Rebekah F.
Scout
ScoutCross Lake Campground and RV Park
To flood or not to flood
Nice close packed little campground just thr sites by the lake can sometimes be under water.
Best Campgrounds near Morrisville, NY
The area surrounding Morrisville, New York features several established campgrounds and dispersed camping opportunities within state forests. Lebanon Reservoir Campground provides tent, RV, and cabin options with full hookups about 7 miles south of Morrisville, while Stoney Pond State Forest Camping Area offers more primitive camping experiences with 15 widely-spaced sites set into the woods. Butternut Hill RV Campground along Route 20 in Bouckville caters primarily to RV campers, especially during local events like antique shows and festivals. State forests in the region, including Charles E. Baker State Forest and Pharsalia Woods, permit dispersed camping for more secluded experiences.
Camping seasons typically run from May through October, with most developed campgrounds closing for winter. "This is a primitive state forest campground on the south shore of Stoney Pond. There are 15 drive-in campsites widely spaced and set into the woods, and two developed walk-in sites on the west shore," notes one camper about Stoney Pond State Forest. Road conditions vary throughout the region, with some state forest access requiring travel on rough, low-maintenance roads. Several primitive sites in state forests require permits from the Department of Environmental Conservation, particularly in Wildlife Management Areas. Weather conditions can change quickly, especially during spring and fall, making advance planning essential for camping trips in the area.
Campers consistently mention the peacefulness and natural beauty of the region as highlights. Water access features prominently in many camping experiences, with locations like Lebanon Reservoir providing boating opportunities and Stoney Pond offering a small launch for canoes, kayaks and non-motorized fishing boats. The Villages RV Park at Turning Stone receives high ratings for its well-maintained facilities and proximity to entertainment options, with one visitor noting it's "convenient to the highway with 24 hour shuttles to the casino 5 minutes away, yet quiet and beautifully maintained." Primitive camping areas appeal to hikers looking to connect with nature, offering trail access and solitude but requiring self-sufficiency as amenities are limited or non-existent. Wildlife viewing opportunities abound in the state forests, especially early morning and evening hours.
Best Camping Sites Near Morrisville, New York (132)
1. Green Lakes State Park Campground
42 ReviewsKirkville, NY20 milesWebsite+1 (315) 637-6111$20 - $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."
2. The Villages RV Park at Turning Stone
10 ReviewsOneida, NY15 milesWebsite+1 (315) 361-7275$65 - $75 / night
"For activities, there are some great hikes around the campground, as well as excellent playgrounds, fishing, an awesome pool, and of course, free shuttle rides to the Turning Stone Casino right up the"
"Convenient to the highway with 24 hour shuttles to the casino 5 minutes away, yet quiet and beautifully maintained."
3. Stoney Pond State Forest Camping Area
3 ReviewsMorrisville, NY4 milesWebsite+1 (607) 674-4036"The spots are big and great walks as well if you have dogs. Easy access to the pond too. 20 minutes to waterfall state park & there is a maple shop not too far as well for treats etc."
"There are 15 drive-in campsites widely spaced and set into the woods, and two developed walk-in sites on the west shore."
4. Butternut Hill RV Campground
2 ReviewsBouckville, NY5 milesWebsite"There is also a famous Inn and restaurant, the Landmark Inn, which anchors the town, adjacent to a trailhead for a hiking trail along the historic Chenango Canal, an offshoot of the Erie Canal. "
5. Lebanon Reservoir Campground
1 ReviewHamilton, NY7 milesWebsite+1 (315) 824-2278"The sites themselves are all in the open, imagine parallel parking your rig off the side of a road, with a nice forest behind you. That's kind of the deal here."
6. Verona Beach State Park Campground
9 ReviewsVerona Beach, NY20 milesWebsite+1 (315) 762-4463$27 - $29 / night
"Nice small state park, our site had a water spigot right behind our site hook up hose and filled camper. Lake is dirty but the had a nice splash pad for the kids."
"Campground sits on the edge of Lake Oneida with a nice camper’s beach and trail on the lake front. We stayed at site 11. As you can see sites are spacious and this one was right on the lake’s edge."
7. Charles E. Baker State Forest
2 ReviewsHubbardsville, NY16 milesWebsite+1 (607) 674-4017"Only found one designated campsite, which was available, but there’s a lot of good space for dispersed camping right nearby. Access at the end of a long, but well maintained, dirt road."
"Beautiful forest with miles of trails. I found this spot passing through on my bike and had no problem pitching a tent in a secluded spot in the woods."
9. Bucks Brook State Forest Primitive Tent Site
1 ReviewDeRuyter, NY15 milesWebsite+1 (607) 674-4017"There are both state forest roads and off road trails to hike on in the area; the Bucks Brook Forest Road follows a series of small waterfalls at the bottom of the gorge to the source of the creek near"
10. Nature Lover's Paradise
1 ReviewFabius, NY16 miles+1 (561) 503-9444$79 - $149 / night
"Nature Lover's Paradise is new to the Dyrt and they have an awesome spot to share with access to a vast network of trails in upstate New York. "
Recent Camping Photos near Morrisville, NY
134 Photos of 132 Morrisville Campgrounds
Janet R.
Stoney Pond State Forest Camping Area
Janet R.
Butternut Hill RV Campground
Tim
Butternut Hill RV Campground
April L.
The Villages RV Park at Turning Stone
Matt A.
Charles E. Baker State Forest
The Dyrt
Tentrr Signature Site - Christmas Tree Farm Hideaway
Thomas M.
Verona Beach State Park Campground
Kelly J.
Green Lakes State Park Campground
Janet R.
Morgan Hill Forest—Onondaga Trailhead campground
Neil L.
Spruce Pond Camping Area - Morgan Hill State Forest
Tate T.
Ta-Ga-Soke Campgrounds
Cody F.
Riverbend East Campground
Recent Reviews near Morrisville, NY
339 Reviews of 132 Morrisville Campgrounds
Millz315 E.
TravelerStoneys Pineville Campground
Good place
Good place to fish and stay. Good welcoming friendly host also. Well come back
Ilce H.
GuideStoney Pond State Forest Camping Area
Free spot!
I likes this spot and i really like that you need a reservation as well just to secure your spot! The spots are big and great walks as well if you have dogs. Easy access to the pond too. 20 minutes to waterfall state park & there is a maple shop not too far as well for treats etc.
Abby H.ScoutHerkimer Diamond Mine KOA
Disrespect & Discrimination
Long read, but so worth it! Below is the review that I posted last August after our vacation. Mind you, the vacation for my immediate family has been 10 years in a row and when I was a kid the same! The incident that happened was with our friends and therefore when I wrote the review, it stated what I witnessed! I was hoping that management changed and/ or they fixed the problems so I was willing to give it another try, I mean, this has been apart of my childhood and my children’s so why not! I called today, lady was super nice and helping me look through all the campsites because we come with so many people! I paid and then friends of ours called. After they called, our friends said that my reservation was cancelled. What??? So I called back thinking it was something on my end. I then had to wait for management to call back. Called back, and whoever I spoke with was extremely rude! She basically told me I was never welcome back and that the owners said so! Now mind you through this whole thing, I never talked to the owners. So do the owners only take one side of the story? I’m not even someone that this incident directly happened to! I said, well can I please speak to your manager or the owner. No, i am the manager, you are not welcome back. I told her that everyone in our party will probably cancel as well and her response was“I’m just waiting for 1 person to call me”! I said a few choice words and I hung up. CRYING. WHAT????? Are you discriminating me because of an issue you had with another camper???? I can’t believe what this has amounted to. So instead of dealing with your issues you just don’t allow people back? Instead of having the owner or management actually call and have a respectful, which was not had, conversation with someone you just brush it off! I have come to Herkimer longer than some of these people have worked there! I really don’t have words for how I feel. And to make matters worse I always go over my dad’s anniversary of his death, August 5, because this was his favorite place and now I can’t go and neither can my children. Great job herkimer diamond mines koa! I applaud you on your discrimination, disrespect and the lack of empathy you have for your campers! Especially the ones who have been a constant! I’m assuming Phil and his wife are still management, good luck! And to the campers that wish to go there, I really hope you enjoy yourselves because it truly is an amazing place. Unfortunately, my memories had to stop here! August 2025 This review is extremely hard for me to write, but what I had witnessed for a week of being there is disgusting& just simply not right. My family has been coming to Herkimer KOA for decades. Throughout the years, we have shown many other families this"gem"... or so we thought. This year was a bit different, there are new camp managers... This week I have witnessed human waste being sprayed all over campsites, management that discredits everything you say, management that thinks its okay to have charges on your bill that they cant even explain, ice cream cart that closes right before the last kid orders& leaves in tears, bathrooms that are disgusting! This is NOT THE HERKIMER I REMEMBER AS A KID! If you look on google, the owners of this campground is a family that has owned it for 50 years! That's amazing& kudos to them! But Phil, Phil is going to ruin every ounce of what they have worked so hard for!& being a business owner, you want management there representing YOU! Doing what YOU would do if you were there. Those owners should not be receiving mine& my friends reviews today if management did their job! Unfortunately, again very hard to say, we will not be returning if Phil is there.& I can honestly say, that the 14-20 families we bring every time, that spend thousands of dollars, will not be as well! Thank you Phil for ruining a vacation I personally held so close to my heart.& because you don't care about how you treat people& how you manage, you have lost years& years& years of loyalty.
Emily M.TravelerLong Pond Campground
Great dispersed camp sites
All the roads are gravel, so it might get a little muddy after a big rain but I had no issue with a low clearance car driving around to explore the sites available. About half the sites are spread out in a large patch of spruce trees, I stayed at one of these. You can hear and sometimes see cars on the main road from your site but overall the spruce trees give you a lot more privacy. Had a neighbor blasting their speaker and didn't even hear it until I was walking by on that stretch of road. You might catch a glimpse of someone's fire at night, but it mostly felt like I had the place to myself. The other half are clustered much closer together among some deciduous trees but all the sites are pretty spacious, with a picnic table, fire pit, and easy access to the water. You might get a visit from day-use visitors looking for water access, especially if you pick a site closer to the water access paths, so if you're looking for more seclusion you may want to look elsewhere, but I didn't mind and the people who did stop near my site were respectful and didn't seem to want to disturb me once they saw the site near the water access was occupied. A free permit is needed for camping during the on-season. I stayed off-season and most of the sites were unoccupied, but I could see this being a popular spot during the warmer months. Port-a-potties are also not available off-season – be prepared to find a good cat hole spot or bring a wag bag if you're not self-contained. Seeing some litter around my site was a bit of a bummer (don't be that guy!), but overall the sites looked pretty clean and well-maintained. I did notice some broken glass at my site, so if you have pets (or shoe-averse children) be mindful of their paw pads (and feet). There's plenty of downed wood for making a fire, and I passed a couple homes selling firewood on the side of the road on the way. Service was spotty (AT&T) but if you wandered around enough you could get a couple bars to send a text, or if you really needed to, drive up the road a couple of minutes. I would easily stay here again, but if I came during the main season I'd probably want to plan a mid-week trip and get my permit and claim my site as soon as possible.
- EEileen D.Guide
Tilden Hill Farm
Beautiful campground
Beautiful and well- maintained. Very roomy sites. Owner is friendly and responds quickly to calls.
Ashlee C.TravelerAndersen Hill State Forest
Great spot!
Stayed one night. Spot was great! It had rained so we weren't able to have a fire, but there was a spot where others had one previously. A little road noise from Rt 79, but honestly wasn't terrible.
D C.ScoutLive The Outdoors LLC
Peaceful & Private Getaway🏞️
Really enjoyed staying here. It’s super private and peaceful, and we loved that it’s not a crowded campground. The land is open and easy to access, and you can tell the owners are constantly upgrading and improving things. We were even able to fish here, which was a bonus. Would definitely recommend if you appreciate privacy, nature, and a peaceful place with the freedom to relax and do your own thing.
Chelsea B.
RangerGreen Lakes State Park Campground
Good camp sites
The sites are good, level, and the campsite is pretty but as clean as the bathrooms are, the showers still suck. I’ll never understand why parks use the misting shower heads. Maybe TMI, but sorry ladies, you’ll never get the soap out of your bits. It’s best to use the ADA bathrooms because those shower heads are normal and have wands. I can’t say much about the amenities since we camped in the off season (really bummed not to rent a boat), but the trails around the lake are great! Beautiful water and various difficulties on the trails make it pretty fun to explore. Overall a good stay but took a star away for the showers and the landscapers. They spent at least 5-6 hours the Monday we were here mowing around our campsite, coming within inches of our power and Starlink cords. Really annoyed by that and when we called the park office, they said they’d take care of it but we still endured 4 more hours of multiple mowers going over the same areas multiple times. Honestly think they were messing with us at that point…
Guide to Morrisville
Camping options near Morrisville, New York range from primitive sites to full-service campgrounds across varied terrain. The region sits in the central New York highlands at elevations between 1,100-1,300 feet, with summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F during peak camping season from late May through early October. State forests in the area feature designated primitive sites that require proper waste disposal and adherence to Leave No Trace principles.
What to do
Boating and fishing access: At Stoney Pond State Forest Camping Area, visitors find "a small boat launch meant for canoes and kayaks and small non motorized fishing boats, alongside a gravel peninsula for shore fishing," according to recent camper Janet R. The pond offers peaceful surroundings with mature shade trees.
Swimming at designated beaches: Green Lakes State Park Campground provides swimming options with lifeguards present during summer months. "The beach is great. You cannot bring your own kayaks you have to rent. Fun hiking area the water is gorgeous," notes Sara H. The unique blue-green water creates distinctive swimming conditions.
Trail exploration: Extensive hiking networks connect many camping areas. "There is a trailhead to access a large network of hiking trails. If you want to backpack in, dispersed camping is allowed throughout the forest," explains Janet R. about Stoney Pond. Charles E. Baker State Forest offers "miles of trails" through mature woods with minimal development.
What campers like
Privacy between sites: Many campers appreciate well-spaced camping areas. At Stoney Pond, "There are 15 drive-in campsites widely spaced and set into the woods, and two developed walk-in sites on the west shore," notes Janet R. This configuration allows for more privacy than many commercial campgrounds.
Clean facilities: The Villages RV Park at Turning Stone receives consistent praise for maintenance. "Bathrooms are very modern and well stocked. Staff are attentive and useful, and they operate a great store with lots of options," writes Michael O. Full-time staff maintain facilities throughout the season.
Family-friendly amenities: Multiple campgrounds cater to families with children. Green Lakes State Park features "playgrounds, fishing and boat rental if you want to be closer to the water. Beach for swimming with concession stand with quite a full menu," according to Kelly J. These amenities make multi-day stays more comfortable for families.
What you should know
Seasonal limitations: Most campgrounds operate from mid-May through mid-October, with specific opening dates varying by location. "[Green Lakes State Park] offers swimming at the large beach. You can rent a kayak and enjoy the beautiful lake," notes Cindy H., but these activities only run during the official summer season.
Reservation requirements: Popular campgrounds fill quickly, especially during summer weekends and local events. Butternut Hill RV Campground in Bouckville experiences peak demand "during special events, including several Antique shows, the Central New York Fiber Festival, a craft fair and a car show, events that are scheduled a few times a month throughout the summer," explains Janet R.
Site variations: Campground terrain varies significantly across the region. In primitive areas like Charles E. Baker State Forest, expect "a fire pit and picnic table. Some litter, not too bad. No toilets... Water access at a lovely nearby pond," reports Cameron. Always research specific site conditions before arrival.
Tips for camping with families
Water activities for different ages: Verona Beach State Park Campground offers multiple water options. "The kids love to hang out at the splash pad and the state recently revamped some of the playgrounds," writes Joe D. The combination of beach access and controlled water play areas accommodates various ages.
Bathroom considerations: Facilities vary widely between campgrounds. At Green Lakes, "As clean as the bathrooms are, the showers still suck. I'll never understand why parks use the misting shower heads... It's best to use the ADA bathrooms because those shower heads are normal and have wands," advises Chelsea B.
Entertainment options: Some campgrounds provide organized activities or nearby attractions. The Villages RV Park offers "free shuttle rides to the Turning Stone Casino right up the street," according to Michael O., creating options for parents to alternate supervision duties.
Tips from RVers
Site selection considerations: Level sites with appropriate hookups remain a priority for RV campers. Lebanon Reservoir Campground has "sites [that] are mostly level, but some did slant quite a bit. Hookups are well located and modern," notes Michael O.
Weather preparedness: Wind exposure affects certain lakeside campgrounds. At Verona Beach State Park, campers report: "We attempted to set up near the lake, but found the wind to be overwhelming. We ended up in the corner site by the woods," shares Thomas M. Corner sites or those with natural windbreaks provide better conditions during storms.
Road access challenges: Access to some state forest camping areas requires careful vehicle selection. Butternut Hill RV Campground is "in a convenient location in Bouckville," notes Janet R., making it accessible for larger rigs, while many primitive sites require high-clearance vehicles or hiking to reach.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Morrisville, NY?
What camping is available near Morrisville, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, Morrisville, NY offers a wide range of camping options, with 132 campgrounds and RV parks near Morrisville, NY and 14 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Morrisville, NY?
Which is the most popular campground near Morrisville, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Morrisville, NY is Green Lakes State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 42 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Morrisville, NY?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Morrisville, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 14 free dispersed camping spots near Morrisville, NY.
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