Best Dispersed Camping near Aurora, NY
Planning a dispersed camping trip near Aurora? Dispersed camping is the perfect way to get off the grid. From secluded to easily reachable, we offer dispersed campsites near Aurora just for you.
Best Dispersed Sites Near Aurora, NY (9)
1. Sugar Hill Fire Tower Campsite
Tyrone, New York9 Reviews•39 Photos•107 SavesStarting May 17, 2021 the Sugar Hill Fire Tower Recreation Area has been re-opened for camping and day use. In an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19 camping is limited to 26 designated sites. A self-issued permit must be filled out when you arrive. There is no reservation system, if you arrive and all campsites are full you will have to find another location to camp.
The Sugar Hill Recreation Area, located off of Tower Hill Rd, is the largest designated camping area on Sugar Hill State Forest. Available on a first-come first-serve basis, the area is a nine-acre open field for camping, with a limited number of fire rings and picnic tables. New for 2021 (in order to limit the spread of COVID-19) 26 campsites have been designated in the open field area. Upon arrival, campers must fill out a self-issued camping permit. There is no reservation system, if you arrive and it is full you will have to find another location to camp.
Other facilities in the Rec Area include; a picnic area with picnic tables and pavilion, an accessible horse-mounting platform, open horse stalls, during summer months a restroom with potable water are available, and access to the Six Nations Trail System, as well as the Sugar Hill Fire Tower. The gate is opened to vehicle traffic, and the water turned on, from the 3rd Monday in May through the 3rd Monday in October of each year.
Individual campsites are located throughout the State Forest. These 19 additional primitive designated camping sites are semi-flat spots, some are graveled parking areas, others are small openings set back in the woods on topsoil, most with no other facilities provided.
Primitive camping is allowed. Campsites must be at least 150 feet away from the nearest road, trail, or body of water.
Camping for more than three nights or in groups of ten or more requires a permit from a Forest Ranger. No trash pickup is provided. These are carry-in, carry-out facilities.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- ADA Access
- Dispersed
- Trash
2. Sugar Hill Recreation Area Camping
Tyrone, New York4 Reviews•21 Photos•123 SavesThe Sugar Hill Recreation Area, located at 3360 Tower Hill Rd, Watkins Glen, NY, is the largest designated camping area on Sugar Hill State Forest. Available on a first-come first-serve basis, the area is a nine-acre open field for camping, with a limited number of fire rings and picnic tables. New for 2021 (in order to limit the spread of COVID-19) 26 campsites have been designated in the open field area. Upon arrival, campers must fill out a self-issued camping permit. There is no reservation system, if you arrive and it is full you will have to find another location to camp.
Other facilities in the Rec Area include; a picnic area with picnic tables and pavilion, an accessible horse-mounting platform, open horse stalls, during summer months a restroom with potable water are available, and access to the Six Nations Trail System, as well as the Sugar Hill Fire Tower. The gate is opened to vehicle traffic, and the water turned on, from the 3rd Monday in May through the 3rd Monday in October of each year.
The Lower Evergreen Parking Lot, located off of Evergreen Hill Rd, is smaller and has picnic tables, fire rings, open horse stalls and a pit privy. New for 2021, three campsites have been designated. No trash pickup is provided. This is a carry in-carry out facility.
Individual campsites are located throughout the State Forest. These 19 additional primitive designated camping sites are semi-flat spots, some are graveled parking areas, others are small openings set back in the woods on topsoil, most with no other facilities provided.
Primitive camping is allowed. Campsites must be at least 150 feet away from the nearest road, trail, or body of water.
Camping for more than three nights or in groups of ten or more requires a permit from a Forest Ranger. No trash pickup is provided. These are carry-in, carry-out facilities.
Lean To: Lean-to in the trees, benches and fire ring in front. Buck Settlement Lean-to
Lean-to Camping :There are five Adirondack-style lean-tos at four different locations. Lean-tos must be shared to their capacity on a first-come, first-use basis, with no exclusive reservation allowed.
Buck Settlement Lean-to on the Finger Lakes Trail north of Templar Road and near Glen Creek; Parks Hollow Lean-to on Mohawk Trail, north of Sugar Hill Road; the Twin Lean-to's (Sugar Hill Lean-to #1 and #2) - on Seneca Trail, south of the Sugar Hill Rec Area; and VanZandt Lean-to - on Seneca Trail, east of Tower Hill Road. September 14, 2021 to September 23, 2021 the VanZandt Lean-to will be undergoing maintenance, please plan accordingly.No trash pickup is provided. These are a carry in-carry out facilities.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- ADA Access
- RVs
- Tents
4. Morgan Hill State Forest Dispersed
Apulia Station, New York1 Review•39 Photos•19 SavesThis location is the parking area for the dispersed hike-in and backpacking camping; the established primitive campgrounds are elsewhere in the forest, at Spruce Pond and adjacent to the North Country Scenic Trail access for the trail to Tinkers Falls.
Two additional drive-up, accessible camping sites are available on a first come, first served basis. The sites are located off of Morgan Hill Road, in close proximity to the forest's accessible trail. See map above and directions below.
The Spruce Pond camping area and the two drive-up accessible camping sites are located on seasonal roads with no winter maintenance or available parking nearby. Accessing these sites from November through March is not recommended.
Primitive camping is welcomed year-round throughout the forest, where safe and authorized access and parking allows. Campsites must be at least 150 feet away from the nearest road, trail, or body of water. Camping for more than three nights or in groups of ten or more requires a permit from a Forest Ranger.
- Pets
- Fires
- Dispersed
5. Morgan Hill Forest—Onondaga Trailhead campground
Truxton, New York1 Review•37 Photos•10 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- ADA Access
- Tents
- Group
- Standard (Tent/RV)
7. Long Pond Campground
Georgetown, New York4 Reviews•68 Photos•17 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- ADA Access
- Tents
8. Bucks Brook State Forest Primitive Tent Site
DeRuyter, New York1 Review•10 Photos•32 SavesBucks Brook State Forest consists of 2,178 acres located between State highway 26 and County Highway 13 in the northwest corner of Chenango County. Popular recreational uses of this forest are hiking, nature observation and hunting.
Camping At-large primitive camping is allowed. Campsites must be at least 150 feet away from the nearest road, trail, or body of water. Camping for more than three nights or in groups of ten or more requires a permit from a Forest Ranger.
Hiking General information on hiking includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules & regulations.
A portion of the Finger Lakes Trail (leaves DEC website) traverses the forest. The trail enters the forest on the northwest side along Ratville Road and traverses east and then south to where it exits the forest on Bucks Brook Road near its junction with Rt. 26
Fishing General information on fishing includes how-to and safety tips and links to seasons, rules & regulations.
The Otselic River, which runs along Rt. 26, offers nearby trout fishing opportunities and is easily accessible due to the numerous DEC parking areas.
Fishing Access information is available. Fishing Easement information is available.
Hunting & Trapping General Information on hunting and general information on trapping includes how-to and safety tips with links to seasons, rules & regulations.
Cross-country Skiing & Snowshoeing General information on cross-country skiing and snowshoeing includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules & regulations.
Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are permitted on all hiking trails.
Wildlife General information on animals includes links to information about birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians and insects that inhabit or migrate through the state.
- Pets
- Fires
- Dispersed
9. Balsam Swamp State Forest
Cincinnatus, New York1 Review•31 Photos•41 SavesCamping primitive camping
General information on primitive camping includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules & regulations
At large primitive camping is allowed. Campsites must be at least 150 feet away from the nearest road, trail, or body of water. Camping for more than three nights or in groups of ten or more requires a permit from a Forest Ranger.
A small rustic camp ground is also located at Balsam Pond. Camping spaces are available at no cost on a first-come, first-serve basis and there is no running water or electricity. A fire ring, outhouse, and picnic table are provided for each camping space.
- Pets
- Fires
- Dispersed
- Picnic Table
Recent Dispersed Reviews in Aurora
13 Reviews of 9 Aurora Campgrounds
Meghan B.
Ranger
Sugar Hill Fire Tower Campsite
Sugar Hill Fire Tower Campsite
Nice, quiet stay. Third time staying here over the last decade when passing through the area and it's been great every time.
- AAdam P.
ScoutSugar Hill Fire Tower Campsite
Excellent Free Site
No show but decent bathrooms. I spent a night at Watkins Glen the only advantage was the shower. But you can wash up well here. You can stay horses here, each site has a fire pit and it feels safe.
Kevin C.RangerSugar Hill Fire Tower Campsite
Amazing campsite!!
Stopped in to "ride out a rain storm." After surviving the night, we discovered all the amenities. Free garbage service daily, Water faucets were placed all over the campground. There is a Forest Fire Lookout Tower next to the bathrooms.
Camp sites are disbursed so you don't feel crowded or squeezed for space.
Weekends are very busy but weekdays there were no more than 7 or 8 campsites occupied each night.
The horse stalls were used regularly and seeing horses coming and going on trail rides is a daily occurrence.
Janet R.
Legend
Morgan Hill Forest—Onondaga Trailhead campground
Morgan Hill OT/NCST trailhead campground
This is a small state forest campground in the Morgan Hill forest from which you can directly access the Onondaga Trail branch of the National North Country scenic trail. Although the campsites here are primitive and free, they are official developed campsites and not really “dispersed” campsites. There are several basic tent spots, which are just cleared grassy areas adjacent to the trailhead parking circle; BUT in addition, there are two lovely developed campsites with parking spot right next to a cement pad with picnic tables and fire pits. These are very nice roomy wooded campsites, and the developed sites are supposedly ADA accessible —but while I agree that the picnic tables and cement pad around the fireplace can certainly accomodate wheelchairs, and the tenting area is roomy, note that there are NO OTHER ADA amenities at these sites, eg no water source and NO toilet or outhouse right at the campground. While you can drive right up to your campsite location, which is accessible, you would actually have to hike quite a long ways west on the OnondagaTrail to access a pit toilet, or to have stream access for obtaining water to boil, so you DO need to come prepared to use the bushes by your campsite and leave no trace, plus bring your own water. (See attached map where I circled the campground area in orange) That being said, this location is peaceful and quiet with mature trees and plenty of distance between neighboring campers, and would be an ideal setting for a group campout. Hiking the trail west on a day trip will bring you to the beautiful Tinker Falls, which may not be flowing during dry seasons but is still a gorge worth exploring! You can best access this campground from the south side of the forest; the entrance is from state route 13 on Morgan Hill Rd south, adjacent to a very nice farm stand that is a good stop for supplies, and there is a DEC forest sign to mark the turn off from Rt 13. After that, you are on your own and should bring a map to navigate as the hiking trails are marked with signs where they cross the roads, but the road to turn off from Morgan Hill Rd to the campground is not marked. You can set your driving directions on Google Maps beforehad, to this endpoint: https://www.google.com/maps/dir//42.767846,-75.997552/@42.7799792,-76.08097,12z?entry=ttu
You might also want to download the free Avenza map of the forest which will allow you to navigate real time even if you don't have cell service, that link is here: https://store.avenza.com/products/morgan-hill-state-forest-nysdec-map?queryID=eb824498ff4125babc1c06655b111da4&objectID=42626406056092
general info for this state forest is here:
- Janet R.Legend
Morgan Hill State Forest Dispersed
Primitive Dispersed camping at Morgan Hill
This location has a set of 2 large trailhead parking lots for hikers and backpackers accessing the vast trail network of the Morgan Hill State Forest. (See area circled in image on map) You do not camp here at these parking lots, but from here can backpack in to the woods on the Onondaga Trail or connecting trails, and from there you can do LNT dispersed camping as long as you follow the state forest camping rules(see this link for more details: https://dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/camping/state-land-rules) such as not setting up camp within 150 of a stream or other body or water, and not near an official campground (There are 2 official drive-in primitive camp grounds in the vicinty, for which you need permits from the local ranger; otherwise, elsewhere in the forest you can backpack the various trails and camp at your own site if you leave no trace). You need to bring your own water, there is none provided here, and be prepared to pack out your own garbage. Be sure to download a copy of the forest map with the trails network marked, as the various trails are blazed and have occasional signs, but they crisscross in a confusing network and you can get easily turned around without a map. The woods are beautiful and the trails are well developed, but also be prepared for ticks and the need for repellent as they are thick in spring and early summer. Note: the trails going west from here enter the Labrador Hollow Unique area, which is part of the state forest but is a special preserve where camping is NOT allowed, so be aware of your lication
Lylah H.ScoutSugar Hill Fire Tower Campsite
Great spot, follow the map around
I believe it’s still off season so the spot with all the facilities wasn’t open. We used the map on the state forest website. But most spots have a privy/port o potty. We found the map on the website helpful because there are spots all over. Site 28 did have a sign about not awaking “butch and big daddy” as two young women we decided we didn’t want to stick around and meet them. There was a privy at 35 which was nice. The site by the pond was really cute with a privy but a walk in (believe it was 37)!
- DDavid G.
GuideSugar Hill Fire Tower Campsite
Perfect Reprieve
We pulled in just before dark to find 8 other campers already settled in. The sites were spacious. It was a cool and windy night, which made it perfect for sleeping. Highly recommend!
- TTobi R.Scout
Sugar Hill Fire Tower Campsite
Well worth it
I drove in from out of state and I absolutely adore this campground! Will be returning, I found a lovely spot tucked into a back corner and has the most relaxing weekend.
- AAnnie J.Scout
Sugar Hill Fire Tower Campsite
Awesome!
This site is great! There are only a few sites on the road but they have picnic tables, fire rings and lots of space! They are also free! We just pulled up and parked in an empty spot. We visited here in Oct 2022 so it was pretty empty. Great spot if you are passing through!
Cam F.ScoutSugar Hill Fire Tower Campsite
Great quiet camping spot
Lovely campground in a lush green clearing with plenty of bird life. Good facilities with flushing toilets and trash and recycling on site.
The view from the tower is pretty nice too!
- Brittany S.Guide
Sugar Hill Fire Tower Campsite
Great location
We stayed here during an anniversary trip to the Finger Lakes. Easy proximity to Seneca Lake and Watkins Glen State Park. Nice wooded area kept us far enough away from other campers. Great location!
- Janet R.Legend
Bucks Brook State Forest Primitive Tent Site
Bucks Brook primitive camping
Bucks Brook carves a beautiful gorge through Bucks Brook State Forest before it cascades into the Otselic River. There are both state forest roads and off road trails to hike on in the area; the Bucks Brook Forest Road follows a series of small waterfalls at the bottom of the gorge to the source of the creek near the top of the ridge above it, while the Finger Lakes trail follows the brook for a short while near its mouth before climbing offroad through the ridge high above the gorge, along steep cliffs above the Otselic and west along the crest of Bucks Brook Hill. There are several very primitive tent sites along the FTL, but dispersed camping is also allowed. Two sites on the ridge near the source of the Brook are accessible by the Finger Lakes trail either from Bucks Brook Rd or Ridge Rd.
The setting is scenic and picturesque, and the winding trail can be quite a challenge if hiking the long way uphill on the FTL. An easier hike-in access is at Ridge Rd, about a 1/4 hike to the brook where there are several nice flat tent sites. The brook is beautiful and unspoiled, but this truly is primitive camping, no picnic tables, no lean-to shelter like at somecother area FTL campsites, no water source other than the brook (you should filter it even though the source is a spring near by), no latrines, no fire grates though there is a stone fire ring and you could easily build a new one of your own with stones from the brook.
Although this is an idyllic and secluded spot for primitive camping, and the hike in (either via the long or short way) is well marked and enjoyable, the campsites are really nothing more than flat ground for basic tent-sites; this location could be improved with at least a fire grate, and preferably a lean-to. Also, the parking spot for access to the trail and tentsites really needs to be upgraded; it is just a muddy turnout off the forest road. Hence the four star rating d spite the five star brook and forest! However, it should be mentioned that the amenities at campsites along other segments if the FLT have been developed and maintained not by the DEC but by different volunteer chapters of the trail organization who have adopted certain local segments; this Bucks Brook section just hasnt been adopted yet! It has the potential for being a 5-star primitive camping experience if upgraded a bit; volunteers should feel free to step forth!
For more on the Bucks Brook section if the Finger Lakes Trail, go to this link: http://www.cnyhiking.com/FLT-BucksBrookSF.htm
- Janet R.Legend
Balsam Swamp State Forest
Balsam Pond campsites
Update: since my original visit, there have been some good upgrades including new portapotty. Some of the campsites are still in need of some TLC. The location is beautiful, but the campground seems to get heavy use and has some wear and tear. Balsam Pond has a reputation as a good local fishing spot featuring trout, bass, and even tiger muskies. The pond itself is beautiful and Is one of the larger state forest ponds in the area preserved in a natural state with no shoreline development other than the small campground and the public boat launch. If you are coming for a good fishing or boating experience, you wont be disappointed as the newly built boat launch can accommodate trailers for easy access and also has a well built handicapped accessible fishing pier. Once out on the water you will enjoy good fishing or wildlife watching or paddling.
However, if you are coming here primarily for the camping experience you may be disappointed. Though the natural setting is picturesque and secluded, the campground is not well maintained. Some of the sites have new picnic tables, some have old tables that are falling apart, and some have none at all. Some have official steel fire rings, some have stone fire rings that are crumbling. All are drive in sites, some meant for trailers and others with green space for tents. A few sites are much too close to the entrance road, most are set back further in the woods, and a few are right by the lake. Unfortunately, when we were there, previous campers had strewn garbage around most of the sites; it seemed to have been there for a while so it seems there is not regular maintanence by the DEC. There is also supposed to be an outhouse at the campground, but there isnt one now. Hence my low ranking of the campground despite its nice setting.
if you would like to camp at Balsam Pond but prefer a better option than the campground, there is one paddle-in site set away from the campground where you can Leave No Trace and hopefully other like-minded campers have done the same. You are also allowed to make your own dispersed campsite at any location of your choice within the Balsam Swamp State Firest, as long as you are more than 150 feet from the lakeshore.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Aurora, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Aurora, NY is Sugar Hill Fire Tower Campsite with a 4.7-star rating from 9 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Aurora, NY?
TheDyrt.com has all 9 dispersed camping locations near Aurora, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.