Cabin camping near Clarksville, New York offers access to the northeastern Catskill Mountains at elevations ranging from 1,000-2,000 feet. Winter temperatures regularly drop below freezing with seasonal snowfall making cabin accommodations particularly valuable from November through March. Several campgrounds remain open year-round while others operate on seasonal schedules from May through October.
What to do
Waterfall exploration: 10-mile radius includes access to Bash Bish Falls via a short hike from Copake Falls Area â Taconic State Park. "There was a very large open grassy field for play/sports, a playground and life guarded portion of the lake for swimming. This location was very accessible to the Bish Bash Falls trail and even had a few side trails to explore," notes one visitor.
Outdoor recreation: Multiple options at Rip Van Winkle Campgrounds where creek access provides summer cooling. "We took our chairs and plopped down in the water," reports one camper, while another mentions "the pond is fun to fish in, the RC track is great for those who are into it."
Wildlife viewing: Natural surroundings contain diverse animal species. The Taconic mountains "offer some great flora and fauna. We had several species of frogs and toads wandering about in the evening, giant millipedes were plenty, and even found a newt on our hike."
What campers like
Private, wooded sites: Dingman's Family Campground offers riverside cabins that provide direct water access. "We had a tent site right on the river and couldn't have been happier with our stay. Each site has a fire pit and a picnic table. Facilities were exceptionally clean and the camp store was stunning!"
Clean facilities: Many campgrounds prioritize bathroom maintenance. Country Roads Campground visitors note, "Spacious sites. Super friendly and helpful staff." One camper adds they were "escorted to our site upon arrival and I certainly appreciated that as we were very tired after a long day of travel."
Winter options: Some cabins remain open year-round. At Frosty Acres, "We stayed from April until October then decided to stay over winter. They have a small winter section. You'll have the entire mountain side all to yourself! Snowshoe, cross country ski. Winter campfires."
What you should know
Cabin variability: Treetopia Campground offers unusual accommodations beyond standard cabins. "They have RV sites, yurts, custom furnished treehouses with electricity, beautiful tiny homes with outdoor living spaces, completely remodeled vintage airstreams, and gorgeous private cabins!"
Seasonal considerations: Most cabin facilities operate May through October. "Taconic State Park has a beautiful campground. No electric hookups, but plenty of water and tent sites are available with very large platforms. Bathroom facilities are adequate."
Reservation requirements: Book well ahead for prime locations. "Rip Van Winkle is a beautiful campground, it's well run, well maintained, and has a lot to do! I was a little skeptical that we wouldn't get to choose our site, but you can't go wrong, they are all wooded, private and well situated."
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly activities: Brookside Campground provides dedicated recreational facilities. "I went last year with my kids they loved the arcade small but it's a camp ground the playground area was nice. We use tents and got a bad storm the owner called and let up bunk in the arcade for the night since she was worried."
Swimming options: Several campgrounds offer supervised swimming. At Taconic State Park, there are "2 lifeguarded swimming areas â a kiddie pool and a deep area with floating dock to jump off of."
Platform tent sites: Raised platforms make family setup easier. "Each of the sites had a large platform (enough room for one very large tent or 2-3 smaller tents), a fire pit, and picnic table."
Tips from RVers
Site selection guidance: At Rip Van Winkle, "Very easy to level and setup on #7. Full connections. Pay showers and laundry onsite. Loved having gated security."
Utility connections: Check each campground's specific hookup offerings. Country Roads has sites with full hookups, and campers note there are "water spigots near all the tent sites and they are nice and spread out."
Winter RV options: Some parks offer limited year-round RV access. As one winter camper at Frosty Acres notes, "Elevation about 1409 feet. View of the sunrise over the entire valley are awesome. Very very cool place."
