Best Tent Camping near Warwick, NY
Tent campsites near Warwick, New York range from established state park grounds to primitive island sites along the Delaware River. Wawayanda State Park Campground in nearby Hewitt, New Jersey offers tent camping from April through October with basic amenities including drinking water, picnic tables, and toilets. The Stephen & Betsy Corman AMC Harriman Outdoor Center in Harriman State Park provides walk-in tent sites with electric hookups and trash disposal, situated approximately 15 miles southeast of Warwick.
Most tent-only sites in the region feature fire rings and picnic tables, though amenities vary significantly between locations. Wawayanda provides reservable sites with fires allowed, while primitive options like Stonetown Circular Trail sites offer free camping with minimal facilities. A camper noted that at Jenny Jump State Forest, "tent sites have benches and a fire pit" with bathrooms "spread out so it's never a far walk from your site." Bear activity is common throughout the region, particularly at Harriman State Park and Stokes State Forest, requiring proper food storage in vehicles or bear boxes where provided. Many campgrounds maintain seasonal operations, typically closing between late October and early April.
Walk-in tent sites often provide greater privacy and natural surroundings than drive-up alternatives. At Samuel F. Pryor III Shawangunk Gateway Campground, a visitor commented that walk-in sites "are just a little bit more set back and kind of wonderfully wooded all around." Namanock Island in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area offers a unique tent camping experience accessible only by water, with primitive sites that include fire rings and basic toilets. These island campsites limit stays to one night and operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Tent campers seeking solitude often prefer these more remote options, which typically feature level tent pads but require carrying in all supplies. The Delaware Water Gap area provides numerous primitive tent camping opportunities along hiking trails and waterways within an hour's drive of Warwick.