The best camping in Green Lakes State Park, NY

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83% (6)

The best camping in Green Lakes State Park, NY

Public campgrounds here are often sold out.
83% (6)

Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Green Lakes State Park adventure.

Camper favorites near Green Lakes State Park

Top-rated campgrounds reviewed by the Hipcamp community.

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Top-rated campgrounds

Tilden Hill Farm

99%
(1161)
23mi from Green Lakes State Park · 16 sites · Tents, RVs · Vernon, NY
Relax at Tilden Hill Farm its a 155 acre farm raising Black Angus Cattle it has been in the Brewer family for seven generations. Founded in 1798 by Josiah Brewer, the farm has served as a grist mill, chicken farm, cheese factory. We offer several types of site selection for your comfort. Choose from our private tent camping to relaxing RV sites. Our tent sites are quiet and scenic, just a quick walk down to the pond. Some of our sites you can park next to, but a few you will have to walk ~100 yards with your belongings. Tent sites have a porta-john and homemade outdoor shower for your enjoyment! Our RV sites have full hookups: water, electric and also a dump station.Once settled in, take a meandering walk through our 4 miles of walking trails or find your way down to our pond. Water activities are plentiful: fishing for bass, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, we accommodate it all!We look forward to seeing you at Tilden Hill Farm where you can "Experience a Family Tradition"
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
from 
$45
 / night

Stars and Sage

100%
(5)
33mi from Green Lakes State Park · 1 site · Lodging · Mexico, NY
Our property will someday be our forever home but in the meantime we have decided to share this beautiful place with others. We will be under construction for quite sometime but we feel this is still an amazing location to enjoy. We will offer two spots to rent . One is a camping spot where you will bring your own camping supplies . The other is a glamping site where we offer a cozy canvas tent with a woodstove available situated right on the water for a magical view.Learn more about this land:Stars and Sage is a one acre wooded area on a beautiful stream. The stream Sage creek runs right along the property. This property is also on the Oswego County Snowmobile trail. This offers a great place for snowmobiling guests to stay overnight if you are brave enough to camp in a NY winter. If you are staying during another season you can walk the snowmobile trail. We are also in a very popular area to the Amish. They are great neighbors and we are sure you will see them pass by regularly with their horse and buggy. The property is also next to a show horse farm that has two donkeys so be prepared to hear them also . Very entertaining. We are currently a new site and are doing construction on the land. Please be patient with us. We have one other listing on the land so there may be times you do see other guests. We have a home under construction on the property so we also may be there at times. This site gives you a quiet wooded area to camp for the night or two with a porta potty for luxury camping. This site allows you to have a quiet place to camp without a lot of people and kid free. Most campgrounds have children but Stars and Sage does not allow children. Please feel free to bring your own camping needs as we only provide a fire area. The site is approximately 19 feet by 39 feet in dimension. You will be close to Mexico village and about 20 minutes from the city of Oswego. Plenty of biking areas all around . Enjoy a hike in the trail or take a short trip to Mexico point to put your Canoe or kayaks in to enjoy Lake Ontario. Lake Ontario is well known for fishing. You may see deer, Fox, muskrat, etc. you may hear coyotes in the distance. A flash light and a hatchet and bug spray are definitely recommended to have on hand.
Potable water
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Campfires
from 
$80
 / night

Round Top Retreat

94%
(47)
48mi from Green Lakes State Park · 1 site · Lodging · Richford, NY
Close to Ithaca, NY, Cayuga Lake, and Cornell University. Once a snowshoe lodge, then a Boy Scout camp, this rustic cabin retreat property is surrounded by the Robinson Hollow State Forest. The 100 year old cabin sits only a few hundred yards from the Sierra Club section of the Finger Lakes Trail. The area is a peaceful spot for hiking, camping and snowshoeing or cross country skiing (October 1 bow season deer hunting begins, and mid-November to December is NYS gun deer season-which may not be as serene as you'd like). Perfect get-away for humans and their four-legged friends, it's a dog's dream vacation spot. Enjoy a week or weekend, or your vacation in a place where the "noise" is the melodious sounds of nature. It is remote enough to completely break from urban life, yet close enough to Ithaca, NY to enjoy its beauty and attractions. Amenities: outhouse, hand water pump, two-seater outhouse, propane grill, some pots and pans, grill utensils, wood stoves, private, gated entrance, pond, trails. Sleeping loft, no bed (you provide mattress/sleeping bag, etc.). There may be candles, toilet paper, bug spray (if left by previous guests). We are an LGBTQ-woman owned property, and welcome all campers regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, political views, religion, or culture of origin. Learn more about this land: A wonderful rustic, private, off-grid get-away, perfect for couples, families, and pups who enjoy camping (log cabin with wood furniture available, you may pitch your tent anywhere on the property - leave no trace).  You may see some wildlife throughout the property (including a milk snake that lives in the cabin wall, but is harmless). It is a quiet, rural, farming area. Once at the cabin there are only two to three houses within a half mile (through the woods), so you will have a private space all your own. Winter camping is special - cozy wood heated cabin, hundreds of acres for snow shoeing, cross country skiing, or snowmobiling. Plan ahead, we do not plow the driveway in winter; plan to shovel an off-road parking space, and transport your gear up to the cabin (1100'). Wood is provided. Onsite: water pump, 2-seat outhouse, wood stove, campfire ring, wood, & propane grill. Exclusive access for nature hikes, streams, forest, pond, swimming, bird watching, star gazing, etc. A wheelchair that can navigate grass and some ruts can enter the cabin, but not the outhouse, and the sleeping loft is up stairs (there is room for a cot or mattress on the first floor); the porch is accessible through the cabin. When you book, you are confirming your understanding of the following: there is no electricity, running water, or std. bed/mattresses. You bring own air mattress, bedding, and gear you will need. All-wheel drive vehicle is recommended. We welcome special events, family reunions, or weddings, if your plans do not require utilities (you may bring a generator or other battery operated items, as needed). Note for winter guests: We do not plow the driveway in winter, you need to be ready to shovel an off-road parking spot, and transport gear to cabin (e.g. by sled, snowshoes) Here's a brief list of the basics to bring: Light source: Lantern propane or battery. Air mattress or cot and whatever bedding you need. Paper products (cups, plates, utensils, toilet paper, etc.) Matches/fire starter (there is wood on-site, and a propane grill for cooking that has a self-starter). Bug spray. Cooler and ice. Lawn chairs.  There are a few tables, several chairs and benches. There are 2 picnic tables (one outside and one inside). The benches can be moved outside if you'd like, just move them back inside before you leave. The propane grill should only be used outside. There is a hand axe in the cabin to shave kindling, and the wood is already split to be the length for the wood stove, as needed. Gas: 5 miles away. If you plan to grocery shop when you get to the area, the closest store is at East Hill Plaza in Ithaca, about 9 miles past where the cabin is (I can give you all that info if you like). There is lots to explore/see/do in the Ithaca area if you decide to come down off the hill one of the days. I'll have some brochures and things in the cabin, and can answer questions (aka where is the best ice cream, dinner, etc.).
Pets
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from 
$99
 / night

Sunswick Farm

100%
(130)
33mi from Green Lakes State Park · 2 sites · Tents, Lodging · Moravia, NY
Welcome to our land. Brooks Mullahy manages Sunswick Farm’s apiary, which includes 13 bee yards and over 200 hives. A bee yard is a collection of anywhere from 4 to 21 hives in one place, and our yards are located at the farm and on private properties throughout Cayuga, Cortland, and Onondaga Counties. We are busy with our bees and at the same time want to share the wonders of our farm with folks so we are very fortunate to have our neighbors Debbie Kahl and Tracy Yardley manage the HipCamp bookings on our behalf. Debbie and Tracy live very close and will be your contact persons. Either one will be happy to answer your questions and will meet you when you arrive and introduce you to the your camping site. It is our pleasure to host campers here. We hope you enjoy this piece of land as much as we do.
Potable water
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from 
$55
 / night

Underhill Forest and Farm

99%
(454)
42mi from Green Lakes State Park · 6 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Dryden, NY
Underhill Inn is a small homestead located in the Finger Lakes region tucked in the rolling hills near Dryden Lake. We have a small garden, a flock of sheep and chickens, hives of honeybees and countless wild foraging on our 36 acres of pasture and hiking trails.   Take a walk down to Brockendock pond and cruise across the water in a canoe or paddleboat to find peepers, heron, toads and turtles. Drop a line in the water to catch trout, bass and sunnies. The chicken coop is always bustling and there are plenty of eggs to harvest each day. A morning hike on the trails usually kicks up the deer and wild turkeys and at night the barn owl will sing for you if you listen close. Adults and children are welcome to pet and feed the animals on the farm. There are farm tours available where you can learn more about our mushroom garden, composting techniques, blueberries, felting, and more. 
Pets
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from 
$38
 / night

Rashid Fields Farm

95%
(93)
10mi from Green Lakes State Park · 4 sites · Tents · Lafayette, NY
This is a family farm on 48 acres, with access to hiking the snow mobile trails that run over a couple of hundred miles. We have horses and alpacas to pet and visit, a few sheep and chickens, and a couple of Scottish Highland Cows. Close drive to swimming, hiking, shopping and museums. Away from the city, cozy and country. Come out and visit! Learn more about this land:This is a family farm on 48 acres, with access to hiking the snow mobile trails that run over a couple of hundred miles. We have horses, sheep and cows to pet and visit, a few ducks and chickens, and a rabbits. Parking is at the house, walk in to campsite. If you need help, we will gladly load up the tractor and escort you to the sites.Swimming at a state park/lake is a 5 mile drive, and there are other hiking trails within about a 20 minute drive. You can pitch a tent of your own, or borrow one of ours here by the house, or further out by the creek. Each campsite has a fire pit for your use.Restroom is available just inside the house if needed, and potable water is available via pump or hose outside the house or at the barn. We have a couple of dogs on sight, and we like to visit with folks - let us know if you want to socialize or not and we'll respect that. Your dogs are welcome, but please keep them leashed. Chickens like to run away, and dogs like to chase them. If you are traveling with horses, please contact us! We can provide turn out or possible stalls for you, if your shots are current (proof required). *fees apply depending on requirements.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
from 
$44
 / night

Other options near Green Lakes State Park

The best camping in Green Lakes State Park, NY guide

Overview

About

The scenery at Green Lakes State Park lives up to its name, with sprawling old-growth forest and both its Green and Round Lakes displaying a blue-greenish color. Visitors can swim or rent a rowboat or kayak to explore the lakes in summer, while winter offers snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. There’s also an 18-hole golf course, hiking trails through a gorge and across hills, and more than 170 species of birds to look out for. The park has two campgrounds—Pine Woods and the primitive Rolling Hills can accommodate tents, RVs, trailers, and campervans.

Tips for snagging a campsite

  1. Just outside Syracuse, Green Lakes is a popular city escape, which means that you should make weekend bookings as far in advance as possible. 
  2. Bookings can easily be secured online or by phone, up to nine months in advance.
  3. From mid-May to early October, same-day reservations are permitted only until 3pm. No walk-ins are allowed.

When to go

Spring and summer are the busiest seasons and the best times for enjoying paddling and swimming in the lakes and playing a round of golf but fall and winter have their own appeal. The park’s lush foliage explodes into rich colors in fall, which is also the ideal time for tackling the park’s hiking trails. In the colder months, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are possibilities.

Know before you go

  • No outside boats, kayaks, or canoes are allowed on the lakes. Rowboat and kayak rentals are normally available from the Boat House Wednesdays through Sundays, Memorial through Labor Day.
  • Up to two pets per site are welcome, as long as they are kept on a leash no longer than six feet. Pets are not allowed in buildings or swimming areas.
  • There is a fee for vehicles entering the park. If you plan to visit multiple New York state parks, buying an Empire Pass card can save you money.
83%
6 ratings · 1 review