NEW YORK STATE — Sometimes it's nice to unplug from modern life and get away into nature for a few days. Turn your phone off, leave the emails unanswered and spend time with your family in the great outdoors.
Thankfully, New York has some amazing campgrounds across its state parks. Public campgrounds offer something for everyone: hiking, biking, fishing, boating and more. You can camp on the beach, by a lake, in the mountains or in the middle of the woods.
If you don't want to rough it too much, many campgrounds also have hookups for trailers. Some even offer cabins for rental.
Here are some great state parks you can visit this summer to get your camp on.
Hither Hills is one of the rare parks that offers beachfront camping spots, right on the Atlantic Ocean. Features include: tent and trailer sights, beach swimming, hiking, fishing, store, comfort station, playground and accessibility features.
The largest state park, Allegany Park spans 65,000 acres and has something for everyone. There are beaches, hiking, museums and boating. There hundreds of campsites available, as well as dozens of cottages. Features include: tent and trailer sites, cabins, swimming, hiking, store, hand launch area, boat launch, fishing, hunting, bird watching, comfort station, nature center, equestrian sites, playground and accessibility features.
For the fishing enthusiasts, there's the Beaverkill campground, which is located right on the Beaverkill trout fishing stream. The stream flows through the entire length of the campground. Features include: tent and trailer sites, hiking, fishing, comfort station and accessibility features.
For the more adventurous, there's the Devil's Tombstone, which the state calls a "small, primitive facility." It makes a good "base camp" for serious hikers, as it leads to some of the highest mountains in the Catskill area. Features include: tent and trailer sites, hiking, fishing and a playground.
Prefer to take in your nature on two wheels? Then check out Chenango Park, which features some of the best mountain biking terrain in the state on its more than 20 miles of multi-use trails. When you're not biking, you can boat and fish on the lake, or take the kids to the splash pad and water slide. Or spend the day on the 18-hole golf course. Features include: tent and trailer sites, cabins/cottages, swimming, hiking, paddling, hand launch area, fishing, comfort station, playground and accessibility features.
At 46,000 acres, Harriman is the second-largest state park in New York. It has two different camp grounds, more than 200 miles of hiking trails, 31 lakes and reservoirs and two beaches. There's plenty here for everyone who enjoys the outdoors, regardless of their skills. Features include: biking, boat launches, tent sites, cabins, fishing, hiking, swimming and playing fields.
This park is located right on Lake Ontario, just 15 minutes north of Niagara Falls. There are two dozen campsites right on the lake shore where you can enjoy incredible views. Features include: tent and trailer sites, cabins/yurts, hiking, fishing, store, comfort station, playground and accessibility features.
Located right on the Hudson River, this scenic campground offers amazing views for campers. The 1,000-acre park has everything you need for a relaxing getaway, including an 18-hole golf course. Features include: tent and trailer sites, cabins, hiking, marina, power boating, boat launch, fishing, comfort station and accessibility features.
Reservations are recommended for state park campsites. Walk-ins are allowed at many sites, but only if there is space available. You can click here to register, or call 1-800-456-CAMP. Camp sites are $15 per night, with a $7.25 registration fee. There is an additionally $1.25 fee for walk-ins. Cabins and yurts may have an additional amenity fee.