Campgrounds and RV parks near Riverside, CT

Water access defines most trips in this region. Heckscher State Park fronts the Great South Bay with bay swimming at West Beach plus kayaking, canoeing, windsurfing, and paddleboarding, along with four miles of paved multi-use trails for biking. Beaver Pond Campground puts campers next to Lake Welch swimming beach and offers immediate access to Harriman's trail network, including sections of the Appalachian Trail. Pelton Pond at Clarence Fahnestock connects to more than 50 miles of hiking trails, and Canopus Lake offers a sandy beach with rowboat and kayak rentals. Floyd Bennett Field offers a very different experience: historic airplane hangars, an archery range, and bike routes toward Jacob Riis Park, with Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge next door.

The regional camping season is short and clearly defined. Beaver Pond Campground typically opens in mid to late April and runs through late October, with peak reservation demand from May through early October. Heckscher State Park operates roughly from late May through early September, and Kettletown State Park in Connecticut has historically opened in mid-May and closed in mid-October, though campers should confirm current status directly with the park before planning a trip. Summer weekends fill quickly across every park in this cluster. Harriman is a favored weekend getaway for New Yorkers, so weekend bookings should be made as far in advance as possible, and same-day reservations at New York state parks are permitted only until 3 p.m. on the day of arrival. Fall brings quieter sites and foliage, particularly in the Hudson Highlands around Pelton Pond, though nights turn cold quickly. Winter camping is limited to Floyd Bennett Field, which operates year-round, while the Fahnestock campground is closed for the 2026 season for bathhouse construction.

Expect rustic, state-park-style camping rather than resort amenities. Beaver Pond offers around 125 sites, each with a picnic table and fire ring with a flip-top grill, plus shared full-service bathrooms, showers, laundry, and a dump station, but no electrical hookups. Pets and alcohol are not permitted, and only one vehicle is allowed per site. Heckscher's 67 sites accommodate RVs from 20 to 50 feet depending on the site, with restrooms, showers, a dump station, and picnic tables, but no electric, water, or sewer hookups. The maximum stay is 14 consecutive nights. Black bears live in Harriman and the Hudson Highlands, so food should be stored in vehicles or bear canisters. Deer ticks are common region-wide, and mosquitoes peak in July and August.