Campgrounds and RV parks near Buchanan, NY

The Lower Hudson Valley concentrates hiking, swimming, and paddling within a short drive of any campsite. Harriman State Park contains more than 200 miles of trails maintained by volunteers from the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, along with 31 lakes and swimming beaches at Lake Welch and Lake Tiorati. Bear Mountain State Park, immediately adjacent, adds a summit drive, a zoo, and the Perkins Memorial Tower. At Clarence Fahnestock, Canopus Lake has a sandy beach, rowboat and kayak rentals, and stocked fishing for bass, pickerel, perch, and trout. Fahnestock Winter Park operates groomed cross-country ski and snowshoe trails in winter. Closer to the river, camping trips pair well with visits to West Point, the Walkway Over the Hudson, and Storm King Art Center.

Camping in the Hudson Highlands is largely a mid-spring to mid-fall pursuit. Beaver Pond Campground in Harriman State Park typically opens in mid- to late April for a brief walk-in period and then runs a reserved season from early May through mid-October. Pelton Pond at Clarence Fahnestock follows a similar mid-May to mid-October window for most loops, with a smaller set of sites remaining open into early November. The Pelton Pond Pavilion is available to rent year-round. Summer weekends are the busiest stretch by a wide margin. Harriman is a favored weekend getaway from the New York metro area, so weekend sites should be booked as far in advance as the reservation window allows. From mid-May through early October, same-day reservations at New York State campgrounds are accepted only until 3 p.m., and no walk-ins are permitted. Fall brings cooler nights, foliage color through October, and lighter midweek crowds. Winter camping at the state parks is not offered; private parks and the KOA in Newburgh handle most cold-season RV traffic in the region.

The state park campgrounds in this area are rustic by RV-park standards. Beaver Pond has 125 sites with picnic tables, fire rings with flip-top grills, shared full-service bathhouses with showers, laundry, and a dump station, but no electrical hookups, and only select sites accept trailers or RVs up to 30 feet. Pets are not permitted at Beaver Pond, and alcohol is prohibited. Pelton Pond at Fahnestock is similarly hookup-free and best suited to self-contained rigs. Private campgrounds fill the gap for full-hookup rigs, big-rig access, and pet-friendly stays. Black bears inhabit Harriman and Bear Mountain, so food must be stored in a hard-sided vehicle or bear-resistant container, and deer ticks are common in the woods through the warm months.