New York’s North Country is full of surprises, but honestly, the Frontier Town Campground Equestrian and Day Use Area is probably the weirdest success story in the Adirondack Park. Most people remember Frontier Town as that Wild West theme park that sat rotting on the side of the Northway for decades. It was a literal ghost town. Then, the state stepped in, dropped roughly $25 million, and turned a graveyard of old rollercoasters into a high-end camping destination.
It works.
If you've ever tried to haul a horse trailer into a backcountry trailhead, you know the struggle. It's usually tight turns and zero amenities. This place is different. It was designed from the ground up to be "equestrian-first," which is a rarity in state-run facilities.
What’s actually at the Frontier Town Campground Equestrian and Day Use Area?
Let's talk logistics because that’s what actually matters when you're unloading 1,200 pounds of livestock. The equestrian side of the camp is separated from the "regular" campers. That’s a huge win. You don't have kids on bikes buzzing your horse's heels while you're trying to tack up.
There are 33 equestrian sites here.
They didn't just clear some dirt and call it a day. Each site has a hitching rail. There are horse hose-down stations. They even built a centralized manure pit, which sounds gross to non-horse people but is basically a luxury resort feature if you’re used to hauling waste back home in a bucket.
The stalls are what catch people off guard.
Most state campgrounds give you a patch of grass. Here, you get actual roofed pole barns with stalls. It keeps the sun off the horses and keeps them dry if a typical Adirondack thunderstorm rolls through at 2:00 AM. You’ve got electrical hookups too. It’s "glamping" for horses, basically.
The Day Use Area: Not just for the overnight crowd
If you aren't staying the night, the Frontier Town Campground Equestrian and Day Use Area still serves a purpose. The day-use section is massive. It’s right near the Schroon River, which is shallow and clear around here.
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There’s a large pavilion. People host meetups there. You’ll see hiking groups and families using the charcoal grills, but the real draw for the day-trippers is the immediate access to the trail network. You can park a massive dually and a 4-horse gooseneck trailer in the day-use lot without doing a 20-point turn. That alone makes it better than 90% of the trailheads in Essex County.
The trails: Where the rubber (and iron) meets the road
You aren't just riding in circles around a parking lot. The Frontier Town system connects to the Hammond Pond Wild Forest.
The terrain is varied.
You’ll find some sandy stretches that are easy on the hooves, but this is the Adirondacks—expect rocks and roots once you get deeper into the woods. The "easy" loops stay close to the campground and follow the river. If you want something more aggressive, you can push out toward the interior ponds.
One thing to keep in mind: shared usage.
The state designed this as a multi-use hub. You are going to see hikers. You might see mountain bikers. The Adirondack Park Agency (APA) and the DEC have been trying to push this "Gateway to the Adirondacks" concept, which means the trails are wider and more groomed than the narrow "goat paths" you find in the High Peaks. It makes for a more relaxing ride, but it does mean you’ll be sharing the vista.
Real talk about the Northway noise
I’ll be honest with you.
The Frontier Town Campground Equestrian and Day Use Area is located right off Exit 29 of I-87. You are going to hear the highway. For some horses, that’s a dealbreaker. If your mare is "spooky" at the sound of a semi-truck engine brake, this might be a stressful weekend for her.
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However, for most seasoned trail horses, the hum of the highway eventually fades into the background. The convenience of being five minutes off the interstate usually outweighs the lack of "total silence." You can get a massive rig in and out of here without ever touching a winding, two-lane mountain road that makes your transmission scream.
Why this project was so controversial (and why it matters now)
When Governor Cuomo first announced the "Frontier Town" revitalization, locals were skeptical. They’d seen the theme park fail. They’d seen the land sit empty. Some environmental groups worried that putting a massive "urban-style" campground in the middle of a Wild Forest area would ruin the vibe.
But look at the data.
The equestrian community in the Northeast is actually quite large, but they were underserved in New York. By building the Frontier Town Campground Equestrian and Day Use Area, the state tapped into a demographic that spends money. Horse people don't just bring hay; they buy local gas, they eat at the bars in North Hudson and Schroon Lake, and they shop at the local outfitters.
It breathed life back into a corner of the park that was literally crumbling.
A quick note on the river access
The Schroon River here is beautiful. It’s not a raging torrent. It’s more of a winding, tea-colored stream.
You can take your horses down to certain designated spots for a drink or to cool their legs. Just be respectful of the bank erosion. The DEC is pretty strict about where you can and can't trample the vegetation. If everyone ignores the signs, they’ll just fence it off, and nobody gets to enjoy the water. Don't be that person.
Essential Tips for your first trip
- Book early. Even though it’s "new," the equestrian sites fill up fast on holiday weekends. People come from Vermont, Canada, and Jersey for this setup.
- Bring your Coggins. This isn't a suggestion. The campground staff will check your paperwork for every horse on the trailer. No papers, no entry. No exceptions.
- Check the weather for North Hudson. It can be 10 degrees colder here than it is in Albany. The wind kicks off the mountains and follows the river valley.
- Water is available. You don't need to haul 100 gallons of water in your tank. There are spigots everywhere. It’s potable, so it’s good for you and the animals.
- The "A-Frame" is the landmark. If you get lost, look for the giant A-frame building. That’s the old entrance to the theme park and now serves as a bit of a local hub and information center.
The bigger picture of equestrian camping
We’re seeing a shift in how these facilities are built. Older camps were often afterthoughts. They’d take a regular campsite, put a "horses allowed" sign on it, and call it a day.
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Frontier Town is different because of the layout.
The sites are "pull-through." If you’ve ever tried to back a 30-foot trailer into a tight spot surrounded by white pines and expensive boulders, you know why pull-through sites are a gift from the heavens. It lowers the stress level the moment you arrive.
The Frontier Town Campground Equestrian and Day Use Area represents a massive investment in a specific type of outdoor recreation. It’s not "wilderness" in the purest sense—you aren't 20 miles from the nearest road—but it’s a functional, high-quality basecamp. It allows you to explore the rugged Hammond Pond Wild Forest during the day and have a hot shower and a level place to sleep at night.
Actionable next steps for riders
If you’re planning to visit, don't just wing it. First, go to the ReserveAmerica website and specifically filter for the equestrian loops at Frontier Town. Standard sites won't let you bring the horses.
Second, map out your trail route before you leave. While the trails are marked, the Adirondack woods can get confusing fast once you cross the bridge over the Northway. Having a downloaded GPS map (like AllTrails or Gaia) is smart because cell service is hit-or-miss once you're under the canopy.
Finally, stop by the local shops in Schroon Lake on your way out. They’ve leaned hard into supporting the campground, and keeping that local economy moving is the only way these types of specialized facilities stay open and well-maintained.
The Frontier Town Campground Equestrian and Day Use Area is a weird, wonderful hybrid of New York history and modern camping luxury. It might not be the quietest spot in the park, but for horse owners, it’s easily one of the most practical.