Cabin camping near Ellenville, New York offers direct access to the Shawangunk Ridge at elevations between 1,000-2,000 feet. The region's moderate climate features warm summer days that cool significantly at night, even in July and August when daytime temperatures typically range from 75-85°F. Most cabin rentals in the area require advance booking, with peak season running May through October when facilities operate at full capacity.
What to do
River activities: Cuddebackville area: Oakland Valley Campground sits directly on the Neversink River with riverfront campsites. "You can camp right next to the river and it has a great view," notes one visitor who appreciated the three distinct camping levels available at this family-friendly destination.
Hiking options: Staatsburg trails: Mills Norrie State Park Campground features extensive trail networks connecting directly to cabin areas. "There are great hiking trails on the Hudson River right outside your campsite. Amenities are the great outdoors and an ancient bath house built during the New Deal in the 1930's," explains a reviewer who enjoyed the park's proximity to other attractions.
Swimming facilities: shallow options: Jellystone Park Gardiner offers multiple swimming options with safety features for different age groups. "Nice pool that is shallow so you can relax and let the little ones go in the water park section alone or they have a 3 ft pool also," mentions a parent who found the setup ideal for younger children.
Seasonal activities: winter planning: Cabin availability decreases significantly from November through April. While some properties like Neversink River Resort remain open year-round, winter cabins require advance planning. Most cabin facilities close completely after Columbus Day weekend, as one camper noted: "I stayed here for Columbus Day weekend. I believe it was one of the last weekends it was open for the season."
What campers like
Privacy levels: wooded sites: Boulder Point Campground provides more secluded cabin experiences away from larger family resorts. "This property has several sites for you to setup your tent, camper, van, or RV (only small tow behinds or popups, no large RVs)," explains a visitor who appreciated the property's layout and surrounding amenities.
Staff responsiveness: maintenance issues: Oakland Valley Campground received positive feedback for addressing concerns. "Our truck broke down and they were able to accommodate us for an extra nights stay while it was being fixed," mentioned a visitor who needed unexpected assistance during their trip.
Water features: riverside cabins: Korns Campgrounds offers riverside sites with immediate water access. "We had a nice tent site (92) along the river. I called myself captain planet because I fished a coffee cup from the river," shared a camper who enjoyed the waterfront location despite some maintenance concerns.
Quiet periods: weekday stays: Several campgrounds experience significant attendance differences between weekdays and weekends. "Deserted during the week but packed on weekends. Sites are large and spread nicely," reports a Mills Norrie State Park visitor who preferred midweek stays for a more peaceful experience.
What you should know
Site selection strategy: Several campgrounds have significant variations between sites within the same property. "It is a bit more open and campsite can be a bit close to each other," noted a visitor to Jellystone Park Gardiner, while another camper at Thousand Trails advised: "Some sites are better than others... Some have a steep descent off the road, and there's a lip on the road that can scrape bottom of campers/RVs."
Bathroom facilities: seasonal variations: Thousand Trails Rondout Valley received mixed reviews regarding bathroom facilities. "There's only one bath house with just a few showers and toilets. It's in pretty bad shape - dirty, bad drainage, and sometimes backed up toilets," reported a July visitor, while another noted recent improvements: "many upgrades have been made over the past year."
Noise considerations: quiet time enforcement: Camping cabins near Ellenville have varying approaches to quiet hours. "They are strict with quiet time. Maybe a little too strict, once the kids were finally asleep it was quiet time and we were told to basically go to bed too," mentioned a Jellystone visitor, while others reported insufficient enforcement at other properties.
Seasonal water levels: River activities depend on rainfall patterns. "We went to see Acosting falls one morning but due to the drought it was a trickle instead of a waterfall," reported a visitor staying at Jellystone Park during a dry period.
Tips for camping with families
Cabin selection: distance factors: Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park at Birchwood Acres accommodates families with strategic cabin placement options. "Our 21 month old had the time of his life here! We stayed for 3 nights in June in a rustic cabin. There are no bathrooms in the cabin but there are public restrooms nearby," reports a parent who found the setup workable despite lacking private facilities.
Activity scheduling: weekend focus: Most organized family activities concentrate on weekends. "It looks like Saturdays have the best activities but we were not there on a Saturday," mentioned a Jellystone visitor who recommended planning around peak activity days for maximum programming.
Transportation considerations: Larger cabin properties often require supplemental transportation. "Make sure you reserve a golf cart if you stay during the weekend- it's a must have to get from place to place and our little guy loved it!" advised a family staying at Jellystone Park, though another visitor cautioned about value: "renting a golf cart is probably not the best option $175 for 2 days and it only goes 5mph."
Age-appropriate activities: Older children still find entertainment at family-focused resorts. "I was worried my 12 year old would be too old for it but he enjoyed making friends there," shared a parent who found activities suitable across age ranges despite marketing that seemed to target younger children.
Tips from RVers
Site leveling challenges: Neversink River Resort (formerly Deerpark KOA) requires careful site selection for RVs. "We had to try 2 different spots because some of them are VERY un-level," reported an RV camper who still found the overall experience positive despite initial setup challenges.
Sewer connection positioning: Thousand Trails Rondout Valley has physical challenges at some hookup sites. "The sewer connection in 372 ran uphill for me, but my pipe sits very low," noted a recent visitor who switched to a non-sewer site as a result.
Winter accessibility: Year-round cabin camping options exist but with limitations. Most cabin facilities in the Ellenville area close completely after Columbus Day, though Neversink River Resort maintains winter operations with cabin rentals available through colder months.
Privacy considerations: RV sites tend to have less privacy than cabins at most properties. "The sites seemed closer together by the river, but not too bad," observed a camper at Oakland Valley who compared different sections of the property.
