Camping opportunities near Theresa, New York concentrate around the Thousand Islands region, with most locations situated along the St. Lawrence River shoreline. The area sits at approximately 325 feet above sea level with summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F during peak camping months. The region experiences strong winds off the water that can impact camping equipment, particularly on unprotected waterfront sites.
What to do
Fishing from shore: Wellesley Island State Park offers exceptional fishing directly from campsites. "We usually get 2 sites and place as many as 5 tents between the 2 sites! Watch out for the skunks and raccoons on this island, they are huge from partaking in campers food! Great price for camping! The fishing on the St. Lawrence is awesome! Catch some perch and have a fish fry back at camp," reports a camper from Wellesley Island State Park Campground.
Wildlife viewing: Dewolf Point State Park provides opportunities for wildlife observation along walking paths. "I stayed 4 nights at a non electric tent site, it was me and my dog enjoyed some bon fires and some hiking in Wellesley island state park as well. It was very quiet somes sites are kind of close but no one was up there in a tent other than me," notes a visitor to Dewolf Point State Park Campground.
Rock jumping: Kring Point offers unique swimming opportunities from natural rock formations. "Great place to camp. Nice camp store. Access to the water great for boating and swimming. Kring point has islands as well you can jump off the rocks into the water," explains a camper from Kring Point State Park.
What campers like
Concrete pads at upscale resorts: Swan Bay Resort offers well-maintained infrastructure for RVs. "Swan Bay Resort is exactly that. All of there sites are on slabs, neat and clean hook ups. There is riverviews from just about every site which is nice and then there are sites right on the river, the river sites do face west, so you do get beautiful sunsets," describes a visitor to Swan Bay Resort.
Accessible waterfront: Kring Point State Park features waterfront sites on both the river and bay sides. "I am tent camping and found my site (105) to have a couple of relatively level areas to choose to set up my tent on. This site is on Goose Bay, but the sites across the road are on the St Lawrence River just a few hundred feet away," notes a camper at Kring Point State Park Campground.
Free primitive options: Payne Lake offers no-cost camping without amenities for those seeking a more basic experience. "Public access boat ramp with limited parking available on both sides. No amenities on-site. I'm getting two bars of Verizon signal with the help of a WeBoost. Beautiful views, peaceful and quiet," reports a camper at Payne Lake.
What you should know
Wind conditions: Swan Bay Resort experiences strong winds that can damage camping equipment. "Our neighbor (who has camped here seasonally for the last four years) mentioned that he lost three awnings to the wind. So, don't leave your awning out when you leave your camper and beware of winds if you want to be on the water," warns a visitor to Swan Bay Resort.
Seasonal variations: Most campgrounds operate from May through September with specific opening dates. "State parks typically open in early May and close by mid-October, with specific dates varying by location," notes a previous visitor to the region. Keewaydin State Park specifically operates from "May 27 to September 4."
Reservation challenges: The best places to camp near Theresa fill quickly during summer months. "Rocky (flat) but beautiful. Hard to get into because people book far in advance," explains a camper from Kring Point, while another notes, "It's so nice it's hard to reserve, because people grab it nine months in advance!"
Tips for camping with families
Playground facilities: Many campgrounds offer dedicated play areas for children. "Amazing prices and pool is incredible, campsites are semi private. Playground is great for the kids," reports a visitor to Keewaydin State Park Campground.
Beach access: Supervised swimming areas provide safe water recreation. "We had fun swimming there. The beach didn't really have any sand. But had stone steps to walk into the water. They had a life guard on duty. The playground was extremely nice!" shares a camper from Grass Point State Park.
Nature center activities: Educational programs engage younger campers. "You can also play golf here, learn at the nature center, and great swimming. Bring what you need since there isn't much in the way of grocery on the island," advises a camper from Wellesley Island State Park.
Tips from RVers
Gate access systems: Some private resorts require gate cards for entry. "The park is gated so you get a gate card to enter the park. You also get a BOGO card to use at the Tiki Bar which has specials during the week," explains a visitor to Swan Bay Resort.
Hookup verification: Always confirm utility connections match your needs before booking. "When we got there there was no one in the sign in station. No electricity or water hookups. We reserved online and there was a mix up. We reserved 3 days got there and found out there was no hookups we were told if we cancelled we would only get a few dollars back," cautions a visitor to Keewaydin State Park.
Site sizing limitations: Verify your RV will fit at your selected site. "We arrived on July 5th for 5 nights. Our original site was listed at 55', but there was no way our 43' camper would fit, nor make the tight turn into it. The owner quickly moved us to another site," shares a camper from 1000 Islands Campground.
