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Best Tent Camping near Cattaraugus, NY

474 Reviews

Near Cattaraugus, New York, tent campers find several primitive sites and established tent campgrounds across the surrounding region. Allegany State Park offers tent sites with access to nearby hiking trails and natural features such as Thunder Rocks. Warner Road Dispersed Camping in North Harmony State Forest provides free primitive tent camping options approximately 30 miles west of Cattaraugus, while Forestry Road Dispersed Campsite in the Allegheny National Forest offers additional backcountry tent sites across the Pennsylvania border.

Most tent campsites in the area feature basic amenities with varying levels of development. Warner Road sites include established fire rings but maintain their rustic character with no potable water, toilets, or trash services. At Forestry Road Dispersed sites, campers need to pack in all supplies and practice proper waste disposal. One visitor noted these sites are "fine for setting up a tent" but can be "messy" with occasional litter from previous campers. Tenters should practice Leave No Trace principles and be prepared for primitive conditions. Access roads to dispersed sites are generally passable with standard vehicles, though some areas may become muddy after rainfall.

Tent camping experiences vary seasonally throughout the region. During summer months, sites under forest canopy provide natural shade and cooler temperatures. A camper described Forestry Road sites as "a boondocker's delight with big open spots and established fire rings." Fall brings vibrant foliage and typically fewer crowds at most tent campgrounds. Wildlife sightings are common, with black bears present in some areas, particularly near the Pennsylvania sites where a visitor warned to "pack up all food and trash at night." Winter camping is possible but challenging, with one tent camper reporting "nights in the low teens" and cautioning about "melting and refreezing making roads and surrounding trails slippery." Spring brings wildflowers but may also mean muddy conditions at many walk-in tent sites.

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Best Tent Sites Near Cattaraugus, New York (15)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Cattaraugus, NY

474 Reviews of 15 Cattaraugus Campgrounds

  • Jennifer K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 14, 2022

    Hearts Content Recreation Area

    Great quiet little campground

    Very nice quiet small wooded campground. No hookups, about 3-4 fresh water spigots, 1 dump station and dumpster. Water pressure was very low and took a while to fill tank. 26 various sized sites, some large with plenty of space for our 22 foot tow behind and truck + some for extra vehicles. Other smaller sites for tents or vans. Self serve ice $2 wood $10. Vault toilets. Fire rings and picnic table at each site. AT&T spotty 0-1 bars. Host camper. Quiet time 10pm-6am. 1 Xlarge site for groups.

  • Bill G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 18, 2020

    Hearts Content Recreation Area

    Simple and serene

    Hearts Content is best described as a way station. The sites are nestled within a grove of immense pines. Some are large enough for large RV’s . There are no showers. Bathrooms are vault toilets. Two of the sites include Adirondack type shelters. A picnic table and fire ring are within each site. I used this site as a staging area to explore Allegheny National Forest for a week. Used a camp shower. The closest town is Warren, PA. Firewood is available at the camp host site. Across the road is an hiking area with picnic tables and the like.

  • Bill G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 26, 2020

    Willow Bay Recreation Area

    Quiet nights, Easy days

    Willow bay campground is run by the National Forest Service. The reservable lots are wide and numerous for a out of the way sight. The campground services tent sites, RV sites as well as small cabins with electricity. There is a central bathhouse near the oak loop. Closer to the boat ramp sites- most of which are tent ready, there are vault toilets. These sites are less than a mile from the North Country Trail. Other, smaller trails are here as well. The New York State lone is less than five miles away- providing access to Allegheny State Park. The closest town of note is Bradford, which is about 18 miles away. It has all you need to get your necessities. The cabins were small- one twin bed and a set of single bunks. You need to bring your own sheets. There is a small heater imbedded in the wall. It keeps things from getting too cold, as it was when I was there. Fire ring and picnic table provided. Charcoal grill as well. The only problem I had was with the wildlife. A mouse or something kep crawling in the space between the roof and ceiling. There is no cel service here, and you shouldn’t need it either. Places to visit are too numerous to mention, but I will give a shout out to the zippo case museum, absolutely a must.

  • Mary S.
    Sep. 24, 2018

    Quaker Area — Allegany State Park State Park

    This is a great vacation area.....spend a week!

    Did you know this is NY's largest state campground? We stopped here on a rainy night, but what we saw convinced me we need to return. I know this campground is a vacation destination for families in western NY.

    Cain Hollow is in the Quaker Run area which includes Quaker Lake. There is another campground in the Red House Area, and there are also lots of cabins. This is definitely a 4 seasons park - hiking, biking, swimming, fishing, snowmobiling, cross country skiing....

    I was able to take photos of a few sites the next morning. You can see that sites are private and you're definitely in the woods. There are food storage boxes at all campsites because you're in bear country.

  • Bill G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 10, 2018

    Hearts Content Recreation Area

    Minimal offering for maximum relaxing

    This campground is within Allegheny National Forest near the town of Warren and Tidouette. The sites are few but spacious. Good for car camping, though I’m sure a smaller RVcould get by. Each site has a fire ring. Two sites have Adirondack type shelters. The night sky is promising but light pollution from Warren inhibits a truly awesome night sky. There is a vault toilet. No showers. No water either. Bring what you need! The closest town is about 30 minutes away. Lots of critter life. My dogs loved it here. We spent all days exploring the nearby trails and creeks. Price was cheap. No frills but a quiet respite for sure.

  • Travis S.
    Jun. 30, 2020

    Dewdrop

    Spacious

    Campsite layouts are non traditional with large driveways and often times the tables and fire rings are below the driveway.  With this layout you get more privacy with very few sites having and overlapping with other sites. Pitching a tent was easy on the driveway and fairly level. Some sites had large high sided fire rings which take away from the fireside relaxation of a shorter camp chair. 

    Bathrooms and shower house was below the standards of many of PA State Parks which we regard as the benchmark for campgrounds at reasonable prices. 

    Boating and biking all accessible from the grounds. No need to drive to the trails at Jakes Rocks.

  • Laura M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 28, 2023

    Evangola State Park Campground

    Great campground

    We stayed here three nights to ride out a heat wave and really liked it. Sites are electric only, with a dump station available at the entrance and one in the campground loop. There are potable water spigots throughout the campground, where you awkwardly pull over to the side of the road and fill your tank. Sites are pretty much wide open, with zero separation between you and your neighbor. Most are out in direct sun but the ones along the edge have some tree cover and shade. 

    There are yurts here as well, and a playground, and a huge disc golf course. You can walk to the beach from the campground (dogs aren’t allowed on the beach). The nature center is right in the campground, by the basketball and tennis courts. 

    Showers were dirty and buggy, but they’re free and you can actually choose your own water temperature. NY State campgrounds require proof of rabies vaccinations for your dogs.

     Good cell reception for Verizon, ATT wasn’t great but the cell booster helped. Trash bins, but no recycling. Beautiful sunset on the lake.

  • Laura M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 28, 2023

    Evangola State Park Campground

    Great campground

     We stayed here three nights to ride out a heat wave and really liked it. Sites are electric only, with a dump station available at the entrance and one in the campground loop. There are potable water spigots throughout the campground, where you awkwardly pull over to the side of the road and fill your tank. 

    Sites are pretty much wide open, with zero separation between you and your neighbor. Most are out in direct sun but the ones along the edge have some tree cover and shade. 

    There are yurts here as well, and a playground, and a huge disc golf course. You can walk to the beach from the campground (dogs aren’t allowed on the beach). The nature center is right in the campground, by the basketball and tennis courts. Showers were dirty and buggy, but they’re free and you can actually choose your own water temperature. 

    NY State campgrounds require proof of rabies vaccinations for your dogs. Good cell reception for Verizon, ATT wasn’t great but the cell booster helped. Trash bins, but no recycling. Beautiful sunset on the lake.

  • Christine J.
    Jun. 9, 2021

    Red Bridge Recreation Area - Allegheny National Forest

    Campground in Allegheny National Forest

    Nice location near the water. Campground has three sections to it. Once you come in the main enterance, off to your right are nice walk in tent sites. Off to the left are two loops for tent and RV camping. There are two bath houses, one near each loop. They each have three hot water showers, flush toilets and sinks. All sites have a fire ring. Some sites offer more shade than others. (We were at site #31 and it didn't have much shade.) Ice and firewood is avaliable. You are better off getting firewood down the road as you will get more wood for the money. Current price is $10 a bundle. Ice is only $2 a bag. Closest grocery store is in Kane. There are hiking trails nearby. The only thing that I didn't like was that it seemed that many of the sites were quite muddy because all of the grass was worn out. Not much grassy area for tents. Other than that it was great.

Guide to Cattaraugus

Cabin options near Cattaraugus, New York range from rustic to modern with various amenities. Bova Cottages at Allegany State Park offers cabins constructed in 2014 that combine rustic charm with modern conveniences. Cabins accommodate families comfortably, with one visitor noting they "had everything we needed for a weekend with extended family, almost like a hotel in what they supply." These cabins remain open year-round, supporting activities across all seasons including winter recreation options.

What to do

Hiking through storm-damaged areas: After winter storms, fallen trees can affect trail conditions at Allegany State Park. One camper reported in early 2018 that "Hemlock Hollow and Conservation Trails were grueling hikes this week, with a downed tree or 3 every 20 yards or so," though they noted that by late 2019, "The trail has been cleared since this storm and is a very enjoyable hike."

Visit Hector Falls: Located near dispersed campsites, this natural attraction requires about a mile hike from the road. A camper at Forestry Road Dispersed Campsite shared that "The falls are really cool to look at, and has some cool rock formations. Be careful the cliffs are about a 20 ft straight drop."

Explore Jake's Rocks: This viewpoint offers scenic vistas accessible by both hiking and driving. A camper advised, "Once set up, make sure you hike and drive back to Jakes Rocks. Beautiful views and drive."

What campers like

Year-round accessibility: Several cabin options remain open during winter months for cold-weather enthusiasts. At Bova Cottages, one visitor appreciated that cabins are "Open all year. Allegany State Park is nearby for hiking, snowshoeing, XC skiing, leaf peeping, etc."

Secluded camping spots: While some sites may be overgrown, they offer privacy for tent camping. A visitor to Forestry Road noted it as "A boondocker's delight! Big open spots with established fire rings. Quiet except for the distant rumble of a train passing the town down in the valley."

Established fire rings: Many dispersed sites come with pre-existing fire rings, making campfire setup easier. At Allegheny Wild and Scenic River, campers enjoy "Large sites well shaded" with quiet surroundings.

What you should know

Wildlife awareness: Black bears inhabit the region, particularly in Pennsylvania sites. A camper at Forestry Road warned, "there's black bears that live in the several caves in the area. I was meditating in my car one evening and a bear stood up and pushed against my window. Definitely be sure to pack up all food and trash at night."

Navigation challenges: Some dispersed sites can be difficult to locate. At Warner Road Dispersed Camping, one camper mentioned arriving "late at night so couldn't see so well but stopped in a clearing on the road toward the coordinates."

Site maintenance concerns: Primitive sites may contain litter from previous visitors. A Warner Road camper described their experience as "Kind of a gross site, the previous people who stayed at our site were messy and left litter, but it served its purpose as a free place to sleep along a longer trip."

Tips for camping with families

Cabin capacity for larger groups: Family cabins can accommodate multiple people comfortably. One visitor to Allegany State Park shared that "my family frequented the park when I was younger. It's really an amazing place for a family trip since there are cabins! Our family of 6 fit comfortably in one cabin when we were all small."

Food storage protocols: Secure food storage is essential with wildlife present. A camper advised, "Do not leave food out. The bears are very ambitious."

Activity options for children: The best tent camping near Cattaraugus, New York offers various family-friendly activities. At Dream Lake Campground, visitors appreciate the "Nice friendly environment, clean facilities. Lots to do for kids and adults. Weekend activities."

Tips from RVers

Road conditions after precipitation: Weather can affect access to campsites. A winter camper at Forestry Road noted, "The melting and refreezing had made the roads and surrounding trails a little slippery so I would be cautious if traveling alone."

RV site options and services: For RVs seeking services, options exist but vary in quality. At Firefly Acres, visitors can find "tons of activities nearby including trails for hiking & mountain biking" in an activity-filled area.

Cell service availability: Connectivity varies throughout the region. One camper at Forestry Road reported, "There is spotty cell service through the forest, usually you can walk around for a couple minutes and find some. I managed to get an average of 3-4 bars of 5g every day."

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Cattaraugus, NY is Bova Cottages — Allegany State Park with a 5-star rating from 4 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 15 tent camping locations near Cattaraugus, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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