Camping in the Adirondacks

One of the best things about the Adirondack park is the New York State public campgrounds. They are clean, cheap, and beautiful. It only costs about $14 a night to stay at them. The restrooms are clean, and you can almost always get a hot shower should you need one. Here are some of the best ones.

Lake Harris State Campground

This campground sits on Lake Harris and is the perfect place to go if you have boat you want to use. Lake Harris allows motor boats, and the campground has lots of space for your trailor and boat, including a small field just for trailors not being used, so you don’t clutter up your camping space. Lots of sites in the campground, and many of them on the water. You can wake up and roll out of your tent right into the water if you want to. When you wake up in the morning you might see some boats on the water already, fishing for pike or bass. If you are on the water at night, the campground side of the lake has little campfires dotting the shore; it’s beautiful. Even if you don’t get a spot right on the water, the other spots are just about 50 feet away from the shore, and elevated so you will even have a gorgeous view of the Lake. And even though sometimes the campground gets filled to capacity, it’s quiet and peaceful. This might be because the sites have lots of space and trees between them. There’s a trail from the campground to the base Santanoni Mountain, and there’s a little beach spot where you can play around in the water or cast from the shore if there are no swimmers around. This campground fantastic and by the way so are the staff.

Lake Harris State Campground
Rte 28N
Newcomb, NY   12852
518/582-2503 or 800/456-CAMP

Lake Durant State Campground

This campground sits on Lake Durant which sounds interesting but there are a few reasons why this lake and campground are much less desirable places to visit than Lake Harris. One, Lake Durant is hardly a lake: it’s very shallow so fishing is bad, and also you wouldn’t want to waste your time putting a motor boat on this little lake. Two, the campground itself is cramped and sound carries so you feel like everyone in the campground is even more clustered around you. Maybe the staff know their campground is inferior because they’re not half as nice as the ones at Lake Harris. I think it even costs more.

Other waterside state campgrounds in the Adirondacks. Why settle for any old campground, when you can be right on a lake, stream, or river? In general, we prefer the larger, deeper lakes for fishing, boating, and a general sense of freedom. However, always be sure to ask first whether your favorite type of recreation is allowed and appropriate. Regardless of size, all New York state campgrounds have their own special charm. Some even have cabins or lean-to's. Here is the most complete and convenient list of waterside state campgrounds in the Adirondacks that you are likely to find.  We suggest that you add this page now to your "bookmarks" or "favorites."

Lakes and Rivers with One State Campground (With lake size if available.) Brown Tract Pond (146 acre) Off Uncas Rd Raquette Lake, NY   13436 315/354-4412 or 800/456-CAMP Buck Pond (130 acre) Franklin County RT 30 Onchiota, NY   12989 518/891-3449 or 800/456-CAMP Cranberry Lake Lone Pine Rd Cranberry Lake, NY   12927 315/848-2315 or 800/456-CAMP Eighth Lake  (314 acre) Rte 28 Raquette Lake, NY   13436 315/354-4120 or 800/456-CAMP Fish Creek Pond 4523 State Route 30 Saranac Lake, NY   12983 518/891-4560 or 800/456-CAMP Forked Lake (1248 acre) W of Long Lake (Rte 30) Long Lake, NY   12847 518/624-6646 or 800/456-CAMP Indian Lake Islands (4365 acre) Rte 30 Indian Lake, NY   12842 518/648-5300 or 800/456-CAMP Lake Durant (327 acre) Rte 28 Blue Mountain Lake, NY   12812 518/352-7797 or 800/456-CAMP Lake Eaton Rte 30 Long Lake, NY   12847 518/897-1395 or 800/456-CAMP Lewey Lake (90 acre) Rte 30 Indian Lake, NY   12842 518/648-5266 or 800/456-CAMP Limekiln Lake Limekiln Lake Rd Inlet, NY   13360 315/357-4401 or 800/456-CAMP Lincoln Pond County Rte 7 Elizabethtown, NY   12932 518/942-5292 or 800/456-CAMP Meacham Lake (1203 acre) Rte 30 Paul Smiths, NY   12970 518/483-5116 or 800/456-CAMP Nick's Lake Bisby Rd Old Forge, NY   13420 315/369-3314 or 800/456-CAMP Paradox Lake Rte 74 Severance, NY   12872 518/532-7451 or 800/456-CAMP Putnam Pond Rte 74 Putnam Pond Rd Ticonderoga, NY   12883 518/585-7280 or 800/456-CAMP Rollins Pond (442 acre) 4523 State Rte 30 Saranac Lake, NY   12983 518/891-3239 or 800/456-CAMP (St. Lawrence River) Jacques Cartier State Park Off Rte 12 Morristown, NY   13664 315/375-6371 or 800/456-CAMP (Schroon Lake) Eagle Point Campground Rte 9 Pottersville, NY   12860 518/494-2220 or 800/456-CAMP Taylor Pond (813 acre) Silver Lake Rd Au Sable Forks, NY   12912 518/647-5250 or 800/456-CAMP (Whetstone Creek) Whetstone Gulf State Park Rte 26 6065 W Rd Lowville, NY   13367 315/376-6630 or 800/456-CAMP

Lakes with Several State Campgrounds (These are large lakes!)  Fourth Lake Alger Island 225 N. Main Street Old Forge, NY   13420 315/369-3224 or 800/456-CAMP Luzerne 892 Lake Ave Lake Luzerne, NY   12846 518/696-2031 or 800/456-CAMP Lake Champlain Ausable Point Rte 9 Peru, NY   12972 518/561-7080 or 800/456-CAMP Crown Point Bridge Rd Crown Point, NY   12928 518/597-3603 or 800/456-CAMP Cumberland Bay State Park 152 Cumberland Rd Rte 314E Plattsburgh, NY   12901 518/563-5240 or 800/456-CAMP Lake George Hearthstone Point Rte 9N Lake George, NY   12845 518/668-5193 or 800/456-CAMP Lake George Battleground Rte 9 Lake George, NY   12845 518/668-3348 or 800/456-CAMP Lake George Islands-Glen Island Bolton Landing, NY   12814 518/644-9696 or 800/456-CAMP Lake George Islands-Long Island (Boat access only) Lake George, NY   12845 518/656-9426 or 800/456-CAMP Lake George Islands-Narrow Island Huletts Landing Marina, Narrow Island Huletts Landing, NY   12814 518/499-1288 or 800/456-CAMP Roger's Rock Rte 9N Hague, NY   12836 518/585-6746 or 800/456-CAMP Piseco Lake Little Sand Point Old Piseco Rd Piseco, NY   12139 518/548-7585 or 800/456-CAMP Point Comfort Old Piseco Rd Piseco, NY   12139 518/548-7586 or 800/456-CAMP Poplar Point Old Piseco Rd Piseco, NY   12139 518/548-8031 or 800/456-CAMP Raquette Lake Golden Beach Rte 28 Raquette Lake, NY   13436 315/354-4230 or 800/456-CAMP Tioga Point Raquette Lake, NY   13436 315/357-4230 or 800/456-CAMP Sacandaga Lake Moffitt Beach Rte 8 Page Street Speculator, NY   12164 518/548-7102 or 800/456-CAMP Saranac Lake Saranac Lake Islands 24 Ampersand Bay Rd Saranac Lake, NY   12983 518/891-2841 or 800/456-CAMP

Adirondacks Photos