If you're looking for a place to pitch your tent near Cato, look no further. With The Dyrt, it's easy to find Cato campgrounds for you and your tent. Search nearby tent campgrounds or find top-rated spots from other campers.
Reconnect with nature at this unforgettable escape. Unwind on our woodland trails adjacent to the Erie Canal trail. Try Camping Off grid with solar power and a 55 gallon water supply! To make your stay even more memorable we have an outhouse and a COLD solar shower. There are USB ports inside for charging your phone. The bedroom is 10x10 and fully enclosed with a small solar fan, lights and a few good books. For cooking: there is a fire pit also used for sunsets & stargazing!
This is CAMPING, completely “Off-grid” located in the woodland but close to the main house. It is cooled by the breezes and/or a small fan when needed on hot nights.
The living area is on the outdoor deck. A long bench in the “living room” and a great table for dining. The bedroom is a 10x10 space that is fully enclosed with windows that open on 3 sides for fresh air. The outhouse (a modern one - hole). and shower are “out back)
There is a smoking area in the field next to the fire pit. It is the ONLY place smoking is allowed.
There are over 20 acres of woodland in a DEC crop tree management program, the property connects to the Erie Canal hiking/biking trail that runs between Buffalo and Albany or in a more local sense, between Palmyra and Newark, NY
This is camping. You may see and hear deer, turkey, skunk, raccoons, birds, insects, reptiles and other “wild things” both day and night
Solar fan, lights and USB port is available for charging
There is a fire pit/grill and firewood is supplied, you can get eggs from our free range chickens and there is a campfire coffee pot if you are ready to cook over the campfire!
There is a Coleman cooler available for your ice and cold foods.
$109 - $150 / 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
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
We needed a campground not too far off our route from Niagara Falls to NH and this was great. Very windy when we arrived. Our campsite 8 did not have a fire ring but others did. Right on water…can’t drive on path in front of the water sites so you are essentially on the water. Nice clean facilities.
ScoutAfter 6 years of 2 weeks visits
Pros: New owners have made improvements to be up to code and qualifications for KOA standards.
Cons: Still has environment of nosy, trashy seasonal campers who are always being rude or commenting on your gear/unit.
If you are looking for a quick flip bit same ole suspects, this is the place for you.
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.
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
Scout
A great park on Sandy Pond and Lake Ontario. Mostly Permanent sites with 6 transient sites overlooking the marina. The park has a nice pool, pavilion, store and kids playground with a basketball court. Great area for fishing, bass, trout, salmon and walleye. Very clean and well maintained park.
Ranger
Pulled in on a Thursday afternoon and found a single camp site. While there I talked to a state forest maintenance guy. He said there were currently two camping sites and that more might be added.
The campsite was just feet off of Bargy Road. The only amenity was a fire ring made of rocks. The campsite appears to be the trailhead for a man-made trail.
It rained while we were here but overall the campsite was quiet and peaceful.
ScoutI love it here
Ranger
Yes, it’s true! You’ve hit the campground bathroom lottery here!
Let’s start off with the pros: bathrooms are great! Super modern and clean and hot, free showers! Very handicap accessible as well.
The whole campground is very well kept. Completely litter free and all the buildings and signs are modern and cool looking. Five stars all the way for the people running this place. They are doing an awesome job keeping it very fresh.
Maintenance/facilities: 5 stars
Camping sites:
I’ll start with the positive. It was a simple and easy, level site. And we had electric. So it was good.
The cons: There is zero privacy here. Virtually no trees or shrubs between sites and sites are close to each other. In the rolling meadow sites opt for the electric as the tent only sites are basically a sardine can of campers. I mean in one spot the tents were so close to each other I thought it was a group campsite but it was not. Like a group hostel room but with tents instead of bunks.
We were only here for 1 night passing through and it was great for that but I would not feel comfortable hanging outside at my site in quarters so close. Maybe I’m just weird because many people did. I can’t imagine spending any longer than 1-2 nights here. I would stay again but would check out other camp spots first. In our area 118 and 120 seemed to the best that backed up onto trees as opposed to just other sites.
Camping sites: 2 stars
Amenities: there’s a lot to do here. However I feel I must say you cannot reach the lakes from the rolling meadow campground without a car, bike or very long walk. You can see a bit of round lake through the trees but it really isn’t accessible. Expectations are the doom of any trip so just keep that in mind. You’re not going to bed with any sort of lake views or sounds near you. Also you can only swim at the beach which is pretty small and guarded by some pretty enthusiastic lifeguards taking the job pretty seriously. I guess you will appreciate it if you have little kids to me it was a turn off as I don’t prefer to feel like a fish in a bowl when I swim. But again this is just personal preference! Also there were a lot of rules at this tiny beach - more than I have seen at pretty much any other beach anywhere in the world. Mostly I assume the rules are there to protect the water which I can appreciate but don’t expect a relaxing lake vibe here. Lots of picnic tables and a perfect place to have a picnic and chill for a bit. Very clean beach bath area and I really appreciated the charging station with 4 covered outlets available and a charging counter. I didn’t use it but was impressed someone thought to add that in to the building plans.
With all the rules in place there is just one missing: No political propaganda of any type should be allowed at the campsites. We were almost blinded by idiocy each time we walked to the bathroom as we had to go past a full size Trump flag someone was flying in front of their site. Can’t even imagine the rage I would’ve felt if I had to camp next to that. Fortunately I found a cut through in the woods which I used to get around it on the way to the bathroom. Camping is where you go to get away from all of it! This is state owned land and they should not be allowing that sort of inflammatory full sized political flag in any area as it only raises the blood pressure instead of dropping it. You can’t bring your own SUP or kayak, face mask or list of any other things to the lake (rules) but you can have your heart attack inducing propaganda all over your site and in everyone else’s face - makes no sense.
Would I stay here again: Yes. But only for 1 night passing through. I felt too crowded to be there for any length of time. It was hard for me to relax outside.
Value was a 5 star because I had full electric for $30/night and there was plenty to do. I should note for kids this place is a goldmine! Great playgrounds everywhere and you can rent kayaks. And it’s great for bikes. And it was all very handicap accessible which I thought was very impressive. You can tell a lot of thought went into the facility side of park. If they cut out 1/4 of the camp sites it would be spacious and amazing. And the trumpeter is just a case of bad timing for me, not a permanent thing (although I do think they should ban that decoration of insanity at state run parks).
Traveler
Love the way you explain things. Very helpful! Solar
TravelerThis article was very enlightening. Appreciate the insights. Solar
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.
Traveler
Thanks for this wonderful article. It was very enlightening and useful. Solar
Traveler
Loved this post! It's very informative and well-written. Thanks. Solar
Traveler
Great insights! Thanks for providing such detailed and helpful information. Solar
Traveler
Your blog always inspires me. Thanks for the amazing content. Solar
Guide
Unfortunately when we arrived at southwick the rangers & staff had all gone home so we were unable to get a map or check in. We went to our camp site & there were people playing very loud music until about 12am, no rangers around the say anything about quiet hours so I had to. Sites are on top of eachother & there’s no boarders inbetween, fine for some people but not for me. After it rained one night our site & others around us were completely flooded. The beach area & bathhouses we’re nice though so that helped the stay not be a complete wash
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
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:
Scout@penalty shooters 2 said loved where we were this time. page 121. On these hot days, with a slope and a nice breeze.
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
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.
Legend
We drove through here but didn’t stay. The non-electric sites were pretty much all on hilly areas, most would be impossible for an RV to get level, though there were a few that would have worked.
We drove through the “bluffs” loop (electric sites), thinking it would be beautiful and look out on the water, but it was a nightmare for us, with huge RVs jam packed side by side like a parking lot.
The lakeview loop was nicer, but still too many RVs all in a row. There are also cute cabins here for rent.
When we were there the city was under a water advisory- all water had to be boiled before any kind of use. There was a dump station, and trash bins but no recycling (I’m disappointed in the lack of recycling at NY State campgrounds!) So, we moved on to Selkirk SP and stayed there instead.
Tent camping near Cato, New York, offers a variety of scenic spots and engaging activities for outdoor enthusiasts. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a fun-filled family adventure, there are several campgrounds that cater to tent campers.
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 15 tent camping locations near Cato, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.