Best Tent Camping near Jay, NY

The Adirondack High Peaks region surrounding Jay, New York offers diverse tent camping options ranging from established campgrounds to remote backcountry sites. Wilderness Campground at Heart Lake, located about 20 miles southwest of Jay, provides year-round tent campsites with amenities including drinking water, showers, and fire rings. Marcy Dam Backcountry Campsites, accessible via a 2-mile hike from the Adirondack Loj, offers primitive tent-only camping with designated sites that fill quickly on summer weekends. For those seeking more seclusion, Flowed Lands provides walk-in tent sites along a scenic lake with access to multiple hiking trails.

Tent camping surfaces vary considerably throughout the region, with most sites featuring natural dirt or gravel pads. Bear-resistant food storage is required at many backcountry locations, with rangers actively monitoring compliance in high-use areas. Roads accessing primitive tent campgrounds can be rough and challenging, with one camper noting that "40MPH is too fast for these torn up roads" when approaching Heart Lake. Pit toilets are available at most established sites, though backcountry locations may have minimal or no facilities. Weather conditions change rapidly in the mountains, with temperature drops of 30 degrees possible in a single day, requiring tent campers to pack accordingly.

During peak summer months, backcountry tent sites fill by early evening on Fridays. According to reviews, even with many campers present at Heart Lake, "the sites are spaced out and people were very respectful of noise/lights/other campers." Tent-only camping areas provide excellent access to hiking networks, with trails to Mount Marcy, Algonquin Peak, and other summits accessible directly from several campgrounds. At Marcy Dam, campers should "bring your own stove" as fires are prohibited at many backcountry tent sites in the High Peaks Wilderness. The region's tent campsites drain well during rain, with one visitor reporting their tent floor remained dry despite overnight downpours. Fall brings fewer crowds and spectacular foliage, though early snow can arrive by October.

Best Tent Sites Near Jay, New York (38)

    1. Wilderness Campground at Heart Lake

    9 Reviews
    Lake Placid, NY
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (518) 523-3441

    $25 - $55 / night

    "There’s no explaining the views around here. The mountains are beautiful, Lake Placid is beautiful, and this campsite is amazing."

    "Rode in on a motorcycle late at night expecting to not be able to get in, but you can take a parking pass and drop an envelope with your fee at the entrance booth. $15 for a full day $8 after 1PM."

    2. Poke-O-Moonshine

    2 Reviews
    Willsboro, NY
    11 miles
    +1 (518) 834-9045

    "Easy distance to Poko-moonshine mountain and several smaller mountains.Beautiful location. Removed from trafficked roads, very quiet. Can be busy in summer. Waterfront access to Long Pond."

    3. Saranac Lake Islands Adirondack Preserve Campground

    15 Reviews
    Saranac Lake, NY
    23 miles
    Website
    +1 (518) 891-2841

    $22 - $40 / night

    "You'll need a boat or canoe (rentals available in Saranac Lake). Sites have tables, fire rings, and outhouses. You'll need a tent, bag, pad, cooking equipment, etc."

    "All campsites have picnic tables, firepits/grills, and privies. Saranac Lake Marina has great rental boats. I even think the dogs look forward to these camping trips."

    4. Adirondack Acres Trail and Camps

    1 Review
    Keeseville, NY
    13 miles

    "This prime location is very private. There is absolutely no one around as far as the eye can see in the area close to the river. "

    5. Marcy Dam Backcountry Campsites

    2 Reviews
    Keene Valley, NY
    19 miles
    Website

    "This campground is conveniently located near the trails for Mt. Marcy, Mt. Colden, and Avalanche Pass. Everything is first come first serve."

    "The scenery was gorgeous and there were lots of nice hikes around."

    6. Mount Philo State Park Campground

    10 Reviews
    Charlotte, VT
    26 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 425-2390

    $23 / night

    "Nice trails that lead to scenic views of Lake Champlain. Bathrooms and showers were clean. Showers were quarter operated, 50 cents for 5 minutes. Firewood sold on site."

    "There are less than 20 sites total, and all sites are near walk-in paths to excellent views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks or the Green Mountains. The facility is small, but adequate."

    7. Feldspar Lean-to

    3 Reviews
    Keene Valley, NY
    21 miles

    "One lean-to and 3 campsites. 2 near the lean-to across the bridge.

    1 on the other side.

    There's also a privy.

    It's far out and the only way to access is by hiking."

    "If you’re coming from Marcy Dam by way of Lake Colden, this campsite is a great spot to stop for the night on the way to Mt. Marcy."

    8. MacIntyre Brook Falls campground

    1 Review
    Lake Placid, NY
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (518) 897-1200

    "It's on a side trail (left side). Bear canisters required."

    9. Bushnelle Falls Campsite

    1 Review
    Keene Valley, NY
    18 miles

    $10 / night

    "Lots of tent sites and 2 lean-to. 2 privy.

    Near the river and a huge falls too.

    Campsite is FREE (but entry is 10$ day)"

    10. Flowed Lands

    3 Reviews
    Keene Valley, NY
    22 miles
    Website

    "The view of the lake is stunning, and there's a quick walk down to the edge of the lake."

    "The lake is gorgeous, although it wasn't as big as I thought it was going to be. I went late August, so I beat the initial summer rush, but there was still a good amount of people there."

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Tent Camping Reviews near Jay, NY

667 Reviews of 38 Jay Campgrounds


  • Beth R.
    Jun. 27, 2024

    Smugglers Notch State Park Campground

    Newly Developed … Work in Progress

    Pros: Full hookup (sewer, water, 50 AMP) 1.7 mile from #7 Ranked World's Best Disc Golf Course: Fox Run Meadows New fire ring New picnic table Gorgeous Mountain View

    Cons: Grass site No amenities No Wi-Fi Soft ground, sinked during setup

  • Amber A.
    Jul. 25, 2016

    Ausable Point Campground

    Ranger Review: Crazy Creek Air Chair Plus at Ausable Point Campground

    Campground Review: Lakeshore camping! Beautiful little peninsula where you can watch the sunrise/set. Lovely in autumn. Good birding, water activities, sunsets, geology/gorge, short easy forest hikes, beach walking, all the good stuff you expect from this part of New York. Most of the site is off limits because of wildlife preserve, still a lot to explore. Good as base camp for a few days in the area. Get the tents sites near the lake! Popular for day use area (picnics, birthday parties, etc). Stay here and you can say you camped in Peru! (Lots of upstate NY towns are named for countries.)


    Gear Review: As a The Dyrt Ranger I receive products to test and review. I won the Crazy Creek Air Chair Plus in a campground review contest in June 2016. I had been thinking of purchasing both a camp chair (for camping) and an air mattress (for camping & backpacking), as on my last few trips I got pretty sick of sitting on my closed-cell foam mat and a recent knee injury was making me rethink my open-cell foam ultralight sleeping pad. Well, this Crazy Creek Air Chair Plus does both and does them both well. It starts out as a camp chair (adjustable angle, typical back height) and flips open to a full size air pad made by Klymit. Sounds great right? I flew to NY for a whirlwind family/business/camping trip soon after receiving the chair and had ample opportunities to try it sleeping on friends’ floors and in tents. The chair portion was super comfortable, way better than any simple camp chairs I’d used. I was nervous about sitting on more rugged surfaces (I’m just paranoid about inflatables!) but so far so good. You can also flip open the bed part while you're sitting and have an extended leg rest to protect against hot sand or dirt. The conversion to the sleeping pad was simple. It inflates fairly easily, but at high altitude after a long day of hiking you might be a little annoyed puffing it all up. Sleeping on it was great: my knee and back were happier than with my open-cell foam mats (similar to the typical Thermarest). The one issue I had was that there’s a big dip/joint where the mattress flips out in the conversion from chair to bed---it’s not really that intrusive but I guess my side-sleeping and height (5’4”) conspired to annoy me a bit. Also the R value is very low (it’s not insulting) just like every other air pad but in the summer that’s fine with me. All the other aspects of sleeping on it were similar to other pads I’ve used (it’s kind of narrow, your bag will slide around a bit, etc). Doesn’t pack down too small & isn’t ultralight, but you could remove the chair aspect to help with that. In sleeping mode it’s 20” wide, 70” long, 2.5” thick, 2 lb 13 oz (according to packaging). So while this is my very first camp chair and air mattress, I’m really happy with it after 7 nights sleeping on it and many hours in the chair. It’s not gimmicky at all!

    PS: Can you tell I’m way more picky about gear than campsites? :)

  • Craig F.
    Jul. 23, 2018

    North Beach Campground

    Amazing Location!

    We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at North Beach Campground.

    We spent 4 days in a full hookup site. The site was spacious, tree covered, and hard packed grass/dirt. Overall the site was very level with good water pressure. The water/electric sites in the middle of the campground were a bit snug. The campground is a city operated campground and we were impressed with the upkeep, maintenance and friendly service during our stay. The camp office is small, but has information on area attractions, Ice, and fire wood. The bathhouse/restrooms were well kept during our stay even with the volume of campers at the site.

    Location, Location, Location is the main reason to stay at North Beach. The campground is literally along the Island Line bike/walking trail and had direct access to the beach on Lake Champlain (life guards, snack bar, and patio bar). The city center of Burlington is only 1.5 miles along the bike path from the campground. Most days we either walked or biked into town (which has ample bike racks to park your bike).

    While we stayed in our camper, as a former die-hard tent camper, I was impressed with the number of tent friendly sites, because most campgrounds see tenters as “second class”. The tent sites were spacious, level, and not located in some obscure location.  

    We loved North Beach and plan to camp here in the future!

  • Kate K.
    Aug. 1, 2019

    Camel's Hump State Park — Camels Hump State Park

    Amazing Hike! Great Campground

    This is a short and sweet hike to one of the higher points in Vermont. It is a beautiful scenic (somewhat strenuous) hike to the summit. The views are pretty epic though. The designated primitive camping area is about 1.5 miles into the hike. If I recall it had about 10-12 sites. The area had a host who was there 24/7 and a shared area for eating and food storage (I guess Bear’s are a problem there). We hiked all day, so we didn’t have a fire and to be honest I can’t remember if there was a shared spot for them or not. Either way, this hike was gorgeous and so was the camping. I would love to go back!

  • Maribeth W.
    Aug. 30, 2016

    Lake Harris Campground

    Wet but beautiful!

    We got rained out!! Our site did have good drainage and ample tree cover so that helped. Easy access to buy firewood on the road into the campground.

  • Lauren S.
    Jul. 27, 2020

    Moosalamoo Campground

    Hidden Gem

    Tucked down a gravel road in the Green Mountain National Forest is this hidden treasure. Large sites, friendly campground host, the moosalamoo trailhead right next to campground. The trail connects to many others. You will pass several trailheads on your way up to the campground. Many of the sites are reservable, others are first come first serve. You will find a pay station as you enter the campsite. The camp host is at site 1. Surprisingly clean vault toilets. No showers. There are dumpsters on the way out for trash and recycling. I saw bear storage lockers but I did not use them as I had my bear keg with me. Behind the parking spur at the site there is gravel with picnic table and fire pit. Beyond that in the trees was a spot for the tent. I didn’t experience many bugs, no mosquitoes, what I saw the most of were caterpillars. But If you needed bug spray or forgot anything back in town a few miles Ripton grocery has you covered.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 8, 2019

    AuSable Chasm Campground

    Closest campground to Ausable Chasm

    We travel in a 17-foot camper van, but no one ever believes that we are no bigger than a standard cargo van and can easily fit in a regular size parking space. Upon arrival at Ausable Chasm, we were told we had to take a site with water and electric since we had a camper van. These sites were $13 more per night and we really did not need the hookups. We were finally able to convince the staff that we could take a standard tent site, which was more than big enough. 

    The road through the campground is dirt and rutted but the speed limit is 5 mph, so it wasn’t that bad, but it would be a mess if it was raining. 

    Bathrooms and shower rooms are individual rooms, but the doors are not labeled so it’s a game of “what’s behind door number 1?”  There was no light in the shower room that I looked at so a night shower would be out of the question. The bathrooms were clean and had soap, paper towels, a garbage receptacle, and a mirror in each. 

    Lots of ant hills throughout the campground so be cautious where you set up a tent. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. Large and nice-looking playground, pool, volleyball net, disc golf and mountain biking/hiking trails. It also looked like there were cross country ski trails but not sure if the campground or cabins would be open in the winter. 

    Biggest advantage is that Ausable Chasm(a separate business) is directly across the street from the campground and it is very close to the ferry that will take you to Burlington, VT, our next destination.

  • Linsey S.
    Sep. 6, 2021

    Lake Placid/Whiteface Mountain KOA Holiday

    Great Campground, Full Amenities

    Spent 3 days, 2 nights here from a Wednesday-Friday. Very large and busy campground, close to Lake Placid and other cool activities to take in. Pros- hot showers, convenient laundromat, you are guided to your site by staff on golf carts. Cons- tent sites aren’t given much privacy, on the days we stayed we were put very close to the main building when we requested a spot near the back away from the busy area, kids allowed to run and yelling and screaming WELL after quiet hours.

  • Sarah C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 2, 2017

    Grand Isle State Park Campground

    Great camping and biking!

    Beautifully set on Lake Champlain in Vermont! This is a relatively large campground but is well laid out and doesn't feel small even when it's packed to the gills. We spent a long weekend here to enjoy some mid-summer bike riding along the many bike-paths Vermont has to offer.

    The facilities are well maintained and clean. There are several camp hosts on the property and they are attentive to the needs of all the guests coming and going. There is a small welcome kiosk with a few picnic tables behind it where you can get wifi access if needed.

    You can bike directly from here all the way to Burlington,without ever getting back in your car! Take the bike ferry across a small section of Lake Champlain and keep on riding.

    While we were here there was even a little band playing some music one evening! We actually stayed in an ADA site (it was the only one left). It was REALLY nice. Gravel drive all the way in to a nicely built 3 walled platform with a roof. We were able to set up a tarp just off the edge to cover the picnic table as it rained for part of our stay. The site drained well and was plenty big enough for our tent and needs.


Guide to Jay

Tent camping near Jay, New York provides access to the varied terrain of the Adirondack Mountains with elevations ranging from 1,200 to over 5,000 feet. Summer temperatures typically reach 70-80°F during days and can drop to 40-50°F at night, making layered clothing essential. Most backcountry sites require bear canisters rather than hanging food, with rentals available at outdoor shops in nearby Lake Placid and Keene Valley.

What to do

Hiking to alpine zones: From Wilderness Campground at Heart Lake, multiple summit trails start directly at the campground. "You can hike Algonquin, Iriquois, Wright Peak, and Mt. Jo all right from the campground," notes one camper who found the location "spacious and relatively private."

Water activities on secluded islands: Saranac Lake Islands offers boat-access camping for water enthusiasts. "We kayaked before, and found the biggest drawback was impossible to bring a lot of food and a cooler. Bought a small aluminum boat with a motor and now can bring a lot more gear," explains a camper at site 54.

Winter exploration: Unlike many Adirondack campgrounds, some sites remain open year-round. At Wilderness Campground at Heart Lake, one visitor noted they "braved the 12° nights and pitched a tent" while another mentioned visiting "in late March when there was still a decent amount of snow on the site."

What campers like

Privacy between sites: At Mount Philo State Park Campground, just across Lake Champlain in Vermont, campers appreciate the layout. "Sites 1, 6 and 8 are the best if you're only camping with those at your site as they're the most secluded and private. Sites 2 and 3 are more open, to both each other, and to those en route to the bathrooms."

Clean facilities: Campgrounds with facilities receive high marks for maintenance. At Mount Philo, "bathrooms were very clean. Coin-op shower with hot water is 50 cents for 5 minutes, 75 cents for 7:30." Similarly, Wilderness Campground at Heart Lake impressed with "restrooms, dishwashing station, and beach area."

Island camping solitude: Many campers value the isolation of water-access sites. At Saranac Lake Islands, "our island had 4 other campsites on it and we barely saw or heard our neighbors." Another notes it offers "huge sites, a lot of privacy (nearest campsite in most cases is not even visible)."

What you should know

Bear management requirements: In backcountry sites near Jay, bear canisters are mandatory. At Feldspar Lean-to, situated on the approach to Mt. Marcy, signs remind that "bear canisters required." Rangers check compliance, especially during peak season.

Water access limitations: For island camping, equipment transport requires planning. One Saranac Lake Islands camper explained, "We canoed into our campsite, #15. It took 3 trips to bring in all our gear. Beautiful site. Quite a climb up to the actual site."

Seasonal access challenges: Roads to remote sites deteriorate seasonally. Multiple reviews warn about road conditions, with one noting "Road going in is very rough use extreme caution on a motorcycle with street tires." Spring mud season (April-May) can make some roads impassable without 4WD.

Tips for camping with families

Choose sites with lake access: Waterfront locations provide built-in entertainment. At Bushnelle Falls Campsite, one camper noted its prime location "near the river and a huge falls too," offering natural features that engage children.

Consider weekday visits: At popular campgrounds, timing affects experience quality. One family staying at Wilderness Campground at Heart Lake for over a week found that "weekdays [are] best for 'camp days' given there were few people—weekends are PACKED and there were more than a couple of party sites."

Look for educational opportunities: Some campgrounds offer nature programs. Poke-O-Moonshine features "easy distance to Poko-moonshine mountain and several smaller mountains" with interpretive trails explaining local geology and forest ecology that children can explore.

Tips from RVers

Limited hookup availability: Few campgrounds near Jay offer RV hookups. At Adirondack Acres Trail and Camps, access requires "a good 4x4 and some driving skills" to reach campsites, making it challenging for larger rigs.

Size restrictions apply: Most established campgrounds have length limitations. Mount Philo specifically notes that "because the road is steep and winding, it's not suitable for RVs," limiting options for larger vehicles.

Consider satellite camping options: For RVers wanting to explore the High Peaks region, staying at more accommodating campgrounds 20-30 miles away provides a base camp. Several commercial campgrounds in Lake Placid and Plattsburgh offer full hookups while allowing day trips to trailheads near Jay.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Jay, NY is Wilderness Campground at Heart Lake with a 5-star rating from 9 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 38 tent camping locations near Jay, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.