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Best Tent Camping near Southold, NY

459 Reviews

Tent camping options near Southold, New York are primarily concentrated across the water in Connecticut or on nearby Fire Island, offering a mix of island and riverside experiences. Fire Island National Seashore provides tent-only camping accessible by ferry, while Connecticut's Selden Neck State Park and Chapman Pond Preserve offer more secluded tent sites along the Connecticut River, approximately 30-45 miles from Southold.

Fire Island campsites require transportation via ferry from the mainland, with Watch Hill Fire Island Campground offering designated tent sites behind the dunes. Most tent campsites provide picnic tables and fire pits, though fires are prohibited at Fire Island National Seashore. Access to potable water varies significantly between locations, with many riverside campsites lacking basic facilities. The Connecticut River sites at Selden Neck State Park are accessible only by boat, requiring approximately 20 minutes of paddling from designated launch points.

The tent camping experience in these areas offers unique natural immersion opportunities away from developed areas. A visitor commented, "Selden Neck State Park is an island in the Connecticut River with no roads or development other than 4 campsites. The sunset view was amazing." Most riverside tent sites feature flat terrain suitable for tent setup and provide scenic water views. Seasonal considerations include mosquito activity, particularly at Fire Island where campers report being "attacked by mosquitoes and horseflies." Fire Island's backcountry beach camping areas allow tent campers to spread out along the dunes for greater privacy, with many sites offering direct ocean views and the sound of waves while sleeping. The combination of water access, natural settings, and relative seclusion makes these primitive tent setups appealing alternatives to more developed campgrounds.

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Best Tent Sites Near Southold, New York (9)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Southold, NY

17 Photos of 9 Southold Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Southold, NY

459 Reviews of 9 Southold Campgrounds

  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 1, 2020

    Burlingame State Park Campground

    Huge campground, not many level sites.

    I've never camped in Rhode Island, so I was curious to see what a state park campground had to offer. Rates are reasonable for state residents, but quite high if you are out-of-state, given the amenities. There are no hookups, but dump stations are available. Bathrooms have flush toilets and coin-operated showers. There's a small beach at the pond, a boat ramp, and proximity to wildlife refuges and the ocean. It's a HUGE campground, with 700 sites and 20 cabins. Canoes are available to rent.

    There's a nice playground, a camp store, and a naturalists cabin. Trails are available for hiking and biking. The beach is sandy and there's a small parking lot there, but I suspect most people walk to it. No alcohol allowed. 

    I didn't see more than a handful of level sites, with varying degrees of slope, but many are quite large. If you have an RV, plan to level; if you have a tent, be sure to bring good mattresses to protect you from the roots and rocks and orient your head to the uphill side. Most of the sites have some degree of visual separation from their neighbors, but there are places where it's hard to tell where one site ends and the next one starts. Site have fire rings and picnic tables, but if you plan to cook over the fire, bring your own grate or plan to use sticks and/or aluminum foil. 

    If you don't have a tent, consider reserving one of their rustic cabins. These offer two sets of bunks (no mattresses) and a small porch with a picnic table and fire ring outside. Some are located along the pond.

    3-4 bar cell phone coverage. No road traffic. East Beach is nearby, but parking fills early.

  • T
    Sep. 5, 2023

    Heckscher State Park Campground

    Good Campsite For Families And Weekend Trips

    I camped here solo on Friday and Saturday over the Labor Day weekend. Overall my experience was positive.

    Camping Sites

    Each camping site has a picnic table and barbeque grill. The sites are designated by printing on the roads and do not have clear boundaries between them. My site had good shade coverage and was free of rocks and other hazards. 

    I had enough space that I didn't feel like I was intruding on my neighbors and vice-versa. That said, there aren't clear paths to the restroom building so it's not uncommon for people to cut through the edges of sites to get there. In my experience I (and others I saw) tried not to go right through the middle people's setups to do so.

    If you're looking for privacy, the sites at the rear seemed to be less-densely packed, even though every site was occupied. Quiet hours are generally adhered to but not enforced - there were some campers that had noise running later.

    Amenities

    The restroom building is in the middle of the campground and was clean and had plenty of stalls.

    Potable water is available at regular intervals, about at the corners of each group of four campsites.

    Cell phone reception is limited - I had data but it was very slow which led to my phone's battery draining quickly.

    Access

    A car is an absolute must for this part - the entrance is directly off of Southern State Parkway with no pedestrian access. Train stations are nearby so you could take the train most of the way and rent a car from there.

  • John D.
    May. 3, 2015

    Rocky Neck State Park Campground

    Great park in a great location

    I have been camping at Rocky Neck State Park for decades, both tent camping, and now In a 30' camper. Located right off I95 ( which you can hear at times), the park is convenient to all the major interstates and state roads. If you can, stay away from the front gates during the typical peak arrival / departure times. Traffic jams occur, partly because you're also in-line with the car loads of beach goers. The beach and beach parking lots fill to capacity. Week ends are the worst.

    The campgrounds are located within internal loops. Most sites are quite level. Park-like settings surrounding a large lawn. Bathhouses are being rehabbed, deemed adequate; can be seedy towards the end of the season. Park is routinely patrolled by State Conservation Officers who will put you out if needed. CT State Police and local officers also patrol. Camp roads are paved, and lots and lots of kids spend time riding bikes, coloring with chalk, skateboarding, roller blading.

    No electrical hook-ups; potable water spigots located within the camping circles. Generators allowed, but there are quiet hours. Dump upon exit; its up top by the entrance booths.

    There is a "tent-only area" which is nice and abuts a paved road for campers to walk / bike to the beach. Use this. Stay off the main road to the beach if you can. The speed limit is enforced, but sporadically. The fines are very stiff (you receive a State traffic ticket from the Officer).

    This beach road leads you to a wonderful overlook where lots of people take their kids crabbing for Blueshells. There are size regulations so be careful. The regs are posted. Bring some raw chicken wings and kite string and have some fun. You can also follow the signs that will lead you to nature walks. Amazing.

    During inclement weather some campers leave the park. We always recommend taking a right out of the park onto east bound Route 156. Follow into downtown Niantic for restaurants, an Irish pub, or a movie. Nice village area, and pedestrian friendly.

    Rocky Neck is a very nice park, and if I had to list one complaint, it is that the State is in a financial tight-spot, and has been cutting services and personnel. Entrance booths go unmanned and that leads to traffic jams that extend out and onto the main road. Very , very messy. Life guard towers at the beach are empty at times. Bath houses can be filthy.

    All things considered, I would recommend this park..

  • Laura M.
    Aug. 25, 2018

    Burlingame State Park Campground

    Nice campground

    Super large sites, store is adequately stocked, nice lake/pond. I came here because of the location. Super close to the beach. This is a state park, no alcohol is allowed, quiet time strictly enforced. Nice family campground. No hookups.

  • Ryan A.
    May. 21, 2024

    Devil's Hopyard State Park Campground

    Good Location for Hiking, Lots of Garbage, Not Recommended

    Camped here on a Friday night in Site 16, yet another campground recommended in“Best Tent Camping: New England.” Overall I was not impressed. The campsites are right next to each other and are marked with posts. The sites are so close that the posts are marked with the site number on both sides which tells me that there has been confusion in the past.

    The sites along the creek mostly have worn paths to walk to it but it’s nothing impressive and I wouldn’t want to eat fish that came out of it. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring, some have the kind where the top flips over and others have the moveable grate that goes up and down. There is a large dumpster in the campground and several porta-potties. The old outhouses have been permanently closed and locked shut. My campsite had a lot of trash in it, old tent stakes, plastic bottle caps, plastic fork, broken glass, etc. Not good.

    Some of the people there were camping in a group and were blasting music. I didn’t see a single park ranger the entire night so I’m not sure how often they police it. Someone in a pickup truck came into the campground, did a u-turn, and sped out at 30 mph which was really annoying and unsafe.

    Across the street from the campground is a trail to Chapman Falls, which will take less than 10 minutes to hike to, but it’s a pretty waterfall despite all the foam and garbage around it.

    This is a pretty basic campground and is nothing special. Out of all the sites I think 22 looked the best, it is more isolated and you can hear the waterfalls from it, which would be relaxing. The downside is that it’s right next to the entrance and road so you’ll get car headlights at night.

    I woke in the morning to a gray sky and hundreds of birds singing– it was my favorite part of the trip. I delayed getting up to enjoy the moment. I also didn’t see any ticks but I’m sure there are plenty based on other reviews.

    I’ve always thought that if states were condiments Connecticut would be mayonnaise– relatively unremarkable and bland. This campground fits that description perfectly.

  • Ellen C.
    Jul. 15, 2019

    Heckscher State Park Campground

    Like camping in a city park, the beach cottages are the highlight

    My husband and and I camped one night at this newly reopened park over the weekend in Long Island just to check it out and were pretty disappointed by the tent camping area. There are 69 tent/trailer sites(no hook ups). There is no distinguishing separation between each site nor a designated driveway for your car- you merely pull up on the grass. It's basically like camping in your local city park. People park wildly all over the place, which also makes it more difficult to determine which site is which by the number painted on the roadway. Each"site" has a picnic table and an barbecue grate on a post. There is one bath/shower house in the center of all of these sites with no path provided for folks to walk to and fro, so naturally people will walk right through your site randomly rather than around the road. While the bathroom building itself is in decent shape and has a large amount of toilet stalls and about five showers, the condition of women's room was absolutely ghastly inside.

    At some point during the evening, a maintenance worker on a golf cart showed up with a mop and some cleaning supplies and cleaned the men's side of the building. I was so relieved when I saw him, but he seemed to neglect the women's side completely, so I resorted to using the men's facilities all night.

    There are no fire pits on any of the sites, although I learned afterwards that they do allow you to bring your own metal fire pit as long as it is elevated off the ground. There are large dumpsters located throughout the camping area and a large trash bag is provided (if needed) at the camp office when you check in.

    The highlight of Heckscher State Park is the newly constructed heated cottages located on the shore of Nichol's& Great South Bays.. There are currently 11 cottages--- with more under construction. There are cottages suited for two, four, and six people and range in price from$225-$285 per night during off peak seasons and$250- 320 per night during the peak seasons.

    The cottages are fully furnished, with a full kitchen and large bathroom with a walk in shower. The cottages are a short walk from the beach and also include a fire pit with Adirondack chairs and an outdoor shower on the exterior each property. I do not have photos of the inside, but they do have them on the Reserve America website if you are interested.

    While the cottages are lovely and their location is fabulous  they are quite pricey and  no TLC was spent in the$22 tent/rv camping area, other than a new registration office which is not yet completed as of this weekend. I do hope they invest some funding in the primitive area to add fire pits,more water spigots, clearer site markings and for the continued maintenance& upkeep of the bath/shower house.

    * I emailed the parks departement about the issues mentioned above about the camping area and received this reply:

    I am sorry that you are upset with the conditions in our recently opened campgrounds. We have replaced all of the picnic tables. Although, they may look old because they are weathered since these picnic tables were put together during the Winter, however, they are brand new. All of the barbeques are also new and were installed during the Winter. We have changed and modernized the light fixtures and we will be replacing the rusted doors that you mentioned. There are also plans to install a playground within the campground beginning this Fall and we are looking for other improvements and additions to the campgrounds. As you probably noticed there is a new building under construction, at the entrance to the campgrounds, and it will serve as a check-in area, as well as, additional comfort stations, including family restrooms. Your suggestion of fire pits is a good one and the Park Managers will evaluate the feasibility of installing these. Lastly, I have spoken to the Park Manager who will review the cleaning operation to ensure the restrooms are appropriately maintained. I apologize for our employee not cleaning the women's room. Again, I am sorry for your negative experience but we are continuing to make improvements to the campgrounds.

    Sincerely, George Gorman Regional Director New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

    I will check back later this year to see if anything was changed and report back.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 7, 2024

    Burlingame State Park Campground

    HUGE state park

    General: HUGE state park with over 700 sites. It does not fully open for the season until May 1 and when we were there in mid-April, only two sections, Fish Camp and Mills Camp were open. The Ranger station is staffed 24 hours a day, with a ranger on site until 11 pm. You need to show your pass to get inside the gate leading to the campsites. There are no hookups in any site (as far as I could tell). Sites are designated for tents, small trailers, large trailers, and RVs. As with other RI state parks, non-residents pay double the price of residents which kind of ticks me off (I don't mind a nominal upcharge but double is excessive IMO).

    Site Quality: The site numbers throughout the park are painted on rocks but the sites themselves are not very clearly defined. There is no designated camping pad. Our site (114) had a water view but was not level. It was large enough for us to park horizontally and make it work for one night. Some sites had excessive roots and also were not level. Some picnic tables have been replaced with new ones, but others badly need it.

    Bath/Shower house: The one in Fish Camp was adequate and clean. There is hot water, but you need to run it for a while before you get any. There was no garbage receptacle, and the toilet paper is so thin, that you can see through it. Showers are $.75 to get it started for the first three minutes. After that, the amount per minute increases to $1, $1.25, $1.50, and so forth. Machines take up to 22 quarters. There is a change machine at the Ranger Station. I did not use the shower so I cannot comment on how well they work. 

    Activities/Amenities: There is a camp store that offers wood, ice, coffee, basic groceries, propane, and canoe rentals. It was open with limited hours during our stay. Fishing, boating, swimming - all in season. Even though the park was only about 10% occupied, there was a strong Ranger presence. He circled our small loop three times just before check-out time and wanted to make sure we were leaving not a minute past the designated time. 

    This was just an overnight stay for us in a convenient location but there is no way I would stay at the height of the season!

  • D
    Jun. 7, 2019

    Green Falls Campground

    Small but cozy

    Great off the beaten path place to camp. Sites are large but close together. Each contain a rock built fire ring. There are toilets but no showers. Good parking for camper but limited for guests. Reservations are required in advance. Stones throw to beach/pond area

  • Alex S.
    May. 13, 2020

    Rocky Neck State Park Campground

    Best New England beach campground!

    The beach is about a 1 mile walk or drive from the campground.  The walk is lovely and I have seen deer, turkeys, many birds, skunks, raccoons, and other wildlife along the way. There are several osprey nests too. Many families bring bikes. 

    There are several camping areas at Rocky Neck - I think Crane is the best because it is quiet and the bathrooms are updated. 

    The tent camping area is in a field without much privacy or shade. I recommend setting up your tent at a traditional site.

    The beach is great for relaxing and beach combing. The water is warm and shallow, very calm. No floats or toys are allowed in the water, not sure why. Don't bring your kite either as the Amtrak is next to the beach, it's interesting when it goes by!

    Sometimes generators are an issue, but there are limited hours at which they can run.

    Lots of dumpsters for easy trash disposal. Firewood available for a low price on site, don't bring any outside wood. 

    Campground is not too far from a Walmart if you forget something. There's a gas station close by too for ice.

    This campground books up FAST, I usually book in the wintertime. I stay for a week at a time.

Guide to Southold

Tent camping near Southold, New York requires traveling to nearby locations across the Long Island Sound or adjacent counties. Most camping options are situated 30-45 miles from Southold, with access requiring boat transportation or ferry service. Sites range from water-accessible island campgrounds in Connecticut to the oceanfront locations on Fire Island where overnight temperatures can drop to the mid-50s even in summer months.

What to do

Explore riverside trails: Chapman Pond Preserve offers hiking opportunities with tent platforms overlooking the Connecticut River. One camper noted, "Good tent platforms, picnic tables and outhouse. CT river within view. Good site."

Paddle to island campsites: Selden Neck State Park Campground requires approximately 20 minutes of kayaking from Deep River Landing. A visitor shared, "If it's a nice day, you're going to encounter some wake from passing boats so make sure your gear is in waterproof bags. Once you get to the island, follow the bank north until you spot the sign for your campsite."

Visit historic sites: Gillette Castle State Park Campground provides camping options with easy access to the historic castle. According to one camper, "Great place for a hike or a picnic. Castle has tours at certain times."

What campers like

Beach access and privacy: Fire Island National Seashore offers secluded camping spots along protected beaches. A camper reported, "So it's about a mile to three miles to the closest campsites on the western side. Very secluded, and peaceful weekend by the water."

Waterfront views: Watch Hill Fire Island Campground provides sites with ocean proximity. One visitor remarked, "You can get a permit to backcountry camp instead of reserving a designated campground spot. Just walk down to the beach after check-in and walk east until you see a pole with a tent symbol on it."

Natural isolation: Hidden Lake Farm features private tent sites in a quieter setting. "Quiet and Private," notes one review, highlighting the appeal for campers seeking less crowded alternatives to beach camping.

What you should know

Insect preparation essential: Multiple campgrounds report significant insect activity. One Watch Hill camper advised, "Come with deet repellent as mosquitos are vicious. Over all great weekend."

Ferry and boat logistics: Watch Hill requires ferry transportation from Patchogue, approximately 30 minutes across the bay. A camper explained, "You can get there by ferry. Very quiet and comfortable. Birdsong in the morning and the sound of the waves."

Limited facilities: River Highlands State Park River Campground offers primitive camping with basic outhouses. "The outhouse did have quite a few wolf spiders (which might be expected in a natural setting like this)," noted one visitor.

Permit requirements: Many waterfront sites require advance reservations, particularly between March 15 and Labor Day. Fire regulations vary, with Fire Island prohibiting open fires while most Connecticut river sites allow them.

Tips for camping with families

Protected swimming areas: Gillette Castle State Park campground provides river access suitable for children. A camper reported, "We have camped on the south end of Hurd Park several times via boat access. It is amazing with the views of the CT River and being able to watch the sunrise and sunset. You can swim and fish and relax all day!"

Educational programs: Watch Hill Fire Island Campground offers ranger-led activities for children. "There are park rangers on site and have excellent programs for kids," mentioned one family camper.

Low-tide activities: Selden Neck State Park provides natural beach exploration during low tide. A parent shared, "My 5-year-old and I camped at site 2, Hogback. At low tide, a couple of beaches emerge to play on."

Semi-remote options: Watch Hill offers a compromise between wilderness and amenities. One camper noted, "Not ready for full on camp-life? No problem! There are shops, a restaurant and a bar a 10 minute walk away!"

Tips from RVers

Hookup availability: Most campgrounds near Southold cater primarily to tent camping with limited or no RV facilities. Connecticut river campgrounds generally lack hookups and have restricted access roads.

Alternative arrangements: For those traveling with RVs, consider base camping at developed facilities further inland and using ferries or water taxis for day trips to Fire Island or the Connecticut River preserves.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Southold, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Southold, NY is Selden Neck State Park Campground with a 5-star rating from 1 review.

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