Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Rochester, NY

We have camped at Letchworth State Park for nearly 30 years. Recent updates to playground equipment and restroom/shower facilities have brought the amenities into the 21st century. The price is reasonable, and the park is a gem. A couple cons to consider: pets only allowed in three loops. Quite often, pet loop reservations are maxed quickly. There is a two dog limit, which excludes many campers. If you are used to private campgrounds, realize that services are limited here. Mediocre camp store and laundry; both get the job done, but leave a lot to be desired.

Great place to relax and have fun with the family , lots of pets , kids loved the beach and it's only minutes from 6 flags

My son and I have a new favorite campground.  We absolutely fell in love with this park.  I find it odd that even though I grew up only an hour away, we never camped there.  Big mistake!  There are many trails to hike on and beautiful views of the gorge and river.  You have to drive to many of the places but it's worth it.  There are many souvenir and snack stands as well as a pool (again, you have to drive to them).  The camp store is small but well stocked with a laundry attached. Some loops allow pets and others don't.  If you want to bring your pet, please check to make sure you reserve a pet-friendly loop. Unfortunately for us, it rained the entire time we were there so we never got to walk the trails or use the pool.  Keep an eye out for other activities.  There are balloon rides, craft shows, etc. that happen throughout the summer. With so much to do in the park, you don't really need to leave but nearby is the Arcade and Attica Railroad.  It's a nice little ride through the countryside.  There is also a small dam that you can visit (we missed out this last time).  I highly recommend visiting.

Letchworth State Park is known as the Grand Canyon of the East and is located in Mt. Morris New York. My husband and I visited regularly when we lived near Rochester, NY. The park is stunning and is fit for camping whether you’re in a tent, RV or choosing to rent a gorgeous cabin. There are many walking and hiking trails for adventurers of all types. Make sure you bring your camera as the views are all photo worthy. The camping price is right due to the fact that the park is run by the state. A great place to stay especially in the Summer!!

Things I enjoyed about Cherry Hill Campground: 

The owners are awesome, approachable, and helpful. 

Many sites are separated by hedges, are drive-in sites yet still close to water, restrooms, and shower even a microwave. 

There are nature yoga classes and they bring bands in to perform. It is right across from Darian Lake Six Flags theme park. And dogs are welcome without a pet fee.

The only thing I didn't enjoy was a neighbor across the hedge who felt a need to play his music loud and continual, (we were so lucky the music was agreeable to our tastes). Music is supposed to stop at midnight. Call the office and the neighbors turn off the music until starting up again at 2:30 am.

The price we pay for hyper convenience in camping and of course, it is a dice roll and probably not a problem during the week.

Really enjoyed our 3 nights of camping at Letchworth.  The camp sites are large and spread out.  Bath houses are modern and clean.  Electric hookups at each site and water spigots spread through out.

We camped in the 700 loop with allows pets.

The camp store was great and even had a separate mini farmer's market with fresh veggies and fresh baked goods.

Lots of good hiking and some great vistas.

Letchworth is absolutely stunning. The views are beautiful, however the scenic areas are at least a 10 minute drive from the campground. The park is massive.

There is a huge variation in site sizes. We lucked out and got a large site with privacy and an area for the kids to run around, however the site directly across from us was little more than the gravel pad and fire pit. Some of the sites are right on top of each other. Great for group camping, not so much if you want any privacy.

Only two out of the 8 loops (200 and 700 loops) have updated bathrooms (single toilet with handheld showers in half of the bathrooms). The others loops have older facilities with three traditional toilet stalls and two showers.

We loved our site but would’ve preferred to stay in a loop with the updated bath houses as we have younger children and a tent trailer.

All sites have electricity. Some loops are pet friendly, some are pet free. The camp store has a good selection of necessities, albeit expensive for discount brands. The pool is 4-5 miles down the road from the camping area.

Would absolutely camp here again.

Letchworth is considered the Grand Canyon of the East east. This Campground is centrally located in the State Park. There is a camp store, laundry room, recreation building, and playground. All of the sites have electric-either 30 or 50 amp. There are many water faucets located throughout the park and dump stations are available. There are campsite loops that are specifically for pets. There are many hiking trails to enjoy. You can enjoy the many site around Letchworth State Park. There is High Falls, Middle Falls, and lower Falls. You can also enjoy the pool, rafting and hot air balloon rides.

The campgrounds are conveniently located inside the Park so easy to get to the amazing falls towards the south as well as the dam in the north. We were in loop 300 which does not allow pets. Decent bathhouses right opposite our site. Our site was a gravel drive with a grassy area containing the picnic table and fire ring. Unfortunately due to rain the day before the grass was extremely muddy which make it hard to get to the fire ring. There was also white a lot of noise from adjacent sites, we could hear everyone's conversations and screaming kids. There was a laundry facility but no dishwashing.

Not technically in the Finger Lakes but still one of the most beautiful parts of Western New York State. Splurge and eat at the Glen Iris Inn! Great for cycling and hiking but no swimming. I love taking visitors here in all seasons but in autumn it is exceptional. I’ve stayed in a few tent sites and all are wooded and pretty private with your standard basic amenities. This is a popular park so make reservations.

Quaint site with historic buildings, nice views, great sunsets. Really clean and modern facilities, lots of water and electricity sites. Sites are semi-private, some right next to the shore. Nice isolated spot between Buffalo/Niagara Falls and Rochester. If you’re with a group definitely rent the cabins.

I went to college right near Letchworth State Park so I spent many wonderful weekends there! There is a reason why they call it the Grand Canyon of the East. Not only can you check out the beautiful waterfalls, but there are also many awesome trails, rivers, and caves to check out. When I would camp, we would rent a camp site with our tent but, you could camp with your RV or even rent a cabin. Ive gone every month of the year, but these pictures were from my birthday in January. Letchworth is one of the best parks in New York state and a definite must see!

We camped here for 3 nights, I had an event in Geneva. Location was handy, easy in and out. It’s an old navy/Air Force base that was converted in the 60’s. Sites have a weird thing with one electric post per two sites… but they aren’t pull through. So, apparently, New York doesn’t care if you just park anywhere in the general area of your site, which is a vibe, but bring an extension cord. There’s some kind of “resort” co-located that appears to have more conventional hookups, but I’m unclear on how to book that. Price was fine, spot was ok, lake swim beach and playground were nice.

When we lived in Rochester we’d take out of town guests either here or to Watkins Glen. The park itself is fantastic. The campgrounds are basic and very nice given the relatively high popularity. The campsites are in two main areas of the park and further broken down into many different loops. The loops near the Lower Falls are our favorites, but any choice is a good one. All are close to the gorge/river and wooded, and connect to trails directly from your campsite. There are also nice cabins to rent scattered around the park.

Between Buffalo/Niagara Falls and Rochester on Lake Ontario, this park gives you a rocky and a sandy shoreline with gentle waves to lull you to sleep. Watch the sunrise/sunset over the lake! Excellent birding on site and in nearby Braddock Bay. Green open spaces for kids to play. Lots of activities all year. Easy hiking through the woods, marshes, and along the beach. They do close the beach sometimes for health concerns, check with the rangers.

Very affordable. Bring bugspray and make sure your bug screen on your tent is intact. Quality clean and well-run state park. Tons of campsites. Some shady areas. Hot showers & real toilets. Camp here for a few days and explore the area, it's close to highways but feels like it's in the middle of nowhere.

Big park with several loops.  Separate and across two roads from the Beach section of the Park. Got a reservation for Friday and Saturday but the spot in loop D was an inclined driveway next to the high voltage boxes for the campground.  Had to move the fire ring after smoking ourselves out the first night.  Right across from the building they called a bath house.  Filthy, urinal broken, one shower broken in mens.   Feces on the floor in womens.  Friday night quiet hours did not exist.  Spent Saturday early am listening to the neighbor loudly declare her preferences in music, men and liquor.  No Ranger in sight.

Minor redeeming qualities:  Nice beach and bike trails across road from campground.  Three lane dump station (only one for a four loop campground with 100s of "spots")

Beware:  Rigs approaching from East there are very low bridges (11' 3') between Rochester and the Park on the Parkway.

In most states, those without falls like Niagara, this state park would be the pride of the land. With three serious drops in as many miles, the Genesse River winds it’s way through what locals call the “Grand Canyon of the East.” Many states try to make such claims, but this might be the closest any come to actually living up to such. It is stunning! 

Along the river this park gives the motorist the distinct feel that she is on a parkway, not unlike Shenendoah, or Blue Ridge. Every few miles the winding pavement breaks out onto a few of the ridges and valley below, before ducking back into the forest of Western New York.

The campground, which is about 15 miles from the major falls area, offers what many come to expect from state parks. There are a wide variety of campsites, all reservable online, which can accommodate lots of different types of camping, large RV’s, small tents, and everything in between. Most, if not all, campsites offer electrical and water is available close by.

The bathrooms are practically luxurious by most camping standards, with single-use restroom/ showers available at all hours. The camp store offered a few grocery items, along with cold drinks, firewood and ice in addition to laundry facilities. Within a short walk were many hiking trails, an old-school fitness path, and a stellar playground where anyone under 9 years of age should get a great workout. 

But let’s be honest, we’re not coming here for the campground, it’s the rest of the park that makes the drive worth it. So, check it out and get to know this stunning place first hand and be sure to bring a picnic basket.