Best Campgrounds near Upper Jay, NY

I've camped on Valcour all my life since I was 7. It was amazing. So beautiful. Now it's covered in cockroaches and the water is murky and everything is covered in Zebra muscles. Other campers are rude and have no respect for your property. Has been all Canadians from my experience. They let their pets on the island to defecate and we've had one let their two large dogs swim ashore from their yacht and urinate on all our tents and destroyed our campsite and stole our food off from the picnic table all while the owners watched and laughed it off from their boat. The dogs then swam back and boarded the boat and they left. It's not like it used to be. We were yelling at them the whole time, trying to get the dogs away from our campsite and the owners didn't even apologize. One of the dogs defecated on my son's clothing that has fallen off the line.

Please note Crane Pond Road from the lower parking lot to the pond itself is NOT maintained and often gets very muddy. 4WD is required, if you go back there without it your day is gonna suck. From experience - if your vehicle isn't lifted you may come out with a ding or two from rocks and other things jutting out of the ground. Not fit for an RV in any capacity. The parking lot at the end of Crane Pond Road is relatively small but can fit at least 6 vehicles. There is an outhouse near that lot and a foot bridge off to the right, leading to Pharaoh Mtn Trail. 

If you're staying to camp there are (9) sites only accessible by boat (I haven't found a map that numbers/letters them), except the one right by the parking lot. There is a trail leading to that one. My family and I have never used the other sites so I can only attest to the one which is freaking GREAT. There is a stone cliff near it that goes down about 12(?) feet and is great for fishing or jumping off of. There is also a stone area right by the water if you want to fish or just sunbathe. Stone fireplace on site. The view right there is beautiful and at night you can hear the loons (visible during the day as well).

This is a state campground with some remote sites. However it is a gateway to Pharaoh Lake Wilderness. Lots of hiking trails to many ponds and one lake most of which have lean tos and other sites which are free. People are pretty quiet and respectful as opposed to Rogers Rock which was getting completely out of hand. Generators and loud music at all hours. Only takes a few bozos to ruin the camping experience for those around them. Then there are the many jet skiers who disregard not only the wake laws but have no consideration for those trying to load and unload boats at the launch as they speed by. Anyway, I love Putnam Pond! Also very nice paddling pond and decent swimming!

My family of 4 tent camped at Camp Skyland in June ‘24 on a waterfront spot showcasing gorgeous Lake Champlain with a mountain backdrop - chef’s kiss!

The owner (family owned and operated across generations) took my booking via phone and months later, checked us into camp upon arrival. He was super friendly and gave us great advice for cycling the Island Line Trail - highly recommend!!!! It was a fantastic campground with awesome views and the only thing I regret is not spending more time camping here & exploring the area.

The bathhouse & restrooms were a little small but it was totally fine. They had outdoor sink for washing dishes, too. The main check-in house had books and games to check out. But the BEST onsite entertainment was the lake. Definitely plan to kayak here & swim. Water was clean & clear. Fantastic lake for rock collecting!!! Very pretty and diverse geological landscape! We immediately started googling the rock formations and it was super interesting!

Definitely bring your bikes to ride the trail & catch the ferry! Such a unique experience to cycle across a lake! Photos & videos do not give the actual in-person views justice!

There are cabins to rent here, but owner said they book up in advance and it’s a YOY reservation that previous bookers get first access each year for dates.

Tip - mosquitos were intense here, so bring spray & plan accordingly! Our screened-in tent area saved us from being eaten up.