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Best Tent Camping near Elmira, NY

497 Reviews

Tent campsites near Elmira, New York feature both established campgrounds and primitive options within an hour's drive. Gardner Hill Campground in Lowman provides tent sites with drinking water, electric hookups, and toilet facilities. Colton Point State Park Campground, located on the western rim of Pine Creek Gorge in Pennsylvania, offers more rustic tent camping with walk-in sites accessible via short hiking trails.

Many tent campgrounds in the region operate seasonally, with Colton Point State Park open from mid-April through mid-October. Most tent sites include picnic tables and fire rings, though amenities vary significantly between locations. Gardner Hill Campground provides showers and drinking water for tent campers, while more primitive options like those in Tioga State Forest offer fewer amenities. According to one visitor, "Unlike Leonard Harrison, Colton Point on the western rim of the Pine Creek Gorge isn't a tourist hub. The campsites are private and you get to hike in." Sites at Colton Point feature vault toilets rather than modern bathroom facilities, requiring campers to plan accordingly.

The tent camping experience in the region offers varying levels of seclusion and natural settings. Camp Earth Connection provides 18 walk-in tent sites with fire rings, drinking water, and toilet facilities in a wooded setting. At Colton Point State Park Campground, tent campers appreciate the distance from more developed areas. A camper noted that despite proximity to other sites, you can "pick your own tucked away spot within the camp area but yet still close enough to other people." Many tent sites in the region serve as excellent bases for day hiking, with Colton Point providing access to trails like the Turkey Trail that follows a stream with waterfalls down into Pine Creek Gorge. Primitive tent campers should bring adequate water supplies when staying at less developed sites, particularly during summer months.

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Best Tent Sites Near Elmira, New York (20)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Elmira, NY

12 Photos of 20 Elmira Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Elmira, NY

497 Reviews of 20 Elmira Campgrounds

  • Janet R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 29, 2024

    Salt Springs State Park Campground

    Unique park with unique natural features

    This park is technically a “state park” because the land for it was donated to the state for public use. However, once the state became the official stewards, there werent funds in the state budget to maintain it as a park. A lical group, the Friends of Salt Springs, stepped up and offered to maintain the park with funds raised by their group. The result is a small but unique property open to the public for day use (picnicking and hiking and fishing) along with 2 small rustic campgrounds. One campground has a large open mowed grassy meadow with level sites for car camping or small campers, no hookups are available but each site has a fire ring and picnic table. On the other side of the parks trout stream are seven secluded primitive hike-in tent sites along with three basic camper cabins. The Friends of Salt Springs makes a good effort to maintain these two rustic campgrounds, however it seems there isnt a ranger on site at night so a camper said the meadow campground can get a little noisy some nights. The hike in sites are relatively quiet and secluded though, and are positioned nicely along the stream, one site actually adjacent to a good swimming hole.

    The camper cabins are basic with bunks, bring all your own gear. They are fairly new and have electricity but no water or heat.

    On the grounds in the day use area are picnic spits, a pavilion, and an activity barn. When I was there, the barn was featuring a local quilt show.

    The special aspect of this park are the hiking trails through old growth hemlock forest, said to be the largest hemlocks in Pennsylvania. The trout stream also cascades through some some waterfalls, and there are gorges with unique geology.

    There is a village nearby with limited supplies, you may want to stock up on groceries before heading out to this somewhat remote park. There is, however, a local brewery, plus an odd coffee shop featuring both donuts and ammo, an unusual combination…..

  • Gavin T.
    Oct. 23, 2017

    Blueberry Patch Campground — Green Mountain & Finger Lakes National Forests

    Simple

    The only Finger Lakes National Forest designated campground, Blueberry Patch offers a secluded experience in the heart of this sometimes overlooked beautiful geographic region in the State of New York. This campground offers a simple experience, with fire rings and picnic tables at each site and seems to accommodate just tent and small campers. Vault toilets available. On a week day in early summer, 3 of the 9 campsites we’re occupied. Can see it filling up on weekends. Enjoy!

  • Sophie D.
    Oct. 5, 2016

    Watkins Glen State Park Campground

    Friendly, beautiful, and well organized

    I ended a two-day backpacking trek through the Finger Lakes National Forest at Watkins Glen. After grunting all the way up the long hill to the campground, I checked in with a wonderful and helpful employee. She gave me all the information about the campground and park that I could ever want, and then we laughed a little about the antics of young husky mixes (I had my dog with me on the hike). The campground is dog-friendly, provided that you have a current rabies certificate and keep him/her on leash.

    I stayed at a tent site, which has no electricity. RV sites, which cost a little more, provide electric hookups. My camp site and all the neighboring ones were clean. Water from spigots is easily accessible, as are showers and toilets.

    The campground is situated walking distance from the main attractions of the park; during the summer, a large swimming pool is a popular place to hang out with family. Hiking trails parallel the creek with beautiful falls. I was disappointed to find that dogs are not allowed on the Gorge Trail, which is closest to all of the falls.

    All in all, I loved this campground. It was a very relaxing place to spend the night.

  • N
    Jun. 14, 2019

    Blueberry Patch Campground — Green Mountain & Finger Lakes National Forests

    Great site

    What does blueberry patch campground offer? Large camp sites with a picnic table large enough for 6 adults (squeezed together), metal fire pit with grill, large tent footprint and space for 2-3 vehicles to park.

    For you fellow hammock campers reading this don’t worry! Most of the sites are compatible for hammocks, some sites you may have to be more creative to make it work.

    You can stay at this site for up to 14 days at $15pn (bring cash). There are two bathrooms on the site and bear proof dumpsters as well. There are many locals selling fire wood bundles for $5 each so no problems getting a fire going. Lastly for this part BRING WATER. There are no water sources near the site. There is a gas station about 15 minutes away on route 79 so make sure to fill up on water and snacks.

    The site is great. Lots of amenities and individual sites. They aren’t too far away from each other so you don’t feel completely isolated but far enough away to allow some privacy. There are some trails nearby and are worth a hike.

    Neil

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • David A.
    Aug. 23, 2025

    Tiadaghton Campground — Tioga State Forest

    Tiadaghaton State Forest, PA

    Roadside site 1/4 mile from the nearest site. You can drive right to the site on Hackett Rd. Very secluded and peaceful. Picnic table and fire ring, but no water or latrine.

  • Matt G.
    Aug. 1, 2016

    Greenwood County Park

    Busy Busy

    Greenwood can get VERY crowded in the summer time, but for good reason. The swimming is excellent, lots of space for everyone, and they have lifeguards on duty just in case. There are grills and picnic tables, but you have to get there pretty early to claim them. As for the campground itself, there are 50 or so camping spots that are pretty close together. But there are fire rings, which is nice for a county park, and one unique thing we saw was a horseshoe pit. No horseshoes this time, though, too hot and muggy. Typical New York weather. Overall, the park is more than I expected for a county park.

  • Tara S.
    Oct. 11, 2017

    Fillmore Glen State Park Campground

    Beautiful trails, busy campground

    We visited 6 state parks in the Finger Lakes region of New York this past summer. Fillmore Glen State Park was our favorite for hiking, but probably our least favorite for camping. The trails are uncrowded and well maintained. We hiked along the south rim trail and the gorge trail. The gorge trail is especially cool, with 9 foot bridges crisscrossing over the river. There are several gorgeous waterfalls, and the walk was shady and cool, even though it was a hot day. After hiking through the glen, we were hoping to cool off with a swim, but the swimming area was closed. Not sure why, but you can only swim when lifeguards are on duty, and there were No Swimming signs everywhere.

    The campground at Fillmore Glen was totally full when we stayed there. The sites offered little privacy and were very close together, plus you could here road noise loud and clear all through the night. The water faucet near our site was out of order, and the bathrooms were only clean in the morning. The sites were all wooded and shaded, with nice flat spots for tents, but I probably wouldn’t stay there again during the busy summer months. If you’re headed out that way, I would definitely recommend Fillmore Glen for a day trip, but I’d camp at either Robert Treman or Buttermilk Falls state park in Ithaca.

Guide to Elmira

Tent camping options near Elmira, New York range from primitive sites in state forests to more developed campgrounds with basic amenities. The region spans across the Southern Tier of New York and northern Pennsylvania, with elevations ranging from 800 to 2,000 feet. Summer temperatures typically reach 75-85°F during the day and cool to 55-65°F at night, creating favorable conditions for camping from May through October.

What to do

Fishing access points: Lawrence Recreation Area provides shoreline fishing opportunities on Cowanesque Lake. "Had a great few days here camped in RV next to lake. Amazing driftwood to be had. Good kayaking. Peaceful," notes Rebecca E., highlighting activities beyond just fishing.

Hiking the PA Grand Canyon: Colton Point State Park Campground offers access to multiple hiking trails with canyon views. Gary O. mentions the park has "Incredible views, nicknamed the Grand Canyons of Pennsylvania" and features "the highest trail elevation in PA."

River exploration: The Susquehanna River provides water recreation opportunities near several campgrounds. Bruce H. describes Riverside Acres Campground: "The river in front of first row sites is 200 m broad. Eagles fish here. You can too. Good beginning or end for a canoe trip."

Creek wading: Several campgrounds feature small streams suitable for cooling off during summer months. Tiadaghton Campground offers sites near water features, with David A. noting his experience at a "roadside site 1/4 mile from the nearest site" that was "very secluded and peaceful."

What campers like

Privacy between sites: Many campers appreciate the balance of community and seclusion at local campgrounds. At Camp Earth Connection, 18 walk-in tent sites are situated in a wooded setting, providing natural separation between camping areas.

Secluded locations: Tiadaghton sites in Tioga State Forest offer significant distance from other campers. According to David A., his site was "very secluded and peaceful" with a "picnic table and fire ring, but no water or latrine."

Local knowledge access: Some campgrounds feature longtime owners with extensive area information. Bruce H. notes that at Riverside Acres Campground, the "resident owner is easy to get along with as long as you respect the grounds. She has a wealth of knowledge of the area."

Affordability: Basic camping sites remain reasonably priced throughout the region. Gardner Hill Campground offers simple tent sites that impressed one camper who "happened upon this campground by following the blue tent sign on the highway. No frills but very comfy and nice views."

What you should know

Reservation policies vary: Some campgrounds require advance booking while others operate first-come, first-served. Aaron B. recommends Colton Point State Park for its "great hiking with great views" but campers should note it doesn't accept reservations.

Amenity limitations: Many primitive sites lack water sources. At Tiadaghton Campground, sites include "picnic table and fire ring, but no water or latrine," requiring campers to pack in all necessary supplies.

Seasonal availability: Most campgrounds in the region operate seasonally due to harsh winters. Upper Lisle Park operates only from May to September, though Paully B. cautions there's "really nothing here" other than "a nice place to launch the kayak in the upper river and into Dorchester lake."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Elmira, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Elmira, NY is Gardner Hill Campground with a 5-star rating from 1 review.

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TheDyrt.com has all 20 tent camping locations near Elmira, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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