Best Cabin Camping near Waterville, NY

This is an extremely popular campground, and fills up quickly in the summer, especially on holiday weekends. Many local people I know in Syracuse will even camp here on a weekend, just to get away. Recent renovations to one of the two campgrounds will allow more room and hookups for RVs, in addition to the available tent sites. Cabins are also available, including one handicap accessible cabin. At least one of the campgrounds has a playground and there is another playground by the beach.

From the campgrounds there is access to the two miromictic lakes, one of which has a large beach area that is popular with many locals; the other is a National Natural Landmark and very scenic, but swimming is not allowed there. The trails near the lakes get very crowded but there are a total of 18 miles of trails in the park and many of them are less crowded. Trails from the campgrounds lead to a large tract of old-growth forest, a bird conservation area, and mountain biking trails. The park also has a golf course, frisbee golf course, and boat rentals and fishing access (on Green Lake near the beach)

I’ve been here so many times, camping in tents and also in the cabins. There are a couple different sections to choose from. Cell signal is not great in most places except the sites “on top of the hill”. There is a big lake that is very built up for swimmers and has a playground, water sport rentals and more. There are also volleyball courts and horseshoes. Great place to bring the family!

This is a small hidden gem of a state park where the only camping available is in camper cabins—and pretty amazing glamping for camper cabins! Although there may be times when there may be people and groups around for day use, the small number of cabins and they way they are spread out will make you feel like you are at your own private retreat. The cabins are beautifully built with lovely settings, and well appointed though you need to bring your own linens. There are a couple of ponds for fishing, but if you want to swim you need to go over to nearby Otsego Lake. The trails wind through mature forest, and you can cross country ski here in winter—in fact, reserve one of the winterized cabins and come for a long weekend of cozy cabin time and quiet time outdoors on the winter trails. There is a beautiful picnic pavilion and playground, so kid friendly. Unfortunately, pets can come for day use but cant stay in the cabins. Reservations must be made in advance for the cabins, and you can be sure they will be filled on special event weekends in nearby Cooperstown, especially for events at the Baseball Hall of Fame or the Farmers Living History Museum. . The park is far enough on the outskirts of town to be away from crowds and noise, but close enough to run to town for activities, get supplies or check out unique cafes and bakeries

Tent camping in the beautiful winding camp ground many shady trees brings you back to nature. We brought our bikes and explored the many hiking and riding trails on the premises. We loved the swimming beach soaking up the sun and cool refreshing water. As fisherman we loved that the rangers told us that the lake was regularly stocked with trout and other game fish. For the boaters there is an ample ramp to launch as well as boat rentals on the marina. Conveniences are provided with many bathrooms and shower facilities throughout the camp ground. For those not to into tenting there are cabins available to keep you safe. We camped in July, but were told that the park is opened for winter activities such as xcountry skiing and snow mobiling. A fun trip for the whole family

Charles has beautiful property! Acres and acres to explore and admire! The most accessible is a patch of pines with several tent sites, a small cabin, stone outdoor stove and a cool clear pond that is stocked with fish! Follow the corn on foot or an 4 wheel drive vehicle to the back pasture a more open area with apple trees and another small pond, further out is more land and wooded area Charles is happy to offer to you! I stayed 3 nights with my daughter and dog and had a wonderful time! This is a perfect for a quick quiet getaway, or to camp and explore apple orchards in the area! Charles sells fresh meat on site and it is amazing!!! I highly recommended this property, Charles is a wonderful host willing to help with anything, very family friendly and dog friendly to boot!!!

We've visited this campground twice now, and had a great experience both times.

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. But with room to fit another camper or two in between you and the next rig. Way easy access, but not a ton of shade or privacy. Sites are mostly level, but some did slant quite a bit. Hookups are well located and modern.

The facilities are very nice. Bathrooms are new and clean, and well kept. Showers were great. I've heard they've installed a new pavilion for games and events, but I haven't seen that yet. The staff is great, they have a nice little store for the basic supplies and treats, as well as fire wood and boat rentals. They also have cabins which are well thought out and nice!

Not a lot of Con's come to mind when I think about Lebanon. Very nice place, check it out!

This is a great example of what a state park should be. It not only preserves a place of unique biological diversity and geologic interest, it is also well set up and well maintained to maximize low impact outdoor recreation and environmental education. A new state of the art regional environmental education center is being built now that will open in spring, as well as new handicapped access kayaking docks that complement Accessible trails and campsites throughout the park. This is a great destination for families, handicapped campers, and natural history enthusiasts. There are several campgrounds, one is large and open and meant for large RVs, others are drive-in forested tent sites or trailer sites with hookups, and several walkin sites. 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. 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 and very deep. There are hiking trails, paved bike trails, a nature preserve for bird watching at Round Lake, a golf course, and great kayaking or canoeing. It is also located right next door to the Erie Canal State Park for those who want to hike or bike the historic Erie Canal. Though you might expect a park like this to be in a remote location, it is actually just a short distance east of the suburbs of the Syracuse metro area, so it is an easy park to get to, plus staying there also provides easy access to stores for supplies, or access to local cultural activities or restaurants for those who want that. One of my favorite state parks in New York!

Have been camping here off & on since I was 12 (1975). Great place for trails, fishing, swimming & plain camping. There are electric & non-electric sites as well as a Cabin Colony. Pet friendly

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. Screened-in porch that had a toilet area. Full kitchen with fridge, oven and sink.

Two entrances, one to the kitchen and the other to the porch. Outside was a fire ring.

An easy hike to a nearby lake was very pretty. Lots of wildlife, coyotes howling in the distance at night and plenty of deer. Perfect time of year to go, barely any mosquitoes and it was warm during the day but cool at night to enjoy a roaring fire inside.

Large park with nice playground and picnic area for day use.

We had better than average cell phone service near/in the cabin with AT&T.

Clean, modern bathrooms.  Campsites were raked and ready for us when we arrived.  Super friendly staff!  Just a well laid out campground that was perfect for us.  Peaceful, a mix of wooded sites for RV's and open sites with their cabins.  2 swimming pools, really nice playground for the younger kids, 2 baseball fields.  Just a top notch place.

After meeting up with the owner we went down to the parking area. A dirt trail and park on the side in the grass. You have to walk in about 2 minutes on a trail. The owner has a golf cart with a small wagon and transported our stuff to the campsite and back when we left…he was really nice and very helpful.the trail opened to open grassy areas with surrounding trees where we pitched our tent…a small table and fire ring w grate provided. Also firewood.you get water back up at the barn but the owner was nice and brought us a 5 gal. Jug. Pond stocked with fish…catch and release. We caught some nice bass and bullhead…kids had a blast. Past the pond is the cabin with sitting spots and an open cement fire stove and oven also a fire pit. Theres an outhouse behind the cabin w a seat over a bucket w chemicals…papertowels tp hand sanitizer and disenfectant wipes nicely provided. We did have cellphone signals. Overall a really nice spot to relax and commune w nature.

New York State pretty much has abandoned this park. Trees fallen down across the sites. Might be ok for a tent but that’s all.

This park is quiet and peaceful in fall, when we visited, but looks to be heavily used in summer due to many amenities including a very large number of camper cabins and a large beach on a large lake with a picturesque setting and large boathouse. There is also a good sized though rather open campground for tents and Trailers, some have hookups but most of the sites are not very private unless you reserve a spot on the periphery along the tree line. There are lots of nice hiking trails, though beware hiking during hunting season as hunting is allowed within the park borders.

I am sorry to have to give a rating of three, however, because a major problem at this park is the recent development ofva toxic algae problem in the lake, Because of algae blooms during warm weather, swimming and fishing in Gilbert Lake are now prohibited, which is very unfortunate as the lake and watwr activities are a focal point of the park. If you are ok with just hiking and being iut in the woods you might still be interested in coming, The campground is not too private or scenic. The camper cabins are pretty basic but in a pretty setting.

one plus factor is the handicapped accessibility, there are many paved ir accessible trails, and the park office has available a new all-terrain wheelchair that patrons can use to get out into the woods and explore

Rustic camping with all the amenities awaits you at Devil Doc campsites. You will find three tent sites and a small cabin with loft on the property presently. There are plans to expand into another cabin for the bathhouse. A RV trailer is currently being used as the bathrooms as well as a common room for hanging out. Future expansion will see a group site near the upper pond get developed, and a leanto with a glass face. (!) firewood is also available on the premises.  Free to roam around the property, you will inevitably end up hanging around Rich up near his house. The patio is always alive with music, people, and chipmunks who horde peanuts. Basketball is always an option (Rich is a big fan), as well as chilling near the ponds and creeks. The local store is a short 3 mile ride away, if there is anything you forgot, or Rich doesn’t have. Rich could be the most hospitable host we’ve had so far. Music, libations, fire wood and coffee. All were offered and shared. We had a great time there, and will be back. 

The Devil Doc Campsite are just inside the Adirondack Park foothills. With close proximity to Northville and Gloversville, the world is never that far away. Or a good restaurant. The PeckHill state forest is close by for mountain biking. You can park at the trailhead on CR 101, or at Stump City brewing, to ride the trails. Lots of hiking and great fishing are found in the area, along with plenty of water sport opportunities.

My son and I had a great weekend there, and will surely be back. Soon!

My buddy and I were looking for a campsite for a quick overnight stay before a bike trip around the Adirondacks, and this spot was a perfect fit. Coming in late after driving all day, we unfortunately didn’t get to meet Rich in person. He did however give us good directions to navigate the narrow driving path in the dark to reach the pond camping area, and even had a large two room tent already set up that we were able to use - a convenient and kind gesture! The old school bus was a fun perk to check out in the morning as well. Most state ran parks in New York close up before the middle of October, and this is a great option for an off season camping spot in the area. Thanks Rich!

We stayed her for the first time and compared to most KOAs we have stayed at this one was far better. 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- has K-9 area for dogs to run off leash and do agility course

Lots of activities

Themed cabins

Almost all camping sites are on the water

You can go tubing from one end of the creek to the other- bring your own tube

Playground

Pool

Basketball court

Shuffle board

Level Sites

Full hook-ups

Across the street from Herkimer Diamond Mine

We had lots of fun, we spent one day at the mines and the next day we tried to do as many activities as we could- wiffle ball, made pinwheels, volleyball with a giant volleyball, bingo, family relay, ice cream social and dance party. Great time, clean campground, great staff.

For my full review visit: openboxreviews.com

This state park campground is one of the few that offer full hook ups.

The bathrooms have been remodeled and most are private with a toilet, shower and sink which makes this a wonderful family campground.

The hiking includes an easy 3.1 mile loop with much shade around two glacier formed turquoise lakes ( you need to see them in person to appreciate)

The beach area is wide and shallow in most areas. in close proximity to the store and snack shop (ICE CREAM)

Just past the swimming area is boat rentals ($7/hr for row boat rental)

Golfing is also available on site!

Beaver Valley Campground is family owned and operated, originally a baseball camp, it still has that baseball draw for those families whose youngsters are playing at the Field of Dreams and close enough to serve as your campground as you travel to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame, Herkimer Diamond Mines, area micro brewery's and even a ride to the Finger Lakes. Beaver Valley has camper and tent sites, and even cabins that fit 2- 20 plus people. There is a large baseball field that could be rented and used. The bathrooms are impeccable, the grounds are groomed, well kept and clean and there are 2 pools, one for the little children and a larger one older people. There is a large pond for fishing and paddling around in. We camped with a 34 foot trailer and because we booked late, we were unable to get a site with sewer. When we needed to have out tank cleaned out, we went to the office and within minutes, we had a visitor at our site to take care of things. This was our second visit to this camp ground and it is at the top of our list of the best kept and run campgrounds that we have stayed at.

I stayed at Charles’ farm with a friend of mine. We had a great time! Charles was there to greet us, he was a little quiet in the beginning but we had a great chat. We bought some kabob meat from him and cooked it up on the fire pit with some corn for dinner. There isn’t a heap to do once you’re on the actual farm, but if you want a place to walk through pastures, relax, watch the sunset, see the stars, and be outside, this is the place for you. There are fish in the pond, but we didn’t do any fishing this time so I’m not sure if you have to bring your own gear or not. Make sure you bring long pants if you want to walk through the back pasture to avoid burrs in your legs! We pitched our tent near the pond next to the cabin. It was a great spot with a fire pit right there, plenty of wood provided, a lovely bench to watch the sunset from. The outhouse is small but functional. After we left the farm we went and picked apples at nearby Deer Run Farm. Overall we had a wonderful time. Thank you Charles for having us!

My husband and I wanted a quiet get away and we found it. Joel & Billyjo are wonderful people. Loved our conversations and want to thank them for a awesome experience in there world. We will be going yearly

We really loved this place and would love to come back.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Beautiful clear blue lakes 

Nice, long trails around both lakes 

Swimming area 

Kayak rentals 

Nature educational building 

Decent sized sites

CONS: 

There are signs all over that you can’t swim in the lake. Only in the designated area. 

Hard to get a kayak to rent at times

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS: Golf course Mini golf