Nestled within the Catskill Forest Preserve, North/South Lake is the largest and most popular state campground in the region. It is renowned for its breathtaking scenic beauty, historical sites, and unparalleled natural escape. This campground offers easy access to some of the Catskill’s most popular destinations.
Camping
North/South Lake offers some of the best camping in the Catskills. It features 206 campsites with plenty of options for the perfect campsite, including waterfront sites. If you are looking to book a site here, you need to plan ahead because this campground fills up, especially on holidays and summer weekends. We took a good look around the campground and were hard-pressed to find a bad site.
Modern technology and the internet have made it easier to pick the perfect campsite. My go-to website for picking my campsite is CampADK.com. This is an awesome tool for getting a preview (through photographs) of what each campsite looks like and other features. They have a large database with most of the New York State Parks.
North/South Lake has ten handicap-accessible campsites.
Visiting Kaaterskill Falls
Trail – 1.15 Miles from North/South Lake Campground to the Viewing platform. Trailhead is located near the first large public parking lot in the South Lake area.
Kaaterskill Falls is undoubtedly the most popular destination in the Catskills. While the hike from here is a little longer, North/South Lake is the perfect home base for people looking to visit Kaaterskill Falls.
Other Trails
Several trails can be accessed from the park. Hikers can reach famous spots such as Artist’s Rock, Sunset Rock, Newman’s Ledge, Boulder Rock, Kaaterskill Falls, Catskill Mountain House Historic Site, as well as the Kaaterskill Hotel and Laurel House sites.
- The Escarpment Trail
- Mary’s Glen Trail
- North/Sout Lake Trail
- Mountain House Trail
Catskill Mountain House Historic Site
We didn’t know what we were in for when we decided to visit the site of the Catskill Mountain House. This was the best part of our visit to North/South Lake. The views from here are, without a doubt, some of the best we’ve seen in the Catskills, especially without breaking a sweat!
Beaches
There are two sandy beaches at North/South Lake (one on each Lake). These are part of the park’s Day-Use area. The beaches are surrounded by picnic tables and grills, and there is handicap-accessible beach access.
Boating
Motorized boats are not allowed on either lake. However, rowboats, canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards are permitted. There is a paved boat ramp located at the North Lake day-use area, and a handicap-accessible kayak launch at the South Lake day-use area. Additionally, rentals for rowboats, kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddleboards, and paddle boats are available at South Lake.
Getting to North/South Lake
Address: 874 N Lake Rd, Haines Falls, NY
Google Map Link
