This long-established section of the Empire State Trail has a good infrastructure for camping cyclists. There are around fifteen established campgrounds and campsites along the Erie Canalway route:

Beyond the established campgrounds, cyclists (and boaters) often informally set up a tent next to other locks along the trail. According to the NY Canals website, "Camping at other Canal Corporation locks may be allowed on a case-by-case basis. Camping at these non-designated sites is limited to a maximum of four tents per night. Campers must contact the lock operator in advance to determine if camping is permissible and where to set up." Here is a listing of all NY canal locks including phone numbers. Of course these informal camping options are "primitive" - depending on the lock, you might need to find a nearby convenience store for a restroom.

Unfortunately there are no established campgrounds on this section of the trail. A few campgrounds are within a few miles of the trail, but they require some travel on roads with high-speed traffic. There is at least one primitive camping option right by the trail (Livingston State Forest, north of Linlithgo).

Along trails in other parts of the country (for example, the Katy Trail in Missouri and the Cowboy Trail in Nebraska), many small towns along the trails welcome cyclists to set up their tent in the city parks. We reached out to numerous towns along this part of the Empire State Trail, and every last one told us that camping was not allowed in their town. Hopefully some of the town authorities will start thinking outside the box regarding camping, once they have seen touring cyclists - and their money - rolling through their towns.

The few options that we found:

Livingston State Forest

Germantown

150 miles to NYC
60 miles to Albany

0.2 mile from the trail

Roe - Jan Kill Park

Germantown

150 miles to NYC
60 miles to Albany

On the trail

Sam Pryor Shawangunk Gateway Campground

New Paltz

112 miles to NYC
98 miles to Albany

5.1 miles from the trail

Sylvan Lake Beach Park

Hopewell Junction

89 miles to NYC
121 miles to Albany

2.4 miles from the trail

Edward R Murrow Memorial Park

Holmes

74 miles to NYC
136 miles to Albany

2.2 miles from the trail

We hope the state of New York will eventually provide some camping resources along this section of trail, similar to the Erie Canal campsites.

The following state parks are sometimes mentioned for camping, but we did not include them in our listings because we think they're a little too far from the trail.

• Malouf's Camping in Fishkill
• Fahnestock State Park in Carmel

This section of trail, cutting through the Adirondack Mountains, offers several established campgrounds within a reasonable proximity to the Empire State Trail:

Adventure Bound Camping Resort

Mechanicville

11 miles to Albany
173 miles to Rouses Point

1.1 miles from the trail

Champlain Canal Lock C-5

Schuylerville

27 miles to Albany
157 miles to Rouses Point

On the trail

GlampADK

Fort Edward

40 miles to Albany
144 miles to Rouses Point

0.2 mile from the trail

Granite Hill Lodge and Campground

Fort Ann

52 miles to Albany
132 miles to Rouses Point

On the trail

Crown Point Reservation State Campground

Port Henry

107 miles to Albany
77 miles to Rouses Point

1.8 miles from the trail

Bulwagga Bay Campground & Beach

Port Henry

107 miles to Albany
77 miles to Rouses Point

On the trail

Barber Homestead Park

Westport

117 miles to Albany
67 miles to Rouses Point

1 mile from the trail

Baggs' Landing

Keeseville

145 miles to Albany
39 miles to Rouses Point

On the trail

Ausable River Campground

Keeseville

145 miles to Albany
39 miles to Rouses Point

0.7 mile from the trail

Ausable Point Campground

Keeseville

145 miles to Albany
39 miles to Rouses Point

0.9 mile from the trail

Ausable Chasm Campground

Keeseville

145 miles to Albany
39 miles to Rouses Point

0.2 mile from the trail

Ausable Pines Campground & RV Park

Keeseville

145 miles to Albany
39 miles to Rouses Point

On the trail

Cumberland Bay State Park

Plattsburgh

160 miles to Albany
24 miles to Rouses Point

0.6 mile from the trail

Monty's Bay Campsites

Plattsburgh

160 miles to Albany
24 miles to Rouses Point

1.3 miles from the trail

Kings Bay Resort

Rouses Point

184 miles to Albany
0 miles to Rouses Point

On the trail

 

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