205 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
The Catskill Mountains surrounding Grahamsville, New York provide a range of camping experiences from established campgrounds to more remote options. Several developed facilities like Woodland Valley Campground and Little Pond Campground offer traditional camping with amenities, while areas like Peekamoose Valley provide more primitive experiences. The region includes both public and private camping areas, with options for tent camping, RV sites with hookups, and cabin rentals. Many campgrounds in the Catskills feature waterfront locations, with Little Pond and Alder Lake offering lakeside sites popular among visitors.
Camping in the Grahamsville area typically operates from mid-May through early October, with most facilities closing for the winter season. Reservations are strongly recommended, especially for summer weekends and holiday periods when campgrounds reach capacity quickly. The mountainous terrain means weather can change rapidly, with cooler temperatures even during summer months. Cell service is limited or non-existent in many camping areas, particularly in more remote locations. Visitors should be prepared for wildlife encounters, including bears, which are common throughout the region. A visitor noted, "There are bears that visit the campground and one came one of the nights and visited our camping neighbor's site. They showed us a picture - it was a large black bear."
Waterfront camping receives consistently high ratings from visitors, with lakeside and creekside sites being particularly sought after. Little Pond Campground earns praise for its scenic setting and hiking opportunities, with one camper describing it as having "tent sites with well-maintained fire pits" and "wildlife: hummingbirds on the path around Little Pond, frogs, deer, birds." Many campgrounds provide access to hiking trails, including connections to the Appalachian Trail and other notable Catskill Mountain paths. Campers frequently mention the balance between feeling secluded while still having access to basic amenities. Sites vary in privacy levels, with some campgrounds offering more separation between campsites than others. The region's proximity to small Catskill towns provides opportunities for day trips and supply runs during longer stays.
"water to play in right behind tent. I do prefer fire pits over the brick stove. this had the stove. more advanced hiking in walking distance. no cell service. my gps on phone was able to track though."
"Close to Woodstock, NY, many trails and other attractions. You need to plan for it, there's a lot to explore; some trails are challenging. "
from $20 / night
Check Availability"Pros: Near wonderful, little-used hiking trails - challenging ones, too!
- Close to Catskill town options to explore, e.g."
"You can see a picture here of the water just a 10 foot trail away from our campsite. All in all a great trip."
from $22 / night
Check Availability"We got to the spot at around 4pm, and choose a spot in the “upper field”, although we didn’t see anyone at the lower spots on the road."
"This was a good campground for a base point for hiking around the peekamoose area. I stayed in the middle field campground site #6 (which is the worst spot on that field)."
"Our RV site was private, surround by trees with a nice fire pit and picnic table."
"There are no bathrooms in the cabin but there are public restrooms nearby. The resorts is decked out with 2 playgrounds, a splash park, kiddie pool, family pool and hot tub."
"This campground is nestled in the Catskills, New York, with easy access to New Jersey and Connecticut."
"Access to fresh water spouts and clean bathrooms were just a walk away from most sites, theres a beautiful pond on site and beautiful views of the Catskills, Woodstock is a 15 min drive if you’re looking"
from $22 / night
Check Availability"With a new check in area, Gardiner has really stepped up. They expanded the pool area to include another pool plus splash area and water slides."
"We got a red carpet site by the Gaga pit and near the water park (Cindy bear lane) and it was a convenient yet noisy site. Kids were at the playground 8 am or before and the noise woke us up."
"Great place situated in a great area with lots to do all within an hour's drive. Even camping during a pandemic was peaceful & fun!"
"This is a Thousand trails campground so it was free. I think the regular price is $64. Full hookups, tents and cabins to rent. Pleanty to do in and around campground."
"There are two campsites located right outside of the park where you can park your car next to your tent but we opted to hike in."
"There are several beautiful, secluded hike-in sites along the lake which I would love to return to someday. The hike around the lake is a lovely, easy walk."
"It's a quiet well kept campground right on a lake. Great family friendly campground and the owners are the best. Highly recommend"
from $10 - $50 / night
Check Availability"She has all the amenities one could need to spend time away from the hustle and bustle of your daily life."
"Can't wait to stay at the Livingston Manor location!"
from $130 - $175 / night
Check Availability
ScoutOctober leaves starting to fall makes for a very quiet, peaceful midweek evening in one of the two dispersed car camping sites. Exactly what I was hoping for - private and empty and lovely. Easy to find - two dispersed car sites are to the left at the fork in the road before the trailhead.
GuideMade a reservation (site44) since I arrived as the sun had set. Office registration was open until 8. Staff was neither friendly nor unfriendly. Bathroom was dated but fine and a short walk from my site. CG was emptier being a Tuesday night in mid-October, so was plenty of space.
Great trail following the Hudson River. Beautiful fall colors.
ScoutI stayed here in March 2026 for a night before going snowboarding at Belleayre Mountain. It was in the middle of a snowstorm on a Tuesday night, so I had the whole place to myself, which was nice.
ScoutNice campground, bathrooms are clean but dated, first come first serve for the sites.
Travelerbeautiful quiet space, great home base for the Catskills and small towns around here. note there's only a few spots. road conditions were fine.
RangerI'll start by saying this is a site-specific review (C20). I booked using Campspot and didn't select my own site but put in the criteria for my rig (30ft TT plus truck) and got a 50A back-in spot. The site was big but abnormal. Between the picnic table placement and the trees, I ended up right around 50ft from the electric and water, and the water spigot was so low I could barely put on my camco filter. With the uneven dirt roads, I had to unhitch with my truck in a gigantic puddle (lol). The site was otherwise fine aside from my gate code not working on Day 2. As for the campground as a whole, I thought it was pretty unique place by the river that offered several good amenities and activities, like downstream river tubing, an arcade, bathroom/shower facilities, a small store, little trails, and more. I would say this place borders the more primitive side.
ScoutPast reviews has mentioned that the office seems to be closed often, while I found that to be true I had no reason to contact anyone. This is definitely one of the cleanest quiets site I’ve ever visited
GuideDefinitely a wide variety of sites—look at the site pictures before booking—there are two areas where it’s just an open field with bonfires and picnic tables that I’d avoid. I could see a large group going there or something but personally it doesn’t offer any privacy.
BUT if you book one of the other sites that DOES have privacy you’ll be in camping heaven. The “hike in” sites are more like “walk-in,” I was worried at first but it’s some are as little as a few yards from the road. The most annoying part was lugging the cooler back and forth, but totally worth it
GuideWe went the 2nd week of October and seems like we had just missed the foliage peak but it was still beautiful.
Everyone minded their business and most sites were 2-4 people, showers were clean and warm but the kind where you gotta push the button every 30 seconds. Toilets were clean and running smoothly (we were in the southernmost loop, closest to the camp office)
No cellphone reception but we could get satellite signal to text our loved ones that we were alive and well!
We loved the hiking and especially kayaking on the pond
Dispersed camping options near Grahamsville, New York range from primitive sites with no amenities to developed campgrounds with modern facilities. The region's terrain varies from 1,200 to 3,000 feet in elevation, creating diverse microclimates that affect camping conditions throughout the season. Most campgrounds in this area are situated within the Catskill Forest Preserve, which consists of over 700,000 acres of protected wilderness.
Hiking to fire towers: Balsam Lake fire tower near Alder Lake offers panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. "We also hiked the balsam lake fire tower which had nice views of the area," notes Erik C. The trail connects to the far end of the lake and stretches over 6 miles through dense forest.
Creek exploration: Woodland Valley provides excellent opportunities for discovering local aquatic wildlife. "The mountain creek is like nature singing a lullaby - sleeping next to it was very relaxing," shares John N. The stream areas are ideal for morning coffee breaks or wildlife observation.
Water activities: At Little Pond Campground, visitors can rent canoes and kayaks for exploring the small lake. "The beach area is clean and the water is clear. I was there middle of August and the water was not cold and quite comfortable," reports Giselle P. The campground offers several waterfront sites with direct lake access for paddleboards and small boats.
Secluded sites: Many campers appreciate the privacy offered at Kenneth L Wilson Campground, which features well-separated sites. "We LOVED our site (site 9). It was absolutely massive! The photo doesn't do it justice. It was set back very far from the main road and was an extremely large site!" shares C.R.
Wildlife viewing: The Catskill region provides excellent wildlife observation opportunities. "We got a kayak for the day and it was a great rate. Saw beavers and eagles," notes Lauren S. about her experience at Little Pond Campground. Birds, deer, and occasionally bears are common wildlife sightings.
Natural features: The Peekamoose Valley offers primitive camping alongside a beautiful river. "We stayed here mid-March and although it was a little chilly at night, overall a great spot. The area was pretty big and we walked down the river to watch the sunset which was beautiful," writes Nora S. The sound of flowing water creates natural white noise for sleeping.
Bear safety: Black bears are active throughout the region. "Did not encounter black bears but they do frequent the area," mentions Derek W. about Woodland Valley Campground. Most campgrounds require proper food storage, and some provide bear boxes at designated sites.
No cell service: Most campgrounds in the area have limited or no cellular connectivity. "Cell service is non existent and they have a pay phone near the entrance booth where you can use to make/receive phone calls. It's a 20 min drive back into town to get cell service," explains Giselle P. about Little Pond Campground.
Bathroom facilities: Quality and availability of facilities vary significantly between campgrounds. Some primitive sites have pit toilets or outhouses, while others have modern bathrooms. "The bathrooms were fine. They were clean but sometimes ran out of toilet paper," notes C.R. about Kenneth L Wilson Campground.
Choose camps with activities: Jellystone Park Gardiner offers extensive programmed events for children. "This is a very nice campground for families. Has a lot of activities and facilities for campers," mentions Jenna S. The campground features pools, playgrounds, and themed weekend activities.
Consider noise levels: Family campgrounds can be noisy, especially during peak season. "This campground has a lot of activities and has kids of all ages galore. Kids were at the playground 8 am or before and the noise woke us up. The kids were around until about 10:30 or so each night," shares Stephanie H.
Check site accessibility: For families with young children or lots of gear, site location matters. "Do recommend bringing something with wheels. It's not too far from the parking lot, but it's far enough to be annoying to carry everything," advises Lauren S. about the walk-in sites at Little Pond Campground.
Road conditions: Some campgrounds have challenging access roads. "The long, narrow, and winding road from Route 28 to Woodland Valley campground should not keep you from camping there!" encourages Gary G. Many campers recommend arriving during daylight hours for easier navigation.
Site leveling: Thousand Trails Rondout Valley provides relatively flat sites for easier setup. "Our site was even and easy to level on," notes Ian R. Many sites in the Catskills region can be uneven or sloped due to the mountainous terrain.
Hookup limitations: Most public campgrounds offer limited or no hookups. "We had a 3-day weekend tent camping at This site from July 24-26 2020, at site 58 on Loop C... Campsite is flat and packed dirt instead of gravel, which was great. There's a standard picnic table and a decent raised fire pit, and a spigot at our site," describes Katherine P. about her stay at Kenneth L Wilson Campground.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Grahamsville, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, Grahamsville, NY offers a wide range of camping options, with 205 campgrounds and RV parks near Grahamsville, NY and 15 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Grahamsville, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Grahamsville, NY is Woodland Valley Campground — DEC with a 4.2-star rating from 29 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Grahamsville, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 15 free dispersed camping spots near Grahamsville, NY.
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