Camping in the AE this summer
The Adirondack Experience is a wild and BIG region, encompassing some of the Adirondacks' most rugged backcountry, paired with its most incredible vistas and landscapes found from mountain vantage points. Every summer, enthusiastic outdoor folk flock here to experience camping that has it all. Our campers have the essentials in mind when it comes to a glorious camping trip. Lakeside sites, prime fishing and boating steps away from the campground, incredible sunrises, and proximity to their favorite summits. Get to know the host towns that bring life to your camping trip! You’ll find it all when you book a weekend (or week? We know you want to) at any of the campgrounds found here, some for less than $20 a night.
Long Lake
Long Lake has served as a base camp for travelers' camping adventures for generations. The small hamlet is settled right in the middle of the Adirondacks, steps away from popular trailheads and uniquely wild attractions. For a sprawling campground with winding walking trails, sunrises peaking through the trees, and a calm lakefront to skip rocks on, Lake Eaton State Campground is the quintessential camping experience. The campground offers secluded sites, canoe, rowboat, kayak rentals, and a blacktopped roadway for biking and nature walking enthusiasts. Along the northern boundary of the campground, you’ll find an interpretive nature trail, paved and quiet enough to escape into the calm and quiet of the grounds.
Campers will find numerous trails around, including Coney Mountain and Owl’s Head Mountain fire tower hikes, shorter hikes that boast views rivaling our High Peaks! New in 2023, the Buck Mountain fire tower hike brings stunning views with a short climb of 1.2 miles to its summit. The trail features log plank steps up steep ridges, and 360-degree views of nearby Whitney Wilderness, and Little Tupper Lake. Just a mile away, tuck into the town of Long Lake for a seaplane ride, swing from the ropes on the floating dock at the town beach, or compare ice creams of three impeccable stands (Stewart’s, The Park, and Custard’s Last Stand all share the singular intersection in this mountain town).
Piseco
With over 95% of the town being protected as New York State Forest, it's no wonder adventurers come here to experience the Adirondacks in their purest form, untouched and welcoming to those looking for outdoor exploration. During the trip, you'll find yourself surrounded by unique trailheads and passageways cutting through the backcountry. An excellent outdoor experience is the Foxey Brown Trail. This trail is an ode to the infamous hermit and guide Foxey Brown, whose hermitage was located about 6 miles north of Piseco. The trail itself is mostly flat and gentle, lending itself perfectly for mellow nature walks to round out your stay.
Piseco Lake Campground
Two campgrounds on Piseco Lake have just recently merged into one! Little Sand Point Campground and Point Comfort have joined forces in offering campers the ultimate outdoor stay, transforming into Piseco Lake Campground. These campgrounds offer fine fishing, canoeing, sailing, and all water sports opportunities, including a concrete boat launch. Of the numerous hiking trails around, the 133-mile-long Northville-Lake Placid Trail is located just minutes away. Pro tip: the Northville-Lake Placid Trail is turning 100 in 2024, can you believe it? If you’re booking a trip for this summer, keep a lookout for special events up and down the trail as we celebrate! When you’re not exploring the nearby trails, the amenities will have you cozying up on the grounds. Both properties include bathhouses, a beach, and a plethora of different sites to choose from, depending on the experience you’re searching for!
Blue Mountain Lake
The charming lakeside town of Blue Mountain Lake has served as a host to all kinds of travelers over the years. There’s never a shortage of things to do around town. Take the boat or canoe out on the lake and take advantage of the fishing opportunities, you’ll find Tigermuskey, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, sunfish, white sucker, brown bullheads, and brook trout.
Another local of the Northville-Lake Placid Trail, The NPT passes through the campground and is the main access to the Blue Ridge Wilderness and Blue Mountain Wild Forest trail networks. In the mood for hiking and fishing? The 2.75-mile hike to Stephens Pond is a popular day hike and offers fantastic fishing opportunities. When you're not at camp, discover the town beach for a day of lounging, or consider getting up bright and early in the morning and biking right from your campsite to Chef Darrell's Mountain Diner, the town's classic 1950's 1950s-era restaurant, serving breakfast all day.
Lake Durant State Campground
Settled on the east shore of the 327-acre Lake Durant and offering breathtaking views of Blue Mountain, Lake Durant State Campground is the pinnacle of a private Adirondack stay. Each campsite is large and well-forested, surrounding you in the rich wilderness of the backcountry. Camping equipment from tents to RVs can be accommodated here. The grounds amenities include a picnic area with tables and fireplaces, flush toilets, hot showers, a trailer dump station, a recycling center, firewood and ice sales, mobility-impaired accessibility, a sand beach, a boat launch, and a bathhouse.
Speculator
Called an "all-season vacationland," the Village of Speculator sits on the shore of beautiful Lake Pleasant and offers a community atmosphere amid a vast, pristine wilderness. travelers may come up for the biking experiences alone, with visitors and residents alike attracted to the mysterious Kunjamuk Cave. When you're not pedaling to new discoveries, campers can shop at local stores like the unique Charlie John's Grocery Store, or go for a round of craft drinks at Lemon Tree Brewery.
Lewey Lake State Campground
This campground is located on a 90-acre lake and comes with all the perks you might expect! Lewey Lake State Campground is a haven for families to come and pitch their tents or park the RV. The grounds come fully functional with 206 campsites (some designated as accessible for the mobility-impaired), a picnic area with tables and fireplaces, picnic pavilion rental, showers, trailer dump station, recycling center, firewood, and ice sales. The main attraction is the waterfront, where most of the sites line the shore, catching a glimpse of water right from your campsite. With the lake comes a sand beach and swimming area, along with boat rentals so you can get out on the water during your stay! Looking to get above it all? Less than 3 miles north of the campground entrance lives the 3.9-mile Snowy Mountain fire tower trail, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding lakes and mountains.
Raquette Lake
Raquette Lake, just like its neighbor Blue Mountain Lake, is steeped in rich history and incredible scenery all around it. With just over 100 miles of picturesque, pine-covered shoreline, Raquette Lake is the largest natural lake in the Adirondacks. Take advantage of all the area has to offer by booking a dinner cruise with Raquette Lake Navigation on the W.W. Durant, experiencing fine dining, unique views of the lake, and an incredible history lesson on the times past in the region.
Golden Beach State Campground
For a more historic stay, Golden Beach State Campground is your place. Right along the shores of the 5,935-acre Raquette Lake, Golden Beach is nestled among some of the most history-rich properties in the Adirondacks. A magnet for the wealthy of the Gilded Age, Raquette Lake is home to a handful of Adirondack Great Camps - hideaways for people who want to escape the city and get out into the mountains! During your stay, you can visit Great Camp Sagamore, a sprawling 27-building estate that once served as a wilderness retreat for the Vanderbilt family. Explore the 99 miles of shoreline with views of some historic Adirondack Great Camps, and fish for the varied species that populate the waters including lake and brook trout, smallmouth bass, and perch. Golden Beach also operates one of the largest natural beaches in the area, attended by lifeguards during the daytime!
Inlet
Inlet is situated along the Adirondack's popular Fulton Chain of Lakes. Dubbed "the little town that could," Inlet offers a great sense of community while maintaining the feel of its premier Adirondack forest and waterfront location. When you're not off fishing or cycling, try some premiere golfing along the immaculately maintained 18-hole Inlet Golf Club, stroll the picture-perfect "Main Street," and then spend the afternoon exploring the local natural parks before heading back to camp. For incredible pizza, and peanut butter wings (don't knock it till you try it) visit the Screamen Eagle in town during your stay.
Eighth Lake State Campground
Located on the southeast shore of 314-acre Eighth Lake, Eighth Lake State Campground offers the perfect ingredients for a camping trip packed with fishing. On the lake, you’ll find trout swimming in the waters, waiting to be caught. And just adjacent to the grounds, special salmon ponds are scattered and stocked, perfect for a day of casting! Back at camp, you’ll find large wooded campsites offering the perfect amount of privacy, a picnic area, hot showers, a trailer dump station, a recycling center, mobility-impaired accessibility, firewood sales, a sand beach, and a swimming area. And, if you need to get deeper into the lake for better fishing opportunities, or to just bask in the calm waters on a nice sunny day, take advantage of the canoe and boat rentals available!
“Roughing it” just got a whole lot better
With so many unique grounds to discover, you might just spend the entire summer camping- and we wouldn’t blame you! Whether you’re roasting mallows by the fire, canoeing out onto open waters, or simply stargazing from your sleeping bag, you’ll find the perfect camping experience, with the help of your friends in Hamilton County.
