Mountain Lakes Park in Westchester County houses modern yurts within an hour's drive from New York City, making it a popular glamping destination for city dwellers seeking nature without sacrificing comfort. The park's glamping accommodations offer electricity and comfortable furnishings while being surrounded by multiple lakes and hiking trails that lead to Mount Bailey, the highest point in Westchester County. According to a camper, "Mountain Lakes park is a great place to camp within driving distance from NYC. A fun option available at Mountain lakes is to rent a yurt to camp in." Other upscale outdoor stays include Collective Governors Island, featuring furnished safari-style canvas tents with proper beds, electricity and resort-style amenities just minutes from Manhattan by ferry, and Camp Glen Gray in nearby New Jersey with its luxury cabin options and glamping platforms.
Hiking trails accessible directly from the glamping sites rank among the most appreciated features at Mountain Lakes Park, with several paths winding through the property and around the lakes. Glamping guests at Collective Governors Island enjoy waterfront views of the Manhattan skyline while experiencing a surprising wilderness retreat with upscale dining options. One reviewer highlighted, "This is an awesome spot for those who want to camp in luxury, with their awesome dome structures." West Point FMWR's glamping facilities cater exclusively to military personnel and their families, featuring canvas tents and cabin alternatives with access to swimming beaches, laundry facilities, and fishing spots. Most glamping sites in the region operate seasonally from May through October, with some luxury dome and pod accommodations at Moon Valley Campground available year-round for those seeking winter glamping experiences.
"Mountain Lakes park is a great place to camp within driving distance from NYC. A fun option available at Mountain lakes is to rent a yurt to camp in."
"A gorgeous piece of land that contains lakes, a lookout and Mt. Bailey, the highest point in Westchester County. A dirt road loops through the property with trails off and through it."
$25 - $40 / night
"Bath houses are absolutely spotless. Fire pits, electric and water hook ups only. Will return! Staff is friendly and helpful. Military families should check it out!"
"The campground is beautiful and the staff was wonderful! We started our camping season off right with a quick weekend stay at Round Pound. We were very impressed with the playground on site!"
"The camp is set up in a “blank slate, parking lot” type style, with a big field, center for tent camping or to be used for sports or other activities."
"We had full hookups with 50-amp electrical service- which all worked fine. The entire park seemed to be well maintained and clean."
$20 - $150 / night
"Yes, this is a military-only campground but, that doesn't take away from how incredible it is and that is properly advertised.
This place is incredible. "
$5 - $200 / night
"Cabins are always clean and stocked with firewood. Lots of hiking trails. Trading post is well stocked and volunteers are always friendly and able to answer any questions"
"One rustic place with many hiking trails to choose from. Camp also provides trucking of gear weather permitting. No vehicles allowed to drive through camp. Trading Post for treats and other items."
"Arrived to campsite late but easily found. Campsite and lean to was clean. Fire pit with grill and picnic table."
"There are level padded sites with electric and water (in warmer months). Sites were spaced out with beautiful woods in the background. Hiking trail goes right through the campground."
$17 - $50 / night
"One of my favorite so far , went with family , to comply w covid and social distancing, the camp only rent your site and no one on your left or right or across ! Amazing !"
"My family has been camping at Lake Waramaug for over 20 years. I can say most of what’s been said is true or partially so but whether it’s bad or good depends on your point of view."
$529 - $1200 / night
"The article also mentions the benefits of camping on Governor Island, such as feeling close to nature, relaxing and enjoying a peaceful space, away from the noise of the city."
"As part of the Thousand Trails group, this campground has many amenities. It offers a pool, playground, and activities that include bocce ball, shuffleboard, and horseshoes."
"This is a Thousand trails campground so it was free. I think the regular price is $64. Full hookups, tents and cabins to rent. Pleanty to do in and around campground."
ScoutThis was a great campsite nestled in the foothills of Northern NJ on the NY border. Small, clean with great views and great location for hiking , cruising etc. Bring your tent or use the existing glamping tents. Headed back for a fall weekend in the "dome" which has incredible views. Try it you won't be sorry.
ScoutNice, family friendly campground with 3 levels to camp at. Top level has a pool, showers and bathrooms with laundry area and game room. Middle level has open field with bathrooms with sinks and running water. There is water and electric on the sites at the middle level. River level has more primitive bathrooms and some bathrooms with running water. You can camp right next to the river and it has a great view.
GuideCamp Gateway in Brooklyn New York is one of my favorite places to visit. I went to college in New York, and loved to get out of the busy city and go camping and be outdoors. Camp Gateway was always a place that I loved to go. It is pretty close to town-which is crazy because you feel like you are miles away. Camp Gateway does offer a lot of different activities for everyone. One thing I love to do is go kayaking and stand up paddle boarding. My girlfriends and I tried to do this once a month to get away from the city and school. Because you are so close to the city, you can plan outdoor activities as well as some activities in the city. My friends and I stayed 1 night in the campground, and the next day went to a recital show that took us 10 minutes to get to. You can also walk, hike or ride your bike along multiple paths- I have done the Fort Tilden trail (I just walked, but there were multiple people that passed us on their bikes). Within the campground they do have some fire pits- which my friends and I always use because we love cooking smores and hot dogs for dinner. A little further away from the campground, about 10-15 miles there is a place where you can do horseback riding, see the Statue of Liberty (which is gorgeous!), and there is a little beach area. This beach area is where I do my kayaking and stand up paddle boarding. Again, its not very far away...you can either drive there, walk or ride your bike. The road is paved, which is nice. I stayed here also with my parents, and I know my dad went golfing one day (I didn't go, but he said it was awesome)- and again that was only a 10 minute drive from our camping spot. This campground like I said, does offer quite a bit. Sometimes it doesn't really feel like you are "camping" because things are pretty close by, but it definitely is worth going to and trying.
GuideNo frills but beautiful. Bath houses are absolutely spotless. Fire pits, electric and water hook ups only. Will return! Staff is friendly and helpful. Military families should check it out!
TravelerArrived to campsite late but easily found. Campsite and lean to was clean. Fire pit with grill and picnic table.
ScoutNot a whole lot for children to do. There’s a bounce pillow to jump on and a really old and rickity swing set and an old metal slide. also, there’s a pool, but that is in a state of disrepair. The concrete around Is all cracked and damaged, and one of the ladders to get out was missing, but the water was clean (most Important!). They Inflate these slides, but charge a ridiculous amount to use them. They have a snack snack shop with Ice cream. The campground itself is large, and our site was right on the river and of an ample size. We had the place to ourselves on Friday, and then Saturday they stacked people right on top of us, even though there were ample other sites to spread other campers out.. Sadly, there is trash, beer bottle caps, and broken glass everywhere. I did my best to clean up, but there was still stuff all over the place. You can bring rafts and tubes and float on the river, which looked fun.. they do not monitor nor enforce quiet hours, so we had to listen to latin music blasted until well past midnight (we finally gave up on the grounds to do their job and tell them to turn music down/off so we had to) and then they were loud/wasted drunk until the early hours of the morning.. the price was high for what was here... you would think for the cost you would get more—especially better service of the grounds (keeping it clean and keeping it at a respectable noise level during quiet hours.) Not impressed with this place. I’m sure there are better places nearby—
LegendJake from the Dyrt here! The Moon Valley Campground is an awesome spot for those who want to camp in luxury, with their awesome dome structures. The campground is also near the Appalachian trail while still only about an hour from Manhattan! Check them out and leave a review with your adventures during your stay!
LegendWe tried this campground without knowing what was safe and where to stay for visit New York City. It is located in Brooklyn and is little removed from everything. The sites are at Floyd Bennett Field which is an old airfield. The atmosphere here is eerily cool at the same time. You basically park and camp on the asphalt by the old hangars. No hookups at all but they do have a camp store and bath house. If you are tent camping, there are some grassy sites.
The campground is located right on Jamaica Bay so there were people fishing all the time from the seawall. At night, you could hear cars doing burnouts right next to us. To get to all the action in the city, we had to take a bus and then the subway. The travel was a headache but better than trying to drive in to New York City in our RV. One way to improve here would be to have some security at night as well as access to clean water and dump station. They remained locked most of the time for some reason.
The best part of this place was the free tour of Hangar B by some guys doing restoration of old planes (HARP). They had some great stories and gave us history of the planes on display.
ScoutThis campground changed in the last few years, but not for the better. It is apparent that the manager does not like campers. If you have a tent, you are treated ok, until you violate one of their endless rules. Then they have the police escort you out.. If you have a pop-up or anything above the ground on wheels they make your life miserable and prevent you from camping in the front row where the sites are larger, level, and have a lake view. Bathrooms are dirty and uncared for, toilet paper is non-existent in the afternoon. Alcohol is not allowed but is poorly enforced. Quiet hours are not enforced. Two cars per site is not enforced. Loud Boomboxes are the norm. People using the lakeside state park walk through your campsite to go use the campground bathroom and showers - hence the toilet paper issue in the bathroom. Unfortunately, some of those day picnickers think your stuff is free for the taking. NEVER LEAVE YOUR STUFF UNGUARDED. The numerous skunks are an unwelcomed camp amenity. Watch your children, cars go racing through the campground! If you are looking for stress free and peaceful, this is not the place. It is party central on the weekends.The staff leaves at random times, either 3 pm, 5 pm or 9 pm and then you are on your own. But don't worry, there is a sometimes functioning emergency phone outside the camp office. Oh yes, and there is no cell service in that area. Have fun. But I'm not going back. Are you sure you want to camp here?
Mountain Lakes Park in Westchester County offers yurt camping opportunities at its 1,082-acre wilderness park. Located approximately 60 miles north of New York City, the park ranges in elevation from 480 to 982 feet at the summit of Mount Bailey. Visitors seeking yurt camping near Mount Kisco can access these accommodations year-round, though winter camping requires additional preparation due to limited services.
Hiking trails at Mount Bailey: The highest point in Westchester County sits within Mountain Lakes Park. According to one visitor, "A gorgeous piece of land that contains lakes, a lookout and Mt. Bailey, the highest point in Westchester County. A dirt road loops through the property with trails off and through it." Mountain Lakes Park serves as an excellent base for exploring these trails.
Lakeside recreation: Multiple ponds and lakes allow for fishing and paddling opportunities. West Point FMWR Round Pond Outdoor Recreation Area features a swimming beach with fishing spots. As one military family notes, "We were very impressed with the playground on site! Unfortunately, due to our early start in the camping season the weather did not allow us to enjoy fishing or the beach or water hook ups, however all areas looked well maintained."
Local brewery visits: Lake Waramaug State Park provides access to craft beer options. One camper observed, "Great brewery nearby," making it a worthwhile side trip for those interested in local beverages after a day of outdoor activities.
Spacious sites: Mahlon Dickerson Reservation in nearby New Jersey offers generous camping areas. A reviewer noted, "The campsites are paved and mostly level. They are wooded and large. Water and electric hookups and a dump station." This makes it practical for various camping setups.
Military-only facilities: West Point's recreation areas provide exclusive access for service members. As one reviewer mentioned, "We've been coming here for at least 13 years. We love that its a place specifically for Vets and active Military. everyone is amazingly respectful of each other and the caretakers take such care of the grounds."
Convenient NYC access: Many campgrounds serve as accessible wilderness getaways. One camper at Mahlon Dickerson highlighted this benefit: "Located in the Skylands of New Jersey, Mahlon Dickerson Campgound is a perfect place to spend a few nights or a couple of weeks... it's also only a 20 minute drive to a large mall in Rockaway."
Limited cell service: Some campgrounds have minimal connectivity. A visitor to West Point FMWR Round Pond Outdoor Recreation Area reported, "Just a note to other campers with T-Moblie, we did not have any service on the campsite, however just a hop in the car or a quick walk down the mountain for 5G service near the entrance off the main road."
Seasonal considerations: Most campgrounds operate on limited schedules. Lake Waramaug runs from "May 26 to September 4," while Thousand Trails Rondout Valley operates "Apr 1 - Nov 1," requiring advance planning for off-season yurt camping near Mount Kisco.
Permit requirements: Some facilities restrict access. A visitor noted about Round Pond: "Unfortunately for me, Round Pond is camping reserved for active and retired military personnel only. We drove through and the whole space is rather large. There are several signs everywhere making it clear that it is only for military."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Mount Kisco, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Mount Kisco, NY is Mountain Lakes Park with a 5-star rating from 3 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 16 glamping camping locations near Mount Kisco, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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