Best Campgrounds near Black River, NY

Campgrounds around Black River, New York provide a mix of developed facilities and natural settings along Lake Ontario and the Thousand Islands region. Established campgrounds like Wellesley Island State Park, Black River Bay Campground, and Fort Drum Recreation Area accommodate tent, RV, and cabin camping with varying levels of amenities. The region includes multiple state parks with electric hookups and both waterfront and wooded sites, particularly concentrated along the shorelines of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.

Road access and site availability vary significantly by season, with most campgrounds operating from May through October. Many campgrounds require advance reservations, especially for premium waterfront locations. "Sites are large level concrete. You can watch ships on the seaway from the front," noted one camper at Swan Bay Resort. Weather conditions can change quickly near the lake, creating potential challenges for unprepared campers. State park campgrounds generally offer cleaner facilities and more spacious sites than private alternatives, though amenities vary widely. Cell service can be limited at some locations, particularly those farther from population centers.

Waterfront camping represents a significant draw throughout the region, with access to fishing, boating, and swimming opportunities. Several visitors mentioned the importance of securing lakeside sites early due to their popularity. A camper at Westcott Beach State Park Campground commented, "You can get campsites along Lake Ontario where you can see amazing sunsets. It does get a bit crowded at the beach where people day visit but other than that it was a very pleasant experience overall and the campsites are pretty spaced out." Family-friendly amenities appear consistently across both state and private campgrounds, with playgrounds and recreational areas common features. The region experiences significant seasonal fluctuations, with busy summer weekends contrasting sharply with quieter weekday periods, especially after Labor Day when crowds diminish considerably.

Best Camping Sites Near Black River, New York (78)

    1. Wellesley Island State Park Campground

    29 Reviews
    Thousand Island Park, NY
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 482-2722

    $20 - $188 / night

    "Our site is located adjacent to a mowed grass path that leads to the main road, close to the camp store. Beautiful area, lots of hiking and biking trails and swim area."

    "Walking areas. Access to water for swimming."

    2. Fort Drum Recreation Area

    1 Review
    Fort Drum, NY
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 772-8222

    3. Sun Outdoors Association Island

    15 Reviews
    Henderson Harbor, NY
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 709-1174

    $53 - $116 / night

    "The sunsets were spectacular and our site was literally just steps from Lake Ontario. All sites are full hook up. Wifi is available and fairly good."

    "Great location offering both sunrise and sunsets over the water of Lake Ontario. Loved the access to the water for our dogs to swim and for beautiful views."

    4. Swan Bay Resort - The 1000 Islands Premier RV Park & Marina

    13 Reviews
    Thousand Island Park, NY
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 262-8297

    "It’s an easy mile from I-81 and just 10-minutes drive to Alexandria Bay downtown. The staff was great— friendly and helpful."

    "We paralleled Cayuga Lake (which is part of the Finger Lakes) for some time and then took the Great Lakes Seaway Trail."

    5. Black River Bay Campground

    1 Review
    Sackets Harbor, NY
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 639-3735

    6. Westcott Beach State Park Campground

    3 Reviews
    Sackets Harbor, NY
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 646-2239

    $27 / night

    "You can get campsites along Lake Ontario where you can see amazing sunsets."

    "Nice hiking trail as well."

    7. Natural Bridge/Watertown KOA

    1 Review
    Natural Bridge, NY
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 644-4098

    $40 - $131 / night

    "The sites are small, but there are mature trees between them & woodsy areas around the campsites. The campground is clean and well kept. The laundry room and bathrooms were clean."

    8. Cedar Point State Park Campground

    7 Reviews
    Clayton, NY
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 654-2522

    $20 - $33 / night

    "Cedar Point is in a very nice location,our site that I booked was not in a ideal location being on the road to the boat launch, ( my fault ) Camping went fine until the last couple of days when people"

    "Biking and hiking trails through the woods and on the bluffs. The campground is deep in the woods with spacious camp sites. Very secluded. Take a walk down to the beach as well."

    9. Bedford Creek Marina & Campground

    1 Review
    Sackets Harbor, NY
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 679-5454

    $65 - $999 / night

    "I love everyone riding around on golf carts"

    10. Long Point State Park Campground — Thousand Islands

    4 Reviews
    Chaumont, NY
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 649-5258

    $17 - $26 / night

    "Right on Lake Ontario and proximity to Saint Lawrence attractions make this a busy place. Its basically a field woth campsites."

    "Almost always a breeze and storms can come up quickly off the lake - be sure to keep things put away and weighted down, and be ready to “batten down the hatches” as my dad used to say!"

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Recent Reviews near Black River, NY

246 Reviews of 78 Black River Campgrounds


  • Marc D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 21, 2025

    Old Forge Camping Resort

    Very large camping resort

    This is a surprisingly large facility with multiple options, including cabins, tent, and RV sites. We were there in late October on a Saturday night when they were having a big Halloween festival, so very crowded but festive environment. Everybody packed up and left the following morning.Close to the town of old Forge and Lakes. Beautiful area.

  • Robert B.
    Oct. 7, 2025

    Cedar Point State Park Campground

    Very nice

    Cedar Point is in a very nice location,our site that I booked was not in a ideal location being on the road to the boat launch, ( my fault ) Camping went fine until the last couple of days when people starting walking through our site, looked liked a group of people who knew each other and we were in their way.

  • David H.
    Sep. 2, 2025

    Eel Weir State Park Campground

    Clean and vary nice area on river

    I love how it has great fishing and nice camp sites even let's you bring a boat nice clean showers and bathroom can easily find firewood near by as well..

  • T&J  F.
    Aug. 27, 2025

    Yogi Bears Jellystone Park Camp Resort at Mexico

    Unfortunate

    Pros: river is awesome, wading, catching crayfish, cooling off. Staff were consistently friendly. Sites were flat, easy to level travel trailer. Plenty of kid activities, foam party, obstacle course, balloon launch, etc. Large store. Game room. Bathrooms (at least near the playground) were spacious, with toilet, sink, shower. Cons: signs/photo ops were crooked/loose/broken. Planted annual flowers were dead, overgrown with weeds. Miniature golf holes were falling apart. Bounce pad had a hole in it. The sand from around the edge was blowing from that hole into kids eyes, nose, mouth. Bathrooms were dirty; each has a 2-roll toilet paper dispenser; by early evening two stalls had zero TP left. Tent sites had used toilet paper along the tree line where others had used it as a bathroom. Fire pits were old tire rims, which worked, but unable to cook anything on it

  • Scott H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 15, 2025

    1000 Islands Campground

    Close to Alexandria Bay

    We've camped there twice on extended weekends to visit the Bay and castles. Golf carts are welcome. The only issue was that people were not picking up after their dogs. We saw and had multiple dog piles in our campsite and on other parts of the campground.

    The ice cream shop Gals is wonderful!! PJs Ratrace had incredible fish fries. Both places are very near the campground.

  • Amandalynn P.
    Aug. 10, 2025

    Green Pond - Bonaparte State Forest

    Great little spot to get away

    This is our go to area close to town but still just want to get away from it all. DEC is nice and stop and talk to the campers. There is a doc down the road for boats and fishing!

  • E
    Aug. 5, 2025

    Wellesley Island State Park Campground

    Family of 4 Tent Camping

    We stayed at site Bluejay 3. Very spacious and private. We reserved the site 3 days prior and still found most waterfront campsites already reserved. Luckily, 2 waterfront sites were available at Bluejay 2 and 3 when we arrived, so we spent most of the time there fishing and canoeing. Bathrooms were a short walk down the road and mostly clean. Will certainly be back!

  • Paula G.
    Jul. 22, 2025

    Streamside RV Park & Golf Course

    Great place!

    This is a privately owned very nice campground! The owners take pride in their business and the grounds are meticulously kept. Everyone here is a golfer and there are no children.


Guide to Black River

Camping around Black River, New York includes options for both primitive and developed sites with access to the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario waters. The region features several state parks within a 25-mile radius, with camping seasons typically running from May through October. Winter conditions make most campgrounds inaccessible from November through April due to snow accumulation and freezing temperatures.

What to do

Boating and fishing access: Wellesley Island State Park Campground provides a marina, boat launch and rentals for water activities. "There's a marina, boat launch and boat rentals. Docking. You can even day trip it use public grills and still enjoy everything the park has to offer," notes a camper.

Hiking opportunities: The park network offers trails suitable for day hikes. "Nice place to ride your bike with a few hills," mentions one visitor about Wellesley Island. Another reports, "Hiking trails all over the park."

Castle explorations: Multiple historic castles provide cultural activities within short drives. "You're 10 min from Alexandria Bay. Boldt castle, singer castle, you can go on river cruises and view these beautiful islands and homes on them," shares a camper at Cedar Point State Park Campground. "A great place for family and friends."

Swimming areas: Many campgrounds maintain designated swimming beaches. "The beach is nice but can get crowded," notes a visitor about Cedar Point State Park. "Playground and beach are awesome for family time."

What campers like

Waterfront sites: Sun Outdoors Association Island offers premium water access. "Our site was a pull in and we faced a western view of Lake Ontario. We were treated to gorgeous sunsets and minimal light pollution at night. The stars were everywhere. We were able to drop our kayaks right in the water in front of our rig and paddle to our heart's content."

Spacious camping areas: Many campsites provide room to spread out. A camper at Wellesley Island State Park Campground mentioned, "We stayed at site Bluejay 3. Very spacious and private. We reserved the site 3 days prior and still found most waterfront campsites already reserved."

Natural beauty: The region features distinctive scenery. "The water is clear and cool," reports a camper at Sun Outdoors Association Island. Another notes, "You'll never see more beautiful sunrises and sunsets!"

Affordability: State parks offer cost-effective options. A camper at Wellesley Island stated, "NYS may get tons of flack for its politics and politicians. However they're doing it all correct in their state parks. This park is amazing. Inexpensive I mean really inexpensive."

What you should know

Reservation timing: Popular waterfront sites require advanced planning. "If you don't grab a lakeside campsite early they will def be taken so reserve early!" advises a visitor to Westcott Beach State Park Campground.

Wind conditions: Lakeside areas experience significant wind. A reviewer at Swan Bay Resort noted, "Our neighbor (who has camped here seasonally for the last four years) mentioned that he lost three awnings to the wind. So, don't leave your awning out when you leave your camper and beware of winds if you want to be on the water."

Site variations: Campgrounds offer different levels of privacy and shade. "If you're tent camping and booking through reserve america, I HIGHLY recommend perusing the site map for some time to find a site close to the water and farther from the RV ring," suggests a camper at Wellesley Island.

Beach crowding: Public beach areas can become busy during peak periods. A Westcott Beach visitor mentioned, "It does get a bit crowded at the beach where people day visit but other than that it was a very pleasant experience overall and the campsites are pretty spaced out."

Tips for camping with families

Playground facilities: Bedford Creek Marina & Campground and other parks provide dedicated play areas. "Wonderful staff wonderful setting just always have a wonderful time there. I love everyone riding around on golf carts," notes a visitor.

Recreation programs: Some parks offer organized activities. One camper at Cedar Point mentioned the park has "a staffed rec hall with activities like scavenger hunts, art contests, and ping pong. Or you can borrow a book, hang a hammock and relax on the river."

Wildlife awareness: Local fauna requires proper food storage. Multiple campgrounds report regular visits from raccoons and skunks. "Watch out for the skunks and raccoons on this island, they are huge from partaking in campers food!" warns a Wellesley Island visitor.

Island experiences: Several campgrounds occupy island or peninsula locations. "You're on the same island as Boldt Castle. You need to pay a toll to get to the island. It's big enough that you can forget you're on an island," notes a visitor about Wellesley Island.

Tips from RVers

Site surfaces: Swan Bay Resort - The 1000 Islands Premier RV Park & Marina provides developed pads. "Sites are concrete pad and gravel with FHU and everything worked great," reports a visitor.

Hookup availability: Various electric and water options exist throughout the region. "Electric and water on many sites. Cottages cabins and primitive sites available," notes a visitor at Wellesley Island. Another camper mentioned, "There are water spigots around the loop to fill up your fresh tank before setting your jacks."

Access considerations: Roads and entrances vary by location. "It's an easy mile from I-81 and just 10-minutes drive to Alexandria Bay downtown," reports a Swan Bay visitor.

Seasonal differences: Weather and occupancy change dramatically. One camper at Swan Bay observed, "I'll start by saying Swan Bay is a busy, family-oriented campground. We arrived on a weekend and it was pretty busy but loved it during the week when everybody left and things were quieter."

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Black River, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, Black River, NY offers a wide range of camping options, with 78 campgrounds and RV parks near Black River, NY and 8 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Black River, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Black River, NY is Wellesley Island State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 29 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Black River, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 8 free dispersed camping spots near Black River, NY.