Best Tent Camping near Paul Smiths, NY

Tent campsites near Paul Smiths, New York range from established campgrounds to remote backcountry sites within the Adirondack Park wilderness. Saranac Lake Islands offers boat-in tent camping on secluded islands, while Jones Pond NYSDEC Primitive Campsites provides free tent camping along the northeastern shore of the pond. Several backcountry options exist for hikers seeking more remote experiences, including Ward Brook Campsite and Marcy Dam Backcountry Campsites, both located within hiking distance of popular Adirondack peaks.

Most primitive tent campgrounds in this region require campers to be self-sufficient with limited or no amenities. Sites at Jones Pond feature fire rings but lack drinking water, requiring filtration from natural sources. Bear-resistant food containers are mandatory at backcountry sites like Lake Colden and Marcy Dam, as black bear activity is common throughout the region. Vault toilets are available at most established sites, though backcountry locations often have rustic pit privies without toilet paper. Seasonal considerations include spring mud, summer insects, and early fall temperature drops that can reach 30-40°F at night even during summer months.

The tent camping experience in the Adirondacks offers exceptional access to hiking trails and water recreation. Sites near Lake Colden serve as ideal basecamps for day hikes to surrounding peaks including Mt. Colden, Mt. Skylight, and Algonquin Peak. Waterfront tent sites at Saranac Lake Islands provide swimming access directly from campsites. Privacy varies significantly between locations, with island sites offering the most seclusion. According to one visitor, "There's something novelty about getting in a boat and paddling to your island for the week!" Winter camping is possible at some locations, though lean-tos are recommended for cold-weather tent campers as snowpack can remain until late May at higher elevations.

Best Tent Sites Near Paul Smiths, New York (22)

    1. Saranac Lake Islands Adirondack Preserve Campground

    15 Reviews
    Saranac Lake, NY
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (518) 891-2841

    $22 - $40 / night

    "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."

    2. Jones Pond NYSDEC Primitive Campsites

    3 Reviews
    Rainbow Lake, NY
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (518) 897-1200

    "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."

    3. Middle Pond Campsite

    1 Review
    Lake Clear, NY
    9 miles

    "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."

    4. Wilderness Campground at Heart Lake

    9 Reviews
    Lake Placid, NY
    23 miles
    Website
    +1 (518) 523-3441

    $25 - $55 / night

    "There’s no explaining the views around here. The mountains are beautiful, Lake Placid is beautiful, and this campsite is amazing."

    "Rode in on a motorcycle late at night expecting to not be able to get in, but you can take a parking pass and drop an envelope with your fee at the entrance booth. $15 for a full day $8 after 1PM."

    5. Blueberry lean-to campground

    1 Review
    Ray Brook, NY
    18 miles

    "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."

    6. Ward Brook Campsite

    1 Review
    Ray Brook, NY
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (518) 897-1200

    "Fire pit, picnic table, and a privy. 

    A bit further you will find some tent spots too. 

    Plenty of water around."

    7. Marcy Dam Backcountry Campsites

    2 Reviews
    Keene Valley, NY
    24 miles
    Website

    "This campground is conveniently located near the trails for Mt. Marcy, Mt. Colden, and Avalanche Pass. Everything is first come first serve."

    "The scenery was gorgeous and there were lots of nice hikes around."

    8. Flowed Lands

    3 Reviews
    Keene Valley, NY
    26 miles
    Website

    "The view of the lake is stunning, and there's a quick walk down to the edge of the lake."

    "The lake is gorgeous, although it wasn't as big as I thought it was going to be. I went late August, so I beat the initial summer rush, but there was still a good amount of people there."

    9. MacIntyre Brook Falls campground

    1 Review
    Lake Placid, NY
    23 miles
    Website
    +1 (518) 897-1200

    "It's on a side trail (left side).

    Bear canisters required."

    10. Feldspar Lean-to

    3 Reviews
    Keene Valley, NY
    27 miles

    "One lean-to and 3 campsites.

    2 near the lean-to across the bridge.

    1 on the other side.

    There's also a privy.

    It's far out and the only way to access is by hiking."

    "If you’re coming from Marcy Dam by way of Lake Colden, this campsite is a great spot to stop for the night on the way to Mt. Marcy."

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Tent Camping Reviews near Paul Smiths, NY

444 Reviews of 22 Paul Smiths Campgrounds


  • Amber A.
    Jul. 25, 2016

    Ausable Point Campground

    Ranger Review: Crazy Creek Air Chair Plus at Ausable Point Campground

    Campground Review: Lakeshore camping! Beautiful little peninsula where you can watch the sunrise/set. Lovely in autumn. Good birding, water activities, sunsets, geology/gorge, short easy forest hikes, beach walking, all the good stuff you expect from this part of New York. Most of the site is off limits because of wildlife preserve, still a lot to explore. Good as base camp for a few days in the area. Get the tents sites near the lake! Popular for day use area (picnics, birthday parties, etc). Stay here and you can say you camped in Peru! (Lots of upstate NY towns are named for countries.)


    Gear Review: As a The Dyrt Ranger I receive products to test and review. I won the Crazy Creek Air Chair Plus in a campground review contest in June 2016. I had been thinking of purchasing both a camp chair (for camping) and an air mattress (for camping & backpacking), as on my last few trips I got pretty sick of sitting on my closed-cell foam mat and a recent knee injury was making me rethink my open-cell foam ultralight sleeping pad. Well, this Crazy Creek Air Chair Plus does both and does them both well. It starts out as a camp chair (adjustable angle, typical back height) and flips open to a full size air pad made by Klymit. Sounds great right? I flew to NY for a whirlwind family/business/camping trip soon after receiving the chair and had ample opportunities to try it sleeping on friends’ floors and in tents. The chair portion was super comfortable, way better than any simple camp chairs I’d used. I was nervous about sitting on more rugged surfaces (I’m just paranoid about inflatables!) but so far so good. You can also flip open the bed part while you're sitting and have an extended leg rest to protect against hot sand or dirt. The conversion to the sleeping pad was simple. It inflates fairly easily, but at high altitude after a long day of hiking you might be a little annoyed puffing it all up. Sleeping on it was great: my knee and back were happier than with my open-cell foam mats (similar to the typical Thermarest). The one issue I had was that there’s a big dip/joint where the mattress flips out in the conversion from chair to bed---it’s not really that intrusive but I guess my side-sleeping and height (5’4”) conspired to annoy me a bit. Also the R value is very low (it’s not insulting) just like every other air pad but in the summer that’s fine with me. All the other aspects of sleeping on it were similar to other pads I’ve used (it’s kind of narrow, your bag will slide around a bit, etc). Doesn’t pack down too small & isn’t ultralight, but you could remove the chair aspect to help with that. In sleeping mode it’s 20” wide, 70” long, 2.5” thick, 2 lb 13 oz (according to packaging). So while this is my very first camp chair and air mattress, I’m really happy with it after 7 nights sleeping on it and many hours in the chair. It’s not gimmicky at all!

    PS: Can you tell I’m way more picky about gear than campsites? :)

  • Danielle S.
    May. 25, 2020

    Buck Pond Campground

    Large, semi private sites

    Is there anything nicer than the Adirondacks in late summer?  Buck Pond is a quiet, sublime campground about 20 minutes from Paul Smiths College.  The sites are sandy and our site was mostly flat.  Some sites do have an uphill driveway lined with trees.  If you have an RV, looking at the site on ReserveAmerica.com might be the way to go.  We didn't see any sites with electricity and there is one outlet in the bathroom area (I plugged my coffee percolator into this outlet every morning).  The shower could use an update and definitely bring some shoes to shower in and a mat/towel for the floor as it gets slippery when wet.  The bathroom area has one sink with no shelving so carrying your necessities in a shower caddy especially when you have kids that need to brush their teeth.  Sites are large enough to have an RV, a canopy, and a small tent, or several tents.  There is a canoe/kayak rental at the campground as well as a beach.  A place to buy wood on the honor system is a 5-minute drive from the campground, and there is a Walmart about 35 minutes away.  If you eat dairy, you can't miss a drive to Donnelly's Soft Ice Cream where only one flavor is served each day and standing line is worth the wait.  We're looking forward to staying here again, even without electricity!

  • John E.
    Jun. 19, 2018

    Brown Tract Pond Campground

    I fell in love with this place

    As I sat having by my coffee, watching steam rise from the pond, I listened to the distant calls of Loons.

    I’d describe this campground as a hidden gem, but it’s not for everyone. To get here you leave the paved road and take a gravel road a little ways. On our way we spotted a group of Turkeys wandering about. This campground is for the adventurous. No electric or water hook ups (for RVs) and no shower facilities, but there are restrooms.

    Staff was friendly and helpful. Helped me pick out a site and made sure I was good once I set up. Bring or rent a Canoe and you can travel out to an island in the middle of the pond from which families jump from a large rock into the lake.

    As the sun sets and the stars come out, you’ll look up and suddenly realize just how small you are as you stare at the heavens and see the Milky Way.

    Nothing but peace and quiet. When it’s quiet hours, the only thing you here is nature and the occasional crackle of someone’s fire.

    Would I go here again? Brown Tract is one of those places that after you go once, you find yourself going again and again. Our tripped was booked as soon as we could.

  • Maribeth W.
    Aug. 30, 2016

    Lake Harris Campground

    Wet but beautiful!

    We got rained out!! Our site did have good drainage and ample tree cover so that helped. Easy access to buy firewood on the road into the campground.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 8, 2019

    AuSable Chasm Campground

    Closest campground to Ausable Chasm

    We travel in a 17-foot camper van, but no one ever believes that we are no bigger than a standard cargo van and can easily fit in a regular size parking space. Upon arrival at Ausable Chasm, we were told we had to take a site with water and electric since we had a camper van. These sites were $13 more per night and we really did not need the hookups. We were finally able to convince the staff that we could take a standard tent site, which was more than big enough. 

    The road through the campground is dirt and rutted but the speed limit is 5 mph, so it wasn’t that bad, but it would be a mess if it was raining. 

    Bathrooms and shower rooms are individual rooms, but the doors are not labeled so it’s a game of “what’s behind door number 1?”  There was no light in the shower room that I looked at so a night shower would be out of the question. The bathrooms were clean and had soap, paper towels, a garbage receptacle, and a mirror in each. 

    Lots of ant hills throughout the campground so be cautious where you set up a tent. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. Large and nice-looking playground, pool, volleyball net, disc golf and mountain biking/hiking trails. It also looked like there were cross country ski trails but not sure if the campground or cabins would be open in the winter. 

    Biggest advantage is that Ausable Chasm(a separate business) is directly across the street from the campground and it is very close to the ferry that will take you to Burlington, VT, our next destination.

  • Linsey S.
    Sep. 6, 2021

    Lake Placid/Whiteface Mountain KOA Holiday

    Great Campground, Full Amenities

    Spent 3 days, 2 nights here from a Wednesday-Friday. Very large and busy campground, close to Lake Placid and other cool activities to take in. Pros- hot showers, convenient laundromat, you are guided to your site by staff on golf carts. Cons- tent sites aren’t given much privacy, on the days we stayed we were put very close to the main building when we requested a spot near the back away from the busy area, kids allowed to run and yelling and screaming WELL after quiet hours.

  • Brett N.
    Sep. 19, 2021

    Draper’s Acres

    Great Location, Solid Amenities

    Or site was large enough for two double tents, a hammock, and 2 vehicles. Each site includes a fire ring and picnic table. The office sells firewood. Both bath houses were adequate, even containing shampoo and body wash. Staff was friendly. Some if the sites are rather close to each other, and the proximity to the road was noticeable but my white noise app dealt with that while I slept. Prices were more than fair for what was provided.

  • Kyle H.
    Sep. 7, 2016

    Sharp Bridge Campground

    Gem just off the Northway

    Checked in on 9/2 for one evening. The guy working the desk was very helpful with wood. The recent delivery of wood was sub-par, but he helped me with extra wood free of charge and fire starter. The campground received 4g LTE service. One of the quietest campsites I've ever stayed at in the Adirondacks.

  • Miccal  M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 18, 2024

    Crown Point Campground

    great place to stop for a night - very little privacy

    If you like history this is a great spot to camp, when exploring.  Just don't expect privacy. That said the views are wonderful.  The sites all have fire rings, tent sites don't have anything else.  RV sites do offer full hookups.  The access into the site is paved.  There is a trash house and bathhouse on the grounds.


Guide to Paul Smiths

Tent camping opportunities near Paul Smiths, New York extend into the northern region of the Adirondack Park, which contains over 6 million acres of protected wilderness. The area sits at elevations ranging from 1,500 to 4,000 feet, creating diverse microclimates within short distances. Several primitive camping options require bear canisters due to increased black bear activity from May through October.

What to do

Paddling exploration: Jones Pond NYSDEC Primitive Campsites offers access to a scenic pond perfect for small watercraft. One camper noted, "There is a hand launch for small boats/kayaks to access the pond near the entrance," making it easy to get onto the water directly from camp.

Mountain summit hikes: The wilderness campgrounds near Heart Lake serve as gateways to several High Peaks. As one visitor to Wilderness Campground at Heart Lake shared, "You can hike Algonquin, Iriquois, Wright Peak, and Mt. Jo all right from the campground." These trails range from the beginner-friendly 2.6-mile Mt. Jo loop to the challenging 14-mile Algonquin Peak trail.

Backcountry overnight trips: For more remote tent camping near Paul Smiths, MacIntyre Brook Falls campground provides access to Algonquin Peak with convenient water sources. A camper described it as "Great campsite going up toward Algonquin peak. Just a bit before the MacIntyre Brook Falls. Easy to collect water at the falls."

What campers like

Island camping privacy: Tent campers particularly enjoy the seclusion at Saranac Lake Islands Adirondack Preserve Campground, where sites require boat access. One camper shared, "Huge sites, a lot of privacy (nearest campsite in most cases is not even visible)." Another noted, "Beautiful site. Quite a climb up to the actual site. Great swimming from site. Found a great rock to jump from."

Proximity to multiple trails: The strategic location of some sites provides access to multiple hiking destinations. At Feldspar Lean-to, one camper appreciated that "If you're coming from Marcy Dam by way of Lake Colden, this campsite is a great spot to stop for the night on the way to Mt. Marcy."

Free primitive camping options: Several free campsites exist in the region, including Middle Pond Campsite on Floodwood Road. A visitor observed, "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."

What you should know

Bear safety requirements: Bear-resistant containers are mandatory in many backcountry areas. At Ward Brook Campsite, located at the base of Seymour Mountain, facilities include "a nice lean-to, fire pit, picnic table, and a privy," but proper food storage is essential.

Seasonal traffic patterns: Weekday camping typically offers more solitude than weekends. A camper at Wilderness Campground at Heart Lake observed, "We found the weekdays to be best for 'camp days' given there were few people—weekends are PACKED and there were more than a couple of party sites."

Rough access roads: Roads leading to many tent camping areas in Paul Smiths require careful navigation. One motorcyclist warned about access to Heart Lake: "Road going in is very rough use extreme caution on a motorcycle with street tires."

Tips for camping with families

Multi-day basecamp strategy: Setting up at a central location allows for varied daily activities. At Wilderness Campground at Heart Lake, a family reported, "We stayed at the Heart Lake Campground for a week and a half utilizing it as our home base for adventures into the High Peaks Wilderness and the greater Adirondack region."

Site selection for kids: Choose campsites with natural features that entertain children. At Jones Pond, one camper mentioned, "Site #4 is very large and could be occupied by a large group and multiple vehicles. It is accessible by car/suv/truck. Site #4 is near the water and has a fire ring and access to the water."

Weather preparation: Temperature fluctuations require extra clothing layers year-round. A camper at Saranac Lake Islands advised, "Bring warm clothing for nights; temps can drop 30 degrees in hours."

Tips from RVers

Limited large rig options: Most primitive sites aren't suitable for larger RVs. At Jones Pond NYSDEC Primitive Campsites, "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."

Road condition awareness: Access roads to many campgrounds require high clearance vehicles. One camper at Jones Pond noted, "The two track access road is rough and all dirt," limiting accessibility for some RVs without proper ground clearance.

Advance planning for services: Limited hookups require self-sufficiency. Most primitive tent camping areas near Paul Smiths have no electricity, water hookups, or dump stations, requiring campers to plan accordingly for power and water needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Paul Smiths, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Paul Smiths, 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 Paul Smiths, NY?

TheDyrt.com has all 22 tent camping locations near Paul Smiths, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.