For purposes of tourism and travel, the New York State Division of Tourism divides the state into ten regions. Because of the way public campgrounds are dispersed across New York, I’ve chosen to organize my book a bit differently. I’ve grouped campgrounds into seven regions, generally in the order of their location from south to north and east to west along or near major highways. They are: Long Island, Hudson Valley and the Catskills, the Capital Region and Central New York, Adirondack Park, Thousand Islands and Lake Ontario, the Finger Lakes, and Chautauqua-Allegany and Greater Niagara. This guidebook is written primarily for campers who prefer to travel to campgrounds in conventional, two-wheel-drive vehicles. Thus, the campgrounds listed here vary from plush, amenity-rich locations to a handful of wilderness sites with no facilities except scenery and solitude (and maybe a pit toilet). But there are also hundreds of backcountry and trailside campgrounds that are only accessible to hikers and backpackers, and many of the campgrounds described here serve as excellent base camps from which to reach these remote sites. For information about available backcountry campsites, contact the offices and consult publications of the New York State Parks Department, the Department of Environmental Conservation, the National Parks Service, and similar organizations.
Most public campgrounds accept reservations. A handful of other areas that are first come, first served have been noted in the “About the campground” section of each campground description. When planning to visit the larger campgrounds in New York, especially on or around holiday weekends, reservations are highly recommended. To book a site at a state campground or DEC managed site, visit http:// newyorkstateparks.reserveamerica.com or call 800-456-2267. In addition to the base rate, a reservation fee will be charged for all sites booked online or by phone. Walk-ups are charged a lower fee for registration. Federally managed sites can be booked in advance by visiting www.recreation.gov or calling 877-444-6777.
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation administers a number of programs that enable campers to potentially save money and enhance their visits to parks, historic sites, and recreation areas across the state. During any weekday, the Golden Park Program gives free vehicle access to state parks, boat launch sites, and arboretums to residents 62 years of age or older who present a valid New York State Driver License or Non-Driver Identification Card. Younger campers who plan to visit numerous state parks and DEC preserves over the course of the year can purchase the Empire Passport. This window decal affords the holder unlimited day-use vehicle entry statewide. Meanwhile, residents with disabilities can apply for either an Individual Access Pass or a Group Access Pass to receive free entrance to parks and historic sites, discounted campsite rental, and free or discounted use of facilities. For more information about this program, visit http://nysparks.com/admission/access-pass/default.aspx.
Finally, frequent campers with a desire to help others might consider enrolling in the Camper Assistance Program or CAP. In exchange for a free camping site, CAP volunteers at least 18 years of age agree to assist a park manager five days a week for two to four weeks between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Following a brief orientation, volunteers typically welcome new campers and help them learn the “ways of the woods.” Other duties might include familiarizing campers with park programs and regulations, assisting with recreation and nature programming, and checking and stocking facilities between regular maintenance crew visits. For details about the Camper Assistance Program, visit http://nysparks.com/camping/camper-assistance-program.aspx.
For each of the seven regions covered in Camping New York, the following basic information is provided:
A map of the tour region. Each area map shows the locations of the campgrounds within its boundaries, with the number on the map corresponding to the number of the campground description within the text. By using the maps and the instructions in the “Finding the campground” section of each campground description, you should have no difficulty reaching most sites. Even so, you might need additional maps to find some of the more remote campgrounds, as noted previously. Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to have maps at different scales.
Overview. This section seeks to give a rough idea of the region’s main attributes. Highlights, points of interest, parks, and natural landscape within the region are briefly discussed here, too.
Quick reference tables. For quick reference, a table at the beginning of each section lists all the campgrounds in the area and highlights their most important attributes. If you are looking for specific amenities, such as fishing or wheelchair accessibility, you can use these tables to narrow your selection of campgrounds.
Campground descriptions. Each campground description is numbered to correspond with the campground’s location on the map. For each campground, the following information is provided:
Location. This is the name of a town or a major city near the campground, the approximate distance in miles to the campground, and the general direction of travel to reach it.
Season. Some campgrounds are open year-round, while most of those in New York are seasonal. Note that the opening and closing dates of certain campgrounds are approximate and depend upon holidays, snowfall, and other weather conditions.
Sites. This information provides the number of campsites available and whether tents, RVs, or both are allowed. When possible, it also indicates the availability of water and/or electric hookups. In New York, a significant number of public campgrounds have remodeled at least some of their sites to offer hookups. This is especially true of state and county parks.
Maximum RV length. This information will help RV campers decide whether or not a given campground can accommodate their vehicle.
Facilities. This describes the facilities and amenities provided, including any recreational facilities available at the campground. Recreational activities that can take place at or from the campground are also listed here. For example, swimming may be possible at a lakeside campground, hiking trails may be within walking distance of a campground, or canoes and kayaks may be launched from a campground boat launch.
Fee per night. This is usually given as a price range for individual sites, allowing for differences between summer and winter rates, sites with or without hookups, and premium (such as waterfront) and average campsites. The fees shown here are current as of the date of this writing. For updated information call the managing agency. Many campgrounds in New York have higher rates for out-of-state residents, while others charge a daily fee for pets.
Management. The authority managing the campground is identified here, with contact information listed below. As indicated earlier, the vast majority of the public campgrounds in this book are controlled by one of the following entities: National, state, or county parks, the Department of Environmental Conservation, and in one case, the US Forest Service.
Contact. A phone number and web address are provided for additional information about park hours, regulations, prices, and new or discontinued facilities.
Finding the campground. Detailed instructions are furnished for driving to the campground from the nearest city, town, or major highway. Although it’s possible to find most of the campgrounds in this book using these directions and the corresponding regional map, the task will definitely be easier with the help of a detailed road atlas and/or a detailed state road map.
GPS coordinates. Latitude and longitude data are provided that can be used to pinpoint the campground’s location with a GPS.
About the campground. This information differentiates this particular campground from others or highlights special features. For example, if a campground is located on the water (ocean, lake, river, or stream), that fact is noted. Details about prime sites and handicapped accessibility are usually given, and area attractions are also often mentioned.