Best Dispersed Camping near Castleton-on-Hudson, NY
Several free dispersed camping options exist within a 50-mile radius of Castleton-on-Hudson, New York, primarily in state forests and wilderness areas. Ushers Road State Forest offers primitive tent and RV camping with established fire rings approximately 200 feet from the main trail. Betty Brook Camp and Duck Pond Campsite provide streamside camping with existing fire pits, though access to Duck Pond requires navigating rough dirt roads unsuitable for large vehicles. Burnt Rossman State Forest features easily accessible roadside camping, with space for 2-3 vehicles.
Across the state border in Vermont, George D Aiken Wilderness Dispersed and NFR 273 Dispersed Camping Spot offer more remote options. Both feature multiple well-spaced sites along forest service roads where alcohol and campfires are permitted. A review mentioned that NFR 273 has "at least a dozen spots, some very spacious," while George D Aiken Wilderness sites are "large, well organized camping spots along the road." For hikers, Echo Lake in the Catskills provides lakeside tent sites with fire pits, though a review noted it "can get a little crowded later in the day" and "swampy near the edge of the lake."