Best Cabin Camping near Howes Cave, NY

I’ve been here so many times, camping in tents and also in the cabins. There are a couple different sections to choose from. Cell signal is not great in most places except the sites “on top of the hill”. There is a big lake that is very built up for swimmers and has a playground, water sport rentals and more. There are also volleyball courts and horseshoes. Great place to bring the family!

This is a small hidden gem of a state park where the only camping available is in camper cabins—and pretty amazing glamping for camper cabins! Although there may be times when there may be people and groups around for day use, the small number of cabins and they way they are spread out will make you feel like you are at your own private retreat. The cabins are beautifully built with lovely settings, and well appointed though you need to bring your own linens. There are a couple of ponds for fishing, but if you want to swim you need to go over to nearby Otsego Lake. The trails wind through mature forest, and you can cross country ski here in winter—in fact, reserve one of the winterized cabins and come for a long weekend of cozy cabin time and quiet time outdoors on the winter trails. There is a beautiful picnic pavilion and playground, so kid friendly. Unfortunately, pets can come for day use but cant stay in the cabins. Reservations must be made in advance for the cabins, and you can be sure they will be filled on special event weekends in nearby Cooperstown, especially for events at the Baseball Hall of Fame or the Farmers Living History Museum. . The park is far enough on the outskirts of town to be away from crowds and noise, but close enough to run to town for activities, get supplies or check out unique cafes and bakeries

Ashley here with The Dyrt, extending a warm welcome to your host Rachel. This property is rented to others to help maintain and expand native and pollinating species of plants. Book your stay in this sweet cabin and come back here to leave them some love.

Spacious cabin was clean and comfortable. Two bedrooms, one with bunk beds and another with a full. There were dressers in each room. Also in the main room with a fireplace, futon, and table with benches. Screened-in porch that had a toilet area. Full kitchen with fridge, oven and sink.

Two entrances, one to the kitchen and the other to the porch. Outside was a fire ring.

An easy hike to a nearby lake was very pretty. Lots of wildlife, coyotes howling in the distance at night and plenty of deer. Perfect time of year to go, barely any mosquitoes and it was warm during the day but cool at night to enjoy a roaring fire inside.

Large park with nice playground and picnic area for day use.

We had better than average cell phone service near/in the cabin with AT&T.

Clean, modern bathrooms.  Campsites were raked and ready for us when we arrived.  Super friendly staff!  Just a well laid out campground that was perfect for us.  Peaceful, a mix of wooded sites for RV's and open sites with their cabins.  2 swimming pools, really nice playground for the younger kids, 2 baseball fields.  Just a top notch place.

This park is quiet and peaceful in fall, when we visited, but looks to be heavily used in summer due to many amenities including a very large number of camper cabins and a large beach on a large lake with a picturesque setting and large boathouse. There is also a good sized though rather open campground for tents and Trailers, some have hookups but most of the sites are not very private unless you reserve a spot on the periphery along the tree line. There are lots of nice hiking trails, though beware hiking during hunting season as hunting is allowed within the park borders.

I am sorry to have to give a rating of three, however, because a major problem at this park is the recent development ofva toxic algae problem in the lake, Because of algae blooms during warm weather, swimming and fishing in Gilbert Lake are now prohibited, which is very unfortunate as the lake and watwr activities are a focal point of the park. If you are ok with just hiking and being iut in the woods you might still be interested in coming, The campground is not too private or scenic. The camper cabins are pretty basic but in a pretty setting.

one plus factor is the handicapped accessibility, there are many paved ir accessible trails, and the park office has available a new all-terrain wheelchair that patrons can use to get out into the woods and explore

Rustic camping with all the amenities awaits you at Devil Doc campsites. You will find three tent sites and a small cabin with loft on the property presently. There are plans to expand into another cabin for the bathhouse. A RV trailer is currently being used as the bathrooms as well as a common room for hanging out. Future expansion will see a group site near the upper pond get developed, and a leanto with a glass face. (!) firewood is also available on the premises.  Free to roam around the property, you will inevitably end up hanging around Rich up near his house. The patio is always alive with music, people, and chipmunks who horde peanuts. Basketball is always an option (Rich is a big fan), as well as chilling near the ponds and creeks. The local store is a short 3 mile ride away, if there is anything you forgot, or Rich doesn’t have. Rich could be the most hospitable host we’ve had so far. Music, libations, fire wood and coffee. All were offered and shared. We had a great time there, and will be back. 

The Devil Doc Campsite are just inside the Adirondack Park foothills. With close proximity to Northville and Gloversville, the world is never that far away. Or a good restaurant. The PeckHill state forest is close by for mountain biking. You can park at the trailhead on CR 101, or at Stump City brewing, to ride the trails. Lots of hiking and great fishing are found in the area, along with plenty of water sport opportunities.

My son and I had a great weekend there, and will surely be back. Soon!

My buddy and I were looking for a campsite for a quick overnight stay before a bike trip around the Adirondacks, and this spot was a perfect fit. Coming in late after driving all day, we unfortunately didn’t get to meet Rich in person. He did however give us good directions to navigate the narrow driving path in the dark to reach the pond camping area, and even had a large two room tent already set up that we were able to use - a convenient and kind gesture! The old school bus was a fun perk to check out in the morning as well. Most state ran parks in New York close up before the middle of October, and this is a great option for an off season camping spot in the area. Thanks Rich!

We stayed her for the first time and compared to most KOAs we have stayed at this one was far better. I have a full review on my blog openboxreviews

Cons: low water pressure at our site

Firewood is expensive and you don't get much

Sites are close together and little to no privacy

Pros:

Pet friendly- has K-9 area for dogs to run off leash and do agility course

Lots of activities

Themed cabins

Almost all camping sites are on the water

You can go tubing from one end of the creek to the other- bring your own tube

Playground

Pool

Basketball court

Shuffle board

Level Sites

Full hook-ups

Across the street from Herkimer Diamond Mine

We had lots of fun, we spent one day at the mines and the next day we tried to do as many activities as we could- wiffle ball, made pinwheels, volleyball with a giant volleyball, bingo, family relay, ice cream social and dance party. Great time, clean campground, great staff.

For my full review visit: openboxreviews.com

Beaver Valley Campground is family owned and operated, originally a baseball camp, it still has that baseball draw for those families whose youngsters are playing at the Field of Dreams and close enough to serve as your campground as you travel to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame, Herkimer Diamond Mines, area micro brewery's and even a ride to the Finger Lakes. Beaver Valley has camper and tent sites, and even cabins that fit 2- 20 plus people. There is a large baseball field that could be rented and used. The bathrooms are impeccable, the grounds are groomed, well kept and clean and there are 2 pools, one for the little children and a larger one older people. There is a large pond for fishing and paddling around in. We camped with a 34 foot trailer and because we booked late, we were unable to get a site with sewer. When we needed to have out tank cleaned out, we went to the office and within minutes, we had a visitor at our site to take care of things. This was our second visit to this camp ground and it is at the top of our list of the best kept and run campgrounds that we have stayed at.

My husband and I wanted a quiet get away and we found it. Joel & Billyjo are wonderful people. Loved our conversations and want to thank them for a awesome experience in there world. We will be going yearly

We were there 4th of July weekend, and the park was fully booked. Very friendly rangers, electricity in bathrooms, hot showers, and a nice dishwashing and recycling center.

The campsite connects to the beach area and there is boat rental, but no pets allowed in the beach area.

For us, a drawback was a lack of any hikes connecting to the campsite.

Great place that’s about 50/50 permanent sites and rentals. They have lots to do, the owners are very friendly and accommodating, the campground is one of the quietest we’ve ever stayed at, both at night and in the morning. There are many pull through sites, lots of wooded sites, and open areas for kids to play. We were impressed by how they didn’t cram extra sites into these areas, though there is plenty of room. Electric, water, and septic hookups were all modern and in great shape.

Both the Glimmerglass State Park and the Glimmerglass Festival Opera House list their location as Cooperstown, but in actuality the Park is 8 miles outside of Cooperstown on the northeast side of Otsego Lake, with the Opera House nearby on the northwest corner of the lake nearby. If you are going to visit one, you should also visit the other! In fact the park is an ideal spot to stay if you are wanting to take in any of the Glimmerglass music or theater productions which have quite a professional lineup in the summer season. If staying at the park you will also enjoy the amazing beach and waterfront on Otsego Lake, and great kayaking on the lake as well as the stream flowing into it. You can also hike, ot take a day trip into Cooperstown, especially for museums and all things baseball.

The camping opportunities give you three options: the main campground by the park office, which is wooded and shady and has electric hookups as needed, and is close to the beach, but you will have a lot of neighbors. If you want a quiet tenting experience, choose the Beaver Pond primitive tenting campground! This offers a small number of large, well spaced and private tent only sites set back in the woods by a beautiful pond and by the Beaver Hiking trail. Very peaceful with more solitude than the main campground, but a longer walk to the beach. The third and newest option, the Travis Field campsites, reminds me of an overflow parking area at an outdoor festival, unfortunately just a bunch of basic tent campsites plunked in an open grassy field located in between the beach and the Beaver Pond sites. I am guessing the park has greater demand for campsites than the original campground offers, so they put these spots up in an open field, and maybe folks would rather have these sites than nothing if they want a week at the lake, but they would not be a first choice unless perhaps you have a group that wants to gather together and take a block of these sites. I didnt check out the cabins, but there are some, which might be especially good if you want to come in the winter as the park is open year round

I came up here with my dog for a solo camping trip for a couple of days to get away! Rich the host is super nice and answered any questions I had about staying/getting there. I had the whole camp ground to myself so that was even better. It is definitely off the beaten path but we'll worth it if your just trying to escape a little bit. But Verizon does get service. There are some nearby trails that are within 15 minutes of the camp ground which is also a plus. No need to bring Fire wood as there is a ton all around you. You can also buy from the host as well. There was a decent portapotty on the camp ground which is very nice to have. This was just what we needed. We really loved our stay and cant wait to go back! Thank you Rich!

I have to preface by saying that I signed up to The Dyrt just to leave a review for Devil Doc campgrounds. I could not have had a more lovely experience at Devil Doc - and my GSD Daisy would emphatically agree! As they say, a tired dog is a good dog, and this girl is wiped out! We loved our stay so, so much. 

Rich is the owner and he's an absolute riot. A dude with an obvious zeal for life, his mission for this campground is to share this truly beautiful place he's lucky to call home with other people who are seeking to immerse themselves in nature. He and his buddy, Rick, live on acres and acres of forested property, with my favorite campsites located at a seemingly magical pond surrounded by beautiful pine and birch trees. They are constantly improving the campsites/property and although I thought it was perfect as is, Rich has grand plans for upgrades (i.e. outhouses and additional electric sites)! These guys really do so much to go out of their way to provide an amazing experience, from brewing coffee in the AM to helping you in whatever way they can, so please show respect, mindfulness, and clean up after yourself.

The campsites themselves are huge - this isn't a state park site where you're smushed on top of your neighbor. There are all types of campsites available for various camping styles; not all are adjacent to the pond. Although Daisy and I were the only ones there (Rich kindly accommodated our early booking request), I could envision how perfect it would still be even if the campgrounds had been fully booked out. There's enough space for everyone to feel some semblance of privacy and he also has a couple of completely private sites located a short distance away from the pond. However, the pond is really hard to beat. 

In terms of preparation, bring all your standard camping gear. Purchasing firewood is totally unnecessary because there's plenty of it, literally, everywhere. I'd recommend bringing a hatchet. However, if you're not into that, then Rich and Rick sell firewood, too. You'll see their hard work meticulously lined up when you first drive in :)  There's no running water at the tent sites, but the pond is available and with a carbon water filter, it was delicious. Bringing your own water also works. 

Hiking is also available directly from the campgrounds and connects to nearby trails, leading wherever your heart desires, from treks to the lakes nearby to one that even goes all through the Adirondacks. 

Honestly, we were incredibly spoiled to have this place all to ourselves and with such wonderful hosts who are clearly good people! We got lucky in so many ways - between the early booking being accepted and the weather miraculously being perfect the couple nights we were there. It was exactly the getaway we needed from the stress of NYC and the pandemic. I've been raving about our trip ever since we returned home and will definitely be back at least one more time this summer!

Can't wait to see you guys soon! 

<3 Ellis & Daisy

The Max V. Shaul State Park is small and quiet - only 30 sites here, which are large, flat and sited well apart from each other. The park is currently undergoing construction on 2 new bathhouses. No hookups, just a picnic table, firepit.

Great small campground. Lots of space between sites. There is a well traveled road near the park so you get traffic noise. The bath house is clean and modern. $27.50 /night for non-resident.

A nice site. Very clean facilities and incredibly nice staff. Just ok distance between camp sites. If we return we might try the more upper loop further from the front

Great campsite, cleanest facilities ever! Good adjustable campfire cooking rack. Friendly staff, lots of dogs, all on leash!