Best Campgrounds in New York

No matter what kind of camping you’re into; seaside, mountainside, lakeside, even city side, New York has it all. There’s a countless number of places where you can pitch a tent, park a car, or rent a cabin. Camping in New York also means you’ve always got a ton of activities nearby, like swimming, hiking, fishing, canoeing, even mountain biking.

Some of the best camping in New York can be found in the Finger Lakes. Here you’ll find places like the Hickory Hill Family Camping Resort that offers themed weekends, as well as spa services, mini golf, wagon rides, and swimming pools. One of the more popular Finger Lakes destinations is Watkins Glen State Park, which has 19 waterfalls within a two mile walk. The park also has an Olympic sized pool, hot showers, and restrooms.

Dreaming of city life? The Hudson Valley region offers many wonderful places to pitch your tent. Located near the Hudson River, the towns of Kingston, Poughkeepsie, Peekskill, West Point, White Plains, and Suffern (to name a few) all have great areas for camping in New York. And, they’re all accessible by train to and from the city.

If you’re into small maritime villages on the other side of the Hudson River and the East River, Long Island boasts some of the best camping in New York. On the island, surf-casting, fresh seafood, and sandy beaches are plentiful. If you make it all the way out to the end of the island, a visit to the Montauk Lighthouse, which was commissioned by George Washington, is a must see.

And, if mountains are your thing, head to the Catskills, the Adirondacks, or even Bear Mountain State Park where you’ll find forests, hidden streams, hiking trails, and mountains galore. Whatever your style, you’ll find camping in New York to compliment it. With the Dyrt, you’ll be able to discover just the right place to lay your head for a night, a weekend, a week, or even a month.

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Best Camping Sites in New York (899)

    1. Watkins Glen State Park Campground

    89 Reviews
    Watkins Glen, NY
    Website
    +1 (607) 535-4511

    $24 - $58 / night

    "Watkins Glen boasts one of New York’s most beautiful state parks! I last camped here in 2012 and absolutely loved hiking along the gorges. Also- the camping was next to perfect."

    "Definitely one of the top places to camp and visit in New York, Watkins Glen State Park never disappoints. Each time I come back, I find something new to discover and have a great time doing that."

    2. Letchworth State Park Campground

    77 Reviews
    Perry, NY
    Website
    +1 (585) 493-3600

    $300 / night

    "Letchworth State Park is known as the Grand Canyon of the East and is located in Mt. Morris New York. My husband and I visited regularly when we lived near Rochester, NY."

    "Not technically in the Finger Lakes but still one of the most beautiful parts of Western New York State. Splurge and eat at the Glen Iris Inn! Great for cycling and hiking but no swimming."

    3. Four Mile Creek State Park Campground

    54 Reviews
    Youngstown, NY
    Website
    +1 (716) 745-3802

    $20 - $100 / night

    "The quick walk down to the waterfront was easy and I loved the rocky beach and dips in the refreshing waters of Lake Ontario.

    There is a camp store on site for ice, firewood, and other supplies."

    "The sites were right next to the bathrooms/showers/laundry. The bathrooms were very clean. The showers had 2 separate privacy shower curtains and a bench to put your things in the shower stall."

    4. North-South Lake Campground

    43 Reviews
    Palenville, NY
    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."

    5. Lake Placid/Whiteface Mountain KOA Holiday

    44 Reviews
    Wilmington, NY
    Website
    +1 (518) 946-7878

    "Close to hiking trails, Whiteface Mt Parkway & Lake Placid. Nice, helpful staff. It is NOT wheelchair accessible. There are steep steps to the office, no grab bars in the bathrooms."

    "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."

    6. Green Lakes State Park Campground

    42 Reviews
    Kirkville, NY
    Website
    +1 (315) 637-6111

    $24 - $116 / night

    "The lake is a fascinating meromictic lake with clear calcium-rich waters that are not only pristine and beautiful to look at, but also great for swimming and snorkeling as the waters are crystal clear"

    "The sites are nice, some are little close to each other but nice for group camping. A short distance (walk or by car) to the beach. The lake is a little chilly sometimes but very refreshing."

    7. Beaver Pond Campground — Harriman State Park

    41 Reviews
    Pomona, NY
    Website
    +1 (845) 947-2792

    $21 - $24 / night

    "$15 dolares la noche para los que viven en el Estado de New York o New York city .. si es fuera del estado son $5 dolares mas!!"

    "Drive-in tent campgrounds. Adequate restroom facilities sprinkled amongst tent sites. Some campsites have raised platforms. All sites have picnic tables and fire ring with flip-top grill."

    8. HTR Niagara Campground

    36 Reviews
    Grand Island, NY
    Website
    +1 (716) 773-7600

    $77 / night

    "This is a campground of several lakeside cabins and mostly RVs, so they were also seldom in use, making them even more accommodating for us during this time of distancing."

    "The staff was very pleasant and knowledgeable, the price was high but not unexpected considering the location. Our site was pleasantly shaded with rubbish bins a short walk away across the road."

    9. Fish Creek Pond Campground

    33 Reviews
    Tupper Lake, NY
    Website
    +1 (518) 891-4560

    $22 - $40 / night

    "Most of the campsites at Fish Creek Pond are along the waterfront, offering easy access to the pond. Some campers even build temporary docks that they leave behind for subsequent campers."

    "Bike path, kayak rentals, close to Lake Placid Olympic center, Wild Center in Tupper Lake"

    10. Clarence Fahnestock State Park Campground

    34 Reviews
    Fishkill, NY
    Website
    +1 (845) 225-7207

    $21 / night

    "This park has a nice open beach on Canopus Lake with a concession area and bathhouse, which we found to be quite clean! They even have boat rentals - or you can bring your own boat to launch!"

    "When you are camping with a large group of friends and don't all have access to a car, this is the perfect spot."

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Recent Reviews in New York

3433 Reviews of 899 New York Campgrounds


  • 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.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 6, 2025

    Niagara Falls North / Lewiston KOA

    Niagra Falls

    We enjoyed this campground. Attendant advised he had a full connect site available and upgraded. Gravel pad farely level. Filled propane while there. They do trash pickup every morning.

  • alicianlv The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 5, 2025

    Niagara County Camping Resort

    Niagra County Camping Resort

    Arrived late at night to this established site. This is a mixed accommodation campground with established long term residents & short term sites.

    Some sites include a table, power access and tire rim for fire-ring. Showers & flushing toilets are near RV sites in back area. Small camp store, swimming pond & fishing pond. Manager, Christine very nice & helpful.

    Campground is relatively close to scenic drives along Lake Ontario & Niagra State Park, Niagra Falls.

  • Dayne B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 5, 2025

    Ontario County Park at Gannett Hill

    Inexpensive, Peaceful.

    I've stayed here on 3 separate occasions, twice in RV 12 and once in RV 6. 

    I used the 30 AMP hookup and had zero issues.

    Beautiful playground for my son to enjoy and meet other kiddos. Deer, chipmunks and rabbits will say hi in the early and late hours.

    Large dumpsters near entrance. 

    Dump stations are present, but I haven't used them yet. 

    Potable water is present at a small spigot. 

    The washrooms facility is very close and speaking for the men's side, it had 2 stalls, 2 urinals, 2 showers, multiple sinks, and a sturdy baby changing station.

    Hiking trails with gorgeous views of the valley within a 5 min walk of my campsite.

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 5, 2025

    Horseshoe Lake

    NY Designated Camping

    Along Co 421, by Horseshoe Lake, there are 10-11 designated campsites. Most have fire pits.

    Road is rough but easily doable if you take it slow.

    As it’s a forest, the sites are pretty shaded, so solar and Starlink may present challenges. Slight AT&T at earlier sites.

  • David H.
    Sep. 2, 2025

    Eel Weir State Park Campground

    Clean and vary nice area on river

    I love how it has great fishing and nice camp sites even let's you bring a boat nice clean showers and bathroom can easily find firewood near by as well..

  • 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

  • Christopher  T.
    Aug. 30, 2025

    Evangola State Park Campground

    What a shame

    This used to be real nice but NY has let all it's park go to pot with lack of funding and no updates

  • T&J  F.
    Aug. 28, 2025

    West Canada Creek Campground

    Nice place, a little pricey

    Pros: clean campground, camp store, ice cream/pizza shack, shuttle to tubing, sites are pretty flat, pool is large and clean, quiet hours are enforced. Cons: $5 per dog "surprise" when we arrived. Even though we camped there 2 nights for 3 years in a row, $15 per person for the tubing shuttle seems steep; a discount or free would be nice for campers, as drop off points are just down the road. Sites are narrow.


Guide to New York

Camping in New York offers a mix of beautiful landscapes, fun activities, and a chance to connect with nature. Whether you're pitching a tent or parking an RV, there's something for everyone in the Empire State.

What to do

  • Explore Nature: Check out the stunning scenery at Green Lakes State Park Campground. One camper mentioned, “The water is breathtaking!! And the beach and property is clean and wonderfully maintained!”
  • Hiking and Water Activities: At Taughannock Falls State Park Campground, you can hike to see the impressive falls. A visitor said, “The fall itself is amazing and the location is unbeatable since you’re camping in the State Park.”
  • Fishing and Kayaking: Little Pond - DEC is perfect for fishing and kayaking. One happy camper noted, “Close to the Beaverkill and lots of great fly fishing.”

What campers like

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate well-maintained bathrooms and showers. A review from Chenango Valley State Park Campground states, “Clean bath houses. Tons of biking and hike trails.”
  • Spacious Sites: Many campgrounds offer roomy sites. A visitor at Delta Lake State Park Campground mentioned, “The sites were very large and well spaced out, with a beautiful fire ring.”
  • Family-Friendly Atmosphere: Campgrounds like Buttermilk Falls State Park Campground are great for families. One reviewer said, “Great camping if you love hiking, trail running or waterfalls.”

What you should know

  • Crowded Campgrounds: Some campgrounds can get busy, especially during peak season. A camper at Glimmerglass State Park Campground noted, “There is a pretty covered bridge and historic home. Places to play for the kids at the lake.”
  • Limited Privacy: Sites can be close together, which might not suit everyone. A review from Green Lakes State Park Campground mentioned, “There is zero privacy here. Virtually no trees or shrubs between sites.”
  • Rules and Regulations: Be prepared for strict rules at some parks. A camper at Robert H. Treman State Park Campground said, “The dumping station is lacking but overall nice park.”

Tips for camping with families

  • Look for Playgrounds: Many campgrounds have playgrounds for kids. One parent at Chenango Valley State Park Campground mentioned, “There were lots of young kids everywhere on bikes and scooters having a great time.”
  • Plan for Activities: Choose campgrounds with activities nearby. A visitor at Herkimer Diamond Mine KOA said, “There is plenty to do for camping families and couples that enjoy a peaceful evening.”
  • Pack Snacks: Having snacks on hand can keep kids happy. A camper at Fillmore Glen State Park Campground noted, “Great facilities, and very new playground.”

Tips from RVers

  • Check Site Size: Make sure your RV fits the site. A review from Taughannock Falls State Park Campground mentioned, “The sites are not very large but sufficient.”
  • Look for Electric Hookups: Many campgrounds offer electric hookups, which can be a lifesaver. A visitor at Delta Lake State Park Campground said, “We had a fire pit and picnic table as well.”
  • Be Prepared for Noise: Some campgrounds can be noisy at night. A camper at Delta Lake State Park Campground mentioned, “Quiet hours are not enforced.”

Camping in New York has its ups and downs, but with the right preparation, you can have a great time exploring the outdoors!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best campgrounds in New York State for families?

North-South Lake Campground is one of the larger public campgrounds in New York with well-spaced sites perfect for families. The huge lake provides excellent recreational opportunities, though it's best to avoid holidays to escape crowds. Watkins Glen State Park Campground is another excellent family option with decently sized, well-secluded sites. Families love hiking along the beautiful gorges, and the park's location makes it perfect for exploring the Finger Lakes region. Other family-friendly options include Green Lakes State Park with swimming areas and hiking trails, and Delta Lake State Park which offers a nice balance of outdoor adventure while staying close to conveniences.

When is the best time of year to go camping in New York?

The best time for camping in New York is summer (June-August) when temperatures are warm and water activities are enjoyable. However, this period can be crowded, especially around holidays. Early fall (September-October) offers spectacular foliage viewing opportunities with cooler temperatures and fewer crowds at places like Eighth Lake Campground in the Adirondacks. Late spring (May-early June) can also be pleasant with emerging greenery and fewer insects. Meadowbrook Campground in the Adirondacks is ideal during these shoulder seasons when you can enjoy privacy among the trees and shrubs. Be prepared for rain any time of year, as even summer months can bring significant precipitation.

What are the RV camping options in New York State parks?

New York State parks offer numerous RV-friendly camping options with varying amenities. Delta Lake State Park Campground at the foothills of the Adirondacks provides RV sites with proximity to civilization while still enjoying nature. Four Mile Creek State Park Campground offers big-rig-friendly sites with standard amenities like toilets and reservable spots. Many state parks including Green Lakes and Clarence Fahnestock feature dump stations and larger pads suitable for RVs. Most state park campgrounds have a mix of back-in and pull-through sites, with electricity available at select locations. Reservations are strongly recommended, especially during peak summer months, as RV sites can fill quickly at popular destinations.

Where can I find tent camping in upstate New York?

Upstate New York offers excellent tent camping options across diverse landscapes. Nature Lover's Paradise provides access to a vast network of trails for tent campers seeking wilderness experiences. Old Forge Camping Resort offers a great getaway in the Adirondacks with tent sites. For more affordable options, state parks like Eighth Lake Campground in Inlet provide tent sites with amenities including showers, bathrooms, and access to activities like hiking, swimming, and canoeing. Birch's Lakeside Campground includes amenities like a general store and laundry facilities. Fish Creek Pond Campground near Saranac Lake is another excellent choice with waterfront sites perfect for tent campers who enjoy paddling and fishing.