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Best Tent Camping near Cato, NY

344 Reviews

Tent campsites near Cato, New York range from established campgrounds to primitive backcountry sites in nearby state forests. Cross Lake Park Campgrounds offers tent camping with water access and swimming opportunities, while Morgan Hill State Forest provides free dispersed tent camping at the Onondaga Trailhead campground. Several state forests within driving distance of Cato feature walk-in tent locations for those seeking more remote experiences.

Most tent campgrounds in the Cato region have basic amenities, though facilities vary significantly between established and primitive sites. Cross Lake Park features playgrounds and lake access, while state forest campsites typically offer only fire rings with no running water or toilets. At Morgan Hill Forest's Onondaga Trailhead campground, campers will find cement pads with picnic tables and fire pits at some sites, but must bring their own water and be prepared to use primitive sanitation methods. A review noted, "While the campsites here are primitive and free, they are official developed campsites and not really dispersed campsites." Spruce Pond in Morgan Hill State Forest provides fire grills and developed tent sites, some with pond access.

Backcountry tent camping experiences near Cato offer varying levels of seclusion and natural features. The primitive sites at Spruce Pond Camping Area provide a peaceful setting with fishing opportunities and access to hiking trails. One camper described it as having "an amazing network of hiking and cross country ski trails along with mountain biking along the forest roads." Hall Island State Forest offers tent sites abutting the Salmon River Reservoir with opportunities for fishing. Nature Lover's Paradise provides tent campers with access to 70 acres of hiking trails in the Finger Lakes region. Most walk-in tent locations require campers to pack in their own supplies, including water, and practice leave-no-trace principles when camping in these more remote settings.

Best Tent Sites Near Cato, New York (13)

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Showing results 1-10 of 13 campgrounds

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Tent Camping Reviews near Cato, NY

344 Reviews of 13 Cato Campgrounds

  • Janet R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 18, 2024

    Morgan Hill Forest—Onondaga Trailhead campground

    Morgan Hill OT/NCST trailhead campground

    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: 

    https://dec.ny.gov/places/morgan-hill-state-forest

  • Gavin T.
    Oct. 23, 2017

    Blueberry Patch Campground — Green Mountain & Finger Lakes National Forests

    Simple

    The only Finger Lakes National Forest designated campground, Blueberry Patch offers a secluded experience in the heart of this sometimes overlooked beautiful geographic region in the State of New York. This campground offers a simple experience, with fire rings and picnic tables at each site and seems to accommodate just tent and small campers. Vault toilets available. On a week day in early summer, 3 of the 9 campsites we’re occupied. Can see it filling up on weekends. Enjoy!

  • K
    Jun. 29, 2021

    Sterling Creek Campground

    Nice tent spot, quiet, nice owner

    We stayed on a Monday night and it was very quiet. A lot of empty spaces. And a lot of seasonal campers were gone for the week. The owner was super nice and it was close enough to the State Park to run over to the beach. Nice large, flat spot with full shade. Maybe I'm still on Midwest pricing, but I get annoyed when I have to pay for a shower when I've played $25 for a non-electric and no water tent site. The bathrooms were clean.

  • N
    Jun. 14, 2019

    Blueberry Patch Campground — Green Mountain & Finger Lakes National Forests

    Great site

    What does blueberry patch campground offer? Large camp sites with a picnic table large enough for 6 adults (squeezed together), metal fire pit with grill, large tent footprint and space for 2-3 vehicles to park.

    For you fellow hammock campers reading this don’t worry! Most of the sites are compatible for hammocks, some sites you may have to be more creative to make it work.

    You can stay at this site for up to 14 days at $15pn (bring cash). There are two bathrooms on the site and bear proof dumpsters as well. There are many locals selling fire wood bundles for $5 each so no problems getting a fire going. Lastly for this part BRING WATER. There are no water sources near the site. There is a gas station about 15 minutes away on route 79 so make sure to fill up on water and snacks.

    The site is great. Lots of amenities and individual sites. They aren’t too far away from each other so you don’t feel completely isolated but far enough away to allow some privacy. There are some trails nearby and are worth a hike.

    Neil

  • J
    Aug. 15, 2021

    Cayuga Lake State Park Campground

    Great stay, choose your site wisely!

    We stayed 2 nights at site 1002. I think this site is one of the best in the campground! Very secluded and private. Be weary that some of the camp sites are closer to playgrounds than they appear on the map.

    Great facilities, dumpsters, potable water! Bring lots of bugspray and fire starters as it does rain up here which affects the fire wood.

  • Janet R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 23, 2024

    Stoney Pond State Forest Camping Area

    Primitive camping at Stoney Pond

    This 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

  • Tara S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 11, 2017

    Fillmore Glen State Park Campground

    Beautiful trails, busy campground

    We visited 6 state parks in the Finger Lakes region of New York this past summer. Fillmore Glen State Park was our favorite for hiking, but probably our least favorite for camping. The trails are uncrowded and well maintained. We hiked along the south rim trail and the gorge trail. The gorge trail is especially cool, with 9 foot bridges crisscrossing over the river. There are several gorgeous waterfalls, and the walk was shady and cool, even though it was a hot day. After hiking through the glen, we were hoping to cool off with a swim, but the swimming area was closed. Not sure why, but you can only swim when lifeguards are on duty, and there were No Swimming signs everywhere.

    The campground at Fillmore Glen was totally full when we stayed there. The sites offered little privacy and were very close together, plus you could here road noise loud and clear all through the night. The water faucet near our site was out of order, and the bathrooms were only clean in the morning. The sites were all wooded and shaded, with nice flat spots for tents, but I probably wouldn’t stay there again during the busy summer months. If you’re headed out that way, I would definitely recommend Fillmore Glen for a day trip, but I’d camp at either Robert Treman or Buttermilk Falls state park in Ithaca.

  • Kari M.
    Sep. 21, 2016

    Smith Memorial Park

    Great hiking trails, and beach nearby!

    Smith Memorial Park has a pretty great set up. You can camp and hike, while enjoying the beach and water activities. It is the best of both worlds. I camped here a few summers ago, and enjoyed my stay. I love hiking, and there were some really good trails nearby with some great views. The campground was great, each campsite has its own picnic table and fire ring. They also have restrooms and showers available for use too- I stayed a few nights so the showers worked out great. Our spot was fairly close, so it was within walking distance. What I really like about his campground is it is sort of secluded, and not very crowded. The campsite I stayed at was called "The Point" and it was quite and a great location. My sisters went one evening to a winery that was really close to our campsite called JR Dill, and we went to a great brewing company for dinner one night. The campground does provide firewood-which they offer for a pretty low cost. We did this, and enjoyed making smores over the campfire both nights we stayed. The beach is nice and is pretty close to the campground, within walking distance. Great for swimming, and I saw some people out on the lake with their boats. Enjoyed my stay, and would definitely come back again at some point!

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 1, 2023

    Six Circles Farm (Camp Elderberry)

    Beautiful and peaceful

    This was our first experience at a Hipcamp site, but we took advantage of a $30 promotion from REI and decided to try one out. Camp Elderberry is located on an organic vegetable farm in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Weekend tours of the farm are available for a nominal fee. There are two sites here, both quite separate from each other so they are very private. You can camp in an RV or in a tent on the grass. Due to recent rains, the grass was quite tall, so we did not go deep into our site, which had a view of Seneca Lake. No hookups at either site. 

    Communication with Lael was very good from the beginning, and he met us as we arrived to help us get settled. We arrived much later than planned due to a flat tire, so we did not spend much time exploring the property. There is also a ½ mile hike to the beach that I would have explored if we had arrived earlier. I had read there is a porta-potty, but we did not use it. There is also potable water and a cold-water shower. No WiFi, but the cell signal was strong on Verizon. There are many wineries nearby but again, because of our late arrival, they were all closed when we got there. 

    We have been exploring a variety of camping options including Tentrr, Harvest Host, RV parks, Corps of Engineers campgrounds, county parks, state parks, and national parks. Hipcamp campsites vary widely by accommodation and price. The price for Camp Elderberry was not unreasonable ($50) but is more expensive than most standard (non-private) campsites. We did enjoy the unique experience, however!

Guide to Cato

Tent camping near Cato, New York offers outdoor enthusiasts access to several state forests within a 30-mile radius. The region features a mix of flat farmland and rolling hills with elevations ranging from 400 to 700 feet above sea level. Summer temperatures typically range from 65-85°F, while spring and fall camping seasons bring cooler temperatures with occasional frost.

What to do

Fishing opportunities: At Hall Island State Forest, campers can access the Salmon River Reservoir for various fishing experiences. One visitor noted, "This site is one of a handful of primitive sites abutting the Salmon River Reservoir in Redfield, NY. All sites are first come, first serve, and free of charge."

Trail exploration: The Morgan Hill State Forest provides extensive hiking networks from several campgrounds. A camper at Spruce Pond Camping Area shared, "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!"

Wildlife observation: Night sounds create a natural soundtrack at forest campsites. A camper at Spruce Pond mentioned, "This was a nice spot, but the animals at the pond are very active and made a lot of noise in the night."

What campers like

Peaceful water access: Multiple tent sites in the region offer direct water access for swimming and paddling. A visitor to Cross Lake Park Campgrounds reported, "Fun place. Access to water and swimming. Nice playgrounds. We kayaked in the lake it was a lot of fun."

Seasonal fishing: The region is known for salmon fishing opportunities in fall. At Stoneys Pineville Campground, a visitor shared, "We have been out three years consecutively for salmon fishing and I have had a great time what a great place to stay."

Private hiking access: Some campgrounds offer exclusive trail networks. A camper at Nature Lover's Paradise appreciated "The tent site and the 70 acres of hiking trails sound like the perfect getaway for anyone looking to reconnect with nature."

What you should know

Toilet availability varies: Many primitive sites lack facilities completely. At Morgan Hill Forest—Onondaga Trailhead campground, a camper noted, "You would actually have to hike quite a long ways west on the Onondaga Trail 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."

Seasonal considerations: Tent camping in spring requires preparation for varied conditions. A visitor to Hall Island State Forest reported, "I checked out primitive site on my own early in April it was cold snowing and raining. It didn't take away from the campsite at all though."

Navigation challenges: Forest roads may lack clear signage. One camper advised about Morgan Hill Forest, "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."

Tips for camping with families

Safety measures: Some campgrounds enforce slow speed limits to protect children. At Red's Twilight on the Erie RV Resort, a camper mentioned, "The speed limit is 5 MPH and they mean it.... Kids on bikes and having a good time in the enormous play area and the pool far enough from the campsites but close to the store and watchful eye of the staff."

Accessibility options: Some forest sites offer partially accessible features. At Morgan Hill Forest, "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."

Activity planning: Some campgrounds organize regular family events. A visitor to Red's Twilight noted, "Live music on Friday Night (weather permitting) and plenty of activities for the family on the weekends."

Tips from RVers

Site leveling challenges: Even RV-friendly sites may require extra equipment. A camper at Red's Twilight on the Erie RV Resort shared, "Almost all of the sites are not even close to level. Not a big issue with a fifth wheel but a real hassle with a motorcoach. We changed sites three times and finally resigned ourselves to not being leveled."

Supply access: Some campgrounds provide convenience stores on-site or nearby. Red's Twilight offers "Full hook ups and seasonal sites available" with a store supervised by staff.

Local farm stands: Fresh produce is available seasonally near campgrounds. One visitor to Morgan Hill Forest mentioned it's "adjacent to a very nice farm stand that is a good stop for supplies."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Cato, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Cato, NY is Cross Lake Park Campgrounds with a 4-star rating from 1 review.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Cato, NY?

TheDyrt.com has all 13 tent camping locations near Cato, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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