15 Adirondack Camping Spots Worth the Trip

Full-facility campgrounds

Showers, boat launches and reservations required.

• Lake Clear, NY

  Fish Creek Ponds

  Fish Creek offers something you don't find at many campgrounds: a genuine sense of community. Most sites are waterfront, and the place has its own culture: campers cheering from shore while you paddle by, "yoo-hoo" calls rippling around the lake just before quiet hour, the occasional Taps to close out the night. And everyone's favorite detail: an ice cream truck makes the rounds every evening. It sounds kitschy, but it works.

  Drive-in · Reservations required · Book on ReserveAmerica

• Tupper Lake, NY

  Rollins Pond

  Rollins Pond sits right next to Fish Creek and is often overlooked because of its more famous neighbor, which is exactly why it's worth knowing about. The vibe is noticeably quieter, the sites are more spread out and private, and there's no motorboat traffic on the water. Paddlers can connect Fish Creek and Rollins Pond through a channel system of winding streams and small ponds. If Fish Creek feels too busy, Rollins is the answer.

  Drive-in · Reservations required · Book on ReserveAmerica

• Near Long Lake, NY

  Lake Eaton

  

  Lake Eaton is a personal favorite with deep roots. This was a go-to campground growing up, and it holds up: 135 tent and trailer sites, a sandy beach, a volleyball court and boat rentals. Shallow water near shore makes for great swimming at almost any age. The nearby hamlet of Long Lake adds range. Grab a meal at the Adirondack Hotel, or stop into Hoss's Country Store for a conversation and a souvenir.

  Drive-in · Reservations required · Nearby: The Wild Center · Book on ReserveAmerica

• Inlet, NY

  Limekiln Lake

  A large campground with 271 sites, though only a portion are waterfront, so site selection matters. The lake is worth exploring: there are several small islands to paddle around, including one with a large flat rock that's become a local jumping spot. Limekiln has a well-documented bear presence, which is why every site has a bear locker. Use it.

  Drive-in · Reservations required · Bear boxes at every site · Book on ReserveAmerica

• South end of Indian Lake, NY

  Lewey Lake

  

  The appeal here is the water. Between Lewey Lake and Indian Lake there's a massive body to explore, and the transition between the two is easy to navigate by paddle. The southern end of Lewey Lake has a channel system that draws you into a genuine marsh ecosystem of reeds, birds and turtles. Full facilities, boat rentals and plenty of waterfront sites.

  Drive-in · Reservations required · Book on ReserveAmerica

• Blue Mountain Lake, NY

  Lake Durant

  We've only been to Lake Durant once, but it made an impression. The campground sits on a scenic lake near the base of Blue Mountain, with direct access to hiking trails and calm water for paddling. If you're camping here, the Adirondack Experience (ADKX) is right on your doorstep, a 121-acre museum campus covering the history, culture and natural heritage of the park. Worth a half day easily.

  Drive-in · Reservations required · Book on ReserveAmerica

Paddle-in and primitive camping

Canoe, kayak or paddleboard. Boat access only or hike-in.

• Near Saranac Lake, NY

  Saranac Lake Islands

  

  Island camping, and sometimes your own private island. The Saranac chain has boat-access-only sites scattered across Lower and Middle Saranac Lakes, with additional spots along the shoreline. The paddle from the DEC launch off Route 3 can take a few hours depending on where you're headed, but the isolation is real once you're there. We watched one of the best sunsets we've ever seen from an island site here, deep purples and oranges bleeding across the water.

  Paddle-in only · Reservations required · Book on ReserveAmerica · Paddling guide

• Near Long Lake, NY

  Forked Lake

  

  Forked Lake is quietly excellent. There are 80 campsites, all waterfront, most accessible only by boat or on foot; only three near the ranger post accommodate trailers. No big motors allowed, which keeps the lake calm and the loon sightings reliable. Parts of the shoreline are private land, so stick to designated sites.

  Mostly paddle or hike-in · Reservations required · Book on ReserveAmerica

• West of Long Lake

  Lake Lila

  Lake Lila takes commitment: you carry your boat down a 0.3-mile trail to the hand launch, and motors aren't allowed. In exchange you get 24 primitive campsites on a quiet lake in the William C. Whitney Wilderness, 18 of them water-access only. Island sites, shoreline sites, loons, genuine solitude. If you're up for it, the hike to the summit of Mount Frederica nearby offers beautiful views over the lake and surrounding peaks.

  Paddle-in, 0.3-mile carry to launch · First-come, first-served · Paddling guide

• Indian Lake, NY

  Indian Lake Islands

  We haven't camped here overnight yet, but we've paddled through and stopped at a few open sites on a day outing, enough to know it belongs on this list. Sites are spread across islands on Indian Lake, accessible only by boat, with the kind of isolation that's hard to find anywhere else.

  Paddle-in only · Reservations required · Book on ReserveAmerica

• Near Inlet, NY

  Seventh Lake

  

  All waterfront lean-tos on a first-come, first-served basis. Most have a natural spot to hang a hammock with your feet over the water, which tells you everything about the vibe. Eighth Lake campground is right around the corner if you want a fallback with more facilities. Close to the town of Inlet, which has a solid local food scene. The Screamin Eagle does pizza, wings and cold beer. If you go, try the bourbon wings.

  Boat or foot, faster by boat · First-come, first-served

• Raquette Lake, NY

  Tioga Point

  

  Boat-access only, which means your arrival is a tour of Raquette Lake whether you planned for it or not. The destination is a quiet peninsula with 15 lean-tos, 10 tent sites and a ranger who's usually around. From 1951 to 1966, Tioga Point operated as a boys camp run by the Conservation Department. The buildings are gone, but the communal feeling stuck.

  Boat-in only · Reservations required · DEC campground details

Car-access primitive camping

Drive-in, no reservations, no fee, no frills.

• Between Inlet and Indian Lake, NY

  Moose River Plains Wild Forest

  

  The Moose River Plains is what happens when you want wilderness but you're not ready to carry a pack five miles to get there. Sites are spread out along a dirt road corridor, remote-feeling despite being car-accessible. The Cedar River Flow area has some waterfront sites worth seeking out. In early summer, Helldiver Pond is known for sightings of a large male moose who shows up to munch on aquatic vegetation.

  Drive-in dirt road · First-come, first-served · No fee

On our list

We haven't been yet, but they're well-regarded and we're getting there.

• Duane, NY

  Meacham Lake

  A DEC campground in the northern Adirondacks with waterfront sites on a lake well-suited for flatwater paddling and fishing. Less trafficked than many of the more central spots.

  Full-facility · Reservations required

• Piseco Lake, NY

  Little Sand Point

  A smaller, quieter campground on Piseco Lake in the southern Adirondacks. The lakeside sites and sunrise views over the water are the draw. The nearby Echo Cliffs hike is supposed to be worth the detour.

  Full-facility · Reservations required

Private campgrounds

Independently owned, full amenities and often family-oriented.

• Old Forge, NY

  Old Forge Camping Resort

  A well-run private campground on 130 wooded acres in Old Forge offering RV sites with full hookups (including lakefront), tent sites, cabins and cottages. It's right next door to Enchanted Forest Water Safari, which makes it an obvious pick for families with kids. Open year-round.

  Drive-in · Book direct · Visit Old Forge Camping Resort

Private campgrounds like this one are scattered throughout the Adirondacks, from bare-bones tent-only spots to full-service resorts. Worth exploring if a DEC campground doesn't fit what you're looking for.

Find your own

This is a select list based on our own time in the Adirondacks: some firsthand, some seen from the water, a couple still on the to-do list. The park has 40+ DEC campgrounds plus countless primitive sites, and that's before you factor in the many private campgrounds throughout the region. Pull out a map, make a reservation and go find your own.