Emerald Lake State Park Campground
Ming R.
Reviewed Aug. 19, 2018

A family friendly campground with leantos

Leantos at this state park give you protection from the elements - mind you not all sites have a leanto. (The kids also enjoyed the view from the top of the leanto but I cannot officially recommend that. : P ) Sites are on top of each other but some are more spacious and away from the others. You need quarters for showers. Dogs are allowed and I find that sites where dogs are present have less of a critters problems like racoons. The camp sites are quite a bit of a walk up the hill from the lake where there is swimming, kayaking, paddle boating and picnicking. As a result, we drove even though there were paths that people could take to go to the beach. The paths were not ideal when you have kids. There is some walking required from the parking lot to the lake and with kids and a lot to bring, it can be exhausting; but if you bring your own kayaks, you can launch at the inlet leading to the beach which cuts the walking. You can rent kayaks and paddle boats as well as life jackets.

Larchmont is our favorite camp site. It is much larger than most sites, a short walk to the showers and a bit tucked away for privacy. We had two tents set up there, which is impossible for most sites. This is a popular camp ground so reserve as early as 11 months before arrival.

There is a rope swing if you paddle away from the beach. It was great fun for the older kids. Also, exploring the island in the middle of the lake is another option.

We also drove 10 minutes to nearby Danby for horse-riding at Mountain View Ranch which is a good break from soaking in water every day.

SiteLarchmont and Dogwood
Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Emerald Lake State Park Campground by Ming R., August 19, 2018
  • Review photo of Emerald Lake State Park Campground by Ming R., August 19, 2018
  • Review photo of Emerald Lake State Park Campground by Ming R., August 19, 2018
  • Review photo of Emerald Lake State Park Campground by Ming R., August 19, 2018
  • Review photo of Emerald Lake State Park Campground by Ming R., August 19, 2018
  • Review photo of Emerald Lake State Park Campground by Ming R., August 19, 2018
  • Review photo of Emerald Lake State Park Campground by Ming R., August 19, 2018
  • Review photo of Emerald Lake State Park Campground by Ming R., August 19, 2018
  • Swimming in the lake + rope swing! (Sorry for the poor video, but this was from the first year we went there.)
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