The beautiful and diverse Empire State is home to 119 state campgrounds, which makes picking a spot for your next camping adventure a daunting task.
Here are eight state parks and campgrounds that are sure to make your next excursion to New York a memorable one.
You can view the entire digital camping guide here.
For more information on campsites and state parks in New York, be sure to visit Reserve America.
Schodack Island State Park
1 of 9
New! Just south of Albany, the 1,052-acre Schodack Island State Park is opening for camping with the creation of three camping loops (two with electric) for tents and RVs and two new comfort stations. Featuring seven miles of Hudson River and Schodack Creek shoreline, it's been designated a State Estuary, and also shelters a Bird Conservation Area, home to bald eagles, cerulean warblers and blue herons. Eight miles of multi-use trails wind through a variety of ecological communities. In addition, Schodack Island offers a popular boat launch, fishing, ball fields, volleyball nets and a kayak/canoe launch site.
Reserve a
CampsiteAllegany State Park
2 of 9
The largest of New York's state parks with 65,000 acres, Allegany State Park has two developed areas, Red House and Quaker, offering sand beaches, hiking trails, museums and naturalist walks. Visitors are able to choose from a variety of lodging options including 38 full-service two-bedroom cottages, hundreds of campsites and cabins (many winterized) and two recentlyrenovated group camps available for rental. Nearby recreation areas include tennis courts, picnic areas, ball fields and playgrounds. Rowboats, paddleboats, bicycles and more are available to rent. There are 18 trails offering 80 miles of hiking and snowshoeing, more than 25 miles of cross-country skiing or snowshoeing and 90 miles of groomed snowmobile trails. Other activities include bird watching, fishing, hunting, canoeing, kayaking, mountain biking and horseback riding. Educational and nature interpretive programs offer guided hikes, fossil hunts and star gazing.
Reserve a
CampsiteGreen Lakes State Park
3 of 9
Green Lakes State Park has two beautiful glacial lakes dating back to the Ice Age. The lakes are surrounded by campsites (some now full service!) and newly renovated cabins situated in the lush forests. The park has more than 20 miles of prized hiking trails that circle the lakes, where you can stop for a private picnic with or without shelter. The bathhouse offers amenities adjacent to the popular beach. There is an interpretive nature center that provides educational and recreational programs during the season. What more could you ask for? How about a scenic two-hour hike that takes you around Green Lake and Round Lake and alongside the 18-hole Robert Trent Jones championship golf course! Following your hike, enjoy lunch on the clubhouse terrace overlooking the lakes and course.
Reserve a
CampsiteDelta Lake State Park
4 of 9
Delta Lake State Park is located on a peninsula in the Delta Reservoir. Campers can enjoy one of 101 electric sites set among the wooded property. Summer visitors can take a dip in the cool water off the sandy beach. You'll find the terrain is wooded and generally flat. There is also a boat launch and shoreline fishing for trout, pike, bass, bullhead and perch. Picnic areas are open year-round along with a hiking and nature trail during daylight hours.
Reserve a
CampsiteNorth South Lake Campground
5 of 9
North-South Lake is the largest and most popular state campground in the Catskill Forest Preserve, offering extraordinary, scenic beauty and historical sites such as Alligator Rock, Kaaterskill Falls, and the former site of the Catskill Mountain House. An abrupt change in elevation occurs from about 540 feet above sea level at the base of the escarpment to approximately 2,250 feet at the site of the former Catskill Mountain House. It is said that on a clear day, five states can be viewed from the escarpment. Everyone will enjoy the pavilion and boat rentals as well as the playground, volleyball and horseshoe areas.
Reserve a
CampsiteCrown Point Campground
6 of 9
Because Crown Point Public Campground rests over battlefields and fort locations dating back to 1775, remnants of structures and sites remain for visitors to view. The lighthouse, rebuilt in 1911-1912 and positioned on the campground shore, overlooks the 281,600-acre Lake Champlain. Positioned so that it is majestically overlooking Lake Champlain and neighboring Vermont, the Crown Point bridge looms on the northern most shore of this campground and is one of the few bridges connecting New York State and Vermont. The entire Crown Point Reservation, including all 49 acres of the campground, are listed in the National Register of Historic Places and have been designated by the United States Secretary of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark.
Reserve a
CampsiteLake George Islands
7 of 9
Located on the "Queen" of American Lakes, Lake George, the Lake George Islands offer a unique experience to campers. Lake George Islands campsites are accessible by boat only and are spread out over much of the lake. They are divided into three groups: Glen, Long and Narrow. Each group has its own headquarters to make site registration as convenient as possible. After choosing the area you want to camp in, you need to go to a private marina to park and launch. A fee is usually charged for both. Fishing, hiking, bird watching, boating and sailing are included in the many activities campers enjoy. Please note that dogs are prohibited on any of the islands, docks and on vessels moored at docks.
Reserve a
CampsiteTioga Point Campground
8 of 9
This campground is located in the central portion of the Adirondack Park, on a 90-acre lake and offers secluded, wooded sites. Swimming, hiking, fishing and picnicking are some of the activities campers can enjoy while at this facility. The Adirondack Park Visitor Interpretive Center at Newcomb and the Adirondack Museum at Blue Mountain Lake are a short drive and feature the history of the Adirondack Mountains.
.jpg?height=174&mode=Thumbnail&width=234)
Discuss This Article