Lee's Park Campground
Suzy W.
Reviewed May. 23, 2018

It's music festival camping, so know that going in

Like another reviewer, I camped at Lee's during a Phish run at the nearby Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC). I had to park about a mile from my tent because I arrived on Saturday, but my car was close to the convenience store just outside the campground. Payment is cash only; you hand them cash, they put a wrist band on you, and then you fend for yourself. There is no record of your stay, which has its pros and cons. There are no defined campsites so it is simply a crazy hodge-podge of tents and a lot of tip-toeing between tents trying not to trip over guy lines. It is partially wooded, so shade and trees for hammocks are available if you arrive early. The main benefits of staying at Lee's are the low price ($25/person/night), the shuttle service to SPAC (I think it was $15), and the festival atmosphere with a Shakedown Street, food vendors, and many late-night campfire jam sessions.

I'd say the main downsides are not enough porta-potties and that they get very, very bad quickly with such a large crowd. I think by Sunday everyone at the campground had a stomach bug and all treatments for such were sold out at the local convenience store. I did actually take a shower in the one very small facility with showers and flushing toilets, but, again, they are very unkempt.

Although there seemed to be a fair amount of security folks at main intersections to help with directions, once off the beaten path it was very, very dark and easy to get lost. As a girl walking a mile to my car alone at 3am, I was certainly concerned for my personal safety as some areas become rather deserted between the main camping areas and the more perimeter parking or main road where there is a convenience store. If something happened to you here, no one would know as there is no written record of you being there and the campground doesn't even know your name. That may be a plus if you'd like to stay off-grid, but does pose some safety issues. Some festivals are more tightly controlled than others and I would say the atmosphere here was on the more free-for-all end of the spectrum with a sense that there was no law enforcement presence whatsoever (other than assuming there are undercover narcotics officers at these events). That, too, has its pros and cons... I don't care about whatever folks are buying, selling, and using for their personal enjoyment, but the sticks of dynamite being set off were concerning and it really only takes a wayward sparkler to set a tent ablaze.

If you're staying here for SPAC shows, I would pack your earplugs, hand sanitizer, and toilet paper, arrive as early as possible so you can park your car near where you pitch your tent, and then embrace the craziness.

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