New York & Northeast State parks?

[jymbee]

Kind of ironic that we know a lot more about State Parks in TX and along the Gulf Coast than we know about the State/Public Parks in our own "backyard".

Mostly due to the fact that we've only owned our RV for 2 years and we live in a rural area in the Catskill Mountains which we pretty much regard as our  own private park for most of the Summer.  Also numerous property duties keep us grounded and we only manage to get away as winter approaches and head out for warmer locations. Snowbirds are we.

But this year as Summer winds down and Fall-- the best time around here by far IMO-- approaches, we'd like to get in a few camping excursions to areas within a days' drive of our home. That would include just about anywhere in NY State as well as areas to the Northeast-- VT, MA, NH, ME etc.

We much prefer State & other public parks to private campgrounds and would appreciate any suggestions!

 

[Phil-T]

Check out Ultimate Campgrounds?  Lots of State Parks listed with basic info and phone #s.

 

[darsben]

Lake Eaton in The Adirondacks is gorgeous in the fall. A DEC campground.

 

[NY_Dutch]

A few of our favorite NY State Park campgrounds are:

Robert Moses SP, Massena, NY with some sites fronting on the St Lawrence Seaway

Letchworth SP, Castile, NY, adjacent to the "Grand Canyon of the East"

Gilbert Lake SP, Laurens, NY, nice quiet park with a large swimming beach

Four Mile Creek SP, overlooking Lake Ontario about 20 minutes from Niagara Falls SP

Those four and many others are operated by the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation. Nearly all OPRHP parks offer electric sites, some having on site water, and few with some full hookups. All have potable water access at various locations and dump stations. The Adirondack and Catskill SP park campgrounds are mostly operated by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, and for the most part do not offer onsite electric, water, or sewer hook ups.

 

[darsben]

A few of our favorite NY State Park campgrounds are:

Robert Moses SP, Massena, NY with some sites fronting on the St Lawrence Seaway

Letchworth SP, Castile, NY, adjacent to the "Grand Canyon of the East"

Gilbert Lake SP, Laurens, NY, nice quiet park with a large swimming beach

Four Mile Creek SP, overlooking Lake Ontario about 20 minutes from Niagara Falls SP

Those four and many others are operated by the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation. Nearly all OPRHP parks offer electric sites, some having on site water, and few with some full hookups. All have potable water access at various locations and dump stations. The Adirondack and Catskill SP park campgrounds are mostly operated by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, and for the most part do not offer onsite electric, water, or sewer hook ups.

Gilbert Lake has construction which may affect stays

 

[NY_Dutch]

Gilbert Lake has construction which may affect stays

Yes, they're currently in the middle of a major sewer system upgrade that I was told will bring sewer hookups to some sites along with a dump station at the Hilltop Loop saving the long run down the hill and past the beach to the existing dump station. Some sites and cabins may not be available depending on construction requirements. Also note that under the current COVID-19 park rules, all NYS parks only allow camping by reservation, no walk-ins are allowed.

 

[Prior member]

Check out the Adirondacks. There are some nice ones there such as Eighth Lake, Lake Eaton, and Fish Creek Pond.
We like Fish creek Pond

Jack L

 

[darsben]

Dutch
You and I seem to know the same places.
I did not go to Gilbert Lakes because of the construction. Glad to get good info.
I do like Robert Moses SP
Planning a trip to four mile creek of late August

 

[NY_Dutch]

Heh! We were at Gilbert Lake for the 4th of July week and the only occasional construction noise we heard was from the large leach field construction near Hilltop. And that was distant enough to not be annoying. We'll be at Robert Moses for Labor Day week with our two daughters and their partners on adjacent sites facing the seaway with a view of the ships entering and exiting the Eisenhower Lock. We usually stop at Four Mile Creek for a few days on our way through Canada to visit friends in London and Michigan, but that's not happening this year so far due to the border closing of course. When NYS opened up campground reservations for all of 2021, we made our desired site and date picks for the 4th at Gilbert Lake and Labor Day for Robert Moses, so we're all set there. I was told at Gilbert Lake that our site would be full hookup by next season. That would be great if it happens!

 

[jymbee]

Lake Eaton in The Adirondacks is gorgeous in the fall. A DEC campground.

No matter what timeframe I enter I get: "Sorry, this facility does not match your selections".
I assume this is because they can't accommodate our 34' MH. (?)

 

[jymbee]

A few of our favorite NY State Park campgrounds are:

Robert Moses SP, Massena, NY with some sites fronting on the St Lawrence Seaway

Letchworth SP, Castile, NY, adjacent to the "Grand Canyon of the East"

Gilbert Lake SP, Laurens, NY, nice quiet park with a large swimming beach

Four Mile Creek SP, overlooking Lake Ontario about 20 minutes from Niagara Falls SP

Those four and many others are operated by the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation. Nearly all OPRHP parks offer electric sites, some having on site water, and few with some full hookups. All have potable water access at various locations and dump stations. The Adirondack and Catskill SP park campgrounds are mostly operated by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, and for the most part do not offer onsite electric, water, or sewer hook ups.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll definitely check them out.
Actually, Gilbert Lake SP is just over an hour's drive from our home but here again, as our travel plans to date have been more focused on SW USA, we never gave it much thought. Now however I think that's on the top of our list! Just the kind of outing we could use right now...

 

[darsben]

Max is 30 feet

 

[NY_Dutch]

Max is 30 feet

Not for the Hilltop Loop...

 

[darsben]

Not for the Hilltop Loop...

??? I was talking Lake Eaton. I do not know of a hilltop loop at Lake Eaton

 

[NY_Dutch]

??? I was talking Lake Eaton. I do not know of a hilltop loop at Lake Eaton

Oops! Sorry about that, I thought you were replying to Jymbee's post about Gilbert Lake...

 

[jymbee]

Oops! Sorry about that, I thought you were replying to Jymbee's post about Gilbert Lake...

We just made reservations at Gilbert for 4 nights in August (16th). We'll meet up with some good friends who live even closer than we do. We ended up getting two sites that were about as far apart as they could be, but hey-- you know what they say about "good neighbors". 

Given the convenient location at the very least it will be a good opportunity to check out the park in general for possible future visits.

 

[Joezeppy]

Letchworth SP, Castile, NY, adjacent to the "Grand Canyon of the East"

Heading there in about a week. Love that place!

 

[NY_Dutch]

We just made reservations at Gilbert for 4 nights in August (16th). We'll meet up with some good friends who live even closer than we do. We ended up getting two sites that were about as far apart as they could be, but hey-- you know what they say about "good neighbors". 

Given the convenient location at the very least it will be a good opportunity to check out the park in general for possible future visits.

Good! I hope you have a great time! If I had to complain about something at Gilbert Lake, it would just be that the park roads could use some serious maintenance. With the sewer project underway though, maybe after they get done digging it up where needed, that'll be the next project in a year or so.

 

[NY_Dutch]

Heading there in about a week. Love that place!

Glad to see you'll be there! We haven't made it to Letchworth in a couple of years, but it's on our "soon" list.