Reserving campsites in some of the nation’s most popular state and national parks is often easier said than done, particularly during the busy summer months. The good news is that there are many privately owned and operated campgrounds nearby that can be used as base camps for day trips into these parks.
Privately owned campgrounds also have amenities like water, electrical, and sewer service hookups at each campsite as well as swimming pools and Wi-Fi service. Some even have hot tubs, restaurants, organized family activities, and other attractions that make them great places to camp.
Northeast Campground Listings by State
Here’s a listing of several popular state and national parks across the Northeast along with campgrounds where you should have a decent chance of snagging a campsite — even during the peak summer travel season.
Maine
Acadia National Park: One of the most visited national parks in the country, Acadia encompasses nearly 50,000 acres of protected wilderness along 60 miles of Atlantic coastline. Its scenic landscapes range from rugged shorelines to granite-domed mountains, woodlands, lakes and ponds. The park also includes Mount Desert Island, the largest island off the coast of Maine, as well as several other islands. The park contains more than 150 miles of hiking trails. Nearby campgrounds include:
- Bar Harbor / Oceanside KOA Holiday in Bar Harbor
- Narrows Too Camping Resort in Trenton
- Smuggler's Den Campground in Southwest Harbor
- Wild Acadia Camping Resort in Bar Harbor
Peaks-Kenny State Park: This park is nestled on the shores of Sebec Lake. Activities include fishing on Sebec lake, which is known for its abundant landlocked salmon, lake trout and smallmouth bass. The park offers birdwatchers a variety of species, including warblers and loons. Birding is best in spring or fall, although the park’s diverse habitats attract different types of birds year-round. Nearby campgrounds include:
Massachusetts
Boston National Historical Park: This park features many of the significant landmarks of America’s founding, including the Bunker Hill Monument, Faneuil Hall, the Old North Church, the Old State House, and Paul Revere’s House. Nearby campgrounds include:
Cape Cod National Seashore: This 40,000-acre park protects the Atlantic coastline of Cape Cod, including beaches, sand dunes, tidal flats and salt marshes.Freshwater ecosystems inside the park include kettle ponds, vernal pools, sphagnum bogs, and swamps. Nearby campgrounds include:
- Adventure Bound Cape Cod in North Truro
- Atlantic Oaks Campground in Eastham
- Dunes' Edge Campground in Provincetown
New Jersey
Wharton State Forest: This forest is the largest single tract of land within the New Jersey State Park System. It is also the site of Batsto Village, a former bog iron and glassmaking industrial center from 1766 to 1867 that currently reflects the agricultural and commercial enterprises that existed here during the late 19th century.
The village is accessible for self-guided exploration. Throughout Wharton are rivers and streams for canoeing, hiking trails (including a major section of the Batona Trail), miles of unpaved roads for mountain biking and horseback riding and numerous lakes, ponds and fields for wildlife observation. Nearby campgrounds include:
New Hampshire
Clough State Park: This park is located on the shore of Everett Lake, a 150-acre lake that was formed by a dam built in 1962 on the Piscataquog River. The park has a 900-foot sandy beach where guests can lay out their beach towels and enjoy grilling and swimming. Boat rentals are available. Nearby campgrounds include:
Miller State Park: This park is located on the 2,290-foot summit and flank of Pack Monadnock in Peterborough and is the oldest state park in New Hampshire. A winding 1.3-mile paved road leads to the scenic summit and is open seasonally. Three main hiking trails also ascend Pack Monadnock to the summit where there is a fire tower.
The best known is the Wapack Trail, which is a 21-mile footpath that extends from Mt. Watatic in Ashburnham, Massachusetts to North Pack Monadnock in Greenfield. On clear days one can see as far away as Mount Washington in Maine, the skyscrapers of Boston, and the Vermont hills. Nearby campgrounds include:
- Spacious Skies Seven Maples in Hancock: Campground open in winter.
Monadnock State Park: At 3,165 feet, Mount Monadnock is nearly 1,000 feet higher than any other mountain peak within 30 miles. Monadnock's bare, isolated, and rocky summit provides expansive views. It is known for being featured in the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. In 1987, Mount Monadnock was designated a National Natural Landmark. The park offers year-round recreational opportunities. The park is surrounded by thousands of acres of protected highlands. Nearby campgrounds include:
Mt. Sunapee State Park: This park is a major recreation area in the Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee Region and offers year-round activities. In the winter, alpine skiing is available at Mt. Sunapee Resort, owned by the State of New Hampshire and managed by Vail Resorts Inc. The 4,085 acre lake at Mt. Sunapee State Park Beach is an ideal spot for family and group outings. A boat launch is available with some restrictions. Boat rentals are also available. Nearby campgrounds include:
New York
Adirondack Park: This park features over 3,000 lakes, 30,000 miles of rivers and streams, and a wide variety of habitats, including globally unique wetlands and old growth forests. Some of the best hiking trails in New York are found in this park, the state’s largest wilderness area. The heart of the Adirondack Park is the Forest Preserve, which was created when Article XIV of the New York State Constitution was signed into law in 1885.
The state of New York owns approximately 44 percent, or roughly 2.6 million acres of land within the Park’s boundaries. The remaining private lands are devoted principally to forestry, agriculture, and open space recreation. Nearby campgrounds include:
- Lake George Camping Village in Lake George: This park is located at the southern tip of the Adirondack Park and can serve as a base camp for hiking, boating, fishing and exploring natural caves.
- Lake George RV Park in Lake George: This park offers extensive amenities, including swimming pools, an aquatic park, hiking and biking trails, and an onsite playhouse with live entertainment.
- Shady Oaks Camping Resort in Plattsburgh: This campground is just a few miles from the border of the Adirondack Park, a mile from Lake Champlain, 20 minutes from Ausable Chasm, less than an hour from Lake Placid and trailheads for high peaks, a little over an hour from the north end of Lake George, and just an hour south of Montreal.
- Old Forge Camping Resort in Old Forge: Located in the heart of the Adirondacks, this campground can serve as a base camp for many activities. Hiking enthusiasts can explore popular trails to nearby peaks, such as Bald Mountain, which offers panoramic views of the Fulton Chain of Lakes. Water lovers can enjoy canoeing, kayaking, or boating on the pristine waters of the Fulton Chain of Lakes. Additionally, the nearby View Arts Center and other local museums provide cultural experiences for visitors. This campground is part of the Enchanted Forest Water Safari Resort and offers both RV sites and rental accommodations year-round.
- Spacious Skies Adirondack Peaks in North Hudson: This campground is located in the heart of the Adirondacks and is close to top destinations, including Lake Placid, Lake George and Lake Champlain. The campground is also close to New York's Forest Preserve, which features many trails and places for a variety of adventures, including biking and rock climbing. This campground is also close to the Dix Mountain Wilderness, whose attractions include Grace Peak, which was named after Grace Hudowalski, the first woman to climb all 46 Adirondack High Peaks.
Beebe Hill and Harvey Mountain State Forests: These forests have several popular mountain biking trails. Nearby campgrounds include:
- Spacious Skies Woodland Hills in Austerlitz: This park offers a variety of spacious wooded and open RV sites as well as retro trailer and cabin rentals. Amenities include a swimming pool, a private pond, a playground for kids and a camp store.
Fair Haven Beach State Park: This park is located in upstate New York on the eastern portion of the Lake Ontario shoreline. It has one of the finest public lakefronts in upstate New York, with towering shoreline bluffs, sandy beaches and adjoining hilly woodlands. The park features 1,500 feet of beautiful sand beach, including launch points for paddleboards, kayaks, and canoes. Nearby campgrounds include:
- Sterling Creek Campground in Sterling: This campground, which will become the Sterling / Lake Ontario KOA Holiday in June, is located less than five miles from Fair Haven Beach State Park. The Sterling Nature Center, which features hiking trails, a learning center, and beautiful views of Lake Ontario is also five miles away.
Lake Erie State Park: This park features high bluffs overlooking Lake Erie in addition to being a great location to observe bald eagles and migratory birds. In the north end of the park, vernal pools and shaded wetlands are home to various amphibians. Best visited in the spring, this area can be accessed by a looped trail. Visitors watch and listen for frogs calling and salamanders migrating. Nearby campgrounds include:
- Chautauqua Lake KOA Holiday in Dewittville: This campground complements its RV sites and rental accommodations with lots of games, including corn hole, carpet ball, horseshoes, a mini frisbee course, miniature golf, and a gagaball court.
Lake Superior State Park: This 1,409-acre park features Lake Superior and Chestnut Ridge Pond. The beach area features a designated swimming area, sand beach, picnic areas with grills, a group picnic pavilion as well as kayak, canoe, row boat, and peddle boat rentals and a public boat launch. Nearby campgrounds include:
- The Campground at Bethel Woods in Bethel: In addition to serving as a base camp for visits to Lake Superior State Park, this campground offers views of the 1969 Woodstock festival site, since it’s part of the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. The Center features concerts, festivals and educational programming as well as the Bethel Woods Museum, which documents historical events surrounding the Woodstock festival, including the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War.
Darien Lakes State Park: The focal point of this park is 12-acre Harlow Lake. Attractions include a beach, hiking and horseback riding trails, picnic areas, and a rustic bridge over the lake channel to Picnic Island. Nearby campgrounds include:
- Sleepy Hollow Lake Campground in Akron: In addition to being 10 minutes from Darien Lakes State Park, this campground is only six miles from Six Flags Darien Lakes and 50 minutes from Niagara Falls.
Pennsylvania
Chapman State Park: The 862-acre Chapman State Park includes the 68-acre Chapman Lake on the West Branch of Tionesta Creek. Activities include hiking, biking, boating, fishing, and swimming. Nearby campgrounds include:
Cowans Gap State Park: This 1,085-acre park is located in Allens Valley. Highlights include a 42-acre lake and numerous hiking trails. State forest land surrounds the park, providing additional options for recreation and natural beauty. Nearby campgrounds include:
Hickory Run State Park: This 15,990-acre park in the western foothills of the Pocono Mountains features more than 40 miles of hiking trails, miles of trout-filled streams, and a large boulder field that’s a National Natural Landmark. Nearby campgrounds include:
Moraine State Park: The central feature of this 16,725-acre park is 3,225-acre Lake Arthur with 42 miles of shoreline. This park is exceedingly popular, drawing more than 1 million boaters, picnickers, hikers, bikers, horseback riders, and swimmers each year. Nearby campgrounds include:
Prince Gallitzin State Park: A focal point of this park is 1,635-acre Glendale Lake, with 26 miles of shoreline. The lake is surrounded by the forested hills of the Allegheny Plateau. Nearby campgrounds include:
Sinnemahoning State Park: This park is located near the center of the Pennsylvania Wilds’ scenic steep valleys region, encompassing 1,910 acres of beautiful scenery and outstanding wildlife habitat. At the southern end of the park, a 145-acre reservoir created by the George B. Stevenson dam provides excellent fishing and water recreation opportunities. Park wildlife includes bald eagles, coyotes, elks, and bobcats. Nearby campgrounds include:
Oil Creek State Park: The Oil Creek Valley is the site of the world’s first commercial oil well. Oil Creek State Park tells the story of the early petroleum industry by describing oil boomtowns, oil wells, and early transportation. Scenic Oil Creek carves a valley of deep hollows, steep hillsides, and wetlands. Nearby campgrounds include:
