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 Thetford Center, VT
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Horse camping near Thetford Center, VT includes dedicated equestrian campsites with horse stalls for riders exploring Groton State Forest. The campground provides facilities within two main camping loops, with some sites situated deep in the woods with mature trees while others are in open grassy fields, providing options for different preferences. Horse-friendly campsites include stalls specifically designed for equine guests. The campground maintains clean bathhouse facilities with coin-operated showers, and restrooms are regularly serviced by attentive park staff. Sites vary considerably in size throughout the property, with some offering more seclusion and space than others.
The extensive trail network surrounding New Discovery State Park connects riders to multiple ponds and recreation areas within Groton State Forest. Horseback riding opportunities include access to the long rail trail where riders can cover significant distances through the Vermont countryside. Equestrians appreciate the park's proximity to Osmore Pond, Kettle Pond, and Ricker Pond, all accessible via short rides in different directions. The campground operates seasonally from Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day weekend, making it ideal for summer and early fall equestrian camping trips. Park fees include the standard camping rate of $28 per night plus an additional $5 per day per adult for state park admission. Water access points throughout the campground allow for watering horses, though water spigots are not threaded for hose connections.
Best Equestrian Campgrounds near Thetford Center (9)
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."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $30 / night
3. 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 !!"
Check Availabilityfrom $20 - $38 / night
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"
Check Availabilityfrom $35 - $80 / night
5. 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."
6. 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
7. Tippicanoe Campground
Check Availabilityfrom $35 - $45 / night
8. Haystack Road
"It is next to the Highway on a paved fire road. So you can hear traffic. And it is paved (which is good if it’s wet and muddy elsewhere). The other spots looked amazing."
"They have a fire pit, plenty of woods around, and are free."
9. Ramblewood Cabins and Campground
Check Availabilityfrom $25 - $45 / night
Drive Time
- 1 hr 18 min from Manchester, NH
- 1 hr 28 min from Burlington, VT
- 1 hr 45 min from Amherst Center, MA
- 2 hrs 10 min from Glens Falls, NY
Equestrian Camping Reviews near Thetford Center, VT
92 Reviews of 9 Thetford Center 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.
- TTaylor C.
TravelerHaystack Road
Site 11
Amazing spot, great area! Plentyyy of room. Between sites 10 & 11 is the longest distance out the bunch and enjoyed that because it was easy to run a generator at any hour of the day with no one able to be disturbed by it. Loved Haystack Road overall. Had strong AT&T reception even with 1 - 2 bars.
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.
Guide to Thetford Center
New Discovery State Park Campground specializes in equestrian camping accommodations within Vermont's expansive Groton State Forest. The campground sits at an elevation of approximately 1,100 feet, creating moderate summer temperatures ideal for horse riding excursions. Most equestrian campsites remain open from late May through mid-October, though availability can be limited during peak foliage season in late September.
What to do
Trail riding with horses: New Discovery State Park Campground offers specialized facilities for equestrian campers exploring the numerous trails throughout Groton State Forest. As one camper noted, "Awesome state park. 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" (New Discovery State Park Campground).
Hiking in White Mountain National Forest: The area surrounding Hancock Campground provides access to numerous trails in the White Mountains, approximately 45 minutes from Thetford Center. "Great place to set up camp to get some 4Ks in the whites. Some lovely spots by the water. 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," reports one regular visitor.
Swimming in natural water bodies: Several campgrounds near Thetford Center feature natural swimming areas. At Branbury State Park, located about an hour southwest, visitors enjoy "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."
What campers like
Secluded waterfront sites: Campers particularly enjoy the water-adjacent sites available at several campgrounds near Thetford Center. At Branbury State Park Campground, one visitor mentioned, "I couldn't believe how large the lots were. While they arent 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."
Year-round access options: Some campgrounds in the region offer extended or year-round access, unusual for northern New England. According to one Hancock Campground visitor, "We came at the end of October to try to hike Franconia Ridge (there ended up being a blizzard when we go to the top and we had to return in the warmer weather) and we stumbled upon this campground. We were the only ones in it and we picked the site right next to the rambling river."
Horse-friendly accommodations: Equestrian camping options near Thetford Center are limited but high-quality. Groton Forest Road Campground, located near New Discovery State Park, provides additional accommodations for horse owners. A visitor noted the campground has "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."
What you should know
Facilities maintenance varies: Bathroom and shower conditions can vary significantly across campgrounds in the region. At Gunstock Campground, campers report "free hot showers that are not dirty," while at New Discovery, one visitor observed, "The Women's bathroom ran out of toilet paper and was never replaced. More upsetting was that the soap container was empty all weekend. At a time like this hand washing is more important than ever!"
Bear safety precautions: Multiple campgrounds in the area require proper food storage due to black bear activity. A Branbury State Park visitor warned, "Just make sure you put your food and trash away- there are black bears in the area!" Many sites provide bear boxes for food storage.
Weather preparation: Vermont's climate can create unexpected challenges even in summer. Sites at higher elevations may experience cooler temperatures, especially at night. As one camper at Hancock Campground experienced, "We planned to hang out, make breakfast, enjoy the river, and take our time packing up. But they [bees] were unbearable and we had a couple stings, so we rushed to pack up and left early."
Tips for camping with families
Select sites carefully: Family camping requires careful site selection based on needs. At Ramblewood Cabins and Campground, campers note, "We have stayed here a few times and really enjoyed sites and hospitality!" Many campgrounds offer site-specific details online about terrain, privacy, and proximity to amenities.
Look for built-in activities: Many campgrounds near Thetford Center feature on-site recreation opportunities. Gunstock Campground stands out with its "fenced in dog park, playground, showers, clean bathrooms, and laundry facilities," according to a recent visitor. Another camper mentioned it "has an aerial obstacle course and a mountain coaster, places to swim, music festivals, hiking, etc."
Consider lean-to options: Several Vermont state parks offer lean-to shelters that can simplify family camping. A visitor to New Discovery noted, "The lean-to sites are really cool, and if I was tent camping I think they'd be so fun to sleep in." Reservations for these popular structures typically open 11 months in advance and fill quickly for summer weekends.
Tips from RVers
Water access challenges: RVers should note potential water connection issues at some campgrounds. At New Discovery, 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."
Limited hookup sites: Most equestrian camping areas near Thetford Center offer limited or no hookup sites. At Tippicanoe Campground, approximately 45 minutes east, RVers find more options: "The sites all have water, 50amp and sewer hookups. 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 ammenities."
Site leveling requirements: Some campgrounds have challenging terrain for RVs. A New Discovery visitor observed that "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." Research specific site details before booking, especially when bringing larger rigs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian
campsite near Thetford Center, VT?
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Thetford Center, VT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Thetford Center, 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
Thetford Center, VT?
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Thetford Center, VT?
TheDyrt.com has all 9 equestrian camping locations near Thetford Center, VT, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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