Wellesley Island State Park – Fineview, NY

Wellesley Island State Park is one of the most beautiful parks I have visited in New York State. It is perched right on the St. Lawrence River, and I found that the camping, boating, and hiking here are really second to none. Not only gorgeous but massive. This park covers an extensive amount of Wellesley Island, which happens to be the second-largest island in the Thousand Islands. Of all the places that we have visited in the Thousand Island region to date, this might just be our favorite. If anything, this state park has set the bar very high for other parks to measure up to.

Camping

This is a huge campground with 414 campsites, 10 cabins, and 12 cottages. The camping here is nothing short of spectacular. We managed to snag a fantastic site on the water. Honestly, almost every water site at Wellesley Island State Park is fantastic. Wellesley Island State Park has no shortage of amazing sites that accommodates almost everyone’s needs and desires.

Our campsite was truly gargantuan. We had two picnic tables, which actually came in very handy. We had more than enough room to set up both of our tents and park our vehicle while still having room to spare. You might think that with 414 campsites, they might have to pack people in like sardines (which I have seen, by the way.), but they don’t. Almost every campsite we saw had plenty of room to spread out.

As previously mentioned, we had an amazing waterfront site. Like many of the waterfront sites, we had to drive down a driveway off the main loop. This is pretty standard with most of the waterfront sites. We were lucky to get to the site on the end, there wasn’t anyone on the left-hand side of us and we couldn’t see the people on the right, other than their vehicles.

We had a huge area right behind our campsite that was filled with immense rocks perched on the River. We were able to sit and relax by the river, swim, fish, and even jump off the rocks. We had so much room to spread out. And the sunset we enjoyed from the top of our giant rocks was absolutely fabulous. I couldn’t imagine how our camping experience could have been any better.

We recently returned again to camp at Wellesley Island and it was just as amazing as we remembered it. We have had great luck in the weather when we’ve camped here. Each night that we have stay at Wellesley Island, we were treated to the most incredible sunsets right from our campsite.

One thing I feel like I must mention that made this park even more outstanding is the showers and bathrooms. The bathroom and shower facilities at Wellesley Island State Park are by far the best I have seen at any New York State Park. Normally I absolutely dread taking a shower when I’m camping. I feel clean and dirty all at the same time if you know what I mean. The showers always feel, well…slimy to me. The bathroom near us had 4 private and luxuriously spacious shower rooms. They were sparkling clean and didn’t make me feel like I was bathing in the filth left behind by everyone before me.

Wildlife

We were very quickly treated to a sampling of the island’s wildlife on our first night. We had no sooner unpacked and set up our tents as we saw a little mink casually stroll through our site and down to the water. We had regular visits from the minks throughout our stay. At night we had numerous raccoons visit our site.

The park rangers will tell you to be sure to close up your food and store it away, and they aren’t kidding. These adorable bandits are pretty smart, and they can figure out how to break into things. Your best bet is to lock your food away in your vehicle. The raccoon even went as far as opening our son’s container of worms, dumping all the dirt out, sifting through, and eating the worms. We were also told by a resident of the island that there are wolves on the island, but we never saw any evidence.

Firewood and Bait

While it is convenient to buy wood in the park, it can also be pretty expensive. One of the best tips I can pass on is always to ask the staff where to get firewood when you check-in. They will, of course, always tell you about the wood sold in the park, but every so often, they will tell you about cheaper options near the park. When we first arrived at Wellesley Island State Park, we were told that Woody’s was the place to go for firewood. They had wheelbarrows full of wood for a very reasonable price, especially when compared to every other place on Wellesley Island. They also have everything you will need for fishing. We were able to purchase live bait (again at very reasonable prices) but lures and other tackle that we needed.

Minna Anthony Common Nature Center

If you are looking to hike or learn about the many different habitats on Wellesley Island, you must visit the Minna Anthony Common Nature Center. The trails here are really something else, especially the Eel Bay Trail that follows the St. Lawrence River. There is the main building that has exhibits and hands-on activities for kids. If you visit during the summer, make sure to visit the butterfly house.

Boat Launch, Marina & Camp Store

Wellesley Island State Park is a prime destination for boating. There are approximately 158 docks that are available for rent during your stay. There are a variety of dock sizes that will accommodate most boat lengths. The marina has a gas pumping dock, a fish cleaning station, and a boat sewer pump out.

On our return trip to Wellesley Island, we rented a boat from the marina for a few hours. It was extremely affordable and we had an amazing time. Our son could fish off the boat and caught a nice largemouth bass (it was out of season, so we released it.)

This was the perfect way to spend a warm and sunny afternoon. We cruised up and down the St. Lawrence through narrows and coves. We noticed that many of the boats around us flew Canadian flags while others flew American; It was exhilarating to sail in the waters of two countries. I was excited to be so close to Canada that I could almost touch it.

There is a camp store that sells everything you might need (or may have forgotten.) They also serve food, including some delicious soft-serve ice cream. A covered picnic area is where you can sit and enjoy your food.

Out and About with Nova

Wellesley Island is a very dog-friendly camping destination. We camped right on the water and Nova loved exploring the water in the little bay by our campsite. There are big cliffs here, which made me nervous at first, but she was good about not getting too close to the edge. Many of the campsite are quite suited for having dogs because they offer a lot of privacy.

Dogs are also welcomed at the nearby Minna Anthony Common Nature Center. (But please remember to clean up after them!!)

Guests camping with their dogs (maximum of 2 dogs) must provide a valid rabies certificate. Dogs must never be left unattended. Dogs must be kept on a 6-foot leash at all times; even on the trails, they MUST be leashed.

Getting to Wellesley Island State Park

Wellesley Island State Park is on Wellesley Island. If you take Interstate 81 North, It will take you directly to Wellesley Island. There is a small toll to get onto the Island, but it is free to get off. Once you get onto the Island, follow the signs to the Park. If you are camping, make sure that you get a park map when you check in. There are five different loops, so it is easy to get lost if you aren’t following the map.

Address: 44927 Cross Island Rd, Fairview, NY

Google Map Link

Have you camped at Wellesley Island State Park? How was your camping experience? What did you like best about this park? We would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment below.