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 West Burke, VT
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New Discovery State Park Campground in Vermont's Groton State Forest offers equestrian camping sites equipped with stalls specifically designed for horses. The campground features both primitive camping options and sites with electric hookups, accommodating tents and RVs alike. Facilities include drinking water, showers, flush toilets, and sanitary dump stations. The campground is arranged in two main loops with varying levels of privacy - some sites are nestled in wooded areas while others are situated in open fields. Campers report that bathhouses are cleaned regularly, though occasional maintenance issues with soap and toilet paper have occurred. The campground is open from Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day weekend.
Trails throughout Groton State Forest provide excellent riding opportunities directly accessible from the campground. Several ponds are located within riding distance, including Osmore Pond, Kettle Pond, and Ricker Pond, offering watering options for horses and swimming for riders. A rail trail passes near the campground, allowing for extensive riding without significant elevation changes. Winter camping is unavailable at New Discovery, but Hancock Campground in nearby New Hampshire remains open year-round for those seeking off-season equestrian camping options. Hancock features sites along the Pemigewasset River and provides convenient access to White Mountain National Forest trails. The campground's proximity to Lincoln, NH (about 5 minutes away) allows for easy resupply during extended stays with horses.
Best Equestrian Campgrounds near West Burke (4)
1. 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
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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."
Drive Time
- 1 hr 40 min from Burlington, VT
- 2 hrs 5 min from Manchester, NH
- 2 hrs 50 min from Lewiston, ME
- 3 hrs 14 min from Portland, ME
Equestrian Camping Reviews near West Burke, VT
44 Reviews of 4 West Burke 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.
- 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.
Miccal M.LegendNew Discovery State Park Campground
Drove through on my way past
This easy-to-access campground has made it on my list of places to stay.
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.
The bathhouse looks typical and clean.
Not much cell service, but some in places.
Easy access to a lake and a picnic pavilion.
Noticed more than a few sites that I could hang at.
- SSean F.Guide
Hancock Campground
A little cramped, great location though
Open year round. Most sites are close together with very little privacy
A few sites are pretty much right on the river which is awesome. There's a nearby swimming hole. Campground is only short drive away from an endless amount of hiking options
- Miccal M.Legend
Hancock Campground
Small but nice
I just spent a cold rainy, snowy weekend camping here in January, and had a blast. The campground is plowed, sites have their access plowed with various widths depending on the site. The sites are a little close together, and for winter there was a number of them being used.
The campground is close to Lincoln, NH so if you need supplies you can easily run into town for food and drink. It's even closer to Loon Mtn and the Pemigewasset wilderness allowing for some amazing outdoor activities.
There are many dumpsters and bear boxes throughout the campground, the walk-in sites all have bear boxes. Every site has a fire pit. The campground is easily accessible by pavement.
Laura M.LegendNew Discovery State Park Campground
Lovely, friendly campground.
There are hiking trails right from the campground, which we always appreciate. You can also go down to the water and rent a kayak or canoe from the rangers. Camp fees are $28/night, plus $5/day per adult for state park fees.
There is a dump station and drinking water on site, but the spigots for the water are not threaded. We tried our water bandit, with messy wet results. (Apparently you can’t use those if the other end of the hose is pressurized.) 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.
Each site is so different and may or may not fit an RV. 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. We saw fresh moose poop on a hike but sadly no moose or other wildlife. There are bears around the area though so please be bear smart when camping here.
Showers are something like $1 for 8 minutes, quarters only. The lean-to sites are really cool, and if I was tent camping I think they’d be so fun to sleep in. They have food compost bins here, but the rangers keep forgetting to unlock the bin, so you just have to ask them. There’s also a book exchange library and adorable little gnome habitats set up in the campground. We had a pleasant stay here.
Ann P.
RangerHancock Campground
Pretty but not clean
Some pros and lots of cons. We stayed at a walk-in site by the river.
I never fully appreciated just how much camp hosts do. There was no ranger and no host. We arrived early on a Thursday, hopeful we could get a spot by the water. There are only two spots that are truly private in any way. They were both taken- fine. However, one of the groups had not registered and stayed until 4 or 5pm until everyone else had already set up for the day…then they left! So uncool. The site went unused because at that point, no one was going to move all their stuff. Maybe a camp host would’ve noticed that?
The sites were FILTHY with trash, dog poop and food waste. Pretty crazy considering this was supposed to be a bear area. There was also a bad smell wafting around, hmm…maybe because of the trash and dog poop? Stepping in dog poop and trying to clean off your boots is a significant bummer. The site we were stuck at also had ashes and chunks of wood all over the picnic table. Cleaning up this much in order to feel comfortable really sucked.
There was no running water at any of the pumps and the pit toilets were quite full.
There is a bridge nearby but the river covered any vehicle noise very well. It was also nice to be right off the highway and five minutes from town, yet it felt like a proper national forest experience.
There’s an upper loop with drive in sites. They didn’t seem very private and you could see the road. I wouldn’t stay up there.
Being by the river was beautiful. I would stay here again, but with more preparation for the campground’s limitations.
- DDrew
ScoutHaystack Road
Quiet, small, flat spots
There are 11 options, each completely separated from the others. We were in spot #1 which is nothing at all like the others. 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.
Guide to West Burke
New Discovery State Park Campground provides access to various terrain types across Groton State Forest. The campground sits at approximately 1,200 feet elevation with winter temperatures regularly dropping below freezing. Equestrian camping sites include direct access to forest trails connecting multiple ponds and waterways. Sites vary considerably in size and privacy levels throughout the 21-acre campground area.
What to do
Trail riding: Multiple trail networks connect directly from New Discovery's equestrian sites. "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," notes Rick S. about New Discovery State Park Campground.
Winter horseback trips: While New Discovery closes after Columbus Day, equestrian campers can continue winter activities at Hancock Campground in New Hampshire. "Stayed here for two nights in late December. Site #40 along the river was close to the bathroom yet had plenty of privacy from other sites," shares Heather B., noting that water availability would have earned it five stars.
Swimming spots: Several ponds within Groton State Forest offer swimming opportunities for both humans and horses. According to campers, most ponds have shallow entry points suitable for horses and designated swimming areas for people within 2-3 miles of the equestrian sites.
What campers like
Spacious equestrian sites: The dedicated horse sites include both tie areas and stalls depending on reservation type. "This campground has a little bit of everything. There are sites with electric hookups as well as some without. Some sites are in the middle of a grassy field while others are tucked in the trees. Site size various pretty vastly as you travel through the campground," reports Sarah C.
Clean facilities: Despite occasional maintenance issues, most campers appreciate the regular cleaning. "There are hiking trails right from the campground, which we always appreciate. You can also go down to the water and rent a kayak or canoe from the rangers," explains Laura M. about Groton Forest Road Campground, adding "the bathrooms were well maintained along with the showers."
Wildlife viewing: The forest setting provides opportunities to observe local wildlife. One camper reported: "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."
What you should know
Water access limitations: Filling large water containers can be challenging. "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," advises Laura M.
Site selection importance: Sites vary dramatically in size, privacy, and 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," notes a recent visitor.
Bear awareness: The area has active bear populations requiring proper food storage. "We appreciated having a bear box on our site, especially since we couldn't keep anything in our car. It was big enough to fit our grill, cooler, trash, and bag of groceries," shares a camper at Hancock.
Tips for camping with families
Remote shelter options: For families seeking a more secluded experience, 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," explains Sarah C.
Pack-in considerations: For walk-in sites, pack accordingly. "If bringing a full-sized cooler or other large/luxury car camping items be sure you are heading to a site closer to the parking area. It would be a challenge to get some of those larger, heavier items to sites across the pond from the parking lot."
Educational elements: Hancock Campground offers alternative options for horse-camping families in cooler months. "This campground is great! I recommend getting a site in the river side away from the street. Absolutely beautiful!" suggests Lisa S. Rangers occasionally offer educational programs at both locations during peak season.
Tips from RVers
Site accessibility: Large rigs face limitations at equestrian sites. "This easy-to-access campground has made it on my list of places to stay. 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," reports Miccal M., who notes that not all sites accommodate larger vehicles.
Utility connections: Limited hookups are available. "My spots are 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. The bathrooms were well maintained along with the showers," explains Reid B. about nearby options when equestrian sites lack needed connections.
Off-season alternatives: For RVers seeking equestrian camping beyond the regular season, Hancock Campground remains open year-round. "Hancock Campground is a five-minute drive from Lincoln, NH, and very close to awesome hiking trails in the White Mountain National Forest and Franconia Notch State Park," notes Tara S.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian
campsite near West Burke, VT?
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near West Burke, VT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near West Burke, VT is New Discovery State Park Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 7 reviews.
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equestrian camping near
West Burke, VT?
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near West Burke, VT?
TheDyrt.com has all 4 equestrian camping locations near West Burke, VT, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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