While most people consider New York City to be the main attraction of the state, further upstate lies Chenango Valley State Park; a much calmer 1,137 acre natural wonder of New York. This park is known for its two kettle lakes, named Chenango and Lily. The lakes, which were created after the last Ice Age, formed when large chunks of ice that were left behind by a glacier ended up buried deep beneath the earth. Over time, that ice melted, forming the bogs and wetlands known today as Chenango and Lily. 

The park’s rich ecosystem attracts both migrant as well as predatory birds and other watchable wildlife. Subsequently, birdwatchers will delight finding and spotting the woodpeckers, nuthatches, warblers and thrushes found along woodland trails. You will also find herons, ducks, and kingfishers over on the lakeside. 

Those searching for something closer to the lakes will enjoy an abundance of excellent fishing opportunities. Fishermen can attempt to catch trout, bass, perch, and bullhead in Chenango Lake, as well as the various wetlands and marshes throughout. Lily Lake is not known for its fishing opportunities, but makes a the perfect place for a relaxing day at the beach. After you’ve soaked up some rays, enjoy a relaxing game of gold over at the 18-hole Chenango Valley State Park Golf Course. There’s never a shortage of activities, nor scenic beauty to take in during your stay here. And luckily, if you can’t fit it all into one day the park offers fantastic overnight accommodations as well. 

When camping here, take comfort knowing there’s plenty of room for everyone. In fact, campers can choose from among 184 campsites, or  24 warm and cozy cabins. The park offers shower buildings routinely placed throughout, as well as an amply-stocked convenience store with camper information inside. 

Fortunately, there is a variety of campsite sizes and amenities to choose from. However, if you’re planning on camping with an RV, consider reserving your site at least a few months in advance as space can fill up very quickly, especially during the summer.

Chenango Valley State Park Campground

We were just passing through on a rainy night, but this park would be a good choice for a multi-night stay. 

**Activities for a Multi-Day Stay**

- Swimming in the lake, golfing, boating, fishing, multi-use trails for hiking or mountain biking

- You're only about 20 minutes from the Binghamton/Johnson City area. For us, that means food and craft beer.

**Sites in the Chipmunk Camping Area**

- Parking pads in the non-electric section are dirt/grass. Some of the pads are short; this section is geared toward tent campers. We found a site long enough to easily accommodate our vehicle and teardrop trailer (30 ft total) since we didn't want to detach for a one night stay. Even if the pad wasn't that long, there are other pads wide enough to handle a vehicle and trailer like ours side by side.

- Parking pads in the electric loops (30 amps and 50 amps) have a good amount of gravel.

- We usually prefer sites on the outer part of a loop, and this was no exception. The sites have more trees.

**Amenities**

- Electricity at about 1/3 of the sites

- Pretty good restrooms/showers

- Water spigots on the loops and more water at the dump station

- Trash disposal

- Playground at the beach area, not the campground

**Wildlife**

- Beware of raccoons. They are brazen thieves here...and every campground they inhabit. Just don't leave your food out.

- The park brochure warns of the occasional bear but that's true even in towns all over NY. I doubt you'll see one.

- Deer are all over. Watch out for them on the roads. We had four that were feeding behind our site in the morning.

Well maintained NY state campground; good for family camping

There is plenty of space here at Chenango Valley State Park.  The only downfall is that there really isn't much else to do around the area.  Now, that's not at fault of the state park, but it's worth noting for those who want to venture out and come back to the campsite in the evening.  There is plenty of space to swim, and the walking trails are well maintained.  you can also fish in the lake for trout and bass.  There are also hot showers to get clean.

Plenty of space

I have camped [CVSP](http://camp-ground-review-chenango-valley-state-park) several times in all sorts of capabilities, tent camping, pop-up and hard sided campers. Whether you are looking for a campsite in a forest setting or one with a large open field you can find it. There's is a perfect lake for kayaking for beginner or seasoned, as well as great hiking and mountain biking trails. Keep your eye peeled for the resident bald eagle and think about brining your clubs for a round of golf. The bathhouses are maybe the only negative to our whole experience but with the upgrade coming right now to the swimming area which oncludes better water circulation and a splashpad we will alwaus enjoy our trip here.

Great State park & only getting better

This is a beautiful park, the hiking is great with varied trails, nice changes in elevation due to the glacial geology of the landscape, and scenic vistas overlooking 2 beautiful lakes. A lot of fisherman were trying their luck, and seemingly having good luck, while we were there. Interpretive center and education programs available in summer. For those who like golfing, there is a really nice woodsy course fully within the park. The beach/ bathhouse / waterfront area is undergoing a major renovation and upgrade which should be nice! Standard wooded campsites, small camp store on site but otherwise you will need to travel a ways to a town with grocery store so come prepared. As the first poster mentioned, the park is a bit off the beaten path, it is a 20-30 minute drive to the northern outskirts of the city of Binghamton to the south, or the nearest sizable town of Greene to the north if you are looking for other activities in the area besides what the park can provide. However, as an easily accessible outdoorsy retreat, this is a great spot!

Chenango Valley State Park

This campground has many large sized campsites and plenty of hiking, swimming and fishing to do. One highlight is the close vicinity to the infamous 'April the giraffe'!!! If you feel adventurous, take a paddle tour down the river, it's a great way to spend the day connecting with nature and disconnecting from the electronics!

Large park, great bathrooms! 

This campground is located just a few miles north of Binghamton, NY. It has a golf course, a reservoir lake for kayaking, fishing, and a newly improved beach and swimming area. Lots of picnicking areas. There are 3 campground loops. The loops are all paved. Sites are mostly shaded by mature trees. sites in Chipmunk loop themselves are not paved, but just dirt, so you'll want to have an outdoor rug or mat. Other loop sites are on grass, a bit more open. A canopy is helpful to keep pinecones and leaf debris off your table &amp; things. On weekends the day use area is quite busy. If it's warm, good weather means a crowd by the swimming area and the parking lot will be full. My only complaint is that there's no convenient way to unload your own kayaks/canoes because of the parking crush.

Nice campground and day use facilities

Camping at Chenango Valley State Park is always a great time. The park is very family friendly. It has numerous hiking and biking trails, two lakes (Lily and Kettle) and a 18-hole golf course for guests to enjoy. The grounds and bathrooms are very well maintained and the sites are level for those RV or tent camping. We enjoy the sites because they’re spacious and woodsy. They make you feel secluded, but are also a short drive from a brewery and the city of binghamton. 

Chenango Valley State Park, NY

We had a great night at this campground. Overall it's a pretty large campground, and there sites were a nice size. We were there on a weeknight and basically had the primitive area to ourselves. 

Roomy sites

this campground has only electric hookup but plenty of fresh water.  the dump station is big and easy access. the camo sites are spacious and you are not on top of your neighbor. 