Camping Companions

There is no shortage of beautiful State Run Campgrounds (budget friendly) in the Finger Lakes. It is hard for us to choose which ones are our favorites, so we will just share with you the top 5, and what about them makes them special. Listed in no particular order are the ones we would recommend. All of these parks are located around the Seneca Wine Trail, so make sure you visit a few while you are in the area. When you are looking for the best state campground to stay at when visiting the Finger Lakes, what are you looking for? Are you looking for amenities? The location and what there is to do nearby? For us, we just wanted to see what campground in the Finger Lakes is the best in our opinion and share our thoughts with you. We prefer State Parks because they are cheaper than a Private or KOA Campground. We aren’t looking for amenities other than a nice site with electricity that we can have an evening fire on. Otherwise, we are usually out touring the area for fun things to do that won’t break the bank. Lighthouses and waterfalls are our favorite.

Watkins Glen State Park is located near the base of Seneca Lake in the town of Watkins Glen. The park itself has stunning waterfalls that run through the park, which makes this one a very popular attraction. If you are like us and try to avoid crowds, this one may not be for you on a holiday weekend in summer. Outside of the park is also very popular because of the first class fishing and delightful wineries in the area. The campground itself has over 300 sites, offering 3 loops of rustic sites and 2 loops of electric sites. Mohawk Loop is our favorite because we like sites with electric, and there are enough trees to provide shade in the warm summer months. Within the park there is an Olympic size swimming pool, playgrounds, picnic areas, pavilions, and miles of hiking trails. Down in town you can book a dinner or sunset cruise, get ice cream, browse the shops, or use a laundromat. This park is also in the vicinity of Watkins Glen International Race Track.

Sampson State Park has an Air & Navy Military Museum within this campground located in Romulus, NY. Not only is this campground located on the shores of Seneca Lake, it is also located on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail, and in case you didn’t get a spot at Watkin’s Glen, you can still camp at this amazing park and then make the drive to Watkin’s Glen to hike the waterfalls trails. Also within this park are luxury cottages to rent and a marina, where you can rent a Pontoon boat to float your day away. There are 5 loops with sites and we were booked in loop 5, which is closest to the water, beach, and large playground. There isn’t much in the way of shops right outside of this park, but there is a large camp store if you have forgotten something. The park has plenty of places to picnic with provided grills.

Keuka Lake State Park has a special place in our hearts because we got engaged here! This campground is set high on the shores of Keuka Lake in Yates County. The rolling hills in the area make for excellent growing of grapes as evidenced by the number of wineries in the area. Our favorite winery out there is Keuka Spring, which has hilltop views of the lake below, yard games, and Adirondack chairs to relax in. Buy a bottle of your favorite wine and sit in the chairs overlooking the vineyard and lake. While Keuka Lake State Park is on the shore of Keuka Lake, there are no waterfront campsites. To get to the water to fish, picnic on the shores, or launch your boat, you will either have a really long walk, or a short car ride to take to get there. Pavilions, picnic tables, and a playground are also along the water’s edge. This park boasts one of the largest sites we have ever stayed on.

Robert H. Treman State Park has 19 waterfalls within the park. There are two main hiking trails within the park that follow the flow of the water running throughout. The rim trail has over 1000′ of elevation change, so come prepared with hiking boots, water, and bug spray. This trail provided stunning arial views of Lucifer Falls, the largest waterfall in the park. Take the gorge trail to get close to the water’s edge. If you enjoy swimming, this park has a spring fed waterfalls that flows into a natural swimming hole. Lifeguards watch as you enjoy this natural swimming area. If you like to book sites with electricity, you will need to book well in advance as this park only has 11 electric sites. There are no full hookup sites. There are 2 large playgrounds within the park that look to be relatively new. A short drive from Robert H. Treman park is the town of Ithaca which is home to one of our favorite waterfalls in the area – Ithaca Falls. In our travels, we also came across a covered bridge and one of the best deals on firewood we have ever scored.

Taughannock Falls State Park is home to the tallest single drop waterfalls this side of the Rocky Mountains, and you can view it from an overlook, or by hiking a level, shaded trail to the base of the falls. This State Park in Trumansburg, NY, has hiking trails in and around the falls that can be accessed from the campground. Some campsites have views of Cayuga Lake below. Outside of the campground, but within the park, is a beach, tons of picnic areas, a boat launch, and a marina that you can get seasonal or temporary boat slip rental. There are 3 loops inside the campground, with only 16 sites offering electricity. Cabins are available as well.

Honorable mention goes to a County Park, not a State Park – Chemung Park Station. This campground with only 40 sites was a great surprise. It was one of the cleanest parks we have been to with daily trash pick up provided! Miles of hiking trails, a sand beach, boat launch, fishing area, snack bar, picnic areas, and more await you at this park. If you like to fish from shore from your campsite, this one is a great choice. The roads throughout are well paved, and the firepits are the cleanest we have ever seen. They are set atop a concrete block and the ring itself is raised to clean out any debris within it. A few of the interior campsites are the longest we’ve seen – our friends were on one that was 84′ deep! The campground is based on top of a large hill, so expect lots of uphill roads to reach this one. There also isn’t a lot of shopping nearby, and very little offered at the camp store, so pack accordingly. You can bring your own kayak or rent one there to paddle on the lake, or go fishing at the Pier. When visiting, we took out of town friends to see Watkins Glen, and Montour (Shequaga) Falls.

There are so many great parks in the Finger Lakes Region. Which is your favorite? We’d love to hear from you.