Matt T.
Guide
GuideNew Discovery State Park Campground
Great state park
Most sites are secluded. There is a creepy old cemetery in walking distance. Nice showers on site !!
Equestrian Camping near Norwich, VT
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New Discovery State Park Campground includes sites with horse stalls on both campground loops. Situated in Marshfield, Vermont, the park offers a mix of sites, some deep in wooded areas and others in open fields. The campground features flush toilets, showers, and drinking water, with sites that accommodate tents and RVs. The campground provides horse trailer parking with easy access to the horse-friendly sites. Most equestrian sites include picnic tables and fire rings. Sites are well-spaced throughout the campground, providing adequate room for both horses and camping equipment. Some horse-specific sites are designed with enough separation from regular camping areas to minimize disturbance to other campers. The sites with stalls particularly appeal to riders looking for secure containment options for their horses overnight.
Direct access to numerous trails begins right from the campground, offering various riding options for equestrians. A small lake within the park boundaries provides water access for horses after trail rides. The campground is open from Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day weekend, offering prime riding conditions throughout the summer and early fall when foliage viewing is optimal. Horse owners should note that reservations are recommended, especially during peak summer weekends and fall foliage season. The terrain surrounding the campground varies from relatively flat to moderately hilly, suitable for different riding experience levels. Riders particularly appreciate the well-maintained trails and the convenience of returning directly to their campsite after a day of riding without having to trailer horses between locations.
Best Equestrian Campgrounds near Norwich (8)
1. Gifford Woods State Park Campground
"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."
2. Hancock Campground
"This would be one of few places I find acceptable to camp, that are near other people. I usually don't like camping with 20+ other people in one looped area."
"Used the tent sides a quick hill walk down from the parking lot. River great for splashing around and nearby path to Lincoln Woods trail."
from $30 / night
Check Availability3. Branbury State Park Campground
"The site was so scenic with a little waterfall and stream nearby. The camp staff was so nice. They kept the the bathrooms and areas so clean."
"Love to lake access, secluded camping, the hiking and remote area. Planning on revisiting next summer, even in august the nights get to a good sleeping temperature a vast majority of the time."
4. Gunstock Campground
"I was lucky to receive a tranquil, secluded spot next to a brook - perfect."
"Pros: Beautiful area, not a bad size campground, quiet nights (but this could be because 3 out of the 4 sites right near us were empty), free hot showers that are not dirty, lots of trails on edge of"
from $35 - $80 / night
Check Availability5. Tippicanoe Campground
from $35 - $45 / night
Check Availability6. New Discovery State Park Campground
"There are even sites with stalls if you're into horses. The bathhouse looks typical and clean.
Not much cell service, but some in places.
Easy access to a lake and a picnic pavilion."
"There is a creepy old cemetery in walking distance. Nice showers on site !!"
from $20 - $38 / night
Check Availability7. Groton Forest Road Campground
"The lake was gorgeous to swim in and had different rafts and stuff in the water for public use. The bathrooms were well maintained along with the showers."
from $35 / night
8. Ramblewood Cabins and Campground
from $25 - $45 / night
Check Availability
Drive Time
- 1 hr 11 min from Manchester, NH
- 1 hr 22 min from Burlington, VT
- 1 hr 38 min from Amherst Center, MA
- 2 hrs 3 min from Glens Falls, NY
Equestrian Camping Reviews near Norwich, VT
87 Reviews of 8 Norwich Campgrounds
SkywaystoHighways.com Y.
LegendHancock Campground
Fall Camping
This is our go to spot for late Fall and Winter camping. Just a few hard core cold weather lovers. Close to the slopes and snow shoe/snow mobile trails. Bathrooms are closed during this time. The porta potties are clean.
- ttim O.Guide
Gifford Woods State Park Campground
Gifford woods campground
Nice campground near Killington, VT. Water and dump station. Not for big rigs we have a 21 ft TT. Things were tight but doable. One of the few Vermont state campgrounds that is still open. Most close from second Monday in October until Memorial Day.
- MMarie S.
ScoutGunstock Campground
Apparently Your Reserved Site Is More of a Suggestion
⭐**Gunstock Campground: Apparently Your Reserved Site Is More of a Suggestion**
I don't believe I have**ever** left a negative Google review. I generally think that when something goes wrong, you contact the business, give them an opportunity to make it right, and most businesses are genuinely interested in doing exactly that.
Gunstock Campground has cured me of that quaint notion.
I reserved a full-hookup campsite for two nights. I was unable to make it there the first night, but arrived shortly after 7:00 a.m. the next morning. The camp store, where registration takes place, wasn't open yet, so I headed out for my planned hike— about six miles through the Belknaps, including summiting Rowe twice and Gunstock.
By the time I returned, I was utterly exhausted, starving, and actually feeling weak. My ambitions for the afternoon were modest:**eat something, take a shower, and collapse at the campsite I had paid for.**
The staff at the camp store greeted me warmly, checked me in, and sent me on my way.
I drove to my site. There was already a camper in it. Not merely*parked* there, mind you. They had apparently moved right in. They were hooked up to**my site's water and electric**, with water spraying from their ill-fitting hose connection and forming a rather impressive puddle underneath the camper.
I returned to the camp store to report that someone had apparently activated Gunstock's new**"Choose Any Site You Like"** camping plan. A staff member went down to speak with them and came back to tell me they were "packing up." Excellent! My mistake was assuming" packing up" meant**leaving**. It did not.
Apparently these campers had actually reserved a site**two rows away** that had**no water or electric**. Yet somehow, sometime after arriving the previous night, they had accidentally found themselves two rows over, in my clearly different site, connected to utilities their reservation didn't include.
We've all made mistakes. I've occasionally parked one space away from where I intended. I've never accidentally parked**two rows away, hooked myself up to someone else's electricity and water, and spent the night.**
But perhaps I lack imagination.
After they had now consumed about an hour of my afternoon— which, incidentally, is an hour I normally bill at attorney rates— I went back toward my site expecting to find it finally vacated.
And it was! Because Gunstock had moved these folks to another site**two spaces away from me**, apparently allowing them to pay for the upgrade they had already been test-driving. So the people who knowingly or unknowingly occupied my reserved full-hookup site, used the utilities, and delayed me from getting into the site I paid for were rewarded with...a nearby full-hookup site.
They never walked over to apologize. At that point, I no longer felt comfortable staying. It's difficult to relax at a campground when you've just discovered that site assignments appear to operate somewhat on the honor system— and that when someone helps themselves to your reserved site and utilities, management's solution is apparently to make sure *they* remain comfortably accommodated nearby. So I left. On my way home, I called Gunstock and asked for a refund. Surely, I thought, this would be the easy part. After all, I had paid for two nights, hadn't used the first, couldn't get into my site when I arrived for the second, waited while unauthorized occupants vacated it, and ultimately left because the entire experience had become so unpleasant.
Nope. Instead, the staff member **defended the other campers**. I was told they arrived late and "mistakenly" took my site. I was even told they supposedly **hadn't used the utilities**. This was particularly fascinating information for me to receive because **I PERSONALLY SAW THEM HOOKED UP TO THE WATER AND ELECTRIC.** I also took photographs. Including the enormous puddle underneath their camper from the leaking water connection. But apparently my eyewitness account and photographs were no match for the alternative version of events.
For my inconvenience, however, Gunstock did give me a coupon for a **free Bavarian pretzel**. So there is that.
I paid for a full-hookup campsite. Someone else occupied it and used the hookups. I lost roughly an hour waiting to access what I had reserved. The other campers were accommodated with an upgraded site nearby. I left because I no longer felt comfortable staying. And when I asked Gunstock to make the situation right, they refused to refund me and instead argued with me about things **I had personally witnessed and photographed**. The most disappointing part isn't that another camper took my site. Campers can behave badly. Businesses can't control everything their customers do. **What a business CAN control is how it responds when that happens. ** Gunstock had every opportunity to turn this into a mildly annoying story about a camping mix-up. Instead, they turned it into my first negative Google review.
But hey... **I do have that free pretzel coupon.**
- EErin M.Scout
Gifford Woods State Park Campground
Simple life at Gifford
Peaceful, quiet, relaxing space. Super friendly staff.
Nadine R.GuideGunstock Campground
Everything I Love About Camping
This was such a great campground! Before we even left we were planning on returning. It’s clean, has great facilities and a camp store with anything you need or forgot without having to go to Walmart. It’s a fun place for kids, peaceful for parents, plenty to do on site and nearby.
Adam and Suzanne B.GuideGunstock Campground
Disappointing
This is a ski resort trying to make money in the summer. The campground feels like an afterthought. Facilities were not clean Or modern. There are 2 small bathhouses for 250 sites and they are right next to each other in the middle of the campground. Sometimes only one would be open. We camped in the BW area which is just a field. Other areas have many sites very close together. We left 2 days early.
Elena A.ScoutGifford Woods State Park Campground
Highway Adjacent But Good Hiking Access
When 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.
Marc D.GuideGunstock Campground
Great Spot
Fairly extensive camp ground associated with Gunstock ski area on central New Hampshire. We arrived without a reservation a bit after the office closed, but Elena, the manager came out to let us in and allowed us to check in. She was great. Dogs must have proof of rabies vaccine. Very nice showers. Beautiful fall colors.
Guide to Norwich
Norwich, Vermont camping areas range from mountain forest settings to lakeside spots with elevations between 400-1,800 feet. Summer temperatures average 65-85°F with cooler nights around 50-60°F, making sleeping conditions comfortable with proper gear. Most campgrounds near Norwich operate from May through October, with limited winter options.
What to do
Hiking trails: Hancock Campground provides access to White Mountain trails, including connections across from the campground. "It has a central location to the town of Lincoln and there are very nice hiking trails right across the street," notes Charles P. in his review of the campground.
Swimming in natural settings: At Branbury State Park Campground, the lake beach area offers summertime recreation. "Across the street from the campground was access to the lake with plenty of grassy areas to hang out. And beautiful sunsets at night! A five minute hike- though it is quite a rocky, boulder-y hike- from the sites leads to a small river and swimming hole," according to Nicole E.
Winter camping options: Unlike many seasonal facilities, Hancock Campground stays open year-round. "Open year round!! I have stayed here many times, three times in the winter (it is so nice to have an open bathroom in the winter!) and a few times in the summer. Quiet, clean sites," shares Kim O.
What campers like
Riverside camping spots: At Hancock Campground, riverside sites are highly sought after. "This campground is great! I recommend getting a site in the river side away from the street. Absolutely beautiful!" advises Lisa S. Another camper notes, "Great for primitive camping. Beautiful area adjacent to the river. Set up a hammock on the shoreline and have a tasty beverage before bed."
Spacious sites: Branbury State Park Campground offers generous camping areas. "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," explains Catherine M. "The lot was freshly raked and there really wasn't anything we didn't like about the site."
Off-season tranquility: Many campgrounds near Norwich become less crowded in spring and fall. "We came at the end of October to try to hike Franconia Ridge... and we stumbled upon this campground. We were the only ones in it and we picked the site right next to the rambling river. It was amazing."
What you should know
Bear awareness: Wildlife requires proper food storage at campgrounds. "Just make sure you put your food and trash away- there are black bears in the area!" warns Nicole E. about New Discovery State Park Campground.
Road noise considerations: Some sites at Hancock Campground face traffic noise challenges. "We got a sight right next to the busy road. Let me tell you, the traffic doesn't stop overnight and we didn't only get to hear the cars but we saw the headlights come through our tent all night," reports David B.
Water access limitations: Not all spigots are RV-friendly at certain campgrounds. "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," explains Laura M.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian
campsite near Norwich, VT?
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Norwich, VT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Norwich, VT is Gifford Woods State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 19 reviews.
What is the best site to find
equestrian camping near
Norwich, VT?
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Norwich, VT?
TheDyrt.com has all 8 equestrian camping locations near Norwich, VT, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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