# camping at Lake Luzerne, NY



## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

This past weekend, Dean and I went up to Lake Luzerne, NY to spend a long weekend camping with the horses and a couple friends. These friends have been going to this campsite yearly for several years, but I was never able to go before as it was always the same weekend as an endurance ride. But this year the stars aligned and we were able to go!
Luckily the 5 hour drive to the campsite was relatively uneventful and we arrived in time to set up camp and be saddled up for noon.










Spent that afternoon exploring the local trails between the campsite and the Hudson river. We got to a nice vista overlook and got to entertain people tubing and kayaking in the river. Got to see a variety of terrain ranging from wooded single path trail to gravel roads that just begged for a gallop (according to my garmin, we hit 31.5 mph during one leg-stretcher!!). 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB_TJkdv6Co





















https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEL_4FwN2Gs


















After the ride, we went to a local Italian place for dinner, then to the rodeo. I was surprised to hear this rodeo was the oldest weekly rodeo in the country and a lot of people used it for NFR qualification. Good show!

Saturday, the others in the group went to Saratoga racetrack for the day. Dean and I had decided to go back out on some of the trail we had seen the day before, but to do it at training pace (the friends are not endurance riders but show people who actually enjoy trail riding at times). We had a lovely morning ride, with agreeable weather and empty trails. The horses felt great and were happy to move out. We stopped back at camp for lunch, then hooked up with some new friends for a trek to a local ice cream store. That ride didn't go quite according to plan as one of the beginners parted ways with her horse halfway there, but she was fine and a couple others who hadn't wanted ice cream anyway turned back with her. I was sorry to see the lady come off, but wasn't sorry to split with the group as beginners had not been part of the arrangement when we first agreed to go out with the people. Dinner was cooked over a campfire, which I haven't done in years.




















Sunday morning, we went out with our original friends again and explored some new trails. We had a nice 2 hour ride before returning to camp and packing up for the journey home. The trip took a bit longer as there was a lot of weekend traffic, but was overall uneventful. I was very excited to get home and see the results of the new helmet-cam. :grin::grin:


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## kait18 (Oct 11, 2011)

awesome pics like always  looks like a ton of fun.

was it worth the trip? i am planning on going up there sept 8-9. i hope its as nice as your weekend


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

what a gorgeous place!!! sounds like y'all had a great time!


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

I laughed when I saw Dream lay her ears back & take off after the other two! She is competative isn't she? 

Over 31 mph? Jeez Louise, that is fast! 

It looks like you had a ton of fun. Great pictures and I love the helmet cam...I've been wondering how you've been taking such steady pictures, when I tried on Chivas my hand wobbled all over the place!

Thanks for sharing your trip with us.


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

AnitaAnne said:


> I love the helmet cam...I've been wondering how you've been taking such steady pictures, when I tried on Chivas my hand wobbled all over the place!


The helmet cam is actually new-this was the first time I used it. Before I was taking video with my camera in hand.. Can certainly tell the difference in the steadiness!


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

Well, the video looks great with the helmet-cam, i guess much easier to use too! Very useful gadget...


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

What awesome pics! I just now watched the videos. What kind of helmet cam did you get?


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## Breella (May 26, 2012)

This looks BEAUTIFUL and not far from my home.


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## liltuktuk (Dec 16, 2011)

Where in Luzerne is the camp ground and trails? I got up that way every year to spend time on Sacandaga Lake with family and have heard that there is camping and trails in Luzerne, but never could figure out where.


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

liltuktuk said:


> Where in Luzerne is the camp ground and trails? I got up that way every year to spend time on Sacandaga Lake with family and have heard that there is camping and trails in Luzerne, but never could figure out where.



We camped at the Luzerne public campgrounds.. off exit 21 of i-87, south down 9N for like 6ish miles. Its not far from the Painted Pony rodeo, if you know where that is. The trails went out of the campground, crossing 9N one way and out of camp the opposite direction.


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