Campgrounds and RV parks near Livingston Manor, NY

Fly fishing drives most trips here. The Willowemoc Creek and the Beaverkill River are the two headline waters, and the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum in town covers the region's history. Anglers staying at Roscoe Campsites and Butternut Grove Campsites can walk to the water from many sites. Hiking is the second draw. Trails in the Willowemoc Wild Forest and Balsam Lake Mountain Wild Forest range from short creek walks to summit climbs. Russell Brook Falls is a short hike from the Russell Brook Roadside Lot, and Mongaup Pond, the largest lake in Catskill Park outside the NYC reservoirs, offers swimming, paddling, and rental boats. In town, Livingston Manor has a small main street with cafes, a farmers market in season, and Catskill Brewery a short drive away.

Most private campgrounds in the area, including Roscoe Campsites, Covered Bridge Campsite, Happy Days Campground, and Butternut Grove Campsites, operate seasonally from roughly May through mid-October. A few sites stay open into late fall for hunting season, but water systems are typically winterized by early November. Winter RV camping options are very limited in Sullivan County. Trout season on New York inland waters opens April 1, which drives the first booking rush on the Willowemoc and Beaverkill. Memorial Day through Labor Day is peak family season, and Fourth of July, mid-summer weekends, and fall foliage weekends in early to mid-October fill first. For DEC campgrounds like Mongaup Pond, reservations can be made up to nine months in advance and holiday weekends often book at the nine-month mark. Black flies are heaviest late May into June. September delivers warm days, cool nights, low bug pressure, and the start of leaf color, and is generally the easiest month for last-minute planning.

Sites in this part of the Catskills tend to be wooded and set on uneven terrain. Full hookups are available at many private parks including Roscoe Campsites and Happy Days Campground, while DEC sites in the surrounding forest preserve generally offer no hookups, pit or flush toilets, and a dump station. Cell service is spotty outside town and along Route 17, and WiFi at private campgrounds is usually limited to the office area. Black bears are present throughout the region, so food and trash must be secured. Untreated firewood cannot be moved more than 50 miles from its source under New York rules, so buying locally or at the campground is the safest choice. Streams run cold year-round, so families planning to swim should target July and August or head to Mongaup Pond's beach. Bring layers, rain gear, and bug spray on every trip.