Additional DEC Campground Openings to be Announced Soon for Summer 2020 Season
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced that 20 of DEC’s campgrounds in the Adirondack and Catskill parks will open on June 19 for the 2020 season.
Three additional campgrounds are slated to open June 26, and additional DEC campgrounds and day use areas will open in the coming weeks as DEC works to safely reopen these facilities to meet guidelines in place to protect staff and visitors from the spread of COVID-19.
To maintain social distancing and reduce the density of facilities and protect visitors, DEC is not accepting additional reservations or walk-in camping for the 2020 season at this time. Existing reservations will be honored for the DEC campgrounds listed below.
DEC Campgrounds to Open June 19:
Adirondack Park Campgrounds and Day Use Areas
- Alger Island Campground
- Buck Pond Campground and Day Use Area
- Cranberry Lake Campground and Day Use Area
- Eagle Point Campground and Day Use Area
- Fourth Lake Day Use Area
- Glen Island, Lake George Islands Campgrounds and Day Use Areas
- Lake Durant
- Lake George Battleground Campground
- Lake George Battlefield Day Use Area
- Lake Harris Campground and Day Use Area
- Lewey Lake Campground and Day Use Area
- Long Island, Lake George Islands Campgrounds and Day Use Areas
- Meadowbrook Campground and Day Use Area
- Narrow Island, Lake George Islands Campgrounds and Day Use Areas
- Putnam Pond Campground and Day Use Area
- Scaroon Manor Campground and Day Use Area
Catskill Park Campgrounds and Day Use Areas
- Bear Spring Mountain Campground and Day Use Area
- Little Pond Campground and Day Use Area
- North-South Lake Campground and Day Use Area
- Woodland Valley Campground
Campgrounds to Open June 26:
- Limekiln Lake Campground and Day Use Area
- Luzerne Campground and Day Use Area
- Nicks Lake Campground & Day Use Area
For information about campgrounds operated by the State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, which are currently accepting reservations for stays beginning June 22, visit https://parks.ny.gov/camping/.
DEC Hiring Campground Staff
DEC is seeking seasonal campground staff with all levels of experience and skill sets, including supervisors, security, maintenance, and cleaning staff, and booth workers. If interested, please send an email to campinfo@dec.ny.gov.
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Do you know when Brown track pond will be open for camping?
When is 8th lake going to be open so people can use the boat launch?
So, if you were fortunate enough to reserve a site, or sites, in January you get to camp. If not, you may not be allowed to camp in New York DEC’s tax-payer funded campgrounds this season.
Is Paradox campground open to existing reservations for the July 4th holiday?
Yes Paradox is opening July 1st for existing reservations
Walter;
Yes, you are correct. You can go to the approved protest de jour with thousands of your closest friends but in order To maintain social distancing and reduce the density of facilities and protect visitors, you cannot camp at NYS campgrounds even though you will be in your own space, in your own camper, much more than 6 feet from the next closest people who are in their own space, in their own camper. Makes sense doesn’t it?
We lost four reservations in May and June, thankfully we had booked the whole summer early. Some of the smaller campgrounds will be opening and I am guessing they will be functioning at 20% capacity. Reservations closed mid March so many people didn’t book sites at the smaller campgrounds. Obviously the bigger ones like Fish Creek will be pretty crowded except for the Canadians who had reservations and can’t enter. It is amazing that it took so long to get these places up and running. They basically did nothing to protect our investment in these campgrounds until the Governor gave the ok to open over a month ago. So instead of making so money at the campgrounds some may actually lose money if they are only open at 20% occupancy.
It is an unfortunate dilemma. Likewise, restaurants and other hospitality businesses are in the same boat. It may be better for a business to stay closed until 100% occupancy is allowed to be able to TRY to break even (but no guarantees anyone will show up). Businesses that have been open and will open for reduced occupancy are often beneficial to the communities and they can pay at least some staff – but likely operate at a loss. That is a case-by-case business decision – a tough decision to make.