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Best Campgrounds near Poughkeepsie, NY

741 Reviews

Several good camping spots can be found not far from Poughkeepsie in New York's Hudson Valley. North-South Lake Campground draws many campers with its open sites and clear views of the Catskills. The campground has bathrooms with showers that work well for families with kids. About an hour away, Clarence Fahnestock State Park has both tent and RV camping, plus trails for hiking and places to fish. Many campers bring canoes or kayaks to use on the park's lake during summer. Harriman State Park works well for hikers with its many trails and different camping styles from basic to more developed areas. Spring and fall bring the most comfortable weather for camping around Poughkeepsie. Summer gets hot and sticky, while winter camping means dealing with snow and cold. Always check if campgrounds are open before you go, as many close during winter months. The Poughkeepsie area has camping that ranges from quiet forest spots to more active places with water activities.

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Best Camping Sites Near Poughkeepsie, New York (166)

    1. Jellystone Park Gardiner

    32 Reviews
    Gardiner, NY
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (845) 255-5193

    "With a new check in area, Gardiner has really stepped up. They expanded the pool area to include another pool plus splash area and water slides."

    "We got a red carpet site by the Gaga pit and near the water park (Cindy bear lane) and it was a convenient yet noisy site. Kids were at the playground 8 am or before and the noise woke us up."

    2. Clarence Fahnestock State Park Campground

    34 Reviews
    Fishkill, NY
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (845) 225-7207

    $17 / night

    "This park has a nice open beach on Canopus Lake with a concession area and bathhouse, which we found to be quite clean! They even have boat rentals - or you can bring your own boat to launch!"

    "When you are camping with a large group of friends and don't all have access to a car, this is the perfect spot."

    3. Mills Norrie State Park Campground

    14 Reviews
    Staatsburg, NY
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (845) 889-4646

    $17 - $102 / night

    "There are great hiking trails on the Hudson River right outside your campsite. Amenities are the great outdoors and an ancient bath house built during the New Deal in the 1930's."

    "Firewood wasn’t available at the camp, had to drive about a mile to grab some. Close to town so easy to grab needed items."

    4. New York City North-Newburgh KOA

    13 Reviews
    Plattekill, NY
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (845) 564-2836

    "They have the best staff and they are everywhere, if you need someone they are always around and super friendly also."

    "Location- 4 stars- close to NYC but kinda just in the woods and close to homes, not much around.

    Sites- 4 stars- a real mixed bag- the rv/trailer only section is really nice, wooded."

    5. Samuel F. Pryor III Shawangunk Gateway Campground

    8 Reviews
    Accord, NY
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (303) 951-4571

    "I definitely recommend trying to get the walk-in (meaning you can't drive to them) sites (8-15) because they're just a little bit more set back and kind of wonderfully wooded all around. 8 & 9 seemed"

    "There are drive-up sites and also walk-in sites. No fire pits at individual campsites, though. Only a group fire pit."

    6. Thousand Trails Rondout Valley

    13 Reviews
    Accord, NY
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 707-1477

    "Great place situated in a great area with lots to do all within an hour's drive. Even camping during a pandemic was peaceful & fun!"

    "This is a Thousand trails campground so it was free. I think the regular price is $64. Full hookups, tents and cabins to rent. Pleanty to do in and around campground."

    7. Taconic Hereford Multiple Use Park

    2 Reviews
    Verbank, NY
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (845) 256-3000

    "Less then 10 min drive from town, but hiking in and finding a suitable place to make camp has the feeling of the wild, with the safety of having full cell service."

    8. Hemlock Ridge MUA Dispersed

    2 Reviews
    Plattekill, NY
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (845) 256-3000

    "There are absolutely no amenities whatsoever & barely even a signal here, but it’s quiet & off the beaten path. The parking lot only holds about 4-5 cars, 6 if you park real tight."

    9. Interlake RV Park & Campground

    5 Reviews
    Rhinebeck, NY
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 584-3729

    $46 - $60 / night

    "Close to FDR home and library...a must to see. Quaint towns nearby."

    "With that you get free wi-fi, a heated pool, a lake for fishing and boating, a game room and snack bar, movies, other sports, and the security of a gated entrance."

    10. Sam Pryor III Shawangunk Gateway Campground — Minnewaska State Park Preserve

    3 Reviews
    Gardiner, NY
    14 miles
    Website

    $20 - $42 / night

    "Most acidic lake in New York but completely safe."

    "It’s got good access to Lake Minnewaska (driving), staff was nice and polite. But I thought the sites were on the smaller side and no fire is allowed."

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Recent Camping Photos near Poughkeepsie, NY

1110 Photos of 166 Poughkeepsie Campgrounds

Recent Reviews near Poughkeepsie, NY

741 Reviews of 166 Poughkeepsie Campgrounds

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 10, 2025

    Skyway Camping Resort

    One night stoo

    Nice well maintained park, full hookups with cable and wifi. Office forgot to give us wifi info and had closed early. Very nice staff.

  • MThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 29, 2025

    Gentiles Campground

    Nice place to stay

    Quiet CG near Waterbury CT. Close to major stores for resupply. CG has lots of friendly seasonal campers and lots of other sites. Most sites seem pretty level, but there are some steep roads in the CG. There is an airport next to CG, but it is for single engine private planes only so not a problem. Not by a major road so little traffic noise. I would stay here again.

  • Damia F.
    Aug. 29, 2025

    High Point State Park Campground

    Relaxing and Well-Maintained

    Stayed 2 nights and it was really nice. Camping for summer is pretty limited to Sawmill Lake, as the other locations are for groups or winter camping. Camps are secluded from each other and most if not all have an elevated space to put tents or chairs. Each place comes with a lamp hang, a fire pit, and a picnic table. Bathrooms are spaced out. No running water except for pump founded outside of the bathrooms. Toilets are pump flushed. Showers are only located INSIDE High Point State Park, not throughout the campsites, but entry is free for campers. One hiking trail is accessible in Sawmill campground, 3 others are accessible on the road outside of the campground and the rest are located inside the park. When you arrive you have to check in with the park office for your campsite tag. Hours are 8-4. Park officials come through the campsites pretty regularly, a few times a day which is nice. Areas are clean and well maintained.

  • Paul K.
    Aug. 26, 2025

    Croton Point Park

    Not the Best Place to Go in the Northeast By a Longshot

    Croton Point Campground is a modest little campground, located along the Hudson River within Croton Point Park in NY. In addition to camping, the park itself offers many of its own attractions, including swimming, hiking, kayaking, cabin rentals, and a host of other family-oriented activities just along the Hudson. 

    The park, which is honestly probably the largest attraction here, is located just an hour and a half outside of the city. This proximity is both its perk and its downfall, as the park itself, but particularly the campground, has become laden with all sorts of inexplicable and burdensome rules, endless guidelines, and restrictions only a New York State-run bureaucracy could ever make sense of, let alone hope to justify. 

    This includes all manner of restrictions on how you can camp, where you can camp, what equipment can be used, and use in relation to what particular site you may have been lucky enough to reserve. Much of this you can understand while imagining what may have taken place here to bring them to such measures, but it doesn't make it any easier to contend with. 

    In terms of the actual camping conditions Both the tenting section and RV sites are each very clustered together, and quite crowded, with regular patrols🚓(actual patrols) being made day and night, by both the Park Rangers and what appears to be general park staff members, all looking to see if you or your family might be doing something that they might consider outside of the guidelines or not in compliance with the many restrictions. 

    This is not to say you can't possibly have a good time here. It just might mean being a bit more diligent toward reviewing the potential legitimacy of your normal camping routine to ensure it meets with many restrictions and guidelines imposed, while also making yourself comfortable with some fairly regular surveillance during your stay here. These all being things we hoped to get away from while camping ourselves It just turned out to be a bit much for our particular liking.

  • GThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 20, 2025

    Little Pond Campground

    Small sites and no service

    I didn’t hate this campground, but I won’t be going back.

    It’s a nice campground and perfect for single/family camping. I would not choose this location if I were taking a group of people. The sites are on the smaller side and many have slanted entrances.

    The campground is kept clean and the bathrooms were tidy. The campground is in bear country so you have to be mindful about leaving food out when you’re not at the site or asleep.

    There is a pond and there’s kayaks, canoes, etc for rent. The beach area is clean and the water is clear. I was there middle of August and the water was not cold and quite comfortable. There are some water front sites that you can use to access the water with a boat or paddle board.

    Cell service is non existent and they have a pay phone near the entrance booth where you can use to make/receive phone calls. It’s a 20 min drive back into town to get cell service. That’s a non- starter for me. It would be beneficial if they had service near the entrance at least for people to check in with Family.

  • Mike W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 16, 2025

    Cozy Hills Campground

    First time here

    Nice facility, friendly staff. They pack us in pretty tight in some sites.

  • Janine D.
    Aug. 11, 2025

    Kittatinny Campground

    Not worth the money or time

    If we could rate this a 0 we would.  We were expecting a weekend of kayaking and relaxation when in fact we got an overcrowded, noisy and dirty weekend that was overpriced.  I will give the river a 10, it was beautiful, welcoming and refreshing in the warm sun.  We arrived at about 8:00 in the evening with several camps blaring different genre of music, not a problem, considering we still like it as loud as possible sometimes, but it didn't end at quiet time, it continue until well over midnight.  The campsites are so close together it was like being packed into a sardine can.  The campsite across the pathway didn't have their dog on a lead and we woke up with a pile of dog excrement next to our trailer, that was a howdy-do morning for ya.  We were super excited to take our kayaks out on the river, paddle up stream and float down with our pup, but we were told that we couldn't launch from this location.  (What kind of crap is that)  This location was a receiving location only and "absolutely no launching" was allowed.  If you are looking for a party spot to come with your friends, this is definitely the place for you!  If your looking for a chill place to camp next to the river where you can tube, kayak and enjoy your peaceful weekend, this is NOT the place.  The amount of money we spent for 2 nights was outrageous for such a sucky weekend, will not be going back!

  • Bob F.
    Aug. 10, 2025

    Moon Valley Campground

    Very unique smaller private campground

    This was a great campsite nestled in the foothills of Northern NJ on the NY border. Small, clean with great views and great location for hiking , cruising etc. Bring your tent or use the existing glamping tents. Headed back for a fall weekend in the "dome" which has incredible views. Try it you won't be sorry.

  • Olivia K.
    Aug. 1, 2025

    Never Sink Hideaway

    Full of Trash

    I just arrived at this location and it is filled with trash. Do NOT book here. There are houses right behind and it’s just off the side of a dirt road. The river isn’t even visible.

Guide to Poughkeepsie

Camping near Poughkeepsie, New York, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a fun family adventure, there are several campgrounds to choose from.

What to do:

  • Hiking: Explore the trails around North-South Lake Campground. One reviewer mentioned, "This is a hiking park... Kaaterskill Falls is an exception - short, easy trail."
  • Fishing: If you enjoy fishing, Little Pond - DEC is close to the Beaverkill, a renowned fly fishing stream. A camper noted, "Close to the Beaverkill and lots of great fly fishing."
  • Swimming: Check out the lakes at Beaver Pond Campground — Harriman State Park. One visitor said, "This is also an ideal place to relax and explore."

What campers like:

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate the cleanliness at Kenneth L Wilson Campground. A reviewer shared, "Such a clean and well-maintained campground."
  • Friendly Staff: Many campers rave about the helpful staff at Clarence Fahnestock State Park. One visitor said, "The staff FANTASTIC, and most people camping want to be out in nature."
  • Privacy: Campers enjoy the privacy at Woodland Valley Campground - DEC. A review mentioned, "Each of the campsites... has a lot of foliage around it, creating privacy."

What you should know:

  • Limited Cell Service: Many campgrounds, like North-South Lake Campground, have little to no cell service. One camper noted, "There is NO cell service & just forget about WiFi."
  • Bear Activity: Be cautious of wildlife, especially bears. A camper at Beaver Pond Campground mentioned, "There is a lot of bear activity here, so constantly cleaning up your food is very important."
  • No Electric Hookups: Many sites, such as those at Clarence Fahnestock State Park, do not offer electric hookups. A reviewer pointed out, "No electric hookup: No."

Tips for camping with families:

  • Activities for Kids: Look for campgrounds with activities for children, like Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Gardiner. One parent said, "This place is so much fun. My whole family loved the activities."
  • Choose Weekdays: If you want a quieter experience, consider camping during the week. A visitor at Woodland Valley Campground mentioned, "It was really peaceful when we visited in the middle of the week."
  • Plan for Meals: Bring your own food and cooking supplies, as some campgrounds may not have markets nearby. A camper at Little Pond - DEC noted, "There is a dump station and recycling center."

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Site Sizes: Make sure to check the size of the sites before booking, especially at Clarence Fahnestock State Park. One reviewer advised, "Careful which site you choose."
  • Generators Allowed: Some campgrounds, like Stokes State Forest, allow generators. A camper mentioned, "Generators are allowed for 5 hours."
  • Bring Extra Supplies: Since some campgrounds may not have firewood for sale, plan ahead. A visitor at Woodland Valley Campground said, "No firewood for sale."

Camping around Poughkeepsie, NY, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the great outdoors!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best campgrounds near Poughkeepsie, NY?

Several excellent campgrounds are located within an hour's drive of Poughkeepsie. North-South Lake Campground in the Catskills is one of New York's larger public campgrounds with well-spaced sites perfect for families and a huge lake for recreation. Clarence Fahnestock State Park Campground offers a clean beach area on Canopus Lake with boat rentals, fishing opportunities, and hiking trails. Both parks get busy during summer weekends, so reservations are recommended. For those seeking a quieter experience with easy access to hiking trails, Minnewaska State Park Preserve has camping options. The Hudson Valley region provides a perfect mix of natural beauty and accessibility for campers visiting the Poughkeepsie area.

Is tent camping available in Poughkeepsie, NY?

Yes, tent camping is readily available near Poughkeepsie. Sam Pryor III Shawangunk Gateway Campground at Minnewaska State Park Preserve offers tent sites in a beautiful setting with access to hiking and the unique acidic lake that's safe for swimming. Catskill/Kenneth L Wilson Campground provides spacious tent sites surrounded by trees, offering a good balance of privacy and community. Most sites have fire rings and picnic tables. For a more rustic experience, Taconic Hereford Multiple Use Park offers free hike-in tent camping. Many campgrounds in the area require reservations, especially during peak summer months and weekends, so booking ahead is advised.

Where can I rent an RV or camper in Poughkeepsie?

While there aren't dedicated RV rental facilities directly in Poughkeepsie, several options exist in the surrounding area. Treetopia Campground in the Catskills offers various rental accommodations including glamping options for those who want a camping experience without bringing their own equipment. Jellystone Park Gardiner sometimes has rental units available. Additionally, online peer-to-peer RV rental platforms like Outdoorsy and RVshare list privately-owned RVs and campers available for rent in the Hudson Valley region. For those planning to bring a rented RV to the area, Interlake RV Park & Campground near Rhinebeck offers suitable sites with hookups.

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