Campgrounds and RV parks near Russell Gardens, NY

From Russell Gardens, day trips split between the coast and the mountains. On Long Island, Heckscher State Park anchors a bay-front recreation cluster with bay swimming at West Beach, boat launches, kayaking, canoeing, windsurfing, and paddleboarding, plus four miles of paved multi-use trails winding through the park for hiking and biking. Brooklyn's Floyd Bennett Field - Gateway National Recreational Area puts campers next to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. The grounds include hiking trails, historic airplane hangars, and a recreation complex with bike rentals, and camping reservations get access to an outdoor archery range. Up in the Hudson Highlands, Harriman State Park delivers big-park hiking with more than 200 miles of trails, 31 lakes, and two beaches, with lake activities including swimming, fishing, paddling, and boating. Clarence Fahnestock adds a beach on Canopus Lake and boat rentals in the Pelton Pond area.

The camping window around New York City is narrow. Heckscher State Park campgrounds run from late May through early September, so summer availability is tight. Beaver Pond Campground - Harriman State Park opens in mid-April for walk-in camping only through early May, with the regular reservation season running from early May through mid-October. Camp Gateway Brooklyn at Floyd Bennett Field typically operates from spring into mid-October, though camp status has varied in recent seasons, so confirmation with the National Park Service is essential. Summer is peak. Days are long and warm, but sites book out months ahead on weekends, and Atlantic hurricane season peaks August through September, occasionally pushing coastal parks to close temporarily. Insects are a factor: mosquitoes are a persistent issue at Floyd Bennett Field through the warm months. Shoulder seasons work well for RV renters who want quieter sites. Spring brings mild weather before the peak, but ticks appear early. Fall offers Hudson Valley foliage through October. Pelton Pond - Clarence Fahnestock State Park is closed for the 2026 season to facilitate the construction of a new bathhouse, so confirm status before booking. Liberty Harbor RV Park in Jersey City stays open year-round.

Hookups vary sharply by campground. Liberty Harbor RV Park is the full-service option, with 30-amp and 50-amp electrical service, water hookups, pull-through sites for big rigs, a dump station, modern shower and restroom facilities, laundry, and Wi-Fi. State parks are more primitive. Heckscher State Park has no electric, water, or sewer hookups but provides restrooms, showers, a dump station, and picnic tables at each site. Beaver Pond Campground - Harriman State Park accommodates trailers or RVs up to 30 feet with no electrical hookups, plus comfort stations, showers, laundry, and a dump station. Size limits matter. Beaver Pond caps rigs at 30 feet, and larger Class A rigs are best routed to Liberty Harbor RV Park. Pets are not permitted at Beaver Pond Campground or Lake Welch, and Heckscher bars pets from campsites and cottages. Expect a family-oriented atmosphere at the state parks and an urban parking-lot feel at Liberty Harbor RV Park and Floyd Bennett Field - Gateway National Recreational Area.