2 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Several cabin rentals are available at campgrounds near Waterville, New York, including Lake Chalet Motel and Campground in Bridgewater and Lebanon Reservoir Campground in Hamilton. Most cabins offer electric hookups with varying levels of furnishings and amenities. Herkimer Diamond Mine KOA provides more elaborate accommodations with themed cabins and modern conveniences, while state parks like Verona Beach offer more basic shelter options. Bathroom facilities with showers are available at all locations, though some may require a short walk from the cabin site. According to one visitor, the Herkimer Diamond Mine KOA has "very clean cabins" and convenient access to recreational activities.
Rustic and deluxe cabins are both available, depending on the location. State park cabins tend to be more basic with limited amenities, while private campgrounds like Cooperstown KOA offer more comfortable options with additional services. Most cabin sites include picnic tables and fire rings for outdoor cooking and gathering. Pet policies vary by location, with many allowing pets but requiring leashes in common areas. Reservations are strongly recommended, especially during summer months from May through October when most campgrounds operate. As noted in one review, "The campground does have a lot of cabin options" at Herkimer Diamond Mine KOA.
Most cabins include beds but require visitors to bring their own linens, towels, and toiletries. Kitchen facilities vary widely, from basic fire rings to cabins with refrigerators and microwaves. On-site camp stores are available at Lake Chalet, Lebanon Reservoir, Herkimer Diamond Mine KOA, and Cooperstown KOA, providing essentials like firewood, ice, and basic groceries. Visitors staying at state park cabins should plan to bring more supplies as market access is limited within the parks. Water hookups are available at most locations, though specifics vary by site. Firewood is typically sold on premises, with several reviewers noting reasonable prices and convenient availability.
"Wifi was good."
"The lake is good sized and clean. The property has beautiful fields and a creek that runs along the back. This is not a party campground and people are not packed in on top of each other."
"Great place for trails, fishing, swimming & plain camping. There are electric & non-electric sites as well as a Cabin Colony. Pet friendly"
"There is also a colony of rustic camper cabins. The campgrounds have brand new restroom facilities and playgrounds, and the main lake has a new beach house."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $20 - $116 / night
"Clean ...clean bathrooms ...large sites lots of fun activities for the kids fishing and tubing on the creek...well stocked store reasonable prices...pool is clean well maintained...pet friendly...enclosed"
"I have a full review on my blog openboxreviews Cons: low water pressure at our site
Firewood is expensive and you don't get much
Sites are close together and little to no privacy
Pros:
Pet friendly"
"I booked via Harvest Hosts and chose to boondock since they had a market (pay for food instead of a booking fee) and I was pleasantly surprised with the overall location."
from $30 / night
"It is pet friendly. We stayed with our 3 small children. Enjoyed bike riding through the park. water was beautiful. Lots of waterfront access."
"Both the Glimmerglass State Park and the Glimmerglass Festival Opera House list their location as Cooperstown, but in actuality the Park is 8 miles outside of Cooperstown on the northeast side of Otsego"
from $14 - $26 / night
"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."
"Our campsite 8 did not have a fire ring but others did. Right on water…can’t drive on path in front of the water sites so you are essentially on the water. Nice clean facilities."
"Verona Beach State Park is nice and close to home. Also close to Utica and Rome. The kids love to hang out at the splash pad and the state recently revamped some of the playgrounds."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $27 - $29 / night
"This park is located approximately 12.5 miles from downtown Cooperstown and is set in the quiet rural countryside of New York. The mature trees make for beautiful scenery in the fall."
"Most people that stay here are in RVs but we were tent camping and they have a nice wooded area with fire pits and a view of the rolling hills. Beautiful!"
"Spacious cabin was clean and comfortable. Two bedrooms, one with bunk beds and another with a full. There were dressers in each room."
"I’ve been here so many times, camping in tents and also in the cabins. There are a couple different sections to choose from."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $17 - $156 / night
"Heated pool, great store, large sites, surrounded by trees, events, soft serve ice cream, tube rentals to float on the creek (river). FHU as well as tent sites and cabins."
"Pros: clean campground, camp store, ice cream/pizza shack, shuttle to tubing, sites are pretty flat, pool is large and clean, quiet hours are enforced. Cons: $5 per dog "surprise" when we arrived."
Campground full this weekend
from $72 - $999 / night
RangerStopped here on my way from Maine to Ohio. I booked via Harvest Hosts and chose to boondock since they had a market (pay for food instead of a booking fee) and I was pleasantly surprised with the overall location. The entire farm is in great condition, the roads are marked well, there are several trails, plenty of wildlife, and just a generally pleasant experience. Loaded up on some goods at the market.
TravelerSpaces were easy in/out. Mature trees between sites. Pool, office, pickleball, k9kamp, bathrooms were all nice.
TravelerClean, safe RV park off a small lake. Functioning electric and water hookups as well as sewage. Very kind and helpful owners and friendly campers.
ScoutAlways have a good time, staff is always friendly. Ive been coming here since i was a kid my grandparents always had a seasonal here.
GuideWe had a great stay at Oneida Shores Campground. Over the weekend it was nearly full, but it never felt crowded. The other campers were friendly and there were no issues. At 10 pm, it got very quiet, no issues. The newly paved sites are level. The grounds are well kept. I wouldn't say the sites were too close together. We had plenty of room. The tent area is shaded by trees, the rv section is not. We encountered several park employees, all were very friendly and helpful. Never saw any geese. The only negative is that the showers and restrooms need a deep clean and upgrade, but they were serviceable.
TravelerThis campground is beautiful. The lake is good sized and clean. The property has beautiful fields and a creek that runs along the back. This is not a party campground and people are not packed in on top of each other. The little store is cute & affordable and the owners are on site 24/7.
ScoutGilbert Lake State Park is located about 11 miles north of Oneonta, New York. I have camped here for a number of summers at their Hilltop Section, never dissapointed. There are a few trails that traverse the park for a few miles that are always green and shady. The lake offers swimming and kayaking. There is a concession stand and even a small museum that chronicles the efforts of the national CCC program under Roosevelt that constructed the park in the 1930's. After a long day of hiking, the campgrounds hot showers offer a great reprieve.
ScoutNow that All Star Baseball purchased this Oneonta campground this year, don't expect to stay here if you are not a baseball family. I went there in person yesterday for two nights at their"primitive" tent sites. After Hanna checked her computer, my dates were all cleared...great, then let me pay the $70... but no... she had to check with management first. I thought that was strange since that never happened to me before when getting any campsites elsewhere. I was told I'd be called later that day but nobody called me. I went back the next day only to be told all sites for the summer were rented out. Clearly that was not true based on her computer check the day before. BOTTOMLINE: if you are not a baseball family spending $1000's here, don't expect to even get the time of day. Therefore, they do not deserve anyone's business.
ScoutThe problems started before we even arrived. When I called to make a reservation, the owner was rude and impatient, repeatedly complaining that he couldn't hear me, despite me having full service. I discovered cell service at the campground was spotty, which made his attitude even more frustrating in hindsight. I told him it would be us and our dog, his immediate response was,"IT'S NOT A PIT BULL, IS IT?" in a hostile tone. I said no, she's an American Staffordshire, and my husband's service dog. He rudely replied that it was"THE SAME THING" and that they have breed restrictions. When I asked whether he was denying us, he avoided answering and demanded"legal paperwork" for her. I told him that no such paperwork exists, but she is trained to perform a task. He completed the reservation, took my payment, gave us a site number, and hung up. Since the office was closed and we had already been assigned a site number and paid, we assumed we could go directly to our site and finish any details in the morning. While setting up, the owner drove over and confronted us for not reporting to the office first. He then demanded proof of rabies vaccination, which is reasonable. We apologized that we had forgotten the paperwork and said we'd email it to him first thing in the morning. We were extremely annoyed that we saw multiple pit bulls as soon as we pulled in the campground. The next morning, we emailed the records to the campground around 10:10 AM, exactly as promised, as soon as our vet's office had opened. About 11:00, the owner left a voicemail demanding that we leave the property immediately because he had not received the paperwork. I called back and asked him to check his email again, he accused me of sending it to the wrong address. I told him that if he still couldn't find it after checking again, I would come to the office once I was dressed. 30 minutes later, he left another voicemail saying he had escalated it to the sheriff's office because we had not complied. Meanwhile, my husband was already walking to the office to handle things and the owner informed him that we were no longer welcome and that he had called the sheriff's office. Again, my husband told them to check their spam folder, and the email had been there all along. We communicated throughout the entire process and did exactly what we said we would do. The owner's son was far more reasonable and they did apologize, but it didn't make the situation right. The sites were tight, muddy, unlevel, and had awkwardly placed hookups. We were packed so close together that the row behind us overlapped the rear of our camper by a few feet. We had to share water with the neighboring site through a splitter at the spigot. We didn't use the restrooms or amenities because after our interactions with management, we felt completely unwelcome. We only stayed because we were in town for our grandson's first birthday and couldn't find another campground on such short notice.
Cabin camping near Waterville, New York offers visitors diverse lodging options within a 30-mile radius of the area. The region features rolling hills, hardwood forests, and elevations ranging from 1,000 to 1,500 feet. Most campgrounds with cabins remain open from mid-April to mid-October, with peak temperatures averaging 80°F in summer and nightly lows reaching 55°F.
Water activities on Oneida Lake: Verona Beach State Park Campground provides direct access to swimming and fishing, plus a splash pad for children. "The beach is great. You cannot bring your own kayaks you have to rent. Fun hiking area the water is gorgeous," notes Sara H.
Herkimer diamond mining: Located across from Herkimer Diamond Mine KOA, the quartz crystal mine offers a unique geological experience. "The mines are so much fun. Some of the sites are crowded but each site has plenty of space," explains Kelly F., who also appreciated the well-maintained grounds and pet-friendly policies.
Glacial lake exploration: Green Lakes State Park Campground features two glacier-formed turquoise lakes with hiking trails. Kenneth S. describes the experience: "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."
Tubing adventures: The West Canada Creek provides tubing opportunities for all ages, with shuttle service available at some locations. "The river drop/Run is fantastic. Nice sized sites and space for your family to play," says Sparks N. about West Canada Creek Campground's river activities.
Heated pools and recreational options: Many campground cabins provide access to additional amenities. Sharon V. reports that West Canada Creek Campground "has it all. Heated pool, great store, large sites, surrounded by trees, events, soft serve ice cream, tube rentals to float on the creek (river)."
Clean, private shower facilities: Glimmerglass State Park Campground offers cabins with good bathroom access. "Very quiet small campground - friendly staff - large spots/mainly bigger setups. Very nice bathrooms w shower and wash station," according to Heather E.
Seasonal activities and themed weekends: Several campgrounds offer special events throughout the season. Sean M. describes the experience at West Canada Creek: "Their themed weekends and accompanying activities throughout the season are wonderful. We had the pleasure of staying for Labor Day weekend in which they had a kids carnival set up among many other things."
Site privacy and natural settings: Lebanon Reservoir provides cabin rentals in wooded settings. Michael O. notes that "The sites themselves are all in the open... with a nice forest behind you. Hookups are well located and modern."
Cabin variety and bedding requirements: Beyond the standard options, Gilbert Lake State Park Campground offers spacious multi-room cabins. W L. describes: "Spacious cabin was clean and comfortable. Two bedrooms, one with bunk beds and another with a full. There were dressers in each room. Also in the main room with a fireplace, futon, and table with benches."
Pet policies and fees: Some campgrounds charge additional pet fees. At West Canada Creek Campground, one camper noted "$5 per dog 'surprise' when we arrived," despite being a return visitor.
Reservation timing: Popular themed weekends book up to a year in advance. "Their Halloween weekend is truly a must see, with wagon rides and trick-or-treating! This weekend like many others fill up nearly a year in advance," explains Sean M.
Limited cell service: Signal strength varies by location. At Gilbert Lake, one reviewer mentions "Cell signal is not great in most places except the sites 'on top of the hill'."
Look for campgrounds with kid-specific activities: Cooperstown KOA offers numerous family-friendly amenities. Rachel Y. shares that "The pool, along the dog park, bounce house and swing set were well taken care of. The camp site was on grass and staff made it a point to check on us and invite us to the community bonfire they were doing that night."
Choose cabins near swimming areas: Several campgrounds offer beach or pool access within walking distance. Sara H. mentions that at Verona Beach, "Camped here twice now. Love it beach is great. You cannot bring your own kayaks you have to rent. Fun hiking area the water is gorgeous. Great playgrounds."
Consider cabin location relative to bathrooms: Family cabin camping benefits from proximity to facilities. Patti M. notes at Glimmerglass State Park: "It is clean great bathroom and showers. Very friendly campers and plenty to do at camp grounds and around the area."
Pack for varying weather: Temperatures can range from 50-85°F even in summer months. Sierra K. advises about Gilbert Lake: "I've been here so many times, camping in tents and also in the cabins. There are a couple different sections to choose from."
Look for sites with both cabin and RV options: Many campgrounds near Waterville accommodate both types of camping. At Cooperstown K O A Campgrounds, Mary O. reports: "We went there to hold every rally with our camping society, the owners were outstanding helping everyone of the year rally members including sitting with us by the campfire."
Consider accessibility and terrain: Not all cabin sites offer level access. Nancy W. describes Cooperstown KOA: "The park is nicely terraced and all the sites are level. Patios were a grassy/dirt area with a picnic table and fire pit."
Check utility hookups: Cabin sites often have different utility access than RV sites. Rob L. notes at Gilbert Lake: "The state has made many sites bigger over the last few years and is starting to add electricity to more sites. You can fill your water tank at the dump station as there are no water hookups."
Look for campgrounds with on-site stores: Several cabin camping options near Waterville provide basic supplies. Jeani B. appreciated that Herkimer Diamond Mine KOA has a "Well stocked camp store."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Waterville, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Waterville, NY is Lake Chalet Motel and Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 5 reviews.
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