RV campgrounds near New Rochelle, New York sit within the Hudson Valley region, where elevation ranges from sea level along the Hudson River to 1,000 feet in nearby highlands. Most camping options lie within a 20-30 mile radius of New Rochelle, spanning both New York and New Jersey. Winter temperatures typically drop to 20-30°F while summer averages 75-85°F, affecting campground amenities and accessibility.
What to do
Hiking trails: Access extensive trail networks at Clarence Fahnestock State Park, located about 30 miles from New Rochelle. "There are plenty of trails, water (creeks, pond, lake) views and even if the place is packed there is PLENTY of room," notes one visitor. The park features the Appalachian Trail among its 14,000+ acres.
Swimming opportunities: Take advantage of lake swimming from Memorial Day through Labor Day at several parks. At Croton Point Park, "The park itself offers many of its own attractions, including swimming, hiking, kayaking, cabin rentals, and a host of other family-oriented activities just along the Hudson."
NYC day trips: Use campgrounds as bases for exploring Manhattan. From Jersey City, the Staten Island Ferry is easily accessible. "The light rail is a block away, and the path train is about 8," reports a visitor to Liberty Harbor RV Park. Some campers prefer taking the train: "The train station is right there!" says a Croton Point Park reviewer who visited during Halloween season.
What campers like
Privacy levels vary widely: Most campgrounds offer different site configurations. At Beaver Pond Campground, "The biggest positive about Beaver Pond is how spread out it was. You definitely feel like you have your own space and are not camping on top of your neighbor. Many of the camping options were on platforms which is especially nice if it recently rained."
Convenient urban access: Despite natural settings, most New Rochelle area campgrounds provide surprising city proximity. "This is all about location. The closest RV park to NYC," one camper noted about Liberty Harbor. Others appreciate transit connections: "Short distance from the NYC, very organized, clean pond, has a playground, showers, bathroom. Your phone will have signal."
Off-season tranquility: Many campers report dramatically different experiences outside summer months. "Ranger said that during summer weekends the grounds fill up and can be quite noisy, but mid-week during the off-season it was great," reports a September visitor to Beaver Pond. This pattern applies to most campgrounds within 30 miles of New Rochelle.
What you should know
Bear awareness required: Several campgrounds actively manage wildlife encounters. "Welcome to Bear Mountain' grumbles the park ranger as he sits in complete darkness!" reports one camper at Beaver Pond. "The wildlife do roam around your campsite so be mindful of putting food and garbage away before sleeping."
Reservation systems differ: Each campground handles bookings differently. Black Bear RV Park "currently only accept reservations over the phone. The person I spoke to was friendly and helpful." At Croton Point Park, "The reservation process is a bit wonky. You need to call (no online reservations) and then wait for an e-mail, but the e-mail does not tell you your assigned site."
Rule enforcement varies: Some parks have minimal oversight while others maintain strict regulation. At Croton Point, "endless guidelines, and restrictions only a New York State-run bureaucracy could ever make sense of" with "regular patrols being made day and night, by both the Park Rangers and what appears to be general park staff members."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Several campgrounds offer dedicated play areas. At Mahlon Dickerson Reservation, "There is a playground for the kids. Each site is set back off a common area so there is plenty of privacy." The campground also features hiking trails suitable for children.
Site selection matters: Research individual sites before booking. "This is one of my favorite campsites I have been to but only because after several visits we have finally found our favorite site," notes a Clarence Fahnestock visitor. "I highly recommend this place but check out the sites online to get one that is private."
Beach alternatives: When campground swimming areas reach capacity, seek alternatives. "On July 4th, my partner and I tried to go to the beach, but were told it was at capacity at 3 different points throughout the day," reports a Croton Point camper. Weekdays typically offer easier access to swimming areas.
Tips from RVers
Water hookup reliability: Check current water status when booking. At Woodland Trails Campground, one RVer found "The site was supposed to have electric and water hookup. Electric worked but the water did not. Most of the sites were empty, so I investigated and found that none of the water hookups in the 5 sites around us worked."
Dump station access: Plan dumping needs carefully as facilities vary. One Black Bear RV Park visitor noted, "We have short driving days and we try stop after every couple hundred miles for one night at a time, just to sleep, shower and eat." Unfortunately, they found "the heated water pipe was broken so we had no water for the night."
Hose considerations: Some parks provide equipment for hookups. At Mahlon Dickerson Reservation, "Website lists water hook ups at long distances but they have hose reels to help with that. Our site (15) said 75' however the 50' hose reel made it to our rv connection."
