183 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Campgrounds surrounding Old Chatham, New York range from full-service RV parks to more primitive tent camping areas within state parks. The region includes several established options such as Schodack Island State Park Campground along the Hudson River and Spacious Skies Woodland Hills in Austerlitz, located about 15 miles east. Mixed-use campgrounds predominate in the area, with most facilities accommodating both tent and RV campers. Several locations also offer cabin rentals and glamping options for those seeking more comfort. Campground options vary in size and amenities, with state parks typically providing more natural settings while private campgrounds offer additional recreational facilities.
Most developed campgrounds in the region operate seasonally from May through October. "The sites are spaced apart nicely and well maintained. There is electric at most sites with water near the ends," noted one camper about Schodack Island State Park. Reservations are highly recommended, especially for summer weekends and holidays when facilities reach capacity. Weather conditions can change rapidly, with spring bringing occasional flooding near riverfront campgrounds and fall offering cooler temperatures with colorful foliage. Cell service varies significantly throughout the area, with many state parks having limited connectivity. Campground amenities typically include electric hookups, picnic tables, and fire rings, though not all locations provide water or sewer hookups directly at individual sites.
Campers frequently mention the diverse natural settings as highlights of camping in this region. State park campgrounds near water features receive particularly positive reviews, with Schodack Island earning praise for its riverfront location and hiking trails. Private campgrounds like Spacious Skies Woodland Hills provide more amenities such as swimming ponds and organized activities. A visitor wrote, "Beautiful state park campground with all the amenities you expect, located on the Hudson River." Family-friendly facilities predominate, though noise levels vary by location and day of week. Wildlife sightings, particularly birds and small mammals like rabbits, are commonly reported by campers staying at Schodack Island. Most developed campgrounds maintain clean bathroom and shower facilities, which are consistently mentioned as important factors in positive reviews.
"The park ensures you’ll have what you need with stores within close proximity and the staff even offers ice and firewood delivery to your site."
"Wonderful hikes and beautiful walks. Boat docks looked pretty easy for ins and outs, and the pavilions were huge!"
from $17 - $26 / night
Check Availability"Great access to Mt Greylock and LOTS of hiking close by. Staff was so accommodating-always willing to spend time giving recommendations."
"Great family atmosphere w very positive neighbors and owners... Fantastic. 5 stars"
from $40 - $70 / night
Check Availability"My first visit to New York state was amazing, largely in part due to my campsite at the Woodland Hills campground."
"The staff was helpful, the site was pretty and there are so many places to hike and the best of the Berkshires so close by."
from $29 - $999 / night
Check Availability"Tons of hiking trails here."
"Sites 1-9 are located near Berry Pond and are serviced by a pit toilet. The rest are about 1.5 miles south on the loop road."
from $14 - $35 / night
Check Availability"The campsite was peaceful and quiet and mostly tucked into the hillside. I did see the electrical station at the entrance but the sound didn’t reach where I was staying at site 33."
"Some of the sites are very visible and a few are tucked away into the woods with privacy. Most are pretty close to their neighbors."
from $17 - $55 / night
Check Availability"Great walking access to the river where you can launch your kayak/go tubbing or just go for a swim. Would return."
"Absolutely loved this campground, sites are well spaced and the surrounding area is gorgeous! We had a tent site right on the river and couldn’t have been happier with our stay."
"We love the loop of sites near the entrance near the water for views but close to the bathroom, ranger station, and trails. Farther from the beach so there is less impact from the day visitors."
"There are a number of “walk in” sites that are all lovely, I suggest the sites toward the back of the park. Hot showers, bathrooms, and dishwashing stations are available."
from $14 - $17 / night
Check Availability"I'm use to the rough and tough it of backpacking the AT Trail so this place had quite a few amenities I am not use to! Haha."
"It wasn't too busy when we went- we got there on a Friday night around 6pm and were able to get a spot. There are also some fun activities within the campground, and things nearby."
from $17 - $175 / 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"It's a compact,clean campground tucked at the end of a quiet neighborhood street, within walking distance to a lake. Many of the RV site are occupied by seasonal campers, and the sites are well-kept."
"It’s located off a dead end street . There is a lame right down the street. They have cabins, tent sites and everything sites. Have a small camp store. But downtown Pittsfield very close by."
from $65 - $185 / night
Check Availability
ScoutWhite Pines made a really good home base for our trip. We spent most of the days checking out different spots around northwest Connecticut and came back here in the evenings. Made dinner outside, had a fire, and just relaxed. The campground itself had everything we needed without having to make a bunch of extra trips into town.
ScoutWe brought our camper up for the weekend and the kids immediately wanted to go to the pool.😂 They also loved the fishing pond and exploring around the campground. There was plenty to keep them busy while we got some actual downtime.
TravelerThis is a quick and easy pull off that is large enough to accommodate most vehicles. Only con which wasn’t that big of an issue was that you are close to the road, so any vehicles going by which wasn’t many you would hear. Besides that you are in dark and quiet state forest. I would recommend this to someone for a quick overnight stay rather than an extended stay.
ScoutOne thing I really liked was having wifi when we needed it. Nice to be able to check in on work and then put the phone away and enjoy the rest of the day.
ScoutNice campground with a good mix of activities. We went fishing one morning, spent the afternoon at the pool and had a fire that night. Pretty much a perfect camping day.
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.
ScoutWe stayed in a cabin and it worked out perfectly for us. Spent the days exploring the area and came back in the evening to cook and hang out. Would definetly do it again.
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.
Camping opportunities around Old Chatham span across two states, with options in both New York's eastern region and western Massachusetts. The area sits at elevations ranging from 400 to 1,000 feet above sea level, with campgrounds positioned near various water bodies including the Hudson River and several lakes. Seasonal considerations include spring flooding along riverfront locations and peak fall camping during September and October when nighttime temperatures can drop below 40°F.
Hiking at Taconic State Park: Access trails directly from your campsite with varying difficulty levels, including paths to Bash Bish Falls. "Stopped for one night on way from New England to Finger Lakes region... Best part was hiking out to a couple of different blinds to look for birds. Did see a juv eagle," noted a visitor at Schodack Island State Park.
Fishing opportunities: Multiple sites offer fishing access, particularly at Cherry Plain State Park. "Nice little place close to home...very comfortable with a nice beach and lots of hiking and fishing," according to one regular visitor.
Swimming in natural settings: Several campgrounds maintain swimming areas in lakes or ponds. A camper at Pittsfield State Forest Campground reported, "July 2025. We stayed in site #36...The bath house was great... There were many hiking trails. The loop took us to the top where there was a beautiful view."
Birdwatching: The area supports diverse bird populations. "Excellent birding... Stopped for one night on way from New England to Finger Lakes region... Best part was hiking out to a couple of different blinds to look for birds. Did see a juv eagle," reported by a visitor.
Privacy between sites: Many campgrounds feature natural barriers between sites. At Mt. Greylock Campsite Park, a camper observed, "This place is great. It's got so many different ducks and crannies and so many different levels up and down the hill and Valley and just a beautiful peaceful place in the woods."
Clean facilities: Consistently maintained bathrooms and showers receive positive reviews. "Very clean bathrooms, had to take a shower before crawling in. I appreciated that this state park had pockets of campsites and group sites. We were not all in one place," noted a Pittsfield State Forest visitor.
Natural water features: Lakes, ponds, and rivers enhance camping experiences. At Copake Falls Area — Taconic State Park, visitors appreciate "a very large open grassy field for play/sports, a playground and life guarded portion of the lake for swimming."
Wildlife viewing: Campers frequently report animal sightings. "Fabulous stay! The roads in are definitely patched and bumpy, but once your in the loop things are smooth! The site was SO spacious and felt secluded because of all the nature and greenery," commented a Schodack Island State Park visitor.
Site variations: Terrain and privacy differ significantly across campgrounds and within them. At Cherry Plain State Park Campground, a visitor noted, "We first stayed at site 11, but moved as it is on the road and uninteresting. There are a number of 'walk in' sites that are all lovely, I suggest the sites toward the back of the park."
Reservation timing: Most campgrounds require advance booking, especially for premium sites. "Reserve very early for waterfront," advised a North-South Lake Campground visitor.
Limited connectivity: Cell service is minimal at most locations. "ATT and Verizon fluctuate between 1-3 bars. It was enough for me to work - downloading files, sending emails, and conducting non-video zoom calls," reported a Schodack Island visitor.
Weather preparedness: Temperature fluctuations require planning. "Stayed here 7/2020. Great job distancing for Covid. 'Comfort station' well maintained. Campsites are rocky, had to re arrange tent to get off rock," shared a Pittsfield State Forest visitor.
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature designated play areas. "Large family friendly campground with all the amenities - boating, showers, great hiking," noted a visitor at North-South Lake Campground.
Swimming options: Kid-friendly water features are available at multiple locations. "Love Bonnie Brae - perfectly located for fishing and hiking and breweries - great grounds - quiet and extremely well kept. Bathrooms were spotless and I saw them cleaned several times a day. Fun little and safe park and we also used the pool which was great," shared a visitor.
Educational opportunities: Many parks offer nature programs. "My family and I love this place. we have camped here for the last 3 years. they have excellent services and activities. Kudos to the Rangers!" commented a visitor at Schodack Island State Park.
Noise considerations: Weekends tend to be busier and louder. "This campground is a less than five minute drive to the visitors station at the base of Mt. Greylock. The sites were roomy and we had water and electrical hookups... It was a very quiet campground during the week. However, I have it only 4 stars because when Friday came and the weekend campers arrived, it got loud and rowdy," explained a Mt. Greylock visitor.
Leveling challenges: Many sites require leveling blocks. At Bonnie Brae Cabins and Campsites, one RVer reported, "I was in site 28 with a teardrop camper. I could have used leveling blocks because it was hard to find a great spot that was level side to side. Sites 27 & 29 each seemed a little more level and 29 was larger."
Road conditions: Access roads vary in quality and width. "The roads in are definitely patched and bumpy, but once your in the loop things are smooth!" noted a Schodack Island State Park visitor.
Water and electrical access: Hookup availability differs by campground. "We had a back in site and was having problems with my camper, and they were able to change to a pull through at time of check in," shared a Bonnie Brae camper.
Site sizing: Some RV sites are more accommodating than others. "Terrain is uneven. Hit and miss on how flat or leave sights are," noted a Bonnie Brae visitor, while another mentioned, "We stayed in 12 full hook up with a 27 ft slide travel trailer and it was a good size."
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Old Chatham, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, Old Chatham, NY offers a wide range of camping options, with 183 campgrounds and RV parks near Old Chatham, NY and 26 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Old Chatham, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Old Chatham, NY is Schodack Island State Park Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 20 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Old Chatham, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 26 free dispersed camping spots near Old Chatham, NY.
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