Monthly Camping Site In/Near NY
April 14, 2009 5:59 PM   Subscribe

Where can I camp for several weeks at a time in the northeastern U.S. (in and around NY state)? I wanting a quiet spot that is set up to handle longterm campers? Also wondering whether there is a good guide to US campsites (ratings, etc.)?
posted by brynnwood to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (4 answers total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
You're going to have to be a little more specific than that. Upstate New York is just lousy with camping opportunities, including the venerable Appalachian Trail.

How far are you willing to drive to get there? What's your definition of "long term"? Are you looking to hike in or park nearby? Is it just you or are you looking for a group? Do you want a tent or some more permanent shelter? How far are you willing to walk for water? Do you want to stay in the same place more than one night? Do you want to sleep at a new campground every day for a week?

I think you'll find that in general, most people looking to camp for more than one or two days tend to be backpackers, i.e. carry your camp with you and set up again somewhere else every day or two. But the northeast in general and New York in particular has enough opportunities to enable you to answer all of these questions any way you like and still have tons of choices to make.
posted by valkyryn at 6:50 PM on April 14, 2009


Acadia National Park is beautiful and I believe allows you to camp for up to two weeks. It is also highly popular, so you need to reserve your spot in advance. I would imagine there are lots of great camping opportunities right around the park, too.
posted by sickinthehead at 7:24 PM on April 14, 2009


Lake George is dotted with little islands and nearly all have campsites on them. You have to boat out to the site (canoe, motor or kayak) and they are fairly rustic (there are composting toilets). There are even a few islands with a single site on them. I don't know how long you can stay on any given campsite, but perhaps you could move around a bit.

Lake George village is very kitschy, even slightly tacky. There are some McMansions on the lake, but one whole side is all state parkland. You won't be in the middle of nowhere, but the Southern Adirondacks have a lot to offer.

Book now, those sites fill up FAST.
posted by brookeb at 10:24 PM on April 14, 2009


Someone recently recommended Campster to me as a spot to find info on campsites, and it has forums and reviews. It looks like it's a pretty new site, so it's still building info.

I'd been looking for a family spot for a few days, so our needs our different. But you may like looking for camps that cater to fishing in very Northern New York. They'd be quiet and set-up for longterm. I'm going to Au Sable Chasm, which is on the Northeastern fringe of the Adirondacks near Lake Champlain, there's quite a few campgrounds in that area. Also, Old Forge is a popular area, although the water park may draw a lot of families.
posted by saffry at 4:09 AM on April 15, 2009


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