One of the items at the very tippy-top of my bucket list was camping on a lake. I don’t mean near a lake. I mean right on it with the fire pit right on the water, the whole nine yards. I had always seen those amazing pictures of a campsite on the edge of the water, a fire blazing, and a night sky brimming with stars, and I wanted to experience that myself.
Lucky for me I live in a state that is positively overflowing with amazing places that embody just this scenario. Naturally, not all of these are lakeside. Some are creekside or riverside. The point is these are all great places that provide an amazing opportunity to camp on the water.
Adirondack Region
When it comes to lakeside camping, the Adirondacks are pretty hard to compete with. The camping is fantastic with more places to camp on the water than almost anywhere else in New York. If you are looking for an unbelievably beautiful place to camp in a rustic setting, there are no better places than these campgrounds.
Lewey Lake
This campground has so truly amazing sites, although some are definitely more rustic than others. We camped here recently and it was fantastic. We even ended up having a fire right on the beach in front of our campsite. The only drawback is that a few of the water sites are so rustic, the only toilets available are pit toilets. You need to select your campsite carefully if you’re into modern plumbing.
Rollins Ponds
Rollins Ponds is one of those campgrounds that has to be seen to be believed. We visited here many years ago (before making online reservations were a thing.) We drove around the pond, again and again, trying to decide which of the spectacular campsites we should select. Every site was totally private. You can’t see any of the sites around you. Talk about a camper’s paradise. We were also able to launch our canoe from our own campsite.
Indian Lake Islands
This one is hard to call a “campground.” It is more of an outdoor experience. The campsites on this lake are quite unique as the only way they can be reached is by boat. They are spread out along the lake and on the islands within the lake. (This probably goes without saying but the restroom situation here is primitive at best.) Canoes are available for rent.
Moffitt Beach
Moffitt Beach is one of the larger campgrounds that we have visited in the Adirondacks. Even if you aren’t able to book a lakeside campsite, there are lots of great wooded sites throughout the park. The lakeside sites, however, are spectacular. The fire pits are placed with a lake view and along the shore are enormous rocks perfect for sitting on and lounging by the water. We really loved this campground. It was the perfect Adirondack getaway.
Lake Eaton
There isn’t a bad campsite in this campground, especially with so many of them right on the water. This is a great place to kayak, particularly when you can paddle right from your site. Even the sites that aren’t on the water are incredible because they offer more privacy than you will find at almost any Adirondack campground.
Lake Durant
Lake Durant is a lovely rustic campground that offers lots of beautiful sites right on the water. Most of the sites are wooded and exceptionally private. This is an excellent place for tent camping. Bring along your kayak and launch from your own campsite.
Limekiln Lake
If you are interested in seeing wildlife, this is the spot to head to. Of course, like every other campground in the Adirondacks, Limekiln Lake is a beautiful wooded campground. What makes this place stand out is that is one of the best places for spotting moose. (Also, when you see bear boxes set up on every single campsite in the campground, that is a pretty good indicator that there is lots of bear activity in the area, as well.)
Buck Pond
Buck Pond brings new meaning to “getting away from it all.” This campground doesn’t have quite as many waterfront campsites, but those they have are fantastic. Buck Pond itself is small but there is a much bigger lake, Lake Kushaqua, where most of the water campsites are located. This campground is especially known for its extremely private yet picturesque campsites.
Eighth Lake
Eighth Lake is a fairly large campground by Adirondack standards. About 1/4 of Eighth Lake’s campsites are waterfront sites. These are incredible campsites that visitors can launch a canoe or kayak right from their own site. Truth be told there isn’t a bad campsite in this entire campground. Even the sites that aren’t on the water are amazing.
Forked Lake
There are 70 campsites available, 28 of which can only be accessed by boat. This includes 3 campsites that are on the two islands in the middle of the lake. There are approximately 5 campsites that are RV or camper sites and can be driven up to. The majority of the campsites at Forked Lake are walk-in sites. Campers will need to park their vehicle and walk, with their gear, quiet a ways along a trail that circumnavigates the lake.
Nicks Lake State Park
Nicks Lake State Park has massive campsites throughout its five camping loops most suited to accommodate large RV’s. Four of the five camping loops have campsites directly on the water. Campers with waterfront sites can launch a canoe or kayak directly from their site.
Piseco Lake Campground
At this secluded and scenic destination, more than half of the campground’s campsites located in the Little Sand Pond section of Piseco Lake Campground are located on the water. The campground is located on Piseco Lake, which offers exceptionally great fishing with walleye, rainbow trout, brown trout, lake trout, smallmouth bass, brown bullhead, perch, rock bass, and white fish.
Northampton Beach
While this campground resides on the Great Sacandaga Lake, the majority of its waterfront campsites are on the lake’s outlet that flows in the Sacandaga River. This makes for a different Adirondack waterfront camping experience.
Ausable Point
The campsites at Ausable Point are nothing short of spectacular. The waterfront sites either back up to Lake Champlain or are on the Ausable River. The campsites on Lake Champlain are beachfront, so you will get an amazing view of the Lake and have your own area of the beach. The only downside is that these sites lack privacy. The campsites on the Ausable River are mostly private.
Cumberland Bay
There isn’t a lot of lakeside camping here, but the sites that are lakeside are perfect for beach lovers. They back right up to the long stretch of pristine beach along Lake Champlain and the view is fantastic.
Thousand Island Region
Many people flock to the Thousand Islands to enjoy the beauty of this idyllic and unparalleled destination. The islands are spread out through the St. Lawrence River that flows out of the Northeast end of Lake Ontario. This area features rocky coastlines with huge conglomerate rocks doting the landscape. Camping on the St. Lawrence River offers amazing views and opportunities to see the large ships sailing up and down the River.
Kring Point State Park
This is honestly one of the prettiest campgrounds we have visited. There are large rocks along the coastline of the peninsula on which the campground sits. There are lots of waterfront sites (in this case riverfront as this campground is on the St. Lawrence River.) but they are mostly suited for tent camping. There is an island connected by a bridge that is perfect for those wanting to explore a little nature.
Wellesley Island State Park
This is the largest, and quite frankly one of the most exquisite campgrounds in the Thousand Islands. There are lots of Riverfront campsites, although some do not offer access to the water. There is a nature center at this park with a museum that has lots of hands-on activities for families. Keep your eyes peeled and you just might see cute little minks scurrying in and out of the water. We had one that would run in and out of our campsite. It was adorable.
Jacques Cartier State Park
Jacques Cartier State Park has campsites to fit every desire and whim which is unique for a campground. The waterfront sites are more open and lack privacy but the view of the St. Lawrence is spectacular, where you can sit back relax and watch large ships pass through the river.
Long Point State Park
Long Point State Park is small and almost completely surrounded by water. Almost half of the campground’s sites are waterfront. There are very few trees and the sites are wide open and quite large.
Burnham Point State Park
This is a relatively small campground perched on the St. Lawrence River. The campsites are fairly open but the stunning shoreline and spectacular sunsets are worth the lack of privacy. This is a great campground for enjoying some watersports on the river.
Westcott Beach State Park
Westcott Beach is one of the larger Thousand Island with lots of fun activities for campers to enjoy including a huge beach and two long piers. While the campsites aren’t directly on the water, they are lakefront and provide a fantastic view for guests.
DeWolf State Park
If you want to stay on the water at this state park, you will need to rent one of the cabins at DeWolf State Park. Each cabin is different and they all have excellent views of the water. This is an exceptionally small park on Wellesley Island and an amazing place to escape and relax.
Grass Point State Park
There are only 14 waterfront campsites at Grass Point, 6 of which have direct access to the water by the boat slips positioned right in front of the campsites. The drawback here is the campsites are wide open and lack privacy. There is a stunning view of the Thousand Island Bridge from the shore of Grass Point.
Keewaydin State Park
Keewaydin State Park is one of the smaller Thousand Island campgrounds. There are very few waterfront sites in Keewaydin. This park is actually known for its excellent boating and proximity to Alexandria Bay.
Catskills Region
The Catskills are another favorite getaway in New York State. This splendid mountain destination is a favorite among people because it offers so many unique places to visit. While the camping in the Catskills does not offer as many waterfront camping opportunities as other regions of the state, the ones it does have are spectacular.
Mongaup Pond
Mongaup Pond is the largest body of water in the Catskills. The campground is densely wooded however, the sites are more open and not entirely private. There are plenty of sites on the water and many of them are perfect for launching canoes and kayaks from.
Little Pond Campground
Little Pond Campground is a charming campground on a small 13-acre pond. The campground consists of mainly drive-up sites (including some on the water) however, there are a few hike-in primitive campsites that are located on the back end of the pond. This campground is really incredible and very quickly jumped to nearly the top of our favorite places to camp. The walk-in sites are some of the best we have ever seen. Although, if you are not up to using a pit toilet, the walk to the restroom is rather long.
Finger Lakes Region
The Finger Lakes Region has been recognized on countless occasions as one of the best destinations in the United States. You might imagine in a region with so many gorgeous lakes, the lakeside camping would be abundant. This is not the case. What you will find in the Finger Lakes is creekside camping, which is pretty amazing in itself.
Fair Haven Beach State Park
Fair haven Beach State Park has a number of campsites on the shore of Sterling Pond. This pond is a great fishing spot. Many of the sites on the pond are small and there is not much space for much more than a tent or very small camper. There are campsites that face Lake Ontario on the bluff top, but there is a fence that doesn’t obscure the view definitely subtracts a little bit from it.
Stony Brook State Park
Camping on Stony Brook Creek has been something I’ve loved since I was a child. When I had children, I made sure they enjoyed the same experience. The campsites along the creek have large trees covering them but are mainly wide open. Campers can get down to the creek by following a short trail. Kids love playing in the shallow creek and families can hike down the creek.
Fillmore Glen State Park
Fillmore Glen State Park’s campground is small with only 60 campsites. There are only a few sites directly on the creek. The sites are unfortunately pretty close together and do not offer much privacy. However, the opportunity to camp on the creek and be able to enjoy the beauty it offers is a serious perk.
Sampson State Park
Sampson State Park has a few campsites that overlook Seneca Lake. While the sites themselves offer very little in the way of privacy, the view of the lake, is lovely. Some of the sites even have trails leading down to a secluded beach on Seneca Lake.
Sanford Lake
There are only a few rustic campsites near this small lake. There is no running water, but there are porta-potties on site. If you are looking to try backcountry camping, this is a great place to make a dry run and give it a try without the hassle of having to figure out the bathroom “situation”. This lake is really beautiful and perfect for kayaking, canoeing, and fishing.
Kanakadea Park
The campsites are, for the most part, fairly wide open and not spaced very far apart. If you prefer sites with a little bit more privacy when you’re camping, this isn’t the place for you. There are other sites that are more shaded, but these are away from the water. This lake is another great kayaking lake and there is a small boat launch on-site.
Ossian State Forest
This is a walk-in camping area only as there is a barrier that keeps vehicles from driving to the campsites. The narrow trail from the parking area leads from campsite to campsite. There are five fire rings placed around Evergreen Pond. These are tent camping-only sites. There are two sites perched directly on the pond, these sites have a concrete slab. These sites are quite large and can easily fit several tents.
Central Region
The Central Region only has a few campgrounds that have lakeside camping. Many of these beautiful campgrounds are overlooked because they aren’t as well known as other parks in the region. These campgrounds aren’t large, but they are stunning and offer visitors gorgeous scenery on a peaceful lake.
Delta Lake State Park
The Lakeside camping at Delta Lake is spectacular and perfect for paddling. The sites are large, wooded, and allow campers to launch their own canoes or kayaks directly from their campsite. Most of the campsites at Delta Lake are large enough to accommodate RVs. We drove around this Lake (which is man-made and actually a reservoir.) and vowed to come back to kayak here. There are tons of offshoots that are just begging to be explored.
Verona Beach State Park
Located on the Eastern shore of Oneida Lake, this state park has approximately 11 lakeside campsites. The campsites are open, and the lake has a short wooden barrier that separates the campsites from the lake. In addition to the lake, there is an adjacent creek, swamp, and marsh that can be explored.
Have you experienced Lakeside Camping? What was your favorite part of the experience? Do you know of a place that is not on our list? We would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment below.