Larry B.
Scout
ScoutWeaver Acres
Great setting. We were there by ourselves, so very quiet place to view the sky. The hookups were 50A only, no 30A connection, so we just used a conversion to 20A.
Tent Camping near Parishville, NY
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Tent campsites near Parishville, New York range from free primitive sites to boat-access island tent camping in the Adirondack region. Jones Pond NYSDEC Primitive Campsites offers free tent camping with five drive-in sites along the northeastern shore of the pond. Saranac Lake Islands Adirondack Preserve Campground provides boat-access tent sites scattered across islands, operating from May 19 to October 9. Middle Pond Campsite offers a free, primitive tent camping experience with both drive-in and walk-in options.
The primitive tent sites at Jones Pond feature basic amenities with fire rings at most locations and pit toilets available at the main area. Access roads to these walk-in tent sites are unpaved and may require high-clearance vehicles for some locations, particularly site #5 which requires four-wheel drive. Most tent camping areas operate on a first-come, first-served basis with a three-night maximum stay without permits. A review mentioned, "Jones Pond has five primitive campsites along its northeastern shore accessible by a two track service road. The sites are on a first come basis and are free to use." Campers should pack all necessary supplies as drinking water is unavailable at most sites, and all locations follow carry-in, carry-out trash policies.
The tent camping experience varies significantly between locations. Island campsites at Saranac Lake provide exceptional privacy and a unique outdoor experience but require watercraft for access. A camper wrote, "There's something novelty about getting in a boat and paddling to your island for the week!" These sites offer picnic tables, fire rings, and primitive outhouses. Walk-in tent sites at Ward Brook Campsite feature a lean-to, picnic table, fire pit and access to water sources, making it popular for hikers exploring Seymour Mountain. Blueberry lean-to campground provides similar amenities with drinking water available nearby. During peak summer months, especially holiday weekends, even remote tent campsites fill quickly, with some campers reporting moderate traffic and visitors walking through occupied sites.
Best Tent Campgrounds near Parishville (9)
1. Saranac Lake Islands Adirondack Preserve Campground
"You'll need a boat or canoe (rentals available in Saranac Lake). Sites have tables, fire rings, and outhouses. You'll need a tent, bag, pad, cooking equipment, etc."
"All campsites have picnic tables, firepits/grills, and privies. Saranac Lake Marina has great rental boats. I even think the dogs look forward to these camping trips."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $22 - $40 / night
2. Middle Pond Campsite
"This campsite is a first come first serve site located along Floodwood Road. The site sits on Middle Pond. Beautiful location but this campsite is popular during the summer months."
3. Jones Pond NYSDEC Primitive Campsites
"It was over the July 4th week, so very busy and found people would just walk through your campsite. Which of course would make our dogs bark at them."
"Jones Pond has five primitive campsites along its northeastern shore accessible by a two track service road. The sites are on a first come basis and are free to use."
4. Blueberry lean-to campground
"On the Blueberry trail not far from the Ward lean-to. Very close to the trail to Seward, Donaldson and Emmons.
Lean-to, privy, fire pit, table, and water around."
5. Ward Brook Campsite
"Fire pit, picnic table, and a privy. A bit further you will find some tent spots too.
Plenty of water around."
6. Jones Pond
7. Ponderosa Campsite
8. Camp Wildwood
9. Back Bay Campground
Check Availabilityfrom $49 - $59 / night
Drive Time
- 1 hr 38 min from Watertown, NY
- 2 hrs 31 min from Utica, NY
- 2 hrs 31 min from Burlington, VT
- 2 hrs 37 min from Glens Falls, NY
Recent Tent Camping Photos near Parishville, NY
14 Photos of 9 Parishville Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Tent Camping Reviews near Parishville, NY
213 Reviews of 9 Parishville Campgrounds
- BBob A.Scout
Lake Placid Volunteer Fire Dept.
Lake Placid volunteer fire dept campground
Basic hook ups with grass cover sites next to a road that had some traffic but didn’t disturb us at night. A good price comparatively.
Dana M.
GuideRobert Moses State Park Campground
Pleasant Stay
Large campground. Sites are open, grassy and right on top of each other. We chose a site at the end of the road with no other campers so we had plenty of privacy. Had the park been full, it would not have been appealing to us. There were lots of RV’s on the water front side. Bathrooms were clean and the new main pavilion had newer bathrooms and showers. Worth the extra walk to use that shower.
- mmichel M.Scout
Weaver Acres
Hipcamp
This space is just off the road. It very flat water, power,sewer. Its Pack in pack out. 5 minutes walk from Tupper Lake. Bring your kayak they're hundreds of little lakes around this site.
MJ W.GuideFish Creek Pond Campground
My new favorite place!
This was one the the best camping experiences yet. The sites are great, right on the water with easy access to get Kayaks in. Loons on the lake wake you, so peaceful and beautiful. Plenty of room between neighbors. You can hang out in a floatie in front of you site, or kayak down the awesome creek. Bathrooms okay, showers clean with hot waters, but you do have to drive to them. Can’t wait to go back next year.
Adam and Suzanne B.GuideLake Placid Volunteer Fire Dept.
exactly as described
This is a mostly dirt camper parking lot with full hook-ups next to the fire station. There is no shade for sites 1-13 and little shade for the rest. The The hook-ups were fine, although our sewer connection was slightly uphill. There are NO amenities. As this campground is run by volunteers, communication is SLOW. You must be patient. The location is excellent, just a mile from Main Street. The price is great for full hook-ups in the area. The other campers and the firefighters were friendly. It was quiet at night. We slept with windows open without a problem. The rail trail adjacent to and easy to access from the campground and there is a bike shop across the street.
- AAndy B.
RangerFish Creek Pond Campground
Site 266
The site we had was amazing, all sites are right on the water so they all may be just as nice. Ours was flat and easy to level a tent or camper.
The lake was beautiful, fun to swim in and fish in (caught perch, bass, white fish, bluegill, and crappie).
Beautiful trees and surrounding area has boat rentals.
The bathrooms were flush toilets which is a plus, but pretty gross otherwise.
Local store across the road has everything you’d need (fresh baked pizzas, ice, entire convenience store, wood, etc) and gives 4% discount for cash purchases.
Ryan A.GuideCranberry Lake Campground
Family Friendly with Thoughtful Sites
I've stayed here twice, once in 2024 and again in 2026, both on Memorial Day Weekend. In 2024 I woke to the sound of loons but did not hear them in 2026.
This is a large campground on the shores of Cranberry Lake with access to many hiking trails and other activities. Quite a few of the sites are lakefront but they seem to book up fast. Most of the sites are spaced out fairly well although a few are close and will result in you seeing & hearing everything your neighbors are doing. However, they are mostly designed well and blend into the environment. A few seem like afterthoughts and are right on the road, so you'll want to choose carefully.
Dumpsters are in the center of the campground near the bathhouse, which has hot showers. There is a sandy beach area near the entrance of the campground and a volleyball area near the dumpsters/bathhouse.
It's a beautiful area and is mostly quiet. Other campers were respectful and didn't play loud music although a few talked loudly late into the night. There are lots of trailer camping sites, so you should expect to hear generators although most people were considerate and only ran them in the daytime.
This is a great campground for exploring the Adirondack Mountains. The town of Cranberry Lake seems mostly dead so don't plan on eating in restaurants nearby.
Janet R.
LegendCranberry Lake Campground
Camping at Cranberry Lake
This has been one of my favorite campgrounds and I have camped there many times over the last several decades. Always well maintained, but peaceful state forest campground with spacious sites, many right on the water. There is an official beach, but the water sites really have their own access for canoes and nice swimming. The water is crystal clear, sunsets magnificent, canoeing and hiking opportunities abound, and even on a "busy" summer weekend the campground is quiet and the fellow campers are low key and respectful. For a tent camper, this is an ideal location and I love it. Fire ring, even tenting spot, picnic tables, etc. There are numerous accessible campsites, a shower building, and regular restrooms as well as privvies. Small trailers can fit and their is an RV dumpstation, but this is not a campground for big rigs and hookups. The campground is a little off the beaten path and in the further reaches of the Adirondacks for most campers, and the vicinity is one of the largest and most pristine areas in the ADK wilderness. Come well supplied with groceries and camping needs as there isnt much nearby. The SUNY Forestry school maintains a Ranger school at nearby Wanakena on the west side of the lake, and a Field Biology station on the south side of the lake. Nice hiking in the area
Guide to Parishville
Tent camping options near Parishville, New York include several sites within the western Adirondack Mountains at elevations ranging from 1,000 to 2,500 feet. The area experiences typical northeastern seasonal variations with summer highs averaging 75-85°F and evening lows potentially dropping to 45-55°F even during peak season. Most primitive sites in this region require visitors to follow strict carry-in, carry-out protocols for waste management.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: The waters around Saranac Lake Islands Adirondack Preserve Campground provide excellent fishing experiences. "We rented a motorboat to get to our own private little peninsula on the middle saranac. One of the coolest experiences I've ever had in my life- surrounded by nature- water, woods, birds and fishing for pike, bass and sunfish!" notes camper Sambath T.
Swimming and water recreation: Many sites offer direct water access for swimming. One camper at Saranac Lake Islands Adirondack Preserve Campground reported, "Beautiful site. Quite a climb up to the actual site. Great swimming from site. Found a great rock to jump from. Lots of loons, toads and fish."
Wildlife observation: The Adirondack region hosts diverse wildlife including loons, toads, and various fish species. At Jones Pond NYSDEC Primitive Campsites, campers enjoy pond views where "The views from site #4 of the pond were beautiful," according to Dylan J.
Hiking nearby mountains: For more adventurous campers, tent sites serve as baselines for mountain exploration. Alex R. describes Ward Brook Campsite as a "Great campsite at the bottom of Seymour mountain" with amenities that include a "fire pit, picnic table, and a privy."
What campers like
Secluded island camping: The unique island locations provide exceptional privacy. "Huge sites, a lot of privacy (nearest campsite in most cases is not even visible)," reports Kelly H. from Saranac Lake Islands Adirondack Preserve Campground. Another camper added, "One of the best camping trips I have ever experienced. The island we stayed on only had two other sites."
Waterfront access: Direct waterfront placement ranks high among camper preferences. At Middle Pond Campsite, Kurt V. notes, "This campsite sits on Middle Pond. Beautiful location but this campsite is popular during the summer months. Off season is generally when you will find this campsite available."
Simple amenities at primitive sites: The basic facilities at primitive sites satisfy many campers. At Jones Pond NYSDEC Primitive Campsites, Robert K. shared his experience: "I came from the Albany area. It took me about two hours 45 minutes and well worth the drive... absolutely beautiful the dog loved the water being right there."
Weather variability: The changing Adirondack weather creates diverse experiences. Jerry M. advises, "Bring warm clothing for nights; temps can drop 30 degrees in hours."
What you should know
Access limitations: Many sites require specific transportation methods. At Blueberry lean-to campground, Alex R. notes it's "On the Blueberry trail not far from the Ward lean-to" requiring hiking access.
Unpaved road conditions: Several campgrounds have rough access roads requiring appropriate vehicles. At Jones Pond, Dylan J. warns "The two track access road is rough and all dirt," while another reviewer specifically mentions "definitely need four-wheel-drive" to reach site five.
Seasonal crowding patterns: Busy periods significantly impact site availability. Tyler C. reports, "It was over the July 4th week, so very busy and found people would just walk through your campsite." Kurt V. similarly advises about Middle Pond Campsite that "Off season is generally when you will find this campsite available."
Limited facilities: Most sites offer minimal amenities. One camper mentions that Jones Pond has "two pit toilets, both primitive, one of which did not have a door when we visited."
Tips for camping with families
Water safety precautions: Sites with water access require vigilance. A camper at Saranac Lake Islands notes, "We jumped from the rocks and swam and played games," but parents should monitor children around water areas constantly.
Pack appropriate supplies: The lack of services requires thorough planning. According to Jerry M., families should bring "tent, bag, pad, cooking equipment, etc." and specifically mentions temperature changes requiring warm clothing for nights.
Consider watercraft rental options: Accessing certain campsites requires boats. Mele T. at Ward Brook Campsite suggests "Saranac Lake Marina has great rental boats," enabling families to reach island sites.
Manage expectations about facilities: Primitive toilets can challenge families with young children. One camper candidly advises about the outhouses: "I find leaving the door open to stare at the scenery is best to keep horrible smell from killing you and for aesthetic purposes."
Tips from RVers
Limited RV accessibility: Most primitive sites cannot accommodate larger rigs. At Middle Pond Campsite, the drive-in options work primarily for smaller vehicles rather than traditional RVs.
Site #1 exception at Jones Pond: One reviewer notes specifically that "Site #1 is near the entrance and near the road. It is the only site that would be accessible for larger rigs such as an RV."
SUV camping alternatives: The rough access roads favor smaller recreational vehicles. Dylan J. suggests that "The campsites are perfect for a short stay with a tent or suv camper" at Jones Pond.
Multiple trips for gear: With limited vehicle access, RVers must adapt. One camper reported, "Canoed into our campsite, #15. It took 3 trips to bring in all our gear."
Frequently Asked Questions
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campsite near Parishville, NY?
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Parishville, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Parishville, NY is Saranac Lake Islands Adirondack Preserve Campground with a 4.9-star rating from 15 reviews.
What is the best site to find
tent camping near
Parishville, NY?
What is the best site to find tent camping near Parishville, NY?
TheDyrt.com has all 9 tent camping locations near Parishville, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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