Ellicottville is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. Ellicottville is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. You're sure to find the perfect campground for your Ellicottville camping trip.
$229 / night
"Allegany State Park is nearby for hiking, snowshoeing, XC skiing, leaf peeping,etc."
"After the last bad winter storm we had (2/2018) trees fell all over the park, including on my favorite hiking trails."
$35 - $89 / night
"Firefly Acres is a great spot to setup camp with tons of activities nearby including trails for hiking & mountain biking. Check them out and share some pics of your stay!"
"Some you can drive your car in and tuck it back. Other spots you cant take your car at all. There are tons of logging roads that split off the main forest road."
"Big open spots with established fire rings. Quiet except for the distant rumble of a train passing the town down in the valley."
GuideWillow 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.
LegendDid 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.
ScoutThe state park is breathtaking. The campground is horrendous. The restrooms were disgusting. The site barely fit our one tent (8man Coleman) even though it was advertised as a two tent site. The camp fire ring had no solid base- it just sat on the grass and fires would not stay lit. The quiet hours were not enforced. Yelling and loud music kept us up until ridiculous hours. I would not rate this as family friendly.
GuideCampsite 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.
LegendWe 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.
LegendWe 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.
GuideNice 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.
RangerThis is a park with a lake. In the green rolling hills of the Finger Lakes. Grassy open fields are nice but not private. Used the basic tent setup. Clean, grounds kept up nice, simple, no water. Lots of state lands and water nearby. Deer by the tent in the morning. Great stopover or base camp, not much to do right on site.
GuideBeen here a few times. Took my oldest so, 7 years old, on his first backpacking trip. It was hard for him but persevered. Camp grounds are well dispersed for privacy. Each with a fire ring and table. Even a vaulted toilet which we discovered on our last trip. It’s kinda hidden, you may have to search for it.
Tent camping near Ellicottville, New York, offers a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying a variety of amenities and activities. Whether you're looking for a family-friendly environment or a peaceful retreat, there are several well-reviewed options to consider.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Ellicottville, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Ellicottville, NY is Bova Cottages — Allegany State Park with a 5-star rating from 4 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 12 tent camping locations near Ellicottville, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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