Best Dispersed Camping near Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
Several free dispersed camping areas exist in the forested regions surrounding Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. Echo Lake in the Catskills offers tent sites around the water with established fire pits and a lean-to, requiring a backpacking approach. Taconic Hereford Multiple Use Park provides primitive camping on its 900+ acres of protected forest, accessible via hiking trails with full cell service despite its secluded feel. Hemlock Ridge MUA Dispersed accommodates tent camping approximately 150 feet from trails, with a small parking area that fits 4-5 vehicles and no amenities.
Additional primitive sites include Allaben Primitive Campsites with fire pits and cooking griddles near a small pond, and Denning Trailhead Peekamoose primitive sites located about 1.5 miles from the trailhead near a river. For Appalachian Trail hikers, camping at Jug End requires a permit and offers no fires, while Sage's Revine provides 12 platforms spaced 50 feet apart with bear boxes and bathroom facilities. Most sites require proper implementation of Leave No Trace practices. A camper noted, "If you want a quiet piece of beautiful forest to truly rough it and go camping for a few days, then this is what you have been looking for."
