New York is so much more than just the city that never sleeps: from sandy beaches to evergreen forests, the state is chock-full of places to pitch your tent and while away the weekend. The choices are nearly endless: with thousands of sites at state parks and forests, private campgrounds and federal lands, there’s something for every camper to enjoy.
Our guide to the best camp spots in New York will help you make the most of your time tenting the Empire State.
Wildwood State Park – Wading River, New York
With more than 300 sites to choose from (including two tent-only loops), the campground at this flagship park is one of Long Island’s best, offering weekly entertainment programs, bathrooms with showers, drinking water fountains and picnic tables at each site. Nightly fees range from $18.00 to $39.00, and reservations can be made for stays during the summer months. Enjoy two miles of beach along the north-facing Sound and twelve miles of hiking trails through coastal hardwood forest. Firewood is available in the park; the full-service town of Wading River is a stone’s throw away, and the North Fork’s famous wineries are just a few minutes east.
Watch Hill Campground – Fire Island National Seashore – Patchogue, New York
Located across the Great South Bay from the bustling town of Patchogue, you’ll need to take a ferry or private boat to reach this 26-site oceanfront tent campground, which is an easy quarter-mile hike from the ferry dock. As of May 2018, sites are first-come-first-served at $25.00 per night, but will soon transition to a reservation system. Backcountry camping is also available in the Otis Pike High Dune Wilderness; reservations and permits from the National Park Service are required. With access to the Watch Hill visitor center, general store, marina, and bathhouse, not to mention the beach, this is the perfect place for a summer getaway. Remember to pack long tent stakes, as you’ll likely be on loose sand, and always remember to Leave No Trace wherever you set up camp.
Beaver Pond Campground – Harriman State Park – Stony Point, New York
This campground caters primarily to tenters, with only a handful of sites that will accommodate RVs. There are no electrical hookups here, and alcohol is not permitted in the campground. Full bathrooms and water pumps can be found throughout, and each site offers a picnic table, fire ring, and flip-top grill; some sites have raised tent platforms. More than 200 miles of trail across the park, including a section of the Appalachian Trail, which runs from Maine to Georgia. Palisade views and fishing or swimming in Lake Welch will help you forget that you’re only an hour’s drive (or train ride on the Port Jervis line) from midtown Manhattan. Camping fees range from $15.00 to $27.00, depending on whether you are a resident of New York State.
Gunks Gateway Campground – Minnewaska State Park Preserve – Gardiner, New York
One of the least-kept secrets of the Shawangunk Mountains, this beautiful state park is a popular destination for hiking, skiing and rock climbing As of 2014, this tent-only campground is operated by the American Alpine Club and the Mohonk Preserve. Each of the 50 sites has a picnic table; half are walk-ins and half have parking for one vehicle. Individual campsite fires are not permitted, but there are nightly campfire programs near the pavilion, providing a great chance to meet other outdoors enthusiasts. Fees range from $24.00 to $38.00.
Devil’s Tombstone Campground – Catskill Forest Preserve – Hunter, New York
This small primitive campground is one of the oldest in the area, and its trails lead to Hunter Mountain, surrounded by some of the Catskills’ highest peaks. The town of Hunter hosts many seasonal festivals and a ski resort. Campsites offer picnic tables, fire rings, and water spigots, with toilets available in the campground and showers 10 miles away at North-South Lake. The fee is $16.00 per night.
Peekamoose Valley Dispersed Camping – Sundown Wild Forest – Denning, New York
Waterfalls, swimming holes, and scenic hardwood forest make this a popular option for backcountry camping. 24 designated sites are available first-come-first-served (look for the yellow site markers, usually attached to a post or a tree) and tent campers staying three nights or less do not require a permit or a fee. Water from the Rondout Creek can be treated before drinking, and vault toilets are few and far between here, so remember to bury your waste responsibly and pack out the rash. Disclaimer: we’ve never actually seen a moose here!
Allaben Camping Area – Shandaken Wild Forest – Phoenicia, New York
You can stay for up to three nights without a fee or permit at this primitive camping area, but be prepared for some road noise from nearby State Route 28. There are two enormous designated sites with picnic tables and fire rings on the south side of the gravel road, and we’ve seen campers pitch their tents in lesser developed sites along the north, with one shared accessible vault toilet at the end of the cul-de-sac. Supplies, historical sites and the summertime Festival of the Voice can be found in Phoenicia, a quintessential Catskill town with a mountain-view diner to die for.
Phoenicia Black Bear Campground – Phoenicia, New York
We can’t get enough of the adorable village of Phoenicia, and if you can’t either, check out this campground which is in town, within walking distance of shops and restaurants. Tubing, rafting, and swimming are available on the Esopus Creek. Tent sites are $35.00 per night and each includes a picnic table and fire ring (wood must be purchased on-site), plus restrooms with flush toilets and running water.
Schodack Island State Park – Schodack Landing, New York
13 miles south of Albany, this state park comprises an estuary between the Hudson River and Schodack Creek, which provides for excellent birdwatching. Well-kept bathrooms with showers and water pumps can be found throughout the campground, and firewood is available for sale at the campground entrance. Reservations are accepted, with a 2-night minimum stay for summer weekend bookings.
Long Island Dispersed Boat-In Sites – Adirondack Park – Lake George, New York
Canoers and kayakers in search of solitude will love the well-spaced waterfront sites here, accessible only by boat. Each site is equipped with a dock, picnic table, fire pit, vault toilet and unique lakefront view of the surrounding Adirondack Mountains. Filtered or boiled lake water makes a great morning cup of coffee before exploring the island’s portage trails and beaches. The towns along the lake fill up considerably during the summer, but from this island in the middle of it all, you’ll enjoy unparalleled peace and quiet for a nightly camping fee of $15.00.
Jellystone Park Camp Resorts – Various Locations
With seven upstate New York locations to choose from, each of this family-friendly chain’s camp resorts are within the convenient driving distance of attractions like the Baseball Hall of Fame, Six Flags, and world-famous Woodstock. Sites at these campgrounds are equipped with picnic tables, fire rings, water and electric hookups; bathrooms with hot showers can be found throughout the campground. Kids will love the organized activities, movie nights, game rooms, swimming pools and character visits with Yogi Bear. Teens and grown-ups who need to stay connected will love the included Wi-Fi service. On-site general stores carry supplies and rent equipment, making this a great choice for first-timers or family reunions.
Great Range Trail – Adirondack Park – Keene Valley, New York
Most people don’t realize that the Adirondack Park, unique in its overlapping public and private lands, is bigger than Yellowstone National Park! Our mountains might not be as tall, but here you’ll find the highest peak in the state, Mount Marcy, at 5,344 ft. elevation. Sno-Bird Lean-To and Slant Rock campsites along the 25-mile Great Range trail to the top allow backpackers to divide the trip into three days or more. With a total elevation gain of 10,000 ft., this trip is not for the faint of heart.
Pharaoh Lake Wilderness – Adirondack Park – Ticonderoga, New York
One of the Adirondacks’ largest lakes is surrounded by mountains, streams and 70 miles of hiking trails, not to mention 38 designated tent campsites and 14 lean-to shelters, all of which are free to use without a permit or fee for up to three nights. Be prepared, as you won’t find site improvements such as tables or toilets here. Wild fishing, hunting, horseback riding and wildlife viewing opportunities abound in this remote wilderness area.
Ausable Point Campground – Adirondack Park – Peru, New York
Ausable Point borders a wildlife management area and juts east into Lake Champlain, which separates New York from Vermont. More than 100 campsites can be reserved ahead of time, and each has a picnic table and fire ring. Bathrooms with flush toilets and showers and water pumps are placed every few sites. Ausable is one of few parks in the NYS system with a designated windsurfing area, and opportunities for boaters abound. Plattsburgh, a charming town, is 12 miles away. The fee to camp is $22.00.
Kring Point State Park – Redwood, New York
With so many lakes, rivers and islands to discover throughout the state, it’s no wonder so many of the best spots to camp are along the water. From here you can see why they call it the Thousand Islands region, and you can catch a glimpse of Canada across the St. Lawrence River; half of the 100 campsites are waterfront. Each site has a picnic table, fire ring and access to bathrooms with flushing toilets, and fees range from $18.00 to $34.00 per night.
Spruce Pond – Morgan Hill State Forest – Cortland, New York
A free permit is required to camp at one of the 12 primitive hike-in sites here. Eleven miles of trail connect the forest to the North Country National Scenic Trail and nearby Labrador Hollow, and the pond is regularly stocked with trout.
Jasper Park & Snake Forest Road Dispersed Camping Areas – North Harmony State Forest – Panama, New York
Leave your car at the Jasper Park parking area and take a quick hike down Warner Road to the Fred J. Cusimano Westside Overland trailhead. Here you’ll find a water pump, vault toilet and covered lean-to where tent camping is permitted. Other spots can be found along Snake Forest Road – keep an eye out for yellow markers that designate available primitive sites, but remember you won’t find any facilities here. For those feeling adventurous, at-large backcountry camping is allowed in the State Forest for up to three nights without a fee or permit at least 150 feet from all trails, roads, and bodies of water. The town of Chautauqua, about 20 minutes away, is full of must-see museums for spirituality and history buffs.
Blueberry Patch Campground – Finger Lakes National Forest – Watkins Glen, New York
During berry season, this primitive first-come-first-served campground’s namesake patch attracts humans – and some critters – in search of a sweet spot to set up for the night. $10.00 per night gets you a private site surrounded by evergreens, with a picnic table, fire ring, tent pad and access to vault toilet; on our last visit in 2017, there was not a reliable water source. The “gorges” towns of Ithaca and Watkins Glen are nearby, as are many waterfalls and hiking trails that snake through the Finger Lakes region.
Highbanks Campground – Letchworth State Park – Castile, New York
Nicknamed “the Grand Canyon of the East,” this park boasts three stunning waterfalls, cliffs, and forests along the Genesee River gorge, 35 miles from Rochester. More than 250 sites are available and reservations are recommended. Sites are $24.00 per night and have picnic tables, fire rings and access to bathrooms with flush toilets and running water.
Conclusion
From picturesque lakes to mountain summits, there’s no question that New York is a great place to enjoy the great outdoors. Whether you’re looking to hit the trail solo or load up the car and take the whole family along, your next great summer vacation awaits with one of these tried-and-true New York camp experiences.
About The Author
Hi, I’m MaryJean! From the mountains to the prairies to the oceans and everywhere in between, I’ve been camping for more than twenty years. After adventuring through 44 states and abroad, I’m here to share the best places I know for adventures in the great outdoors. When I’m not on the trail or in the tent, you can find me baking, reading or tending to my houseplants in San Diego, CA.