Best Tent Camping near Gouverneur, NY

Tent campgrounds in the Gouverneur, New York region offer a mix of island-based and forest settings for primitive camping experiences. Notable options include Winona State Forest, which provides dispersed tent camping with minimal facilities, and Cedar Island State Park Campground, which requires boat access and offers waterfront tent sites. Francis Lake provides free tent camping with basic amenities including toilets, picnic tables, and access to water activities.

Tent sites throughout the area typically feature basic amenities with varying levels of accessibility. Winona State Forest offers primitive tent camping with only fire rings as amenities, requiring campers to be self-sufficient with their own water and supplies. Sites are often just feet from access roads with limited privacy screening. Cedar Island and Mary Island State Parks provide more developed tent sites but require boat transportation to reach them. According to one visitor, "You need a boat to get here, making it one of our favorite places to camp in NY." Campers should check seasonal availability, as many sites operate only from late May through early September.

The tent camping experience near Gouverneur varies significantly based on location. Forest sites offer quiet surroundings with hiking access, while island campsites provide unique water-based experiences with opportunities for kayaking, swimming, and fishing. A recent review noted that Francis Lake is "totally gorgeous, perfectly clean, and quiet" with "room for two or three tents, two fire circles and has an outhouse." Island campsites tend to offer more privacy between sites compared to forest locations. Winona State Forest campsites remain relatively undiscovered, providing solitude even during peak season. Many tent campers appreciate the primitive nature of these sites, with minimal development allowing for authentic backcountry tent camping experiences despite relatively easy access.

Best Tent Sites Near Gouverneur, New York (11)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Gouverneur, NY

2 Photos of 11 Gouverneur Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Gouverneur, NY

216 Reviews of 11 Gouverneur Campgrounds


  • Carol B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 27, 2025

    Kring Point State Park Campground

    Waterfront sites with amenities

    I am tent camping and found my site (105) to have a couple of relatively level areas to choose to set up my tent on. This site is on Goose Bay, but the sites across the road are on the St Lawrence River just a few hundred feet away. Water nearby, brand new bathrooms with showers and two kitchen clean up stations are a short walk away. Every site has a fire ring with a grill and picnic table. Loons are calling, a mink scampered by on the flat rock shore 15’ away with a fish in its mouth. This place is quiet and peaceful. I will 100% return!

  • Elizabeth B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 29, 2020

    Soft Maple Campground

    Small and completely gorgeous! Beach, wooded sites, great for everyone.

    Soft Maple is a truly gorgeous small campground. Only about a dozen sites or so, first come first serve. Level sites for RVs or tent or hammock camping. Each site has a nice space with fire ring and picnic table. The beach is lovely and clean. There’s boat access for canoes and kayaks as this is part of the Beaver River route. 

    The entire campground is accessible, with gravel pack paths, and level sites.  

    Charlie is the caretaker here and everyone says he is the nicest person you’ll meet.  You can’t beat site number 11 for the perfect mix of treelined and water view!

    There is space for RVs and a dump station but the sites do not have power or hookups. 

    If you come in to the campground from “number 4 road” (aka state rt. 26) it’s exactly five miles from the Left turn on to Soft Maple rd. If you have time, stop halfway- the 2.5 mile mark will bring you to the entrance for Eagle falls, a short hike with a fantastic reveal.

  • Geoff W.
    Aug. 16, 2017

    Stillwater Reservoir

    Another great trip

    This was my 3rd trip to Stillwater in 3 yrs and it gets better each time!

    Our first trip was an overnight to test some backpacking gear, it was September and the weather was perfect! We hiked into our site, not easy because almost everything is meant to be accessed by boat so we were guessing our course! Cooler weather meant no bugs to contend with

    Next year we took a canoe to our site, it was July, warm weather, warm water and the bugs were not terrible, we were at Site 1, secluded in a cove, not a lot of traffic but there is a hiking trailhead near the site so there is potential for visitors.

    Our latest trip was to site 10, an island site with a large sandy beachfront, we borrowed a motor boat to get there this year and brought plenty of gear for 4 days. Weather was great again, some rain each day but we had time to get setup and get shelters to keep dry.

    Camping if free here but it is first come first serve but with 40+ sites you can almost always get something. There is a small store at the boat launch to get provisions if you need, public restrooms and wifi. Very limited cell service.

    You should bring water or something to filter it from the reservoir. I believe all the site have privy boxes on them.

    There are opportunities for fishing, a few local attractions, a nice restaurant at the launch.

  • Mary S.
    Oct. 27, 2018

    Burnham Point State Park Campground

    Good overnight stop; bring a boat if you stay longer

    This is a good stopping point, but there isn't much to do unless you bring a boat. Or you could use it as a base for exploring other areas in the Thousand Islands. It's only about 10 miles from Clayton.

    We stayed here on a bicycle trip from Rochester to the Thousand Islands at the end of a 63 mile day. Don't let anyone tell you it's not a hilly trip coming up along Lake Ontario to the Thousand Islands! There will be hills! The good news is there are NY state parks along the way.

    Burnham Point is a small (less than 50 sites) campground on the St. Lawrence River. It was a good stopping point after seeing the lighthouse in Cape Vincent on our way. There are sites by the river that are tent only but we pitched our tent up above. The tent sites were rather difficult to get to with our bikes. There wasn't much shade where we settled, but the sun was not intense as we arrived in the early evening and left the next morning. Unfortunately, I have no site photos and only have a photo of the sunset...but it's a beautiful view.

    Restrooms/showers were clean, and there was electricity at the site. Unfortunately, the bugs were bad but that's just a summertime hazard in the Northeast.

  • R
    Jul. 21, 2021

    Wellesley Island State Park Campground

    Nice State park

    We camped in loop F site 43 with full hookups, nice asphalt pad picnic table and fire ring. Our site is located adjacent to a mowed grass path that leads to the main road, close to the camp store. Beautiful area, lots of hiking and biking trails and swim area.

  • k
    Jun. 30, 2016

    Keewaydin State Park Campground

    Keewaydin

    Great campsite, but very crowded. The staff was very kind and always checks in. The restrooms and showers is very clean. There are fire rings and picnic tables

  • Sara H.
    Aug. 7, 2019

    Keewaydin State Park Campground

    No hookup

    When we got there there was no one in the sign in station. No electricity or water hookups. We reserved online and there was a mix up. We reserved 3 days got there and found out there was no hookups we were told if we cancelled we would only get a few dollars back. Pool looked nice

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 28, 2019

    Little Wolf Beach Campground

    Glorious sunsets and an even more beautiful morning view!

    50 sites, full hookup ($40), water& electric ($35) and tent ($??). Has the feel of an RV park with three rows of sites plus some more (I think the tent sites) closer to the road. Not much separation between sites. The lucky ones get beachfront sites with unobstructed views; we were in the second row. The beach was closed for the season when we were there; the campground is open May- September and an on-site caretaker is there the entire five months. Gorgeous sunsets. Coin-operated showers($1 for approximately 15 minutes)– did not use so cannot say how they were. Playground. Clean restroom but the women's only had one operable stall. Although there was a hot water spigot, I was not able to coax any hot(or even warm) water out of it. No defined quiet hours but it was very quiet by 8:30 pm.

  • Brian O.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 1, 2024

    Wellesley Island State Park Campground

    crowded. fine if you're spending your days on the water

    We came to this campground after a week in Algonquin Provincial park in Canada and the contrast couldn't have been greater. Up north we stayed on a large, shady site in a radio free loop and everyone had canoes. In New York we had a cramped, open site and everyone seemed to have a motorboat on a trailer. Our neighbors across the road set up a movie screen . The overall feel was NOT "getting away from it all".
    The facilities are good and there's a nice beach and well stocked General store, also a big boat ramp facility with some docks.
    We chose this location because we were attending the Antique Boat Show in Clayton, 13 miles away, and this was the closest available. It suited us just fine for that.
    Keep your stuff secure, there are brazen raccoons.


Guide to Gouverneur

Tent camping near Gouverneur, New York ranges from primitive forest sites to water-accessible destinations with limited amenities. Most campgrounds in this region operate seasonally from late May through early September due to harsh winter conditions. The terrain varies between dense woodland and waterfront settings with sites situated in the St. Lawrence River Valley.

What to do

Water recreation: Francis Lake offers excellent kayaking opportunities with protected waters ideal for beginners. "A little stream turns under a few footbridges and out to francis lake," notes camper Elizabeth B., who appreciated the secluded swimming areas.

Snowsports: Winona Forest transforms during winter months into a hub for outdoor activities. According to Quade S., "This is a hub for several snow mobile, cross country ski, and snow shoe trails. Several folks visited on Saturday and Sunday to enjoy the last bit of the snow."

Island exploration: Mary Island State Park Campground requires boat transportation, creating a unique camping experience. Camper Matt L. describes, "Every site is far away from the next and each has its own unique and beautiful view of the water and surrounding islands."

What campers like

Privacy between sites: Cedar Island State Park Campground features well-spaced tent sites. Harry H. notes, "Really memorable due to it being on an island within the 1000 Islands, but the campsite itself is simple, pretty clean, rustic."

Quiet surroundings: Winona State Forest provides peaceful primitive camping. Kevin C. describes, "The campsite was just feet off of Bargy Road. The only amenity was a fire ring made of rocks... overall the campsite was quiet and peaceful."

Waterfront access: Many campsites offer direct water access for swimming and boating. Elizabeth B. describes Francis Lake as "totally gorgeous, perfectly clean, and quiet" with great spots "for swimming, kayaking, and a gorgeous place to wake up next to the water."

What you should know

Limited facilities: Most primitive sites have minimal amenities. At Winona State Forest, Thomas E. reports, "The primitive campsite was a little difficult to find there's a tiny black and yellow placard that shows you where you can camp. There were some firewood set out except it was wet."

Boat requirements: Several campgrounds are accessible only by water. Justin S. advises about Cedar Island State Park Campground, "Nice to have separate docks for the campers, as there are some day use facilities too. Basic sites, clean and very well kept."

Finding campsites: Some dispersed camping locations can be challenging to locate. Thomas mentions Winona's sites have small markers, while Kevin C. learned from maintenance staff that "there were currently two camping sites and that more might be added."

Tips for camping with families

Self-sufficiency preparation: Bring all necessary supplies when camping at primitive sites. Kevin C. noted at Winona State Forest, "The only amenity was a fire ring made of rocks," requiring campers to pack in everything they need.

Structured programs: Adirondack Mennonite Camping Associates offers organized activities. Elizabeth B. explains, "Weekend and week long programming for youth and families, or site rental of cabins and platform tents is available, as well as day use access to the beach and high ropes course."

Noise considerations: Some waterfront campgrounds experience party activity. Michael B. warns about Canoe Point State Park Campground, "Everyone else who came were in basically large party-boats with multiple rooms for sleeping, though they set up tents (and didn't sleep until almost daybreak...it was loud, foul language the entire time)."

Tips from RVers

Small RV options: Limited sites accommodate smaller recreational vehicles. Quade S. shared about Winona Forest CCC Camp, "I took my small RV here on its maiden voyage... I pulled to the back and parked out of the way. There was also an outhouse and a porta-potty here."

Self-contained camping: No hookups available at most primitive sites. Quade S. advises, "If you camp here, you need to be self sufficient as there is no running water or electricity. There is a dollar general about 15 minutes away if you need some supplies."

Winter accessibility: Some camping areas maintain plowed parking during winter months. At Winona Forest CCC Camp, the parking lot remains accessible for winter recreation enthusiasts, though camping during snow season requires extreme cold-weather preparation.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Gouverneur, NY is Cedar Island State Park Campground with a 5-star rating from 2 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Gouverneur, NY?

TheDyrt.com has all 11 tent camping locations near Gouverneur, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.