Best Cabin Camping near Cortland, NY

Several state parks surrounding Cortland in New York's Finger Lakes region offer cabin accommodations as alternatives to tent camping. Fillmore Glen State Park provides cabin rentals with electric hookups and basic furnishings, though specific interior amenities vary by location. Robert H. Treman, Buttermilk Falls, and Taughannock Falls State Parks all feature cabins within wooded settings, typically equipped with electricity but limited plumbing facilities. Most cabins include picnic tables outside and fire rings for cooking. Empire Haven Nudist Park offers rustic cabins in a naturist setting with drinking water and electric hookups available. "We've camped in two rustic cabins over the years. The campground is as quiet and peaceful as anyone would like," notes one visitor about Empire Haven.

Seasonal availability varies significantly across cabin locations. Fillmore Glen's cabins operate from May 6 to October 9, while Green Lakes State Park extends slightly later into autumn. Taughannock Falls cabins open earliest in mid-April and remain available until mid-October. Most locations require advance reservations, particularly during summer weekends when occupancy reaches capacity. Pet policies generally allow dogs in designated cabins with proper documentation, though specific rules vary by park. Round Top Retreat provides more secluded cabin options with basic amenities. A visitor commented: "Very secluded. We let the kids and dogs run pretty much wherever without worry. And close to Ithaca so you can drive into town easily."

Cabin guests should plan to bring their own bedding, pillows, and towels as these items are rarely provided. Basic cooking supplies and utensils are not standard at most locations, so packing kitchen essentials is recommended. Refrigerators are uncommon in state park cabins, making coolers necessary for food storage. Bathroom facilities in most cabins are limited, with showers and toilets typically located in nearby central buildings rather than in-unit. While some cabin sites include water hookups, drinking water access points may be shared. The town of Moravia near Fillmore Glen offers essential supplies, and Ithaca provides comprehensive shopping options for cabin campers staying at parks in that vicinity.

Best Cabin Sites Near Cortland, New York (47)

    1. Fillmore Glen State Park Campground

    15 Reviews
    Moravia, NY
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 497-0130

    $17 - $67 / night

    "region of Upstate New York."

    "Awesome little park in the Finger Lakes region with nature on site and lots more to do and explore nearby (wine trails!)."

    2. Buttermilk Falls State Park Campground

    18 Reviews
    Ithaca, NY
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (607) 273-5761

    $17 - $66 / night

    "Doesn't have as many amenities as some of the other area (no showers) but still nice spacious sites with restroom, tables and fire rings."

    "They do have a "upper" and "lower" park. The lower park is where you will find the campground, swimming areas, and a big open field."

    3. Robert H. Treman State Park Campground

    22 Reviews
    Ithaca, NY
    23 miles
    Website
    +1 (607) 273-3440

    $20 - $128 / night

    "Located in Tompkins County, Ithaca New York has beautiful gorges and hiking trails. Robert Treman is a treat and a gorgeous place to camp in the Ithaca, NY area."

    "Treman State Park. The campground has an area with wooded sites, an area with sites in a large field (with hookups for RVs), and an area for the cabins (which looked very cool)."

    4. Taughannock Falls State Park Campground

    19 Reviews
    Jacksonville, NY
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (607) 387-6739

    $20 - $67 / night

    "Went for a quick getaway to this little gem of a state park in the finger lakes region of New York. I’ll be coy, and use their slogan ‘Ithaca is Gorges’ and Gorgeous!!!"

    "These are nice sites, didn't seem to fill up too much and you are close to one of the largest gorge waterfalls in the area. Would like to try the cabins there."

    5. Watkins Glen State Park Campground

    90 Reviews
    Watkins Glen, NY
    39 miles
    Website
    +1 (607) 535-4511

    $20 - $58 / night

    "Each site comes equipped with a picnic table and fire ring, making it easy to prepare meals after a day spent exploring the park’s famous Gorge Trail."

    "We (family of 5) stayed at Watkins Glen State Park 8/12/20 to 8/16/20. We were tent camping in Seneca Village and had an absolutely BEAUTIFUL site. There was a good mix of tent and RV campers."

    6. Empire Haven Nudist Park

    1 Review
    Moravia, NY
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 497-0135

    "We've camped in two rustic cabins over the years."

    7. Green Lakes State Park Campground

    43 Reviews
    Kirkville, NY
    33 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 637-6111

    $20 - $116 / night

    "Great place for trails, fishing, swimming & plain camping. There are electric & non-electric sites as well as a Cabin Colony. Pet friendly"

    "There is also a colony of rustic camper cabins. The campgrounds have brand new restroom facilities and playgrounds, and the main lake has a new beach house."

    8. Round Top Retreat

    2 Reviews
    Harford, NY
    15 miles
    Website

    $85 / night

    "we just returned to philly after a long weekend here. this was our 6th consecutive summer visiting here. very secluded. we let the kids and dogs run pretty much wherever without worry. and close to ithaca"

    9. Chenango Valley State Park Campground

    20 Reviews
    Chenango Forks, NY
    32 miles
    Website
    +1 (607) 648-5251

    $17 - $123 / night

    "Campsites are in the woods with picnic tables and fire ring, plenty of shade and a good amount of space between camps."

    "This is a beautiful park, the hiking is great with varied trails, nice changes in elevation due to the glacial geology of the landscape, and scenic vistas overlooking 2 beautiful lakes."

    10. Bowman Lake State Park Campground

    8 Reviews
    Oxford, NY
    26 miles
    Website
    +1 (607) 334-2718

    $17 - $65 / night

    "We had a back in site with a fire pit, picnic table, and no hook ups. It was gravel and not super level, but we made it work."

    "We brought our bikes and explored the many hiking and riding trails on the premises. We loved the swimming beach soaking up the sun and cool refreshing water."

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Cabin Reviews near Cortland, NY

398 Reviews of 47 Cortland Campgrounds


  • Jama A.
    Jul. 15, 2025

    Watkins Glen State Park Campground

    Watkins Glen State Park, New York

    Campers arriving at Watkins Glen State Park are immediately captivated by its dramatic gorge scenery, where 19 waterfalls cascade through narrow stone walls. Their campsites are nestled among hardwood forests, offering a perfect balance of sunlit clearings and shady retreats. Each site comes equipped with a picnic table and fire ring, making it easy to prepare meals after a day spent exploring the park’s famous Gorge Trail. The park’s facilities blend rustic charm with modern comforts: clean flush toilets, hot-water showers, and convenient potable water stations. Hiking enthusiasts appreciate the interconnected trail system, which includes the popular Rim Trail for elevated views of the gorge, as well as more secluded footpaths through hemlock groves. Families particularly enjoy the nearby swimming pool and easy-access picnic areas overlooking Seneca Lake. To simplify travel logistics for out-of-state visitors, many campers opt to pre-book an airport transfer so they can arrive at Ithaca or Elmira–Corning Regional Airport and head straight to the park without the hassle of car rentals. Those planning to explore multiple stops along the Finger Lakes often choose the provider’s reliable city-to-city rides for comfortable, door-to-door transportation between destinations. All in all, Watkins Glen State Park delivers an unforgettable combination of awe-inspiring gorge hikes, well-appointed campsites, and family-friendly amenities. Campers seeking both adventure and relaxation will find this New York treasure hard to surpass.

  • Amy R.
    Jul. 16, 2019

    Pine Cradle Lake Family Campground

    RV/tent campground in a beautiful setting

    This is a gated campground that we stayed at 6/30/19-7/04/19. We are NOT an RV. We own a Napier tent that hooks to our truck so that we can sleep up in the bed. However, due to it being a holiday week, the tent sites were completely booked and they only have 4(which also have water& electric). The tent sites are located in the back of the campground behind the sports field within the trees. I unfortunately didn’t get a chance to see them but they have them pictured on their website. They let us book an RV site and it was rough setting up on a gravel RV site but we understood that we were not within a normal tent element and placed an extra tarp under the tent. The campground is located at the top of some beautiful and scenic driving through farmland in Pennsylvania and you will be 30 minutes from anything like shopping or small town amenities(we drove to Walmart after setting up to get our perishables since we drive up from Virginia). Our site had water and electric, was a drive through spot for a typical RV with a section to the side of the drive through for the fire pit and picnic table. We were located right next to the shower/bathrooms/playground and had some tree coverage and shade. A lot of the RVs in the campground are permanent sites and our neighbors never showed so we had a quiet buffer but it was not a noisy campground. It appeared that they cleaned the bathrooms twice daily and we were impressed with the cleanliness of the bathroom/showers. There were 4 in the building so we never had to wait. The staff were friendly and helpful. They had a store right next to the pool area that offered common items and RV'er might need with a small grocery area as well which included bundles of wood($6 honor system after hours) and Ice($1.78 per bag). We were allowed to run an account which we paid at the end of our stay. Our campsite was required to be paid at check in. The campground is 18 acres with gravel roads, a sports field, fishing, horse shoes, bocce ball, multiple playgrounds, a rec center with some games, claw machines etc. a splash pad and salt water pool. You will be doing a lot of walking or bring your bicycles like we did. They offer scheduled activities for holidays etc and various weekend activities. You can rent non electric boats and they offer catch& release fishing without a PA license in the lake. My son caught 2 sunfish :) They have guidelines for visitors and quiet hours(my cousin came to visit us in the evenings as she lived close by). We enjoyed camping here even if we were on an RV site. We booked site 211 which had the little bit of tree coverage and was located right next to the showers/bathrooms/playground with a quick walk to the lake for fishing. Most of the other available sites in the road ahead of us had no tree coverage but closer to the lake had more trees and shade. OR, just get an actual tent site :) but they are all the way at the back of the campground, furthest from the lake so I actually preferred our site.

  • Amanda K.
    Jul. 1, 2022

    Sampson State Park Campground

    Back for a 2nd time

    HIGHLIGHTS : 

    Most sites are pretty spacious 

    Pets allowed in some loops 

    Marina convenience store with pontoon boat rentals

    Fishing 

    Swimming 

    Ice cream and concessions stand 

    Arcade room 

    Outdoor movie screen 

    Nice playgrounds 

    Military museum 

    Paved loops - good for bikes and scooters

    NEAR BY ATTRACTIONS: Wineries

    CONS: 

    Electric service boxes are shared in-between sites. This could pose an issue if your power cord is not long enough.

    There is only source for water fill up. This could end up being a very very long wait if you arrive at the same time as other campers.

    Only 2 dump stations

    They don’t allow pull-in camping. Campers MUST be backed in

  • Shawn V.
    Jun. 27, 2018

    Pine Cradle Lake Family Campground

    Great family campground

    Great family campground, decent sized sites, many lake side sites, very clean bathrooms/ showers. Several playgrounds, heated pool, pet friendly with shots paperwork. Good fishing in pond (cant use live bait or keep fish )

  • Michele R.
    May. 29, 2019

    Green Lakes State Park Campground

    Mosquito free campground

    Have been camping here off & on since I was 12 (1975). Great place for trails, fishing, swimming & plain camping. There are electric & non-electric sites as well as a Cabin Colony. Pet friendly

  • Carlyne F.
    Feb. 21, 2021

    Robert H. Treman State Park Campground

    Robert H. Treman State Park, NY

    Located in Tompkins County, Ithaca New York has beautiful gorges and hiking trails. Robert Treman is a treat and a gorgeous place to camp in the Ithaca, NY area. There are endless waterfalls, hiking trails, fishing holes and bird watching opportunities. The campground has bathrooms, showers, picnic tables, a playground and a dump station. There are cabins, tents and rv sites, some of which are handicapped accessible. Ithaca is also packed with wineries and the finger lakes. A great place to visit!

  • M
    Aug. 30, 2018

    Chenango Valley State Park Campground

    Family Oriented

    Campsites are in the woods with picnic tables and fire ring, plenty of shade and a good amount of space between camps. They have so many birds, squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits and insects that it was a veritable wonderland Playground and shallow swimming area for children with life guards and a sandy beach and new bath house. They have fishing and boat rentals, however the lake is pretty small and a lot of trees still in the water since a flood. There are nice trails for hiking that go all the way around the lake. I had my 5 year old grandson with me and he loved it but I did have to cut it short when we got rained out.

  • r
    Aug. 12, 2018

    Shady Pines Camp at CBG Farm - CLOSED

    Rustic and beautiful

    After meeting up with the owner we went down to the parking area. A dirt trail and park on the side in the grass. You have to walk in about 2 minutes on a trail. The owner has a golf cart with a small wagon and transported our stuff to the campsite and back when we left…he was really nice and very helpful.the trail opened to open grassy areas with surrounding trees where we pitched our tent…a small table and fire ring w grate provided. Also firewood.you get water back up at the barn but the owner was nice and brought us a 5 gal. Jug. Pond stocked with fish…catch and release. We caught some nice bass and bullhead…kids had a blast. Past the pond is the cabin with sitting spots and an open cement fire stove and oven also a fire pit. Theres an outhouse behind the cabin w a seat over a bucket w chemicals…papertowels tp hand sanitizer and disenfectant wipes nicely provided. We did have cellphone signals. Overall a really nice spot to relax and commune w nature.

  • Cheryl W.
    Aug. 31, 2018

    Pinecreek Campground

    Beautiful Park, beautiful area could be so much more with a little effort!

    Pinecreek is a beautiful park in a great area 10 minutes from downtown Ithica New York and Lake Cayuga. The area has everything you could possibly want or need. Fabulous State Parks with spectacular waterfalls, a farmers market right on the lake front, Cornell University and so much more. That being said it may be the reason the campground doesn't offer any planned activities. They do have a swimming pool and what appears to be a large clubhouse/meeting area that is not or was not used while we were there, nor were any activities publicized. They do have a small arcade but it did not stay open past 8 pm and did not appear to be air-conditioned.

    Our campsite was a full hookup with a large grassy area for setting up our outside chairs and picnic table. Although we enjoyed our stay we felt it was a bit overpriced for not having much to offer. They also have a very long list of rules & while they do allow pets there is a list of breed restrictions you need to be aware of before booking a reservation. They also charge for electricity on any stays one week or longer which we had not encountered previously at campgrounds where we have stayed.

    Overall we enjoyed our stay but not sure we would stay again.


Guide to Cortland

Cabin camping options near Cortland, New York occupy mountainous terrain ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 feet in elevation. The region experiences distinct seasonal changes with warm, humid summers averaging 80°F and cold winters that typically drop below freezing. Most cabin facilities remain operational from mid-April through late October, with limited winter availability at select locations.

What to do

Hiking to waterfalls: Buttermilk Falls State Park offers extensive trails connecting to its swimming area beneath cascading water. "The hiking trails are nice! Not too challenging, but very scenic. Walking along the water from the upper and lower entrances is great," notes a visitor who appreciates the park's accessibility.

Swimming in natural settings: Taughannock Falls State Park provides a unique swimming experience with deeper water options. "The swimming area goes to 12 feet deep and has a dock to jump off of. The hiking to the waterfall is very manageable," reports one camper who enjoyed both activities during their stay.

Kayaking on Finger Lakes: The region offers multiple paddling opportunities on calm waters. "The lake is small but calm and great for kayaking. There is a little 'beach' there for swimming, but know that it's a soft lake bottom further out," observes a visitor to Bowman Lake State Park.

Exploring multiple parks: The concentration of state parks enables visitors to experience various settings during one trip. "Went to Buttermilk Falls too. Pulled back and punted bc of Storm Debbie. Lucked out with a find in the Finger Lakes. Nice campground," reports a traveler who visited multiple parks in the region.

What campers like

Privacy levels: Robert H. Treman State Park offers cabin camping with varying levels of seclusion. "Sites are nice and shaded. The sites in the middle section of the campground don't really have designated boundaries, while those around the edges are more traditionally divided," notes a frequent visitor who appreciates the layout options.

Natural swimming areas: Many cabins provide access to unique swimming facilities. "The swimming pool is well staffed and clean. Changing areas are available as well as a splash pad for the little kids," mentions a visitor to Chenango Valley State Park, highlighting the family-friendly features.

Hiking accessibility: The cabin locations typically offer direct trail access. "The gorge trail is a MUST. Definitely go check this campsite out!" states an enthusiastic visitor to Watkins Glen, emphasizing how cabin proximity to trails enhances the experience.

Cabin conditions: Most cabins maintain basic but functional accommodations. "We've camped in two rustic cabins over the years. The campground is as quiet and peaceful as anyone would like," reports a visitor to Empire Haven, noting the consistent quality of their cabin stays.

What you should know

Bathroom access: Most cabins rely on centralized facilities rather than in-unit bathrooms. "The bathhouses are clean and well lit at night. This is definitely a large family area. Expect to hear your neighbors once and a while," reports a visitor to Watkins Glen State Park.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Cortland, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Cortland, NY is Fillmore Glen State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 15 reviews.

What is the best site to find cabin camping near Cortland, NY?

TheDyrt.com has all 47 cabin camping locations near Cortland, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.