Are you planning a tent camping trip to Brooktondale? We've got you covered. Find the best information on tent camping near Brooktondale, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. Search nearby tent campgrounds or find top-rated spots from other campers.
We are a quiet, family-friendly, and peaceful RV park surrounded by nature’s beauty while offering easy on and off access from I-88 in New York’s Broome County. Both the access roads from the highway and our spacious RV campsites are ideally suited for big rigs! Our choice of shaded and sunny sites includes pull-thru sites that are over 60 feet in length, all with easy connections to full hookup utilities.
$53 - $65 / night
From the Spruce Pond Camping Area, wheelchair accessible features include the:
Primitive campsite (Site 1); and
Portable toilet (seasonal)
The campsite is approx. 75 feet from the parking area.
Primitive camping at Spruce Pond, from May 1 through September 30, requires a permit from the Lands and Forests office. Please call (607) 674-4036 ext. 600, M-F 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM to obtain a permit. For the remainder of the year, sites are available on a first come, first served basis.
You'll have full access to the tent site and 70 acres of hiking trails which connects to a larger network of trails that spans the Finger Lakes and continues west of New York.
$79 - $149 / night
Camp Earth Connection (CEC), a small woodland campground, located on a beautiful parcel of land with 62 acres of forests and fields surrounded by the Hammond Hill State Forest. The camp is adjacent to the Hammond Hill State Forest, with 20 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and cross country skiing. CEC is so more than just a campground. CEC offer’s a place that people can experience real connections with nature and each other. Some find the that connection during walks in the woods, or sitting by our wildlife pond. While others find it with family, friends or new friends from the CEC community via campfire chats, trail walks, camp workshops or an outdoor ping pong game. CEC is also place where some find emotional and physical healing in this relaxing atmosphere.
Camp Earth Connection includes 18 camp/cabin sites, plus adjacent to the camp, in Eshay's Forest, there are 3 additional cabins/cottages with full amenities. These include: The Tiny House Retreat Cabin, Forest Moon Cottage and the Mountain Queen Cabin. Each site is unique and offers different levels of privacy and solitude. Guests can choose to have some peaceful alone time or be more engaged in our small community during our community campfires, campfire pancake breakfasts or workshops. When you book a cabin or campsite at CEC, you have the opportunity to camp at your comfort level (or challenge yourself with less amenities) and experience nature in the raw.
Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Camp Earth Connection offers a variety of activities and workshops such as:
Camp Earth Connection offers individuals and families a chance to connect with each other and nature in a peaceful beautiful setting. Alcohol and drugs are prohibited to ensure this peaceful atmosphere and to allow folks to find serenity through our natural environment.
At CEC we are environmentally conscientious and do our best to preserve the natural surroundings and natural resources. We incorporate composting and recycling into our daily routine. We understand the importance of reducing the amount of resources we use, and re-using and re-generating whenever possible.
Camp Earth Connection values: Diversity, Acceptance and Community and welcomes diverse families and friends including the BIPOC and LGBTQ community. Camp Earth Connection welcomes and values people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. We do our best to make sure our guests feel safe, cared for and respected. We of course expect the same in return.
I hope you check out Camp Earth Connection, I don't believe you will be disappointed!
$35 - $85 / night
Guide
Pulled back and punted bc of Storm Debbie. Lucked out with a find in the Finger Lakes. Nice campground. Has everything you need. Small sites but fine for our hybrid. Ours was shady. Check out which side the hookups are on. Some not situated on the right side so you’ll need extra long cords. Just beautiful area. Hiked here. Drove to Watkins Glen-hiked-absolutely breathtaking. That campground is much larger. Went to Buttermilk Falls too.
Guide
Very well maintained. Some sites are close and some a spread out. About half of them are in the sun and half get shade all day. I switched sites after a day to get some solar charging. Clean bathrooms with flush toilets. Sign in near bathrooms on arrival. Dogs must be on a leash but I found a spot down the hill to the south where there are no campsites to let them play fetch for a bit.
Traveler
The tent site and the 70 acres of hiking trails sound like the perfect getaway for anyone looking to reconnect with nature. I love the idea of having access to such a large network of trails, especially with the Finger Lakes area offering so much natural beauty. By the way, if you’re ever in need of some inspiration or ideas for nature-related essays, check out Nature Essay Examples and Topic Ideas on https://www.topessaywriting.org/samples/nature —there’s a lot of helpful content there! Overall, this seems like the ideal spot for anyone wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Scout
Tent camping here felt like we were camping in a neighborhood backyard. We could hear so many different families talking and really doing everything you do while camping but the area felt so open and unobstructed voices carried and in the evening when everyone was building campfires the smoke could be overwhelming at times.
Traveler
Nice campground, sites are borderline close, and some are laid out funky. Bath houses get the job done, but nothing exciting.
Scout
Nice and calm place in that little State Forest. Internet and fire pits are available. All sites seem fairly similar, except two are tent-only (no car acces to the site).
Guide
5/5 Stars!
I recently stayed at Sned Acres Campground, and it was an incredible experience! The campground is beautifully maintained with stunning views of Cayuga Lake. The staff was friendly, welcoming, and went out of their way to make sure we had everything we needed. The facilities were spotless, and the campsites were spacious and well-kept. Whether you’re RVing or tent camping, there’s plenty of space and privacy.
The location is perfect for exploring the Finger Lakes region, with wineries, hiking, and local attractions just a short drive away. The peaceful atmosphere and serene surroundings made for a relaxing getaway. I can’t recommend Sned Acres enough – we’ll definitely be back!
Guide
Right at the intersection of Potomac Road and Chicken Coop road in the Finger Lakes National Forest. If heading North on Potomac Road, turn left at the intersection and you’ll find a parking lot. Into the woods around the Lake you’ll find free dispersed camping.
My mom and I stayed just in the parking lot and had no issues and weren’t bothered. NO AMENITIES
Ranger
Camped here for a one night stay. Campground was easy to locate and the road was in good shape.
We stayed in the space across from the port-a-pottie. The other camping spaces we close enough to see their campfire at night but far enough away that it's still quiet.
Campsites are level and long enough for a very small trailer. The trees are so thick we could not feed our solar panel.
Site has no water, no garbage service and no phone signal.
RangerWe came into the camping area on a Sunday and found site 7 available. While this is next to the road, it is also within 40 yards of the only potta potty in the park.
About 100 yards away was the public fishing dock and another camp site. There were two young men fishing there at about 7 PM.
There is no water or garbage services at this site. Most camping spots are ideal for tents or very small campers or trailers.
The camp sites I saw all seemed to be large and level spots all located beneath the tree canopy. Sites seemed disbursed enough to provide a modest level of privacy.
Would rate 5 stars if it had water and a garbage dumpster.
GuideI was initially worried about the other people camping here because I was almost immediately visited by them but the poor kids just needed to charge their phone so I obliged. Aside from that this was a short drive in and I was able to score a spot right on the pond next to a dock. People have driven in to fish and kayak so I don’t feel isolated and afraid, and I am just a few steps away from sitting on the dock and admiring the scenery.
There is a port-a-potty near the entrance but otherwise a “leave no trace” situation which is fine considering the ample forest coverage in case there is someone who drives in.
Each spot seems to have plenty of shade and access to downed firewood, and it looks like there are fire pits at each site. Lots of good tinder left over from previous guests which has been helpful.
Beautiful views, quiet, no insect issues so far, and if I had a rod and reel I wouldn’t need to worry for food at all. T-Mobile service has been exceptional as well. I am planning on staying here for a week or more and I see no reason to find another location as there is no fee or permit needed and you can stay up to 14 days I believe.
ScoutI love it here
Scout
Love being down here with the family.
Traveler
This was a nice spot, but the animals at the pond are very active and made a lot of noise in the night. Port-a-potty was available.
Legend
This park is technically a “state park” because the land for it was donated to the state for public use. However, once the state became the official stewards, there werent funds in the state budget to maintain it as a park. A lical group, the Friends of Salt Springs, stepped up and offered to maintain the park with funds raised by their group. The result is a small but unique property open to the public for day use (picnicking and hiking and fishing) along with 2 small rustic campgrounds. One campground has a large open mowed grassy meadow with level sites for car camping or small campers, no hookups are available but each site has a fire ring and picnic table. On the other side of the parks trout stream are seven secluded primitive hike-in tent sites along with three basic camper cabins. The Friends of Salt Springs makes a good effort to maintain these two rustic campgrounds, however it seems there isnt a ranger on site at night so a camper said the meadow campground can get a little noisy some nights. The hike in sites are relatively quiet and secluded though, and are positioned nicely along the stream, one site actually adjacent to a good swimming hole.
The camper cabins are basic with bunks, bring all your own gear. They are fairly new and have electricity but no water or heat.
On the grounds in the day use area are picnic spits, a pavilion, and an activity barn. When I was there, the barn was featuring a local quilt show.
The special aspect of this park are the hiking trails through old growth hemlock forest, said to be the largest hemlocks in Pennsylvania. The trout stream also cascades through some some waterfalls, and there are gorges with unique geology.
There is a village nearby with limited supplies, you may want to stock up on groceries before heading out to this somewhat remote park. There is, however, a local brewery, plus an odd coffee shop featuring both donuts and ammo, an unusual combination…..
LegendSome of the other state forests in the area are really nice, so I had high hopes for Long Pond but was disappointed. Long Pond is located in a state forest west of Smithfield Flats and Greene NY, and many locals come to Long Pond for fishing. The pond is quite large compared to other area pinds, and three are three accesses for fishing: a regular boat launch with parking lot and dock, a carry-in kayak access near campsite 6, and a handicapped accessible fishing puer near campsite 1. All seem to be very popular, and the lake is very scrnic and very productive for fisherman. The camping situation is a little strange though. Campsite 1 is adjacent to the handicapped fishing pier, and is supposedly an accessible campsite. Though an all terrain wheelchair could navigate from car to campsite, a regular one could not due to gravel. In addition, there is no outhouse by the site, only one quite a ways down the lake. Also, the parking area at this campsite seems to be a major party spot as beer cans were thrown all over and even in the water. It was sad to see this. The other campsites nearby are not located in a distinct campground, but are strung out along the shoreline clise to the highways, each with its own driveway right off the highway, which creates a lake of privacy as passersby can quite easily pop right in off the highway. This doesnt seem real secure, and some if the campsites closest to the road had evidence of driveby garbage dumpers who popped in and dumped household garbage right in a couple of the campsites. In addition, the relatively new outhouse installed near the middle of the camping area has been vandalized and damaged already. Its a shame to see this, as otherwise the campsites are large and shaded and well spaced from each other and close to the pond. But I wouldnt want to camp here given the garbage and security and vandalism issues. Also, other than fishing there isnt much too do as there arent designated hiking trails here, though you could drive a few miles away to access some truck trails that are in another part of the state forest. Get a map of the forest from the website ahead of time though, as the info kiosk has been damaged and all info and signs and maps are missing!
Legend
The coordinates lead you to a small parking area at the end of Grover Brown Rd, which is accessed by going north from Rt 23. The road itself is in pretty rough shape, and is marked with a sign that says it is a low maintanence road. But if you follow the road north to the end, you will come to a dead end and a parking circle that gives you the option of hiking north past a gate into the state forest on a hunting trail, or west onto the Finger Lakes Trail where dispersed camping is allowed within the state forest. However, the whole road in is a tough ride, it is posted extensively en route that you are passing private property with no trespassing allowed until you see the DEC sign announcing the border of the state forest. The parking area is overgrown, the neighbors aling the road en route seem frustrated with hikers coming into the forest via this route, and the Trailhead here for the Finger Lakes Trail is blocked by downed trees that seem to have been there for a while. While you might try to hike the trail for day use, I wonder if this may not be a great place to leave your car during a foray into the woods for dispersed camping. Although the Pharsalia Forest is beautiful throughout, and dispersed camping is allowed throughout, there are better places to access it. There are also designated primitive campsites in several locations in other areas of this state forest which are worthy of your camping adventures! You
LegendThis is a primitive state forest campground on the south shore of Stoney Pond. There are 15 drive-in campsites widely spaced and set into the woods, and two developed walk-in sites on the west shore. Site number 1 is quite flat and open and could accomodate a trailer or camper van but isnt very scenic. The other sites are great for tenting but the drive-ins are variable. There are several new clean outhouses with doors meant to be wide enough for wheelchairs, but the gravel roads of the campground are not very wheelchair friendly. There is one site set aside for picnicking and day use only, on a very pretty spit on the south shore. There is a small boat launch meant for canoes and kayaks and small non mototized fishing boats, alongside a gravel peninsula for shore fishing. The pond is pretty with mature shade trees, and the campground also has a trailhead to access a large network of hiking trails. If you want to backpack in, dispersed camping is allowed throughout the forest
Legend
This is a small county park and campground located east of Greene NY. It gets a lot if day use for fishing, hiking and picnicking. There is also a wooded campground, mostly RV’s and some tents. The sites are a bit crowded in, though the trees provide shade. For folks planning a group campout or family reunion, this would be a good option. For a solo camper who wants a bit if solitude, there is a better and super-nice option—the hike-in lean-to! Its a short hike in, and it is lively, well built shelter and nice fire pit. The small lake that is central to the park has nicely mowed shoreline paths around it, and the hiking trails in the woods are not brushy, but you still should be on the lookout for ticks. Price is reasonable compared to other area campgrounds, and you could access several other state forests and parks in the area for hiking etc note: though you can fish and paddle here, there is no swimming allowed!
ScoutAs for RV camping, this place is outdated. Sites are on top of one another, but some have good shade. Ours, site 6 didn't. Really can't walk to beach area or store. Cheap enough at $25. T-storms knocked out power overnight.
Legend
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:
ScoutAn ideal place to try difficult challenges geometry dash meltdown that I have never tried before.
LegendThis review is for the Morgan Hill primitve campsites at Spruce Pond. Although dispersed primitive camping is allowed elsewhere throughout the state forest, this is a group of ten established and well maintained primitive campsites right on Spruce Pond with fishing available and an amazing network of hiking and cross country ski trails along with mountain biking along the forest roads. There are fire grills and nicely developed tents sites, one nestled in the woods and three with their own pond access, and one is actually handicapped accessible with its own accessible fishing landing and an easy access to the parking lot. There is a brand new outhouse with wide accessible doorway as well. The setting is scenic and peaceful, and you can easily paddle or fish on the pond. You can also easily hike from here to the Labrador Hollow overlook where area hang-gliders launch, you might see some in action or at least get an amazing view of the Labrador Valley!
Note: a detailed map of the campground is here: https://extapps.dec.ny.gov/docs/regions_pdf/sprucepond.pdf
You may camp at this campground for free, but you do need a permit and should review the campground map to select your preferred site
Legend
This is a primitive undeveloped campsite, there is a clearing for tenting but no potable water or amenities of any kind. The site is adjacent to a small parking area and fishing access on a really beautiful pond, which is unnamed on the map but is an impoundment of Bear Wallow Creek so it can be considered Bear Wallow Pond. I have been there in both summer, when the shoreline wildflowers are riotous, and in fall when the changing leaves are breathtaking. If you camp here, you can kayak or fish on the pond, go mountain biking on the network of state forest roads that are all part of the Pharsalia Woods Game Refuge, or access the Finger Lakes Trail or Canasawacta Creek Trail (see website for this listing for map of the refuge and more info at https://cnyhiking.com/FLT-PharsaliaWMA.htm)
You can get to the site from state highway 23 via the Benedict Hill Rd, or from the hamlet of Beaver Meadow going south and west of Cole Hill via Mud Lane. A peaceful pretty wooded spot not far from either Norwich or South Otselic for an easy overnight or weekend. I give it 4 stars not for amenities but for being an idyllic example of a dispersed primitive site
Guide
Great all-around campground. Level sites with plenty of trees. Clean bath houses. Tons of biking and hike trails. A “beach” swim area that is like a resort. A golf course. A great option for families.
A really beautiful area to visit. A very cool brewery is just 4 miles away.
GuideWe stayed here for Memorial Day Weekend and really enjoyed Sned Acres. The Grounds are well taken care of (although some areas around the playgrounds and pool could have been weed whacked better) there is a lot of grass and wide open areas for playing games, walking your dogs and you can let your dogs drag their leashes so they have free roam and feel like they are running free. The large pond is nice, there were a lot of campers fishing. The general store is well stocked and the family running the campground and store are very friendly. There is a nice pool for the kids. The only thing that would make Sned better is a little more spacing between the sites, they are close (we were in F130) to where if you open your window shades in your camper your neighbors are 5-10 feet away from you. Would definitely stay again if in the area.
RangerWe stayed at Sugar Hill for about 10 days, arriving right after Memorial Day weekend. The campground offers a variety of great options for various rig sizes, accommodating different needs comfortably. Its location is convenient, just a 15-minute drive from Watkins Glen, making it an ideal base for exploring the area.
During our stay, the campsite never even got near half full, providing a peaceful and uncrowded experience. For those seeking more privacy, there are numerous secluded spots along the side roads throughout the park.
However, it's worth noting that WiFi and phone service are pretty limited, typically ranging between 1-2 bars. Despite this minor inconvenience, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would recommend Sugar Hill for its tranquility and proximity to local attractions.
Brooktondale, New York, offers a variety of tent camping options for outdoor enthusiasts looking to immerse themselves in nature. With scenic landscapes and unique amenities, campers can find the perfect spot to unwind.
Frequently Asked Questions
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