Can you camp along the Finger Lakes Trail?

Camping in Finger Lakes

Discover and book the best campgrounds, cabins, RV parks, and more.

United States
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New York
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Finger Lakes

Camping in the Finger Lakes

Wine, waterfalls, and natural wonders await campers in the Finger Lakes region.

Top-rated stays

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Water to Wine Glampground

6 sites · Lodging30 acres · Rushville, NYMy husband and I bought our camp when our children were young, the kids grew up there. Between frog catching contests, paddle boats, picnics, dirt biking, bonfires, camp outs, and the occasional wedding it was our special getaway. Now that the kids are growing up and going out on adventures of their own, I decided it's time we share our little piece of heaven with others, and so, here we are meeting new people from all over the world, making new connections, and enjoyng getting to share what we were blessed with.

Camp Whitman on Seneca Lake

16 sites · Lodging117 acres · Penn Yan, NYCamp Whitman on Seneca Lake is a residential summer camp operated by the Presbytery of Geneva in partnership with the Presbytery of Genesee Valley. The camp has been in operation since 1954. Prior to that the land was a working farm.The property hosts a summer camp each summer, but the cottages and cabins are available for group and family rentals outside of this timeframe. The property is marked by Seneca Lake on its eastern boundary, Punnett's Pond on its western boundary and streams and ravines on its north and south boundaries. The property additionally features a swimming pool, hiking trails, a small organic garden and farm animals and optional activities like archery, boating and more for guests at certain points in the season.

Camp Earth Connection

20 sites · Lodging, Tents62 acres · Freeville, NYCamp Earth Connection offers a relaxing stay with a variety of camping options including Log Cabins, Rustic Cabins, AdirondackLean-To's and Tent-Sites. Each site has privacy, picnic tables and grills or fire pits. Camp Earth Connection is an alcohol & drug free facility, offering guests the opportunity to connect with nature and each other in a serene and beautiful natural setting. The Hammond Hill trail system, which offers hiking, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing connects to the 950 mileFinger Lakes Trail system. Wildlife is abundant in the area. It is common to hear the Coyotes and Owls throughout the day. In addition,Mink, Fishers, Bald Eagles, Turkey Buzzards, Porcupines, Raccoons, Skunks, Wild Turkeys, Ravens, Grouse, Red and Grey Fox and an occasional Black Bear are some of the inhabitants of the local forest. Guests can choose to have some peaceful alone time or be more engaged in our small community during our community campfires, campfire pancake breakfasts or workshops. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Camp Earth Connection offers a variety of activities and workshops such as: -Saturday Morning Campfire Pancake Breakfast. -Saturday Evening Community Campfire. -Thursday evening, Earth Movie night, (movies about the Earth and Sustainable living) followed by a campfire discussion. -A variety of workshops are offered periodically led by Eshay & CEC staff and interns including: Fire making in Nature; Eshay's Tree Walk; Animal Tracks and Signs - Guided Trail walks, and more. All workshops and activities are free but donations are welcomed. Camp Earth Connection values Diversity, Acceptance and Community. It is more than just a campground, it is an experience that can be life-changing. Guests enjoy making meaningful connections with hosts, guests, family & friends. In addition they experience the beauty and healing that is provided by this sacred natural environment. Camp Earth Connection is open to everyone and provides an accepting and safe space for folks who can't always count on that, including the LGBTQ community, People of Color and other culturally diverse individuals, families and groups.

5 sites · Lodging, Tents103 acres · Savona, NYNature, belonging and freedom is a gift everyone deserves, so it's our mission to share our blessings humbly and earnestly with all. At ZiegenVine Homestead, we promise to provide a simple, cheerful, beautiful property where you can experience life outdoors and nature in its true glory. Home of Goat Yoga in the Finger Lakes since 2017, during your stay we invite you to visit our goat herd, as well as meet the rest of our farm animals. We are a 103 acre farm located in Savona, NY - offering Goat Yoga on the Homestead May - September. Be sure to check our website for scheduled dates or schedule a private session. ZiegenVine Homestead Restoration. Reconnection. Exploration.

Towner's Country Paradise

4 sites · Lodging, Tents500 acres · Addison, NYTowner's Country Paradise started out as a wild forest and pasture for cows in the 1940's, owned by Llewellyn Towner. In the 1960s, Llewellyn's love for aviation led him to construct a small airstrip and hangar, and then his son Terry began to plant Christmas Trees (no more cows) and clear much of the land. By the early 1970's our main and largest pond was built and since that time our fully functional cabin, several more fish ponds, roads, trails, running water and generated electricity have been added. Christmas Trees are still grown and harvested by Terry's son Scott Towner. Green rolling hills, deep valleys, a waterfall, ponds stocked with fish, a fully functional cabin, herds of deer, flocks of turkey and Canada Geese, & well-maintained roads and trails here in Addison NY. It's so private that even most of the people who live in our small town don't know we're here! CHECK OUR REVIEWS!OPTION to camp/hike in the woods for a more wild experience. NEARBY: restaurants including Chinese, Subway, pizza/wings, & several excellent diners offering take out or eat-in. ALSO: Dollar General, Wal-Mart (15 min away), Dunkin Donuts (5 min away), & gas stations.Your jaw will *drop* when you see Towner's Country Paradise for the first time!

RV Glamping @ Campground Adventures

15 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents36 acres · NYPitch your tent or bring your RV camper to our Campground Adventures and stay next to the Ischua Creek. Bring your kayak/canoe and fishing pole and enjoy the adventure. At your site you will have access to water hook-ups and 20 Amps service. Bath house is short walking distance away with hot showers and toilets. Each site will have a picnic table and a fire ring.Learn more about this land:Pitch your tent or bring your RV camper to our Campground Adventures and stay next to the Ischua Creek. Bring your kayak/canoe and fishing pole and enjoy the adventure. At your site you will have access to water hook-ups and 20 Amps service. Bath house is short walking distance away with hot showers and toilets. Each site will have a picnic table and a fire ring.

Trailside Ranch Cabin Rentals

4 sites · Lodging10 acres · Glenfield, NYYOUR CABIN IS WAITING FOR YOU! TRAILSIDERANCH IS OPEN YEAR-ROUND.This family friendly ranch is located in Brantingham, NY, inside the Adirondack Park. This ten acre, off the grid ranch, is at the end of Partridgeville Road and the beginning of Paradise! Trailside Ranch is surrounded by the pristine 76,000 acre Independence River Wild Forest Preserve. It is linked to 65 miles of Horse trails, hundreds of miles of Snowmobile trails and to the nearly 600 miles of ATV trails. Get the full outdoor wilderness experience that you and your family will treasure for a lifetime.

7 sites · Lodging, Tents2 acres · Roscoe, NYAn alternative camping experience. The Hidden Chalet Campgrounds is only minutes away from downtown Roscoe where you can enjoy local shopping, brewery and restaurants. Many wonderful places to visit around the area such as Dundas Castle, Roscoe O&W Railway Museum, Beaverkill Covered Bridge and lots more. While on campgrounds grab your fishing rod and enjoy our stocked pond, sit by the ever flowing brook, build a campfire and take in the serenity of beautiful upstate NY. Items to remember to bring: Sheets/blankets/towels, trash bags, mosquito spray, sunscreen, matches, lantern/flashlight/batteries, toilet paper. (Some items may be available for purchase.)

Campground on the River

37 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents6 acres · Roscoe, NYButternut Grove Campsites allows campers to visit the Catskills and connect with nature. Offering a relaxing atmosphere while only 2 hours from New York City and 1 hour from Binghamton. Butternut Grove Campsites creates lasting memories of camping, great people, and fishing experiences. Our goal is to bring a family-oriented atmosphere to our campground, offering fun activities and a variety of desired amenities for the entire fishermen's family and his best friends. Owned By Bridget & Paul along with their three children and Gaston the pig and Rulo the dog. We are delighted to join the Butternut Grove Family with hopes to bring good vibes and good times! At Butternut Grove Campsite, you can enjoy various amenities such as a heated bath house with hot showers, laundry, quality firewood delivered to your site, handmade "Flies by Greg" for purchase, kayaks and tubes for rent, propane gas available on-site, fire ring and picnic table at each site, bag ice, water and electricity at each site with 30 amp and 50 amp electric, Wi-Fi, winter storage and winterizing for RVs, dump station on-site, honey-wagon services available, and a fly fishing guide named Joe Rist who is the head and owner of Trout Town Flies.lies

Angie's Country Cabins

7 sites · Lodging10 acres · Cassadaga, NYSuper awesome little camping spot, we have 4 cabins on site and a glamping tent nestled in the woods. Nice back porch with hot tub- bar- table- grill. Pavilion with picnic table at the main house. Plenty of Parking. Only the country cabin you can drive right up to the cabin. The rest of the rentals you MUST WALK to. No big hills. Super quiet spot in nature. Unplug and reconnect with nature and each other. No pit bulls around off the leash. No cats allowed inside any rentals.

10 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents9 acres · Croghan, NYUnirondack is located on a 9-acre plot of land on a small peninsula on Beaver Lake in the Western Adirondack Park in Upstate New York about 30 miles east of Lowville, NY. We acknowledge that we are humble stewards of land previously occupied by the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, specifically the Mohawk and Oneida Nations. We are roughly 90 minutes north of Utica and 2.5 hours from Syracuse.The camp is comprised of 10 cabin buildings of various ages, most original t0 the property from the 1920s. We have a large presentation/theater space, a small recording studio, a field for large group activities or sports, a gaga pit, a swingset and small basketball court, a large two story Adirondack-style lodge with fireplace, and a large heated dormitory-style building. Our maximum sleeping capacity is around 150 although our dining hall only seats 120 at a time. On the lake we have a boathouse and a beautiful artshop studio space. Our boathouse has 14 canoes, 10 kayaks, and 2 sunfish sailboats and we have a small beachfront with a dock and swimming area. Additionally we have a large campfire circle which can seat about 100 people.

9 sites · Lodging52 acres · Jeffersonville, NYPurchased in 1999 from famous photographer Joel Meyerowitz, Rochelle fell in love with the farmhouse, it's 52 varied acres, rolling hills and amazing views. She dreamed of turning it into a B&B one day...bringing it back to it's original purpose, of hosting guests from out of town. The original homestead was a boarding house in the early 1900's. Rochelle, Mark and their son Jonathan love to provide good old fashioned hospitality in their cabins, glamping tent and farmhouse rooms. They love people enjoying their 52 acres and walking the same trail the cows did from the back fields all the way down to the milk barn in the late 1800's and early 1900's...but all that remains is the stone wall foundation and a small part of the silo. Partake in farm chores like collecting eggs, feeding the chickens and sheep! Just let the host family know you are interested and then you may join them for some very special and unique farm adventures! Pick berries in season and some veggies too! Children and pets welcome!

from

$185

/ night

Outdoor stays for every style

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Nearby parks

Explore the area’s public lands.

Rainbow Falls, the most recognizable waterfall in the park with a different take on composition.

92%

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Watkins Glen State Park

Watkins Glen, New York

100%

(1)

Keuka Lake State Park

Keuka Park, New York

100%

(10)

Buttermilk Falls State Park

South Hill, New York

(4)

Finger Lakes National Forest

Trumansburg, New York

100%

(10)

Fair Haven Beach State Park

Fair Haven, New York

80%

(5)

Green Lakes State Park

Fayetteville, New York

Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania

100%

(1)

Bowman Lake State Park

Galeton, Pennsylvania

With 11 lakes, 25 state parks, three wine trails, and more than a dozen golf courses, it's easy to see why the Finger Lakes is one of the most popular vacation spots in New York state. Camping options abound around the lakeside, whether you prefer a family campground with full hookups, a rustic cabin in the woods, or a cozy glampsite. Summer is peak season, and the best time for swimming, wine tasting, and water sports, while leaf-peepers flock to the Finger Lakes state parks in fall. Winter camping can be fun, too, with skiing, ice skating, and sledding all on the activity menu.

Where to Go

Seneca Lake

The largest of the Finger Lakes has forest hiking trails, patchwork vineyards, and farm-to-table dining experiences right at its fingertips. Once you've gone wine hopping along the largest of the Finger Lakes wine trails, marveled at the waterfalls in Watkins Glen State Park, and enjoyed boating around Sampson State Park, check into a state park campground or book an RV park around Seneca Falls or Geneva.

Cayuga Lake

An 87-mile scenic byway loops around Cayuga Lake, affording panoramic views over the lake and the surrounding wine country. At the southern tip, Ithaca is the gateway to Buttermilk Falls State Park and Taughannock Falls State Park, while the nearby Finger Lakes National Forest is the ideal spot for a backcountry camping experience—dispersed camping is permitted throughout.

Western Lakes

West of Seneca Lake, there are plenty of ways to get on the water at Keuka, Canandaigua, and Honeoye lakes. Camp amid the vineyards at Keuka Lake State Park, check into an RV resort at Naples or Hammondsport, or escape the crowds at the Honeoye Lake boat launch. Further west, Letchworth State Park is home to the "Grand Canyon of the East," where its waterfalls and forests are most magnificent during fall foliage season.

Eastern Lakes

Syracuse is the entry point to Finger Lakes' eastern corner, where you'll find Owasco, Skaneateles, and Otisco lakes. Swimming and water skiing are popular pastimes at Owasco Lake, and there's a great campground and swimming pool at Fillmore Glen State Park. If you’re seeking peace and quiet, neighboring Skaneateles is a tranquil spot for boating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you can camp along the Finger Lakes Trail (FLT) in designated areas and some public lands. The FLT is a 950-mile long trail system that runs through New York state, passing through state forests, wildlife management areas, and private lands. Camping is allowed in designated campgrounds, lean-tos, and some primitive camping areas. It is important to note that camping on private land is not allowed without the landowner's permission.

Some popular campgrounds along the FLT include Sugar Hill State Forest, Danby State Forest, and Buttermilk Falls State Park. Dispersed camping is allowed in many state forests along the FLT, but it is essential to follow Leave No Trace principles and camp at least 150 feet away from any trail, road, or water source. For more information on camping options and restrictions along the Finger Lakes Trail, visit the Finger Lakes Trail Conference website.