Best Campgrounds near Guilderland, NY

Dispersed camping opportunities near Guilderland, New York are limited, with most camping available at established state parks and private campgrounds within a 30-mile radius. The region includes developed options like Thompson's Lake Campground at Thacher State Park and Schodack Island State Park, both offering tent and RV sites with electric hookups. Ushers Road State Forest provides the closest public land dispersed camping option, though amenities are minimal. Several facilities in the area feature cabin rentals and glamping accommodations at private sites like Frosty Acres Campground and A Promise to Gaia/Garden of One.

The camping season typically runs from April through October, with most campgrounds closing during winter months. Thompson's Lake operates from late April to early October, while Arrowhead Marina & RV Park maintains a May to October season. According to one visitor, "Temperatures in higher elevations remain cool even in summer," making spring and fall particularly pleasant for camping. Water access varies by location, with some sites offering hookups while others like Ushers Road State Forest provide no water facilities. Cell service is generally reliable near major campgrounds, though coverage may be spotty in more remote areas. Many campgrounds require advance reservations, especially during summer weekends and holidays.

Waterfront camping receives consistently high ratings from visitors to the area, particularly at Schodack Island State Park along the Hudson River. One camper noted, "The view from the boat ramp area was amazing," highlighting the park's river access. Thompson's Lake Campground earns praise for its family-friendly amenities, including a beach area with swimming and boat rentals. Reviews frequently mention clean facilities and spacious sites, with Schodack Island described as having "sites spaced out enough and have greenery in between so it feels a little more private." Wildlife viewing opportunities abound, with rabbits commonly spotted at Schodack Island and various bird species throughout the region. Most developed campgrounds provide electric hookups, though primitive tent camping without utilities is also available at select locations.

Best Camping Sites Near Guilderland, New York (171)

    1. Schodack Island State Park Campground

    17 Reviews
    Coeymans, NY
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (518) 732-0187

    $17 - $26 / night

    "The park ensures you’ll have what you need with stores within close proximity and the staff even offers ice and firewood delivery to your site."

    "Wonderful hikes and beautiful walks. Boat docks looked pretty easy for ins and outs, and the pavilions were huge!"

    2. Thompson's Lake Campground — Thacher State Park

    7 Reviews
    Altamont, NY
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (518) 872-1674

    $17 / night

    "Some of the lakeside sites have private foot trails down to the water which was very nice."

    "Hiking was near by and also the beach and if you wanted to drive to where the falls are and the overlook it wasn't too far! We had an amazing time!"

    3. Arrowhead Marina & RV Park

    2 Reviews
    Rotterdam Junction, NY
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (518) 382-8966

    "We were next to a little fenced in area for dogs that our dog loved."

    "Well maintained, located on the Mohawk River. Shady, grassy areas. Boat launch and pier. Friendly people. A perfect campground."

    4. Frosty Acres Campground

    3 Reviews
    Duanesburg, NY
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (518) 864-5352

    5. Ushers Road State Forest

    2 Reviews
    Round Lake, NY
    16 miles

    "This trailhead provides access to bicycle-friendly nature trails. I explored both directions on my bike, riding approximately half a mile down each side."

    6. North-South Lake Campground

    43 Reviews
    Palenville, NY
    35 miles
    Website
    +1 (518) 589-5058

    $22 - $44 / night

    "Our first campground was in New York Aug 8th. Unfortunately, Debbie was socking New York hard. North South Lake Campground in the Catskills was our camping home."

    "Had a great time at this campground- surrounded by many returning campers which gave the whole experience a good community vibe. Ice cream truck comes around each evening in the summer."

    7. Adventure Bound Camping Resort at Deer Run

    3 Reviews
    Mechanicville, NY
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (866) 333-7462

    "There was a nice little dog park fenced in area for my dog to run around in."

    8. Mt. Greylock Campsite Park

    30 Reviews
    Lanesborough, MA
    36 miles
    +1 (413) 447-9419

    $40 - $70 / night

    "Great access to Mt Greylock and LOTS of hiking close by. Staff was so accommodating-always willing to spend time giving recommendations."

    "Great family atmosphere w very positive neighbors and owners... Fantastic. 5 stars"

    9. A Promise to Gaia/Garden of One

    1 Review
    Rensselaerville, NY
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (518) 797-3373

    $75 - $239 / night

    10. Abracadabra magic farm

    1 Review
    New Baltimore, NY
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (917) 834-5331

    $100 - $200 / night

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Recent Reviews near Guilderland, NY

661 Reviews of 171 Guilderland Campgrounds


  • Chelsea B.
    Oct. 6, 2025

    Brookside Campground

    Not a recreational campsite

    Full disclosure, we did not stay here. PLEASE, folks that leave reviews on this app, PLEASE say whether it’s a full-timer campsite or a recreational campsite. We paid for two weeks in advance of arriving at this site based on reviews available on Google and Dyrt. However, when we arrived we were surprised that this was mostly a trailer park. Call me picky, but I really prefer not to camp in an area where folks are living full time. Just not the vibe I’m going for. We decided to leave without staying. We called to see if we could get a refund and they were very kind and it wasn’t a problem. But just be warned… this is not a recreational campsite.

  • Chelsea B.
    Oct. 6, 2025

    Whip O Will Campsites

    Not for recreational campers

    Full disclosure, we did not stay here. PLEASE, folks that leave reviews on this app, PLEASE say whether it’s a full-timer campsite or a recreational campsite. We arrived after leaving another campsite in the area (that was also 100% full timers) and were disappointed to find that this site was all permanent campers with crap everywhere. One site even had a funeral home sign hanging out front of an entire plywood addition to their camper…like what? Call me picky, but I don’t feel entirely comfortable camping for fun next to folks who live in the campground like this. After driving through the super narrow and rutted out roads to the site they recommend, a man came hauling a** into our site (with a beer in his hand) and was saying “hello hellooooo.” Said he was the owner of the campsite and asked if we were staying, we said we were thinking about it, just checking out the available sites (as the lady up front told us to do). TL;DR- bad vibes. Didn’t stay. Be warned this is a full time campsite with crap everywhere. The lady working the office was super nice though.

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 18, 2025

    Bear Slide in Lake George Wild Forest

    Night alone in my jeep

    It was rocky getting there but super super remote - zero service. Great space for my jeep and honestly you could fit a LARGE RV. There is a bathroom at the entrance. No fires because it’s super remote. Peaceful and almost untouched.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 6, 2025

    Hide-A-Way Campsites

    Quaint and truly hid away

    Well maintained clean campground. Friendly attendants guided us to site and directed in spot. Gravel unlevel pad full hookups.

  • Lorraine H.
    Sep. 2, 2025

    Aqua Vista Valley Campgrounds

    2 month stay started July

    It's ok great water views stuff for kids to do every weekend it's the seasonal campers that make it not fun at times u have some very friendly then others that are noisy judging ,parting witch parting really ain't problem until ur not watching ur kids or being loud at times I give it a 7 out of 10

  • M
    Aug. 26, 2025

    Aqua Vista Valley Campgrounds

    kids always have a blast!

    We went for the Halloween event, and the kids had a great day and evening! They really enjoyed trick or treating!!!

  • licia S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 17, 2025

    Somerset Airfield

    No Wifi, Resevoir Beautiful

    Enjoyed the stunning babbling brook and resevoir- saw happy people swimming, kayaking, and camping. It's been quiet and peaceful and sometimes generators running all night. I arrived after the 4th of July and a neighbor said it was rowdy during the holiday with illegal fireworks set off every night over the dry forest. These pics are from a weekday morning. It's great to see families camping. There are pit toilets. AT.T service at bridge prior to camp- short walk. SOS only in camp. Another camper told me Starlink works here.


Guide to Guilderland

Dispersed camping opportunities in the Capital Region surrounding Guilderland, New York are primarily concentrated at established campgrounds rather than true backcountry sites. The area sits at elevations ranging from 200-1400 feet, creating temperature variations between lower valley sites and higher hillside locations. Most campgrounds operate seasonally with limited winter availability, though Frosty Acres Campground maintains a small winter section for cold-weather camping enthusiasts.

What to do

Swimming and water recreation: Thompson's Lake Campground features a beach area suitable for family swimming. "They have a great beach with swimming, kayak and boat rentals, a nature center next door you can walk too and the bathrooms are refurbished," reports one visitor who camps there annually.

Birding opportunities: Birding enthusiasts find excellent observation points at Schodack Island State Park where multiple blinds are available. "Stopped for one night on way from New England to Finger Lakes region... Best part was hiking out to a couple of different blinds to look for birds. Did see a juv eagle," notes one camper who visited the park.

Winter activities: Winter camping at Frosty Acres provides a unique off-season experience with few other campers present. According to one seasonal resident, "You'll have the entire mountain side all to yourself! Snowshoe, cross country ski. Winter campfires." The higher elevation creates ideal conditions for winter recreation not commonly found at other area campgrounds.

What campers like

Wildlife viewing: Schodack Island State Park receives praise for its abundant wildlife. "Located in the Hudson River Valley south of Albany lies this nice and clean campground... It sits under some extremely large cottonwood trees and there is a abundance of wildlife," describes a camper who visited during off-peak times.

Spacious sites: Campers consistently mention the generous site sizes at many of the best places to camp near Guilderland, New York. One visitor to Schodack Island noted, "The sites are amongst the most spacious I've ever seen. RV sites offer 30/50 amp electricity." Another camper at Mt. Greylock Campsite Park similarly praised, "Sites were large and wooded. Great access to Mt Greylock and LOTS of hiking close by."

Clean facilities: Bathroom cleanliness stands out in visitor reviews across multiple campgrounds. At Thompson's Lake Campground, a regular visitor mentioned, "this campsite had the cleanest bathrooms and shower facilities of any place I have ever been." Mt. Greylock Campsite Park also received positive feedback: "The bathhouse was incredibly clean. Showers were great."

What you should know

Reservation requirements: Most popular campgrounds require advance reservations, especially for waterfront sites. A visitor to North-South Lake Campground advised, "Reserve very early for waterfront" sites, as these prime locations fill quickly during peak season.

Site leveling challenges: Some campgrounds feature uneven terrain that requires preparation. At Mt. Greylock Campsite Park, one camper noted, "The site was slightly slanted but that did help with drainage when we had torrential downpours." Similarly, at Adventure Bound Camping Resort at Deer Run, a visitor reported, "where you need to park the camper is about 7 inches out of level. If we stay in the same site again we would come better prepared."

Cell service reliability: Working remotely while camping is possible at some locations. At Schodack Island State Park, a remote worker reported, "ATT and Verizon fluctuate between 1-3 bars. It was enough for me to work - downloading files, sending emails, and conducting non-video zoom calls. At night we were able to stream with just a little buffering needed throughout."

Tips for camping with families

Playground access: Adventure Bound Camping Resort at Deer Run offers recreational facilities specifically designed for children. "Family oriented. The kids loved love water attractions. Our site was large and shaded," reports one family who recently stayed at the campground.

Kid-friendly swimming areas: Thompson's Lake Campground receives consistent praise for its family-friendly beach area. "This campground has always been my go to. Now that I have kids, I appreciate the playground area near the beach more. All public areas including the bathrooms are very clean," notes a repeat visitor.

Educational opportunities: Some campgrounds near Guilderland feature nature programming. North-South Lake Campground offers nearby educational opportunities that families appreciate, with one visitor noting, "Their staff is friendly and knowledgeable, bathrooms & beach areas are always clean, & the hiking nearby is fantastic. A lot of the hiking nearby is also relatively easy."

Tips from RVers

Pull-through site availability: Adventure Bound Camping Resort at Deer Run offers pull-through sites that simplify RV parking. "This was my very first trip in an rv so I was a little nervous but overall everything went very smoothly. All of the sites are pull through so no worries about backing in," reports a first-time RVer.

Electric hookup options: Arrowhead Marina & RV Park provides riverside sites with reliable utilities. One satisfied camper described it as "Well maintained, located on the Mohawk River. Shady, grassy areas. Boat launch and pier. Friendly people. A perfect campground."

RV size considerations: When selecting campsites for larger rigs, pay attention to terrain challenges. Mt. Greylock Campsite Park has some access limitations, with one visitor observing, "Some of the sites are up hills and might be difficult for some to park their trailers. We watched a fifth wheel try to back up a hill and then turn into a site and couldn't get a grip because of the incline and the loose gravel."

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Guilderland, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, Guilderland, NY offers a wide range of camping options, with 171 campgrounds and RV parks near Guilderland, NY and 17 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Guilderland, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Guilderland, NY is Schodack Island State Park Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 17 reviews.

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

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 17 free dispersed camping spots near Guilderland, NY.