Cabin camping near Big Indian, New York offers visitors access to the western Catskill Mountains at elevations between 1,500-2,500 feet. The region experiences four distinct seasons with summer temperatures typically ranging from 55-80°F, while winter brings significant snowfall from December through March. Water access varies significantly between campgrounds, with some cabin sites offering streamside locations along the Willowemoc Creek and Esopus Creek watersheds.
What to do
Hiking trails access: Most cabin accommodations near Mills Norrie State Park Campground are within 30 minutes of popular trailheads. "There are great hiking trails on the Hudson River right outside your campsite," notes one visitor about the park's convenient location.
Fishing opportunities: Cabin campers at Willowemoc Campgrounds enjoy direct access to trout streams. The campground's wooded setting provides shade during summer months when water temperatures rise. "Love this place, wife grew up going there and now I have the pleasure of doing the same with our kids," explains a regular visitor who enjoys the fishing tradition.
Wildlife viewing: Many cabins include outdoor seating areas for nature observation. "Our site was on the creek and we went with three little nieces who had a wonderful time," shares a camper at Rip Van Winkle Campgrounds, noting the abundant wildlife activity around water features.
What campers like
Creek access: Several cabins feature direct water access for summer cooling. "We took our chairs and plopped down in the water," explains a visitor to Rip Van Winkle Campgrounds who appreciated the creek-side location during warm weather.
Privacy options: Blue Mountain Reservation maintains cabins with more separation between sites. "The campsites are nothing special here, they come with a picnic table, fire ring, and charcoal grill," notes a visitor who appreciated the basic but functional setup.
Charcoal grilling: Most cabin sites include permanent cooking fixtures. "I used the charcoal grill every night to cook our meals so that worked out perfectly," shares a camper who stayed at Blue Mountain Reservation while exploring eastern Catskills trails.
Pool facilities: Some cabin locations offer additional water options. "Nice pool that is shallow so you can relax and let the little ones go in the water park section alone or they have a 3 ft pool also," explains a visitor about Jellystone Park Gardiner's family-friendly swimming options.
What you should know
Seasonal operations: Most cabin facilities close during winter. "This campground is great. Lots of activities a pool access, food court and basketball courts," notes a visitor to Thousand Trails Rondout Valley, which operates from April through early November.
Bathroom facilities: Quality and quantity vary widely between properties. "The bathrooms needed updating and people at the tent area made a comment that it took a while to get a turn at the showers," reports a camper at Jellystone Park about the high-season bathroom congestion.
Site selection limitations: Some campgrounds pre-assign cabins rather than allowing guest selection. "I was a little skeptical that we wouldn't get to choose our site, but you can't go wrong, they are all wooded, private and well situated," notes a visitor about Rip Van Winkle's cabin assignment system.
Noise considerations: Proximity to transportation corridors affects some locations. "It was situated right across the Hudson River from a highly active nighttime freight train route, and the noise from the horns and then being awake for a few minutes as the train clattered by," explains a Mills Norrie State Park visitor about occasional nighttime disturbances.
Tips for camping with families
Activity planning: Schedule around peak participation times at larger campgrounds. "This campground has a lot of activities but some were repetitive. It looks like Saturdays have the best activities but we were not there on a Saturday," advises a Jellystone Park visitor.
Playground proximity: Consider cabin location relative to common areas. "Kids were at the playground 8 am or before and the noise woke us up. The kids were around until about 10:30 or so each night," notes a family who stayed near the recreation area at Jellystone Park.
Rental options: Boheme Retreats offers renovated vintage campers as an alternative to traditional cabins. "I stayed in Rosa, a vintage Shasta camper that has been renovated to perfection. She has all the amenities one could need to spend time away from the hustle and bustle of your daily life," explains a visitor who enjoyed the unique accommodations.
Meal planning: Consider kitchen facilities when selecting cabins. "While she is tiny, there was plenty of room to move about inside the camper and the pull out futon was perfect for a good nights rest," shares a visitor about Boheme Retreats' compact but functional cooking space.
Tips from RVers
Campground security: Several locations offer enhanced security features. "Loved having gated security. My husband went on a work trip and left me alone for a few days and we left our rig to take the train into the city for the weekend and we had no problems," explains an RV owner about their extended stay experience.
Site leveling: Terrain varies significantly between cabin and RV sites. "Very easy to level and setup on #7. Full connections," notes a visitor about their trouble-free setup experience at one of the more developed campgrounds.
Off-season considerations: Shoulder season visits offer advantages for cabin and RV campers. "The campground was nicely maintained and space was restricted between sites due to Covid," reports a visitor to Mills Norrie State Park about their uncrowded experience during restricted operations.
