161 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Campgrounds near Berne, New York include a mix of state parks and private facilities within a 30-mile radius of the town. Thompson's Lake Campground at Thacher State Park offers lakeside tent sites and RV accommodations with electric hookups, while Max V. Shaul State Park Campground provides a smaller, more secluded forest camping experience. The region includes several options for cabin camping, with properties like A Promise to Gaia/Garden of One offering a more intimate glamping experience. Most established campgrounds in the area accommodate both tent and RV camping, with several offering full hookup sites for electricity, water and sewer connections.
Camping in the Berne area operates seasonally, with most campgrounds open from May through mid-October. Thompson's Lake Campground typically opens in late April and closes around October 10, while North-South Lake Campground has a slightly longer season extending to October 22. Winter camping options are limited, though some facilities like Frosty Acres Campground maintain a small winter section. Reservation requirements vary by campground, with state parks generally requiring advance booking through the New York State reservation system. Many campgrounds in this region have well-maintained facilities and modern bathhouses. A camper at Max V. Shaul noted, "Great campsite, cleanest facilities ever! Good adjustable campfire cooking rack. Friendly staff."
The camping experience near Berne benefits from proximity to water features, with several campgrounds situated on lakes or rivers. Thompson's Lake Campground receives consistently positive reviews for its beach area, swimming opportunities, and boat rentals. As one visitor mentioned, "They have a great beach with swimming, kayak and boat rentals, a nature center next door you can walk to and the bathrooms are refurbished!" Family-friendly amenities are common, with playgrounds and organized activities available at several locations. While some campgrounds like Schodack Island State Park offer spacious sites with good privacy, others may have more closely situated camping areas. The Berne region provides a balance of natural seclusion and accessibility, being within an hour's drive of Albany and other Capital District communities.
"Some of the lakeside sites have private foot trails down to the water which was very nice."
"Hiking was near by and also the beach and if you wanted to drive to where the falls are and the overlook it wasn't too far! We had an amazing time!"
from $17 / night
Check Availability"The park ensures you’ll have what you need with stores within close proximity and the staff even offers ice and firewood delivery to your site."
"Wonderful hikes and beautiful walks. Boat docks looked pretty easy for ins and outs, and the pavilions were huge!"
from $17 - $26 / night
Check Availability"Just ok distance between camp sites. If we return we might try the more upper loop further from the front"
"Watched a video on YouTube that was a walk through of each site. So peaceful. Lots of good hiking. Sinks for dishes, clean bathrooms and showers."
from $17 - $50 / night
Check Availability"Our first campground was in New York Aug 8th. Unfortunately, Debbie was socking New York hard. North South Lake Campground in the Catskills was our camping home."
"This is a truly beautiful and scenic campground, easily one of the best places we have visited in New York State."
from $22 - $44 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $75 - $239 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $22 - $32 / night
Check Availability"We were next to a little fenced in area for dogs that our dog loved."
"Well maintained, located on the Mohawk River. Shady, grassy areas. Boat launch and pier. Friendly people. A perfect campground."
"Our site was on top of the creek, close to the path down to the water and close to a hiking trail. During our visit we drove around the nearby towns and didn't find much to see or do with our time."
"We had reservations about being side by side with other RVs but the site we were in was so big and being in a valley with huge trees all around a large open grassy area in the middle made everything feel"
"There are water spigots near all the tent sites and they are nice and spread out. They have special events in a pavilion near the RVs including bingo"
from $34 - $55 / night
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ScoutWe have been seasonal campers for years. It is very quiet.I live around 7 minutes from this campsite and i will always come back. The owner talks to you no matter where you see him. He helps you out with anything you need. He is always busy doing something . If anything goes wrong on your campsite he is quick to fix it. I appreciate everything he is doing.
GuideThis is a truly beautiful and scenic campground, easily one of the best places we have visited in New York State. The campsites are well laid out, the surroundings are stunning, and the entire campground is very clean and well maintained. We visited in October, and it was pleasantly uncrowded, which made the experience even more enjoyable. The peaceful atmosphere and beautiful fall scenery made for a perfect camping trip. I'm not sure how busy it gets during the peak summer season, but our autumn visit was fantastic. We had a wonderful time and will definitely be coming back.
GuideOur site had a lot of space. Watched a video on YouTube that was a walk through of each site. So peaceful. Lots of good hiking. Sinks for dishes, clean bathrooms and showers.
ScoutWe have camped for years all over the Northeast and have never experienced campground staff as rude, patronizing, and overbearing as we did at Devil’s Tombstone Campground. It felt like our group was constantly being watched and corrected over every minor thing imaginable instead of simply being treated like paying guests trying to enjoy the weekend. The campground itself was disappointing, but the staff attitude was by far the worst part of the experience. Unless you want to be nitpicked every time you do literally anything, then you might not want to camp here.
ScoutWe have camped for years all over the Northeast and have never experienced campground staff as rude, patronizing, and overbearing as we did at Devil’s Tombstone Campground. It felt like our group was constantly being watched and corrected over every minor thing imaginable instead of simply being treated like paying guests trying to enjoy a weekend camping. The campground itself was disappointing, but the staff attitude was by far the worst part of the experience. We do not recommend this campground to anyone, unless you want to have anxiety when they drive by every 5 minutes to check on every minor thing. By the way, the walk from the check in shack to the end of the campground is at most 0.2 miles.
ScoutFYI this is my first time ever writing a negative campground review, but this experience deserves one. Our large family group stayed at Devil’s Tombstone Campground over Memorial Day weekend, and despite having camped dozens of times over the years, this was by far the worst campground and staff experience we’ve ever had.
When we arrived there was no caretaker present, no cell service to call the posted number, and we were later condescendingly told we “should have checked in” and “should have knocked”— both of which we did. We were then told the posted number was “only for emergencies,” despite nowhere stating that. The first caretaker who checked us in was pleasant, but after that it felt like staff constantly monitored and corrected our group over extremely minor issues: partially parking on grass, briefly parking near the bathroom walkway, plugging into an outlet near the restroom during 40-degree rainy weather, hanging signs, and even checking our tarp lines on trees. Many of these rules were not posted anywhere.
After someone plugged into the bathroom outlet because they were freezing (there was no sign that said you couldn't and it was not listed in the rules), the bathroom power was shut off entirely, leaving the bathrooms without lights at night, which created an obvious safety issue. Around the same time, a camera suddenly appeared near the outlet area, which felt excessive and uncomfortable.
Meanwhile, staff spent hours mowing, weed-whacking, and chain sawing during the middle of Friday on Memorial Day weekend while simultaneously nitpicking campers over every little thing.
The final straw was being told we could not use a fully enclosed propane fire pit with no embers during cold, windy, rainy weather. After expressing frustration over the constant nitpicking, forest rangers were called on us the next morning. Staff reportedly told them we had garbage and food everywhere, which was completely false. Thankfully the rangers themselves were respectful and seemed to quickly realize we were simply a group trying to enjoy our weekend.
The campground itself was also very misleading compared to online photos. The “lake” is more like a shallow pond unsuitable for meaningful fishing, kayaking, or swimming. The supposedly stocked creek running through the campground was completely dry, there is no running water in the bathrooms, and a main road cuts directly through the campground with traffic flying by at highway speeds.
We still managed to have fun because we enjoy spending time outdoors together, but we would absolutely not return or recommend this campground.
RangerBetween Sage's Ravine and Jug End Road there are five backcountry campsites on the Appalachian Trail. Sage's Ravine Laurel Ridge Race Brook Falls (with a shelter) The Hemlocks (with a shelter) Glen Brook (with a shelter) After descending Mt. Everett, you descend to Guilder Pond State Park. It is a day use park with trash cans and in season it also has a porta potty and a few picnic tables. No camping besides those already mentioned, which are all A.T. campsites. Jug End Road allows overnight parking (often used by folks hiking the A.T.) but I wouldn't classify that as dispersed camping unless you just need a place to pull over and sleep for a night. Each site mentioned, with the exception of Race Brook, is no more than .2 off the A.T.
TravelerGreat spot, great location. FYI to anyone who comes in the winter, it's not plowed, so you may need to adjust your plans accordingly.
ScoutLean-to is just off the Mink Hollow trail near the Devil's Path there is an outhouse near lean-to. A reliable piped spring is a quarter mile away.
Campgrounds surrounding Berne, New York sit at elevations between 1,000-1,500 feet in the Helderberg Mountains, creating cooler summer temperatures than nearby Albany. The camping season typically runs from mid-May through mid-October, with most facilities closing for winter due to harsh conditions and limited access. Forest camping predominates with mixed hardwood and pine stands providing natural site separation at many locations.
Hiking at Thacher State Park: Thompson's Lake Campground provides direct access to multiple trails. "It was fantastic! The workers there were friendly and the campers were respectable and kind. Hiking was near by and also the beach and if you wanted to drive to where the falls are and the overlook it wasn't too far!" reports Katarina P.
Kayaking and boating: North-South Lake Campground offers rentals and launch facilities on two connected lakes. Chris D. notes, "The lake offers great swimming and boating. The biggest draw is the proximity to the Capital District. Less than an hour from Albany, so it's an easy way to get out of the city for a day or two."
Wildlife observation: Bird enthusiasts find excellent opportunities at Schodack Island State Park Campground. According to Patsy E., "Best part was hiking out to a couple of different blinds to look for birds. Did see a juv eagle. Not time to fully explore."
Visiting Kaaterskill Falls: A major attraction just minutes from North-South Lake Campground. Brittany W. mentions, "Located just about a mile from Kaaterskill Falls this campground couldn't be in a better spot. We had a wonderful weekend there."
Privacy between sites: Max V. Shaul State Park Campground receives praise for site separation. Holly R. states, "The Max V. Shaul State Park is small and quiet - only 30 sites here, which are large, flat and sited well apart from each other."
Clean facilities: Bathroom cleanliness stands out at several campgrounds. According to ryan S. at Max V. Shaul, "A nice site. Very clean facilities and incredibly nice staff. Just ok distance between camp sites."
Lakefront access: Private water access points enhance the experience at Thompson's Lake. Clayton H. reports, "Very friendly and helpful staff, well maintained property. Some of the lakeside sites have private foot trails down to the water which was very nice."
Winter camping options: Frosty Acres Campground maintains a small winter section. James S. shares, "We stayed from April until October then decided to stay over winter. They have a small winter section. You'll have the entire mountain side all to yourself! Snowshoe, cross country ski. Winter campfires."
Water quality varies: Some campgrounds have reported issues with water systems. At Nickerson Park, a camper warned, "The water smelled like raw sewage, loaded with sediment and very discolored. Little to no pressure and a couple times no water at all."
Road noise: Some campgrounds experience traffic sounds. Tom S. observed at Max V. Shaul, "There is a well traveled road near the park so you get traffic noise. The bath house is clean and modern."
Limited cell service: Connectivity can be spotty in the hills around Berne. At Country Roads Campground, visitors note variable reception depending on carrier and exact location.
Reservation requirements: State parks fill quickly during peak season. A camper at North-South Lake advised, "Always packed, but always beautiful. Avoid holidays to avoid the crowds."
Playground access: Thompson's Lake Campground offers dedicated play areas. Dana O. mentions, "This campground has always been my go to. Now that I have kids, I appreciate the playground area near the beach more. All public areas including the bathrooms are very clean."
Family-friendly activities: Nickerson Park Campground offers organized events and water features. Paummi S. reports, "We loved the pool, walking to the creek, and how wonderfully quiet it was most of the time. The staff was super helpful in explaining how to prepare our kayaks for use on the reservoir and with trash pick up and information about weekend activities."
Educational opportunities: Nature centers provide learning experiences. Sarah S. notes about Nickerson Park, "Groups of sites sit on level terraces stepped down toward the river. The center area of each grouping of sites had a common use area with tether ball, playgrounds, privies, or additional parking."
Water recreation: Swimming areas with beach access appeal to families with children. At North-South Lake, Lizz H. states, "I go there almost every year to go swimming with my family and friends and it's always a good time."
Site leveling: RV campsites at Schodack Island State Park offer relatively flat, spacious spots. Kara W. reports, "The sites are amongst the most spacious I've ever seen. RV sites offer 30/50 amp electricity."
Pet requirements: Many campgrounds require documentation for pets. Kara W. warns, "Be sure to bring your dogs rabies records!! They don't let you in with just the tag, it has to be the paper records."
Hookup availability: Sites with full connections are limited at campgrounds near Berne. At Arrowhead Marina & RV Park, Coffee&Camping T. notes, "Well maintained, located on the Mohawk River. Shady, grassy areas. Boat launch and pier. Friendly people. A perfect campground."
Trash service: Some campgrounds offer direct site pickup. William R. mentions at Country Roads, "Mainly an RV ground, but they have about 10-15 great tent sites back beyond the RV area. There are water spigots near all the tent sites and they are nice and spread out."
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Berne, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, Berne, NY offers a wide range of camping options, with 161 campgrounds and RV parks near Berne, NY and 15 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Berne, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Berne, NY is Thompson's Lake Campground — Thacher State Park with a 4.6-star rating from 7 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Berne, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 15 free dispersed camping spots near Berne, NY.
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