Best Campgrounds near Waterville, NY

Campgrounds near Waterville, New York range from established RV parks to primitive forest sites. Lake Chalet Motel and Campground in Bridgewater offers tent camping, RV sites and cabins approximately 5 miles south of Waterville, while Charles E. Baker State Forest provides free primitive camping opportunities about 10 miles southeast. The camping areas in this central New York region include state parks, privately owned campgrounds, and state forests, with most developed sites open from May through October. Several locations feature both water access and forest settings, making the area suitable for various camping preferences.

Camping in the region typically follows seasonal patterns with most established campgrounds operating during the warmer months. Green Lakes State Park Campground and Delta Lake State Park remain open from mid-May through early October, offering electric hookups and water access. State forest lands like Charles E. Baker allow year-round primitive camping with fewer amenities but more solitude. Many developed campgrounds require advance reservations, particularly during summer weekends and holiday periods. Road access varies considerably between sites, with state forest camping requiring travel on maintained dirt roads. "Beautiful forest with miles of trails. I found this spot passing through on my bike and had no problem pitching a tent in a secluded spot in the woods," one visitor noted about Charles E. Baker State Forest.

Mixed-use campgrounds dominate the local camping landscape, with most offering accommodations for both tent and RV camping. The Villages RV Park at Turning Stone provides full hookup sites on paved pads with shuttle service to the nearby casino, while Stoney Pond State Forest Camping Area features more rustic experiences with widely spaced primitive sites set into the woods. Water features are significant draws at many locations, particularly at Lebanon Reservoir Campground where fishing and boating opportunities attract visitors. A camper described Stoney Pond as a "nice and calm place in that little State Forest. Internet and fire pits are available." Local camping areas generally receive positive reviews for cleanliness and maintenance, though primitive sites typically lack amenities beyond basic outhouses, picnic tables and fire rings.

Best Camping Sites Near Waterville, New York (125)

    1. The Villages RV Park at Turning Stone

    10 Reviews
    Oneida, NY
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 361-7275

    $65 - $75 / night

    "For activities, there are some great hikes around the campground, as well as excellent playgrounds, fishing, an awesome pool, and of course, free shuttle rides to the Turning Stone Casino right up the"

    "Convenient to the highway with 24 hour shuttles to the casino 5 minutes away, yet quiet and beautifully maintained."

    2. Lake Chalet Motel and Campground

    3 Reviews
    Waterville, NY
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 822-6074

    "The first time that myself and friends spent the weekend at Lake Chalet Ron cut up our firewood for us and was very attentive to anything around the campground."

    3. Butternut Hill RV Campground

    2 Reviews
    Bouckville, NY
    9 miles
    Website

    "There is also a famous Inn and restaurant, the Landmark Inn, which anchors the town, adjacent to a trailhead for a hiking trail along the historic Chenango Canal, an offshoot of the Erie Canal. "

    4. Green Lakes State Park Campground

    42 Reviews
    Kirkville, NY
    31 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 637-6111

    $20 - $116 / night

    "The lake is a fascinating meromictic lake with clear calcium-rich waters that are not only pristine and beautiful to look at, but also great for swimming and snorkeling as the waters are crystal clear"

    "The sites are nice, some are little close to each other but nice for group camping. A short distance (walk or by car) to the beach. The lake is a little chilly sometimes but very refreshing."

    5. Charles E. Baker State Forest

    2 Reviews
    Hubbardsville, NY
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (607) 674-4017

    "Only found one designated campsite, which was available, but there’s a lot of good space for dispersed camping right nearby. Access at the end of a long, but well maintained, dirt road."

    "Beautiful forest with miles of trails. I found this spot passing through on my bike and had no problem pitching a tent in a secluded spot in the woods."

    6. Herkimer Diamond Mine KOA

    17 Reviews
    Herkimer, NY
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 891-7355

    "Keeping in mind , it is a busy family resort during prime season and holidays, so if you're looking for a quiet, non-crowded location, this may not be the place for you (unless you try it in offseason)"

    "You have easy access to the river for your fishing desire, or you can try your hand at mining for diamonds( real open put diamond mine."

    7. Delta Lake State Park Campground

    15 Reviews
    Westernville, NY
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 337-4670

    $24 - $32 / night

    "There’s a few steps down to a gravel beach and an expansive view of the delta lake. There were bathrooms in the middle of our loop which was great and easy to walk to and it was very clean."

    "A very nice, tidy campground located on a peninsula jutting into Delta Lake in Central NY."

    8. Glimmerglass State Park Campground

    21 Reviews
    Springfield Center, NY
    28 miles
    Website
    +1 (607) 547-8662

    $14 - $26 / night

    "Only downside is there is not a hiking/walking path down to the lake from the campground. Very nice bathrooms w shower and wash station. Electricity and water available at or near each campsite."

    "Close to Cooperstown and within driving distance from Oneonta. Quiet and spacious campsites"

    9. Tilden Hill Farm

    1 Review
    Oneida, NY
    15 miles
    +1 (315) 334-3914

    $30 / night

    10. Lebanon Reservoir Campground

    1 Review
    Hamilton, NY
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 824-2278

    "The sites themselves are all in the open, imagine parallel parking your rig off the side of a road, with a nice forest behind you. That's kind of the deal here."

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Recent Reviews near Waterville, NY

322 Reviews of 125 Waterville Campgrounds


  • Abby H.
    Apr. 19, 2026

    Herkimer Diamond Mine KOA

    Disrespect & Discrimination

    Long read, but so worth it! Below is the review that I posted last August after our vacation. Mind you, the vacation for my immediate family has been 10 years in a row and when I was a kid the same! The incident that happened was with our friends and therefore when I wrote the review, it stated what I witnessed! I was hoping that management changed and/ or they fixed the problems so I was willing to give it another try, I mean, this has been apart of my childhood and my children’s so why not! I called today, lady was super nice and helping me look through all the campsites because we come with so many people! I paid and then friends of ours called. After they called, our friends said that my reservation was cancelled. What??? So I called back thinking it was something on my end. I then had to wait for management to call back. Called back, and whoever I spoke with was extremely rude! She basically told me I was never welcome back and that the owners said so! Now mind you through this whole thing, I never talked to the owners. So do the owners only take one side of the story? I’m not even someone that this incident directly happened to! I said, well can I please speak to your manager or the owner. No, i am the manager, you are not welcome back. I told her that everyone in our party will probably cancel as well and her response was“I’m just waiting for 1 person to call me”! I said a few choice words and I hung up. CRYING. WHAT????? Are you discriminating me because of an issue you had with another camper???? I can’t believe what this has amounted to. So instead of dealing with your issues you just don’t allow people back? Instead of having the owner or management actually call and have a respectful, which was not had, conversation with someone you just brush it off! I have come to Herkimer longer than some of these people have worked there! I really don’t have words for how I feel. And to make matters worse I always go over my dad’s anniversary of his death, August 5, because this was his favorite place and now I can’t go and neither can my children. Great job herkimer diamond mines koa! I applaud you on your discrimination, disrespect and the lack of empathy you have for your campers! Especially the ones who have been a constant! I’m assuming Phil and his wife are still management, good luck! And to the campers that wish to go there, I really hope you enjoy yourselves because it truly is an amazing place. Unfortunately, my memories had to stop here! August 2025 This review is extremely hard for me to write, but what I had witnessed for a week of being there is disgusting& just simply not right. My family has been coming to Herkimer KOA for decades. Throughout the years, we have shown many other families this"gem"... or so we thought. This year was a bit different, there are new camp managers... This week I have witnessed human waste being sprayed all over campsites, management that discredits everything you say, management that thinks its okay to have charges on your bill that they cant even explain, ice cream cart that closes right before the last kid orders& leaves in tears, bathrooms that are disgusting! This is NOT THE HERKIMER I REMEMBER AS A KID! If you look on google, the owners of this campground is a family that has owned it for 50 years! That's amazing& kudos to them! But Phil, Phil is going to ruin every ounce of what they have worked so hard for!& being a business owner, you want management there representing YOU! Doing what YOU would do if you were there. Those owners should not be receiving mine& my friends reviews today if management did their job! Unfortunately, again very hard to say, we will not be returning if Phil is there.& I can honestly say, that the 14-20 families we bring every time, that spend thousands of dollars, will not be as well! Thank you Phil for ruining a vacation I personally held so close to my heart.& because you don't care about how you treat people& how you manage, you have lost years& years& years of loyalty.

  • Sierra W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 31, 2026

    North Lake Resevoir

    So Beautiful and Peaceful

    Still quite a bit of snow at the entrance once I got past that it was easy site are perfect right on the water with a little out house across. Breathtaking views!

  • Emily M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 28, 2026

    Long Pond Campground

    Great dispersed camp sites

    All the roads are gravel, so it might get a little muddy after a big rain but I had no issue with a low clearance car driving around to explore the sites available. About half the sites are spread out in a large patch of spruce trees, I stayed at one of these. You can hear and sometimes see cars on the main road from your site but overall the spruce trees give you a lot more privacy. Had a neighbor blasting their speaker and didn't even hear it until I was walking by on that stretch of road. You might catch a glimpse of someone's fire at night, but it mostly felt like I had the place to myself. The other half are clustered much closer together among some deciduous trees but all the sites are pretty spacious, with a picnic table, fire pit, and easy access to the water. You might get a visit from day-use visitors looking for water access, especially if you pick a site closer to the water access paths, so if you're looking for more seclusion you may want to look elsewhere, but I didn't mind and the people who did stop near my site were respectful and didn't seem to want to disturb me once they saw the site near the water access was occupied. A free permit is needed for camping during the on-season. I stayed off-season and most of the sites were unoccupied, but I could see this being a popular spot during the warmer months. Port-a-potties are also not available off-season – be prepared to find a good cat hole spot or bring a wag bag if you're not self-contained. Seeing some litter around my site was a bit of a bummer (don't be that guy!), but overall the sites looked pretty clean and well-maintained. I did notice some broken glass at my site, so if you have pets (or shoe-averse children) be mindful of their paw pads (and feet). There's plenty of downed wood for making a fire, and I passed a couple homes selling firewood on the side of the road on the way. Service was spotty (AT&T) but if you wandered around enough you could get a couple bars to send a text, or if you really needed to, drive up the road a couple of minutes. I would easily stay here again, but if I came during the main season I'd probably want to plan a mid-week trip and get my permit and claim my site as soon as possible.

  • E
    Mar. 27, 2026

    Tilden Hill Farm

    Beautiful campground

    Beautiful and well- maintained. Very roomy sites. Owner is friendly and responds quickly to calls.

  • Dale H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Feb. 23, 2026

    Fort Plain Lock 15 on Empire Trail

    Not plowed in winter

    Great spot, great location. FYI to anyone who comes in the winter, it's not plowed, so you may need to adjust your plans accordingly.

  • Pete V.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 12, 2025

    Fort Plain Lock 15 on Empire Trail

    Nice quiet overnight stay

    This was a quiet overnight stay, just as the other reviewers say, a gravel parking lot that is easy to find a level spot in. This is on the river with a nice view. Lots of trains rolling through across the river but the noise wasn't an issue for me. There was a police officer that drove through the lot and drove around my campervan and continued on his way so I know that it is okay to overnight there.

  • D C.
    Oct. 23, 2025

    Live The Outdoors LLC

    Peaceful & Private Getaway🏞️

    Really enjoyed staying here. It’s super private and peaceful, and we loved that it’s not a crowded campground. The land is open and easy to access, and you can tell the owners are constantly upgrading and improving things. We were even able to fish here, which was a bonus. Would definitely recommend if you appreciate privacy, nature, and a peaceful place with the freedom to relax and do your own thing.

  • Chelsea B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 30, 2025

    Green Lakes State Park Campground

    Good camp sites

    The sites are good, level, and the campsite is pretty but as clean as the bathrooms are, the showers still suck. I’ll never understand why parks use the misting shower heads. Maybe TMI, but sorry ladies, you’ll never get the soap out of your bits. It’s best to use the ADA bathrooms because those shower heads are normal and have wands. I can’t say much about the amenities since we camped in the off season (really bummed not to rent a boat), but the trails around the lake are great! Beautiful water and various difficulties on the trails make it pretty fun to explore. Overall a good stay but took a star away for the showers and the landscapers. They spent at least 5-6 hours the Monday we were here mowing around our campsite, coming within inches of our power and Starlink cords. Really annoyed by that and when we called the park office, they said they’d take care of it but we still endured 4 more hours of multiple mowers going over the same areas multiple times. Honestly think they were messing with us at that point…

  • S
    Sep. 17, 2025

    Oneida Shores County Park

    Nice park for a reasonable price

    Campground is recently paved. Lots of geese, therefore lots of goose poop. Sites are small and close together. Nice wooded setting on the lake.


Guide to Waterville

Camping options near Waterville, New York range from primitive forest sites to full-service RV parks within a 20-mile radius. The region sits at elevations between 1,200-1,800 feet with a humid continental climate that brings warm summers and cold, snowy winters. Local campgrounds typically experience nighttime temperatures that drop 15-20 degrees below daytime highs even in summer months, making warm clothing essential regardless of season.

What to do

Fishing opportunities: The 54-acre reservoir at Lebanon Reservoir Campground offers excellent fishing from shore or boat. "The staff is great, they have a nice little store for the basic supplies and treats, as well as fire wood and boat rentals," notes camper Michael O.

Diamond mining excursions: Located about 30 miles northeast of Waterville, Herkimer Diamond Mine KOA offers a unique experience digging for double-terminated quartz crystals. "We spent three nights here. The staff is fabulous. The mines are so much fun. The whole park is well maintained," writes Kelly F.

Swimming in glacial lakes: Green Lakes State Park Campground features unique glacial lakes with distinctive blue-green water. "The water is Crystal clear and very blue, you will think you are in the Caribbean Islands. We visit this park very frequently to rent a boat or to hike the trails," states Kenneth S.

What campers like

Tubing on creeks: The West Canada Creek at Herkimer Diamond Mine KOA provides refreshing summer recreation. "The creek is AMAZING. Both kid and adult friendly and it's free, just bring a tube or purchase for cheap at the camp store. Lazy river flow with some faster spots," explains Julia P.

Secluded forest sites: Stoney Pond State Forest Camping Area offers primitive camping with considerable privacy. "There are 15 drive-in campsites widely spaced and set into the woods, and two developed walk-in sites on the west shore," describes Janet R., noting the sites are "great for tenting."

Waterfront camping: At Delta Lake State Park Campground, lakeside sites are particularly popular. "We had a waterfront hookup! So pretty especially in the morning with the sunrise... There's a few steps down to a gravel beach and an expansive view of the delta lake," writes Tris W.

What you should know

Year-round accessibility: Seasonal restrictions vary significantly between campgrounds in the Waterville area. While most state parks close by mid-October, Charles E. Baker State Forest remains open for primitive camping throughout winter. "Beautiful forest with miles of trails. There are official camp spots with water access which are also free to use," notes Matt A.

Reservation requirements: Most developed campgrounds require advance booking, particularly in summer. The Villages RV Park at Turning Stone has limited availability on weekends. "Convenient to the highway with 24 hour shuttles to the casino 5 minutes away, yet quiet and beautifully maintained," reports April L.

Site variations: Campsite terrain and amenities differ substantially even within the same campground. At Glimmerglass State Park, "Sites are very easy to get into and well maintained. Water available and electric," according to Patti M., while at Green Lakes, sites range from sunny to heavily wooded.

Tips for camping with families

Kid-friendly activities: Lake Chalet Motel and Campground offers swimming and fishing in a small pond setting. "Nice place with swimming, fishing, and other things to do. Nice people," Scott A. mentions, though he cautions that "sites by the road have noise from the road which is busier than you might think."

Playground access: For families, Green Lakes State Park provides excellent facilities. "Beach also has a great playground for kids that is perfect for play and swim. Dogs are welcome," explains Kelly J., making it suitable for both children and pets.

Safety considerations: Delta Lake State Park features a guarded swimming area with gradually sloped entry. "The beautiful beach is well attended with life guards on duty keeping you safe but still allowing much fun on the very clean white sand," Brian O. shares.

Tips from RVers

Hookup availability: The Villages RV Park at Turning Stone offers premium full-hookup sites for larger rigs. "Spacious FHU sites. Pull thru and back ins," notes Boomer B., while Carl G. adds, "All full hook up sites from full sun to full shade. Been coming here for 25+ years."

Site access: Many campgrounds have specific loops or sections better suited for RVs. At Delta Lake, Loop A is more open while other areas provide more shade and privacy. "We scheduled a pull through for 1 night last minute due to an unexpected change in plans... The sites were level and great size with nice spacing in between," explains Jen O. about Herkimer Diamond Mine KOA.

Winter preparation: Most RV campgrounds in the area close by late October, but those remaining open require preparation for freezing temperatures. Turning Stone provides the longest season, open from May through October with full hookups that can handle early season cold snaps.

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Waterville, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, Waterville, NY offers a wide range of camping options, with 125 campgrounds and RV parks near Waterville, NY and 14 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Waterville, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Waterville, NY is The Villages RV Park at Turning Stone with a 4.9-star rating from 10 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Waterville, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 14 free dispersed camping spots near Waterville, NY.