some campgrounds have tight access roads for larger rigs. Nancy W. warns, "The road to our campsite was paved and in good shape but there were a few tight spots because of the trees that make it tricky for a big rig (Loop A seems to be the best for big-rigs)."
Dry camping preparation: Moreau Lake State Park requires self-sufficiency. Nancy W. adds, "This is dry camping so there are no hook-ups but there are restrooms and shower. Both were clean but the shower fluctuated between lukewarm, hot, and warm during my shower."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Manchester, VT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Manchester, VT is Moreau Lake State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 18 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Manchester, VT?
TheDyrt.com has all 5 equestrian camping locations near Manchester, VT, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
