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Best Tent Camping near Cherry Valley, NY

256 Reviews

Tent campsites near Cherry Valley, New York include several primitive options scattered throughout the surrounding forests and state lands. Charles E. Baker State Forest provides free tent camping with a designated campsite that includes a fire pit and picnic table, while Duck Pond Campsite offers a more secluded dispersed camping experience. Both locations require travel on unpaved roads and offer minimal amenities focused on primitive tent camping experiences.

Access to many tent camping areas varies significantly, with some sites requiring travel on rough dirt roads. The Duck Pond Campsite access road has been described as particularly challenging, with one camper noting that "the road in on old cemetery rd was pretty rough" and suggesting small vehicles only. Most primitive tent setups in the region lack facilities like running water or toilets. Charles E. Baker State Forest features some water access at a nearby pond, but campers should come prepared with their own water supplies. Fire pits are typically available at designated sites, though dispersed backcountry tent camping may require adhering to leave-no-trace principles.

Areas farther from established campgrounds offer deeper seclusion for tent campers seeking solitude. The Pharsalia Woods State Forest provides opportunities for backcountry tent camping with access to the Finger Lakes Trail system, though trail conditions can be challenging. A camper mentioned that Bear Wallow Pond in Pharsalia Woods offers "a primitive undeveloped campsite" with "no potable water or amenities of any kind" but is situated near "a really beautiful pond" with fishing access. Walk-in tent sites throughout the region provide opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, and wildlife observation away from developed areas. Cell service is intermittent in many of these backcountry locations, so proper preparation is essential for tent campers venturing into more remote areas.

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Best Tent Sites Near Cherry Valley, New York (18)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Cherry Valley, NY

36 Photos of 18 Cherry Valley Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Cherry Valley, NY

256 Reviews of 18 Cherry Valley Campgrounds

  • 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

  • Meghan B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 10, 2023

    Ace of Diamonds Mine & Campground

    Nice enough spot when traveling through

    I called and booked ahead of time knowing I'd arrive late and leave early, which was absolutely no problem, so I'm very thankful for that. I paid over the phone, was given clear instructions on where to park, and was told to enjoy my stay. This location is great if you're in a van or RV and need a quick place to stay for the night in this area of NY in mid- / late-October (because it seems NY closes its state parks quite early) or if you're here for the rock-hunting. From what I could see late at night (which honestly wasn't much) I wouldn't recommend for tent-camping as the sites were quite close to each other and not much soft ground for sleeping.

  • Nancy W.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 24, 2020

    Cooperstown KOA

    Nice Park

    This park is located approximately 12.5 miles from downtown Cooperstown and is set in the quiet rural countryside of New York. The mature trees make for beautiful scenery in the fall. There is a mix of sites varying from tent, RV, rental trailers, and camping cabins/cottages/lodges bringing the total number of sites to 120. Back-in and pull-thru sites are available. Site types include full hookup, water and electric, and no hookup with prices varying depending upon site. You can choose between 30/20 or 50 amp electric service. Interior roads are gravel and some site pads are gravel while others are grass. 

    The park is nicely terraced and all the sites are level. Patios were a grassy/dirt area with a picnic table and fire pit. Our site (#41) was a pull-thru but there was no way we could drive our 45’ motorhome forward out of the site because of a large tree and narrow roads. So we ended up having to back out. The free wifi worked well as did our Verizon 4G phone and hotspot. We picked up a dozen or so television channels with our antenna. The park does have a fair amount of trees that would interfere with roof-mounted satellite dishes so you would have to pick your site carefully. But, there are some 30 amp and no hook-up sites that are clear. This is a typical KOA with lots of amenities including a swimming pool(which was closed for the season when we were there), a playground, volleyball court, basketball court, jump house, pavilion, recreation room, bicycle rental, and horseshoes. Showers, restrooms and laundry are also present and clean. There is a propane filling station. While there is no fenced-in dog park there is a pet walking area. The surrounding area is pretty rural and the closest town (Richfield Springs– which is very small) is five miles away and where you will find restaurants, gas station, grocery store, and more. A few miles from the park is a creamery that has a café. 

    Approximately five miles away is Glimmerglass State Park which was great for hiking and kayaking Otsego Lake. There is a also a historic house at the park that you can tour and the country’s oldest covered bridge. Cooperstown is a little over twelve miles away from the park but well worth a trip. Not only is Cooperstown home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame but it is a charming downtown well worth exploring. Other nearby attractions include The Farmers Museum, Fenimore Art Museum, Hero’s of Baseball Wax Museum, Glimmerglass Opera, and Cooperstown Brewing Company.

  • Janet R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 11, 2024

    Glimmerglass State Park Campground

    It glimmers like glass! The lake and more

    Both the Glimmerglass State Park and the Glimmerglass Festival Opera House list their location as Cooperstown, but in actuality the Park is 8 miles outside of Cooperstown on the northeast side of Otsego Lake, with the Opera House nearby on the northwest corner of the lake nearby. If you are going to visit one, you should also visit the other! In fact the park is an ideal spot to stay if you are wanting to take in any of the Glimmerglass music or theater productions which have quite a professional lineup in the summer season. If staying at the park you will also enjoy the amazing beach and waterfront on Otsego Lake, and great kayaking on the lake as well as the stream flowing into it. You can also hike, ot take a day trip into Cooperstown, especially for museums and all things baseball.

    The camping opportunities give you three options: the main campground by the park office, which is wooded and shady and has electric hookups as needed, and is close to the beach, but you will have a lot of neighbors. If you want a quiet tenting experience, choose the Beaver Pond primitive tenting campground! This offers a small number of large, well spaced and private tent only sites set back in the woods by a beautiful pond and by the Beaver Hiking trail. Very peaceful with more solitude than the main campground, but a longer walk to the beach. The third and newest option, the Travis Field campsites, reminds me of an overflow parking area at an outdoor festival, unfortunately just a bunch of basic tent campsites plunked in an open grassy field located in between the beach and the Beaver Pond sites. I am guessing the park has greater demand for campsites than the original campground offers, so they put these spots up in an open field, and maybe folks would rather have these sites than nothing if they want a week at the lake, but they would not be a first choice unless perhaps you have a group that wants to gather together and take a block of these sites. I didnt check out the cabins, but there are some, which might be especially good if you want to come in the winter as the park is open year round

  • Cameron
    Oct. 2, 2020

    Charles E. Baker State Forest

    Free Primitive Campsite

    Camped here on a Thursday night in late September. Only found one designated campsite, which was available, but there’s a lot of good space for dispersed camping right nearby. Access at the end of a long, but well maintained, dirt road. Campsite consists of a fire pit and picnic table. Some litter, not too bad. No toilets. Bugs aren’t an issue. Water access at a lovely nearby pond. Highly recommended. Only giving 4 stars because the best free sites have water pumps and vault toilets, but this is a great camping experience

  • Tate T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 10, 2024

    Delta Lake State Park Campground

    Nice but BUSY

    This was our first time here, and we were looking forward to a relaxing visit. The sites were very large and well spaced out, with a beautiful fire ring. The bathrooms were clean. This campground got a 3/5 mainly because quiet hours are not enforced. Unfortunately, people were up blaring radios until approximately 3 am, being roudy. At approximately 2 am, someone decided it would be a good idea to do burnouts with their diesel truck, and went around the camp loop twice, doing just that. Vehicles were driving by the campsites all night long. This is naturally not entirely the campgrounds fault, but it was unfortunate to be misled by the campground rules. On a positive note, the campground is dog friendly, in certain areas, with proof of rabies vaccination, of course. Overall, I would say that this campground is geared more toward the RV and trailer crowd.

  • George P.
    Jun. 3, 2021

    Delta Lake State Park Campground

    Delta Lake State Park

    A very nice, tidy campground located on a peninsula jutting into Delta Lake in Central NY. Our site was level and large enough for our 22ft Airstream, a 4-person tent, pop-up canopy, and 2 vehicles. A picnic table and fire ring were on the site. Our site had 30A electrical service. The surface of the site was dirt with some small stones…no grass. Trees surrounded the site on 3 sides, providing some privacy and a place to hang a hammock. We were able to carry our paddle boards to the lake, walking less than 200ft through some woods.

  • Danielle S.
    Oct. 15, 2020

    Caroga Lake Campground

    Overall, nice.

    We spent a relatively quiet long weekend here on loop F 97, which is a bit removed from the main campground. It was a bit noisy on Saturday night but nothing disturbing.  This site also is bordered by a small stream so expect mosquitoes and the occasional visit from wildlife (we had raccoons at our site each night, so kept food in the car). Each site has a fire pit and a picnic table.

    There is a store just outside the entrance that sells ice, wood, groceries.  There are quite a few roadside firewood sellers that are reasonably priced.  The fire pit does not have a narrow grilling grate so bringing something to ensure your food won't fall through the widely spaced bars is helpful.  

    As I said, our site was out of the main population, but it was a bit of a hike to the restroom which is something to keep in mind if you've really got to get to a bathroom first thing in the morning.  

    There is a Walmart about 10 miles away in Gloverville, so keep this in mind if you are planning on picking up essentials when you arrive.  

    There are no sites with electric.

  • R
    May. 28, 2019

    Cooperstown KOA

    Clean, friendly, quiet

    Most people that stay here are in RVs but we were tent camping and they have a nice wooded area with fire pits and a view of the rolling hills. Beautiful! This is our second Memorial Day weekend stay here and we chose it because the facilities are clean, the owners, staff and other guests are friendly and people respect the quiet hours which was really appreciated as we had a couple early mornings.

Guide to Cherry Valley

Tent camping opportunities near Cherry Valley, New York extend beyond the state forests into several designated campgrounds within a 30-mile radius. The terrain features rolling hills with elevations ranging from 1,100 to 1,900 feet, creating varied camping environments from valley floor sites to more elevated forest settings. Summer temperatures typically reach 75-85°F during peak camping season, with cooler nights in higher elevation locations.

What to do

Fishing access: Betty and Wilbur Davis State Park features ponds stocked for fishing, though swimming requires a trip to nearby Otsego Lake. A camper noted the park has "a couple of ponds for fishing" but recommends Otsego Lake for swimming activities.

Trail exploration: Charles E. Baker State Forest offers "miles of trails" through mature woodland. One visitor mentioned discovering the area "passing through on my bike and had no problem pitching a tent in a secluded spot in the woods."

Canal camping: The Erie Canal system provides unique waterside camping at E16 Canal Lock. According to a review, "The Canal Corporation provides designated spots for tent and van camping along the canal. Stays are limited to a maximum of 48 hours."

What campers like

Private retreats: At Betty and Wilbur Davis State Park, campers appreciate the well-spaced cabins. One visitor noted, "the small number of cabins and the way they are spread out will make you feel like you are at your own private retreat."

Seasonal versatility: Winter camping options exist for cold-weather enthusiasts. Betty and Wilbur Davis State Park offers "winterized cabins" where visitors can enjoy "a long weekend of cozy cabin time and quiet time outdoors on the winter trails."

Unexpected tranquility: Duck Pond Campsite provides peaceful surroundings despite rough access. A camper described finding "surprisingly well maintained beautiful campsites" and noted "the pond is small so the mosquitos were not too bad. So few people passed by and very unknown quite and we just loved the experience."

What you should know

Access challenges: Several campsites require navigation on unpaved roads with varying conditions. A Duck Pond Campsite visitor warned, "just be careful driving in the sometimes rough conditions."

Limited facilities: Most dispersed camping areas have minimal amenities. At O Land, facilities include electric hookups, picnic tables, and toilets, but no showers or water hookups.

Registration requirements: Some sites require on-arrival registration. At E16 Canal Lock, "upon arrival, campers must scan the QR code at the entrance and complete a brief survey."

Cell service variability: Connectivity changes throughout the region. A Duck Pond camper mentioned "intermittent cell service which was frightening while driving on these rough roads," while an E16 Canal Lock visitor noted "the Verizon signal is good in the area."

Tips for camping with families

Playground access: Betty and Wilbur Davis State Park offers family-friendly amenities. A visitor mentioned "there is a beautiful picnic pavilion and playground, so kid friendly."

Pet policies: Check pet rules before arrival as they vary by location. At Betty and Wilbur Davis, "pets can come for day use but can't stay in the cabins."

Special event planning: Reserve accommodations well in advance during peak periods. One camper advised that Betty and Wilbur Davis cabins "will be filled on special event weekends in nearby Cooperstown, especially for events at the Baseball Hall of Fame or the Farmers Living History Museum."

Tips from RVers

Vehicle size restrictions: Most tent camping areas near Cherry Valley cannot accommodate large RVs. At E16 Canal Lock, "RVs and travel trailers are not permitted."

Limited hookup options: For those with smaller rigs, Charles E. Baker State Forest permits primitive RV camping without hookups. A visitor mentioned it offers "official camp spots with water access which are also free to use."

Small vehicle recommendations: When accessing remote sites, compact vehicles perform best. A Duck Pond Campsite review emphasized the challenging roads: "The road in on old cemetery rd was pretty rough, so we decided to go out the other way, which was way worse."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Cherry Valley, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Cherry Valley, NY is Betty and Wilbur Davis State Park — Betty & Wilbur Davis State Park with a 5-star rating from 1 review.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 18 tent camping locations near Cherry Valley, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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