168 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
The Catskill Mountains surrounding Mount Tremper, New York feature a diverse range of camping experiences within the Catskill Forest Preserve. Kenneth L Wilson Campground, located directly in Mt. Tremper, offers spacious wooded sites with both tent and RV accommodations from May through early October. Nearby Woodland Valley Campground in Phoenicia provides streamside camping with access to challenging hiking trails, including connections to Slide Mountain and Giant Ledge. Within a 30-minute drive, campers can access everything from primitive backcountry sites to full-service campgrounds with electric hookups, showers, and boat launches at locations like North-South Lake Campground and Phoenicia Black Bear Campground.
Most campgrounds in the region require advance reservations through ReserveAmerica, particularly for summer weekends when sites fill quickly. Cell service is notably limited or nonexistent throughout most Catskill campgrounds, with one camper noting, "There is NO cell service and just forget about WiFi. You are unplugged." Weather conditions can change rapidly in the mountains, with summer thunderstorms and occasional tropical storm systems affecting the area. Black bears are active throughout the region, requiring proper food storage. Many campgrounds sell firewood on-site to prevent the spread of invasive species, though some primitive sites require bringing your own supplies.
Waterfront sites consistently receive the highest ratings from visitors, with creekside and lakefront options available at several campgrounds. "The creek was perfect for dipping your feet and just hanging out," reported one camper at Phoenicia Black Bear Campground. Proximity to hiking trails is another frequently mentioned highlight, with many campgrounds offering direct trail access. Privacy levels vary significantly between campgrounds and specific sites, with some campers noting close quarters while others praised spacious, secluded spots. Weekday visits typically offer a quieter experience than weekends, when many campgrounds reach capacity. The camping season generally runs from mid-May through early October, with fall offering spectacular foliage views but cooler temperatures.
"water to play in right behind tent. I do prefer fire pits over the brick stove. this had the stove. more advanced hiking in walking distance. no cell service. my gps on phone was able to track though."
"Close to Woodstock, NY, many trails and other attractions. You need to plan for it, there's a lot to explore; some trails are challenging. "
from $20 / night
Check Availability"This campground is nestled in the Catskills, New York, with easy access to New Jersey and Connecticut."
"Access to fresh water spouts and clean bathrooms were just a walk away from most sites, theres a beautiful pond on site and beautiful views of the Catskills, Woodstock is a 15 min drive if you’re looking"
from $22 / night
Check Availability"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."
"This is a truly beautiful and scenic campground, easily one of the best places we have visited in New York State."
from $22 - $44 / night
Check Availability"You’ve got fishing either in 2 private lakes or you can fish in the river but to do the river you’ll need a New York State fishing license."
"I was a little skeptical that we wouldn’t get to choose our site, but you can’t go wrong, they are all wooded, private and well situated. The campground is centrally located you many things to do."
"this is close by to many catskill hiking trails"
"It was close to trails and town"
from $16 / night
Check Availability"You will see a yellow little circle sign on a tree with a tent on it, a short distance down that side trail there is the site. It has rock benches and a fire pit. Primitive."
"However the descriptions of this place in reviews here and elsewhere provided very little info and once I got out to the trail realized how different it was to what I expected."
"Right outside downtown Phoenicia the black bear campground is perfectly situated for a multitude of activities. They offer creek front and wooded campsites."
"2 minutes walk to town"
from $35 - $65 / night
Check Availability"A great free spot for dispersed camping tucked right off the road. Had a fire pit and picnic table"
"Short walk to all campsites."
"Cool spot next to a pond. There are a few others that aren’t next to a pond, and therefore not as cool… but still pretty cool bc it’s free and you can walk up a little to a pond."
"Nice spot right off the main road and close to town. Small pond-don’t think there are any fish. Picnic table. Fire pit with cooking griddle. Trails to the fishing access across the road."
"We got to the spot at around 4pm, and choose a spot in the “upper field”, although we didn’t see anyone at the lower spots on the road."
"This was a good campground for a base point for hiking around the peekamoose area. I stayed in the middle field campground site #6 (which is the worst spot on that field)."
ScoutOctober leaves starting to fall makes for a very quiet, peaceful midweek evening in one of the two dispersed car camping sites. Exactly what I was hoping for - private and empty and lovely. Easy to find - two dispersed car sites are to the left at the fork in the road before the trailhead.
GuideMade a reservation (site44) since I arrived as the sun had set. Office registration was open until 8. Staff was neither friendly nor unfriendly. Bathroom was dated but fine and a short walk from my site. CG was emptier being a Tuesday night in mid-October, so was plenty of space.
Great trail following the Hudson River. Beautiful fall colors.
ScoutI stayed here in March 2026 for a night before going snowboarding at Belleayre Mountain. It was in the middle of a snowstorm on a Tuesday night, so I had the whole place to myself, which was nice.
TravelerA nice wooded campground that was quiet despite being almost full on our Friday night stay.
The site we stayed at (64) had some pretty large roots to drive over and may have been an issue for a low clearance vehicle (we have a Subaru Outback).
The shower / house bathroom combo units weee very clean with hot water and baby changing station.
ScoutNice campground, bathrooms are clean but dated, first come first serve for the sites.
GuideThe park looks fantastic! Well maintained camp sites and beautiful river sceneries from the boat launch area!
Bathhouse is one of the best I have seen!
Check in was smooth. Everyone was courteous!
LegendMostly peaceful campground with nice spots, most of which offer some privacy. If you are bothered by trains, note that you will hear them in the background quite frequently from the railroad bridge that passes over the Hudson River. It's not loud by any means, but you can hear them.
The state park staff and the camp hosts were all very friendly, and it has some of the cleanest bathrooms I've ever seen in a state park.
Site 20 is a pull through site and it's huge, and while it is next to the shower building, it's far enough away that it really isn't a problem. Also, the field between you and the shower building is a fantastic spot to set up a Starlink dish.
Travelerbeautiful quiet space, great home base for the Catskills and small towns around here. note there's only a few spots. road conditions were fine.
RangerI'll start by saying this is a site-specific review (C20). I booked using Campspot and didn't select my own site but put in the criteria for my rig (30ft TT plus truck) and got a 50A back-in spot. The site was big but abnormal. Between the picnic table placement and the trees, I ended up right around 50ft from the electric and water, and the water spigot was so low I could barely put on my camco filter. With the uneven dirt roads, I had to unhitch with my truck in a gigantic puddle (lol). The site was otherwise fine aside from my gate code not working on Day 2. As for the campground as a whole, I thought it was pretty unique place by the river that offered several good amenities and activities, like downstream river tubing, an arcade, bathroom/shower facilities, a small store, little trails, and more. I would say this place borders the more primitive side.
Camping in the Catskill Mountains near Mount Tremper, New York ranges from streamside sites at 1,500 feet elevation to mountain campgrounds at over 2,100 feet. The area receives approximately 50 inches of precipitation annually with winter temperatures frequently dropping below freezing, while summer daytime temperatures average in the mid-70s. Primitive camping options require carrying in all supplies, while established campgrounds provide varying levels of amenities.
Hiking from camp access points: Several campgrounds offer direct trail connections to popular Catskill peaks. At Woodland Valley Campground, campers can quickly reach major hiking destinations. "The campground has everything that you need: public toilets, showers, public phone, picnic tables, grills, firewood (for sale), dump station. Close to Woodstock, NY, many trails and other attractions. You need to plan for it, there's a lot to explore; some trails are challenging," notes camper John N.
Creek exploration: Local streams provide natural swimming and wading spots adjacent to camping areas. The Phoenicia Black Bear Campground offers creek front sites. Camper Derek W. states, "They offer creek front and wooded campsites. Each comes with a fire ring and picnic tables. I stayed at one of the creek front campsites and highly recommend doing so. The creek was perfect for dipping your feet and just hanging out."
Local town excursions: Several campgrounds are situated within walking distance of Catskill towns offering food, shopping, and entertainment options. "River access for tubing! Love the owner! 2 minutes walk to town," reports Kendra P. about Phoenicia Black Bear Campground.
Wildlife encounters: The Catskills host diverse wildlife, including black bears, which sometimes make appearances near camping areas. At Kenneth L Wilson Campground, camper Kane B. had an unexpected encounter: "It was the wildest weekend I ever had, I'm not being sarcastic. The hiking areas are great, the weather is perfect and the bear was very nice for a bear."
Disconnect from technology: The limited connectivity creates opportunities for unplugged relaxation. Woodland Valley camper John N. observed, "The mountain creek is like nature singing a lullaby - sleeping next to it was very relaxing; weather was great and we could see the stars through the canopy - very very enjoyable! No mobile signal, but that's the point, isn't it? You get to disconnect from it all for a while."
Spacious, private sites: Many campgrounds offer secluded spots with ample room. Katherine P. from Kenneth L Wilson Campground shared, "Campsites are fairly close together with a variety of levels of privacy. Ours allowed you to be pretty far back from the road for more privacy, but some of the other sites were literally next to the road. Campsite is flat and packed dirt instead of gravel, which was great."
Permits and reservation systems: Many primitive sites require registration or permits obtained in advance. At Giant Ledge Primitive Camp, a hike-in camping area, spaces are first-come, first-served. "There's a couple marked campsites scattered along the trail, we camped at the first one on the way up. Good hike with a bit of a challenge climbing rocks at the end towards the ledge but nothing crazy," reports Emily S.
Terrain challenges: Some campsites require navigating difficult terrain to access. Caleb J. warns about Giant Ledge: "It is a near vertical hike the first mile with 90% or more being over rock gardens. Not some rocks littering the trail. I think the trail used to be a stream or creek. It doesn't wind its way way up the mountain, someone picked a side and said 'we go up from here, straight up'."
Water sources: Campgrounds have varying access to potable water. John S. at Giant Ledge notes, "The spring water source is a short hike back from the campsite, relatively convenient to restock from camp. Thought I heard bears come through overnight, but may have been a lucid dream. Bear can was undisturbed in the morning."
Playground-adjacent sites: Several campgrounds feature dedicated play areas for children. North-South Lake Campground offers family-friendly amenities. "Large family friendly campground with all the amenities - boating, showers, great hiking," says Becky G.
Swimming options: Lakes and streams provide natural swimming areas appropriate for various ages. Lizz H. from North-South Lake Campground states, "I go there almost every year to go swimming with my family and friends and it's always a good time."
Educational opportunities: Many campgrounds organize nature-focused activities or provide access to educational trails. Chris D. shares, "I'm a native of the Catskills and spent many an afternoon with my family enjoying the facilities at North/South Lake. I've recently started going there again with my own family and it's great to see them take the same enjoyment I did. Camping, swimming, hiking, boating, biking, this place has it all."
Site selection considerations: Not all campgrounds accommodate larger RVs, and site privacy levels vary significantly. At Rondout Valley RV Campground, camper Scott notes, "There must be new management because many upgrades have been made over the past year which include all new SWE (full hookups) street lighting, and campground markings/numbering."
Hookup access: Full-service sites are available at specific campgrounds but require advance reservations. Robert M. at Rondout Valley explains, "Full hookups, tents and cabins to rent. Pleanty to do in and around campground. Grounds has a pool, concession stand, game room, playgrounds, sports feild and more. Sites are well groomed. We had one and a babbling brook was 30 feet behind us."
Terrain challenges: The mountainous landscape presents driving and parking challenges. Jason E. from Rondout Valley advises, "Nice, quiet place. Our site was up front and we didn't venture into the park. We did use the laundry room, which needed some updates, especially some lighting. It has a pretty large staircase and at night with a handful of laundry, it was a little scary navigating without lights."
Frequently Asked Questions
What hiking trails are available near Mount Tremper?
Mount Tremper and the surrounding Catskills offer diverse hiking opportunities for all skill levels. The Mount Tremper Trail (2.8 miles one-way) leads to the fire tower with spectacular views. For challenging hikes with rewarding vistas, explore the trails near Little Pond Campground, which connects to little-used yet challenging trails through the Catskills. The area around Catskill/Kenneth L Wilson Campground provides easy access to numerous trails with varying difficulty levels. Popular routes include Overlook Mountain, Slide Mountain (the highest peak in the Catskills), and the scenic trails along Esopus Creek. Most trails are best hiked from late spring through fall.
Is Mount Tremper Fire Tower open to visitors?
Yes, the Mount Tremper Fire Tower is open to visitors year-round. The tower stands at 47 feet tall and offers spectacular 360-degree views of the Catskill Mountains. The hike to reach the tower is moderately challenging, covering 3 miles (one-way) with approximately 2,000 feet of elevation gain. Many hikers use Devil's Tombstone Campground as a basecamp for their fire tower adventure, as it provides convenient access to several Catskill peaks. The tower is especially popular during fall foliage season when the panoramic views showcase the colorful landscape.
Where can I find camping in Mount Tremper, NY?
Mount Tremper offers several excellent camping options. Phoenicia Black Bear Campground is perfectly situated just outside downtown Phoenicia with creek front and wooded campsites, each equipped with a fire ring and picnic table. Woodland Valley Campground — DEC is another popular choice nestled in the Catskills with access to numerous trails. For those seeking free options, Giant Ledge Primitive Camp provides hike-in sites for a more rustic experience. Most campgrounds in the area are open from May through October, with reservations recommended during peak summer months.
What is the Mount Tremper weather like throughout the year?
Mount Tremper experiences distinct seasonal weather patterns typical of the Catskills region. Summers (June-August) are generally warm and humid with temperatures ranging from 65-85°F, perfect for outdoor activities at North-South Lake Campground, though occasional thunderstorms can occur. Fall (September-November) brings spectacular foliage and cooler temperatures (40-65°F), making it ideal for hiking. Winters (December-February) are cold with temperatures often below freezing and significant snowfall, limiting camping options. Spring (March-May) is variable with temperatures from 35-65°F and frequent rainfall. Rip Van Winkle Campgrounds opens in spring when weather begins to warm, though prepare for cooler mountain evenings year-round.
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