Beaver Pond Campground — Harriman State Park

The staff person at Beaver Pond Campground in Harriman State Park is so sweet! She picked a site for us suitable to our vehicle and, with so few people in the campground, away from other folks but close to the bathroom. Going for a hike here in the morning before heading out.

This is my "home" campsite and the one I return to most frequently because of the convenience of location. I enjoy the beach/lakefront, option for platform sites, and regularly cleaned bathroom and shower facilities. HOWEVER, I DO NOT recommend going on holiday weekends or peak summer seasons. It will be noisy, there will be generators, there will be loud music. When I plan my trip around the spring, fall, or summer weekends that look sparse it is quiet, clean, and the others that are at the sites are nature lovers enjoying the scenery.

Worst camping experience ever. We arrived at 2:45 and had to wait until 3pm to check in which staff sat and chatted with each other. Wardens drive around in constant golf cart surveillance while campers are trying to enjoy nature.

Worst camping experience of my life. It's like a prison. We show up 245pm, have to wait till 3pm, office staff all chatting with each other. Guys constantly driving around in golf cart surveillance

I stayed here with my 7-year old niece. The overall park is amazing with a great beach for swimming and a short but fun hike up to a fire tower with an amazing view. We had a great time.

For campsites, there are two experiences. There is a main grid of campsites (picture included) that are really right next to each other. This area offers little seclusion and seemed pretty noisy.

We stayed at site 14, which had spacing and privacy between campsites. However, we happened to be next to a larger group that spread across multiple campsites, so there was more of a party feel until well after midnight.

Most sites are crammed in, but we lucked out by changing sites to a quieter spot. Did not let people checkin until clock struck 11, no alcohol, no hammocks, no parking near store where they sell wood, no …. List goes on.

This is an off-grid camping experience. You can use your generator at certain hours. Theu have a beach. Their staff is friendly. I love going here.

Very peaceful and quiet with lots to do in the area.

beautiful sites for all types of campers

Great location and quick to get to from NYC. 45 minute drive and location has a lot of amenities. Full bathrooms and slop sinks throughout the campsite. The campsites are a bit close to one another but if you have a big group you can book several sites near each other and have a great time with family and friends. The wildlife do roam around your campsite so be mindful of putting food and garbage away before sleeping. Hike trails are all over the place and the lake is nearby. Definitely coming back again and making this place a regular visit for my family and friends.

I have camped Beaver Pond for the last 45 years and have found something new and better each every year I've gone to the campgrounds. I have gone from tent platform,  tent camping, tarp, and now hammock camping. The sites can be a bit tight, at times and you may find a few visitors, not necessarily on two legs, but always a delight. It's great to be among the trees away from the hustle and bustle of the city in what I consider a majestic chapel that will always welcome and embrace your presence. Something for all, swimming, camping, access to bear mountain pool, or the appalachian trails, and lean tos, (not on the camp sites).  Prices all can afford to come. Great for all types of levels of campers.

A quick 40 minutes north of NYC, Harriman State Park has an eclectic little campground called Beaver Pond. The grounds are just steps away from Welch Lake, offering a lifeguard monitored sandy beach which is open during the summer season for swimming, fishing, and small boat craft further out.

“Welcome to Bear Mountain” grumbles the park ranger as he sits in complete darkness! He is in his ranger hut, checking in the late evening arrivals to the campground. It’s totally dark inside, lit only by the glow of the outside lamps. The atmosphere is complete with spider webs covering the walk up window, and I swear I saw a black widow doppelgänger . He’s nice, but you can tell he’s given this welcome speech too many times to get overly excited about it. He offers us a highlighted map to our site, wishes us a good stay, and gives us the run down on bear activity in the area. I mean, we are in Bear Mountain, what do you expect?!?

The campground offers several different sties, from platform tent spaces to those for 25’ trailers. All sites have a standard picnic table and fire ring. Our site is a trailer site, it’s perfect for the trusty old pop-up, and feels nice and roomy. Although no site offers electric or water hook up, camp amenities include: a moderately stocked store, public bath houses, a laundry facility, playground for the kids and camp-sinks with access to water.

Offering the peaceful tranquility of sitting under the changing oak, sumacs, maples, and poplars, I wouldn’t recommend this site for the quiet hearted. There is a constant buzz in the air of conversation, music, laughter and shrieking toddlers. Quiet time at night is laughable as the enjoyment of being in nature rages on into the early morning. I myself could go either way; I’m not overly bothered by the late nights and chorus of noise, but living in the megalopolis that I call home, it would be nice to not have the ruckus constantly follow you to the great outdoors.

We didn’t visit Welch Lake beach but for a quick walk to the area for a few pictures; it’s past season at this point, and I still have to do some fishing pole shopping. A quick 15 minute drive from Beaver Pond, is Bear Mountain State Park. Here you can find some of the Appalachian Trail, with various smaller trail heads for this historic (Revolutionary Times 1770s) part of the region including the one to Doodle Town. Long since the last resident left, the area is a ruins with markers showing where a house was, but most of the area has been taken back by nature leaving only a stone stair case here or a partial foundation wall there. It terminates at Iona Island Bird Sanctuary, a lovely long grassed marshland. The trails in the area are friendly to hikers, bikers, and the non arthritic kneers, as most are rated moderate to challenging. Don’t fret, trails that are rated easy and accessible to disabled are equally enjoyable and beautiful. They offer stunning views of the changing foliage, quick glances at the Hudson River and the rolling hills of the area. We didn’t take the Perkins Memorial Tower trail, but heard it was amazing. Next Time!!!

Super lindo todo!! $15 dolares la noche para los que viven en el Estado de New York o New York city .. si es fuera del estado son $5 dolares mas!! Lo mejor es reservar online y escojer el espacio pero no es obligatorio.. si quieres acampar en un area lejos y solo pues escojan la seccion W... no todas las secciones tienen una plataforma de madera para poner tu caseta de campaña.. algunas secciones son las casetas ensima de la grama.. lo mejor es buscar una seccion que esten los bańos y las duchas cerca en caso también de que se te antoje ir de madrugada ... para el mes de Agosto no habia nada de mosquitos ni moscas .. El personal muy amable .. no habia mucha vigilancia.. lo que si es llevar mucho gas y carbon y palos de madera para la fogata y estar preparado si llueve.. hay una tienda que venden palos para la fogata $12.. venden Cafe $1 . Hielo $5 ..$10  .. venden frisas .. leche y muchas cosas mas!!! Hay un lago estilo playa..bueno lo unico que los que no están acostumbrados a ver o escuchar animales salvajes es un poco miedoso en la noche!! Nunca tener comida ni nada de olor dentro de las casetas por que los osos viene por la comida .. dejar todo dentro del carro .. y en fin todo muy lindo.. los bańos y bańera muy limpios y ademas puedes cargar en el bańo el celular

Short distance from the NYC, very organized, clean pond, has a playground, showers, bathroom. Your phone will have signal.

Drive-in tent campgrounds. Adequate restroom facilities sprinkled amongst tent sites. Some campsites have raised platforms. All sites have picnic tables and fire ring with flip-top grill. If looking for privacy, back end of campgrounds (#’s 1, 13, 15, 21, 23, etc) provide adequate quietness, a bit hidden and tucked away from the rest. Very near many trailheads and the expansive Lake Welsh. Alcohol prohibited... Uploaded photo/vid from off-season 2019.

Harriman State Park offers primitive camping only. You biggest downside is that you have to hike in about a mile or two to get to the various sites. The advantage of this is that you are already on the trail and you will be far enough from car/street noises. There are several camping options once you begin hiking in. Make sure to bring enough supplies to last for your trip as it is a bit of a hassle to have to hike back out to your car.

The biggest positive about Beaver Pond is how spread out it was. You definitely feel like you have your own space and are not camping on top of your neighbor. Many of the camping options were on platforms which is especially nice if it recently rained or if you are expecting rain during your stay. I also particularly enjoyed the communal sink which made it very convenient and easy to wash dishes and fill up water.

I stayed at Beaver Pond Campground in Harriman State Park for two nights with my husband. We chose this campground because of its close proximity to Schunemunk Mountain. We found a lovely 6.4 mile lollipop/loop route hike that weekend, complete with beautiful rolling meadows, gradual hills, and steep climbs.

Due to some mentally-draining traffic on the way, we arrived to the campground around 9:30pm. The camp office was closed, but we were able to check in at the ranger station across the parking lot. At the ranger station we were greeted by a bunch of spiders in their webs. I'm not going to lie, I freaked out! Once we were all checked-in, the ranger explained the usual rules (quiet hours are from 10pm-7am, check out by 11am, etc.). A rule that he made sure to stress was that no alcohol is allowed in the campground.

Harriman State Park is located in a densely-forested area, and there is very little light pollution, so we didn't notice until the morning how little privacy there is between sites. There are hardly any trees within the campground, and you can see and hear just about everything. We had some rowdy neighbors, so it was a long night.

We stayed in a regular tent site, but there was also the option of sites with platforms. Each site had a picnic table and fire ring. The campground had restrooms with flush toilets and showers. There were a good amount of insects crawling around in the restrooms, including what we think were ticks. The showers were a bit dirty and old-looking. However, the showers were free and hot, so I won't complain. :)

My 3-star rating mainly stemmed from the noise an major lack of privacy.

Everyone come here from newbie camper along side senior campers We been camping for too many years with our children & grandchildrens & now as seniors we still enjoy camping with a few new tricks We’ve an electric air mattress which we hook up to a converter and a separate battery to sleep comfortable on a queen size bed along with nightstand & lamp with timer,we put down rubber tiles for a smooth floor to stand & walk across We’ve our own toilet & sink inside We’ve solar lights around the platform around the table setting and around our tent at night We’ve our chairs & table set up in the back of the tent Incase it rain We’ve hot and cold running water at our sink along with our Coleman stove and portable oven on top our compact kitchen cabinets with our pots and pans utensils cups plates and all the comforts of home we first started out camping with sleeping bag & tent on the ground we was younger than now older & wiser & we give advice to everyone that comes over to see our campsite We’re thinking about a small portable Jacuzzi not sure if were allowed to have one yet but we’ve everything else 🤗

Did a two day, 30 mile backpacking trip along the AT and adjacent trails. Stayed at two places:

West Mountain Shelter Gorgeous! As far as the lower Hudson Valley goes, the views here are unbeatable. The shelter looks out over the valley, and when the weather is clear you can see 75miles+ down the Hudson. Plenty of fire rings and dispersed sites clustered around the shelter. we had a bear canister and had no issue, nor did we here of anyone else having any. Bring plenty of heavy duty insect repellent!!

Fingerboard Shelter: This one doesn’t have much in the way of a view, but it is only half a mile (via a spur trail) from Lake Tiorati, which is open for various recreational activities in the summer (and has vending machines with COLD WATER AND POWERADE OMG). a good number of sites, and the shelter itself was nicer than WM, even if there was no view.

We stayed here on a Thursday night in September prior to taking off backpacking. The campground was clean and quiet. RV hook-ups, tent platforms, and rustic tent sites were available. Our rustic tent site had a few good options for pitching a tent, as well as picnic table and fire ring.

Ranger said that during summer weekends the grounds fill up and can be quite noisy, but mid-week during the off-season it was great. Expect to purchase firewood, although scrounging for kindling was possible. Facilities were clean and what you'd expect from a campground.

Would definitely return!!

Most of the camping in Harriman is more backcountry-esque. Hike in, set up camp, move to a new spot and so on. Beautiful area with great hiking trails. Good for all seasons!

Total enjoyment always coming back been coming here over 20 years every July with the kids when they were younger now they are adults and we bring them and grandchildren and Me & my sweetheart still come up and spend four days alone in August we always get a platform we set up our tent we meet returning campers and assist new camper They always ask us about our tent how we set up everything

I’ve been coming here for years and love this spot in Harriman State Park. Busy at peak times, but very cozy.

It has proximity to tons of hiking trails. The view from the beach in the evening is breathtaking. I have never seen so many stars.

I have spent dozens of nights in Harriman, mostly 4 day/ 3 night loops. Pure backcountry an hour North of Manhattan. Carry in/ carry out. Bring water purification. Water is abundant in cooler months, but expect to purify lake water in Summer. Camp in or around shelters. Hang you food or carry a bear canister; black bears do inhabit Harriman/ Bear Mountain. Pick up NY NJ trail Conference Map set #118-119. Carry/apply insect repellant to repel deer ticks that carry Lyme disease.

The campground accommodated a late arrival. Minus the rain, it was a great experience. Elevated platforms and conveniently located restrooms! The fire pits also had a grate, which was great 😬

Stayed one night in early October. Campground was nearly empty, quiet except for the wind blowing through the tall trees, sounding like ocean waves as it rustled the leaves. Plenty of bathroom/shower facilities, friendly employees, and tons of campsited to choose from.

Very dog friendly-- I found the trails pretty confusing- we went in circles a lot which was confusing and frustrating. But it was a beautiful park!

Campsite here was absolutely big. It could fit a couple tents. It was probably for group camps. Camp sites here felt a lot like camping in smokey National Park,mostly because everything there was wet from the night before. The site could fit at least 4 family tents and was really clean. There was a grill that had new grates, fire rings and tables at the campsite. the restrooms were on the dirty side but had really clean cold showers. There are more than 100 sites here so reservations don't have to be made. The down side is that the other campers may get noisy at times and the sites are pretty close together.

A stones throw from NYC this beautiful area combines Lake Welch and Harriman State Park. This camp ground is laid back away from the busy activity of the big city. If you want to get away and relax you can come here to walk, swim and camp. The beach is secured with lifeguards and shower and bathroom facilities are available. The camp ground is on RTE 287 just south of Newburgh.