Campgrounds and RV parks near Danby, NY

Waterfall hiking is the headline activity. Winding trails at Robert H Treman State Park follow the gorge past 12 waterfalls, including the 115-foot Lucifer Falls, and visitors can swim in a stream-fed pool beneath a waterfall. Buttermilk Falls State Park has its own gorge trail alongside a 165-foot cascade, with a natural pool at the base of the falls. On Cayuga Lake, Myers Park has a marina, three paved boat launches, a lifeguarded swimming area, a playground, volleyball, basketball, and horseshoe pits. Spruce Row Campground adds family-oriented amenities including a swimming pool, playgrounds, mini-golf, and a fishing pond. Beyond the campgrounds, downtown Ithaca, Cornell University, Taughannock Falls, Watkins Glen, and the Cayuga Lake wineries are all within easy driving range.

The camping season in this part of the Finger Lakes is short. Buttermilk Falls State Park campsites typically run from mid-May through early to mid-October, and Robert H Treman State Park is open for camping from May 15 to November 7, with advanced reservations required for cabins and strongly recommended for campsites. Private parks follow a similar window, generally opening in May and closing around Columbus Day. Summer is peak. Weekends, holidays, and cabins book out months in advance, and day-use traffic at the gorges is heaviest from late June through Labor Day. Swimming at Robert H Treman is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., late June through Labor Day weekend, then closes for the season. Fall brings foliage and thinner crowds, but the swimming holes shut down. Winter access is limited: state parks stay open for day use, but the campgrounds close and gorge trails are often closed from November through the winter months due to ice. Expect cold, snowy conditions from December through February, when Ithaca-area highs hover near freezing.

State park campgrounds in this area are rustic. Robert H Treman State Park has 72 campsites total, 11 with electric hookups, plus 14 cabins, with restrooms, free hot showers, a dump station, and a playground. Buttermilk Falls State Park is smaller, with a mix of tent, RV, and cabin sites, restrooms with showers, a dump station, and a playground. Cell service can be spotty and carriers vary site to site. Myers Park is compact and lakefront: 19 core sites with 30-amp electric and water hookups plus six newer non-electric RV sites, an on-site dump station, and a 35-foot RV maximum. Spruce Row Campground is the most amenity-heavy option, with full hookups, pull-throughs, and family programming. Pets are welcome at most sites with restrictions. New York State Parks check proof of rabies vaccination at check-in, so bring current paperwork. Firewood is sold on-site or nearby.