Best Campgrounds near Freeville, NY

The Freeville area in New York's Finger Lakes region features several established campgrounds with diverse accommodation options including tent sites, RV hookups, cabins, and glamping facilities. State parks dominate the camping landscape, with Buttermilk Falls, Robert H. Treman, Taughannock Falls, and Watkins Glen State Parks all situated within 30 miles of Freeville. These parks offer similar amenities including electric hookups, sanitary facilities, and reservable sites. Smaller private campgrounds like Pinecreek Campground and Yellow Lantern Kampground provide additional options in the immediate vicinity.

Most campgrounds in the area operate seasonally, typically from April or May through October or November. Advance reservations are strongly recommended, particularly for summer weekends and holiday periods. "The campground is amazing and GO SEE THOSE FALLS!" noted one visitor to Buttermilk Falls State Park, highlighting the region's natural attractions. Road conditions to campgrounds are generally good, though some parks have gravel access roads with occasional potholes. Electric hookups are common at developed sites, with 30-amp and 50-amp service available at most state park campgrounds. Cell service varies by location, with better coverage near larger towns like Ithaca.

The numerous waterfalls and gorges distinguish camping in this region, with multiple state parks offering scenic hiking trails and swimming opportunities during summer months. Several visitors mentioned the tranquil atmosphere and natural beauty as key highlights. A camper at Buttermilk Falls wrote, "Deer outside the tent, wildflowers through summer, great leaves in fall." Many campgrounds provide a mix of wooded and open sites, though proximity to water features varies by location. While campgrounds near Ithaca tend to be more popular and sometimes crowded during peak season, those farther from town generally offer a quieter experience. Campers seeking more unique experiences can find glamping options at places like Firelight Camps or cabin rentals at Round Top Retreat, where one visitor appreciated that it was "very secluded" and allowed children and dogs to "run pretty much wherever without worry."

Best Camping Sites Near Freeville, New York (136)

    1. Robert H. Treman State Park Campground

    22 Reviews
    Ithaca, NY
    13 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."

    "The exception to this is cabin 14 which is a double cabin and is located near the playground and surrounded by standard electric camping sites."

    2. Buttermilk Falls State Park Campground

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

    $17 - $66 / night

    "Buttermilk Falls State Park is a great state park in central New York. The scenery is what makes this park stand out."

    "Short drive out of Ithaca proper near one of the Finger Lakes. Medium to easy trails (the ones near the gorges are steep but with nice rock steps)."

    3. Taughannock Falls State Park Campground

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

    $20 - $67 / night

    "Taughannock Falls State Park is one of my favorite parks in New York."

    "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!!!"

    4. Watkins Glen State Park Campground

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

    $20 - $58 / night

    "Watkins Glen boasts one of New York’s most beautiful state parks! I last camped here in 2012 and absolutely loved hiking along the gorges. Also- the camping was next to perfect."

    "Definitely one of the top places to camp and visit in New York, Watkins Glen State Park never disappoints. Each time I come back, I find something new to discover and have a great time doing that."

    5. 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!)."

    6. Pinecreek Campground

    8 Reviews
    Ithaca, NY
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (607) 273-1974

    "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."

    "Beautiful lake, woodland and natural surrounding. Friendly campground visitors and staff. Open to seasonal and day campers alike. Playground needs improving."

    7. Yellow Lantern Kampground

    2 Reviews
    Homer, NY
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (607) 756-2959

    8. Round Top Retreat

    2 Reviews
    Harford, NY
    9 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. Firelight Camps

    1 Review
    Ithaca, NY
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (607) 229-1644

    "Even with the restrictions we had a great visit and felt safely distanced from other campers and staff. Great hiking trails because it is attached to Buttermilk Falls State Park."

    10. Empire Haven Nudist Park

    1 Review
    Moravia, NY
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 497-0135
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Recent Reviews near Freeville, NY

565 Reviews of 136 Freeville Campgrounds


  • KThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 4, 2025

    Sugar Hill Fire Tower Campsite

    Would Stay again

    We stayed here for 2 nights car camping. quiet and clean. spots had fire rings and picnic tables. Bathrooms were clean and had potable water. There were lots of horses. There are hiking trails right out of the site! would absolutely stay here again!

  • HThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 3, 2025

    Sugar Hill Fire Tower Campsite

    Free camping with amenities!

    26 camp sites with bathrooms! That flush! Very quiet and the sites aren’t on top of each other. People bring their horses. You can drive to to your site and tent camp or camper camp. I would come back!

  • EThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 1, 2025

    Watkins Glen State Park Campground

    Nice campground in a gorgeous state park.

    Nice pretty campground, only electric hookup for the RV sites, tho. The showers were cool, no hot water. Close to some gorgeous hiking tho! And town is about a mile away with shops, restaurants and on the edge of one of the Finger Lakes to make it beautiful!

  • Chelsea B.
    Sep. 30, 2025

    Green Lakes State Park Campground

    Good camp sites

    The sites are good, level, and the campsite is pretty but as clean as the bathrooms are, the showers still suck. I’ll never understand why parks use the misting shower heads. Maybe TMI, but sorry ladies, you’ll never get the soap out of your bits. It’s best to use the ADA bathrooms because those shower heads are normal and have wands. I can’t say much about the amenities since we camped in the off season (really bummed not to rent a boat), but the trails around the lake are great! Beautiful water and various difficulties on the trails make it pretty fun to explore. Overall a good stay but took a star away for the showers and the landscapers. They spent at least 5-6 hours the Monday we were here mowing around our campsite, coming within inches of our power and Starlink cords. Really annoyed by that and when we called the park office, they said they’d take care of it but we still endured 4 more hours of multiple mowers going over the same areas multiple times. Honestly think they were messing with us at that point…

  • Chelsea B.
    Sep. 27, 2025

    Robert H. Treman State Park Campground

    Good location

    Location: This park is close to Ithaca which was the best part. Trails and Natural Features: We loved the waterfall, swimming area (seasonal so closed when we stayed), and the fall colors. Sites: They have very few electric sites so we decided to boondock. It surprised me that all the full hookup sites were reserved but very people actually showed up for their reservations while we stayed. Lame. And heads up that if you don’t stay in the big clearing for big rigs, there are tight turns between trees to get in and out of the non-electric sites. We ended up making a back-in site into a pull-through site… whoops. Starlink: I work remotely so internet is important. We weren’t camping in the clearing because those sites were booked, but even the Starlink struggled where we were and I ended up working from the library in town. So heads up if you need internet. Bathrooms: They were spacious but older. Temperature in the showers was tricky. Hot is cold and cold it hot. Cool stuff: They had compost bins and provide bags for all campers. That’s cool!

  • c
    Sep. 25, 2025

    Salt Springs State Park Campground

    Worked for me

    I stayed in late September in one of the drive in spots. There were no other campers bc of the season- and it’s mid week. I love this park and it’s close to my house so I just wanted to crash there and wake up early to hike. It was quiet all night. The bathrooms are very far from tne sites and it was visible where some people had relieved themselves in the bushes. There is no potable water anywhere so bring some. I enjoyed it but during the on season or busy times tnere is zero privacy between sites other than sites 13 and 14. Def wouldn’t stay here during summer for that reason.

  • Bare Soul  W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 15, 2025

    South Slope Trail Head Dispersed Camp

    Relaxing

    There is one campsite near trail. There was more traffic than I expected. Also there is no cell service. No real tires

  • Mindie C.
    Aug. 24, 2025

    Pinecreek Campground

    Overnight stay

    The campground is cute and quiet. Staff is friendly and helpful. My only complaint is the condition of the roads. They are in dire need of grading and new gravel. Be careful!

  • Lynsey M.
    Aug. 22, 2025

    Salt Springs State Park Campground

    Adventures!

    3 couples all ventured to Salt Springs and split the largest cabin for a few days. We electricity from a few outlets in the cabin if needed. Let me tell you that we spent very little time inside. We enjoyed the trials, waterfalls, and firepit cooked meals outside! Hemlock Grove, Penny Rock, and the saltspring kept us entertained! We cooled off under a waterfall :) I'm looking forward to visiting again! Bring some hotdogs/burgers for a yummy meal after a good day in PA!


Guide to Freeville

Camping near Freeville, New York, offers a mix of beautiful landscapes and fun activities for everyone. Whether you’re looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled getaway, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.

What to do:

  • Hiking and Waterfalls: Explore the stunning trails at Watkins Glen State Park Campground. One camper mentioned, "The access to Watkins Glen! My site was in Loop D which has a direct hiking trail to the trail along Watkins Glen!"
  • Paddleboarding: Enjoy paddleboarding at nearby Seneca Lake. A visitor shared, "We went paddleboarding. We put in at a boat launch at the very southeastern corner of the lake near Seneca Lake Kayak."
  • Visit Wineries: The area is known for its wineries. One camper noted, "This campground is close to home, easily accessible, close to grocery stores and has a beautiful beach and playground for kids."

What campers like:

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate the cleanliness of the campgrounds. A review for Green Lakes State Park Campground stated, "The bathrooms are great! Super modern and clean and hot, free showers!"
  • Spacious Sites: Many campgrounds offer roomy sites. A visitor at Sampson State Park Campground said, "Sites are generous in size but the power poles are between sites."
  • Family-Friendly Activities: Campgrounds like Ives Run have playgrounds and swimming areas. One camper mentioned, "It has a beach, playground, and a camp store."

What you should know:

  • Limited Privacy: Some campgrounds have sites that are close together. A camper at Taughannock Falls State Park Campground noted, "The sites were also very close to each other and rather shallow, thereby limiting privacy."
  • Basic Amenities: Not all campgrounds have extensive amenities. A review for Robert H. Treman State Park Campground mentioned, "The dumping station is lacking but overall nice park."
  • Seasonal Availability: Many campgrounds are only open during certain months. For example, Keuka Lake State Park Campground operates from May 6 to October 16.

Tips for camping with families:

  • Choose Campgrounds with Activities: Look for campgrounds that offer kid-friendly activities. A camper at Watkins Glen / Corning KOA said, "It had a lot of things to do indoor/outdoor pool, pirate ship, slide, big pillow, waterslide."
  • Plan for Clean Facilities: Families appreciate clean bathrooms. A review for Chenango Valley State Park Campground highlighted, "Clean bath houses. Tons of biking and hike trails."
  • Pack for Outdoor Fun: Bring games and outdoor gear. One camper noted, "We spent every day hiking and biking."

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Site Accessibility: Make sure your RV can fit in the designated sites. A visitor at Sampson State Park Campground mentioned, "Electric service boxes are shared in-between sites."
  • Bring Extension Cords: Some sites may have power poles far from your RV. A camper advised, "Bring an extension cord for some sites."
  • Explore Nearby Attractions: Take advantage of the local attractions. A review for Keuka Lake State Park Campground mentioned, "Not far from Penn Yan, nice city, wineries are all over."

Camping around Freeville, New York, is a great way to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends. With a variety of campgrounds and activities, there’s something for everyone!

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Freeville, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, Freeville, NY offers a wide range of camping options, with 136 campgrounds and RV parks near Freeville, NY and 15 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Freeville, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Freeville, NY is Robert H. Treman State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 22 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Freeville, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 15 free dispersed camping spots near Freeville, NY.