CAMPNEWYORK.COM IS A HANDY TRAVEL PLANNING RESOURCE FOR SPRING CAMPING TRIPS TO SEE
NEW YORK’S WATERFALLS AND WILDFLOWERS
As the weather warms up and spring makes it way across New York, the flow of water in the state’s many waterfalls will increase as wildflowers begin to bloom, providing beautiful scenery for day hikes and camping trips.
One great resource to find waterfalls is I LOVE NEW YORK’s waterfalls page at https://www.iloveny.com/things-to-do/outdoor-adventures/waterfalls/, which provides detailed information and photos of New York’s waterfalls as well as directions on how to get there.
“Visit the I LOVE NEW YORK website first to find waterfalls of interest to you, then check CampNewYork.com to see which campgrounds are nearby that could be used as base camps for visiting these places,” said Don Bennett, Jr., president and CEO of Campground Owners of New York.
The same approach can be used with AllTrails.com, which highlights some of New York’s most scenic wildflower trails at https://www.alltrails.com/us/new-york/wild-flowers.
Bennett noted that many campgrounds have rental accommodations, so it’s not always imperative to have a tent or RV.
Here’s a sampling of exceptional waterfall and wildflower destinations that are a short driving distance from campgrounds in several different areas of New York:
Sample Waterfall Destinations
Kaaterskill Falls (The Catskills)
Nearby Campgrounds:
— Rip Van Winkle Campgrounds, Saugerties
www.ripvanwinklecampgrounds.com, (845) 246-8334. Distance from waterfall trailhead: 25 minutes
— Brook n Wood Family Campground, Elizaville, www.brooknwood.com, (518) 537-6896. Distance from waterfall trailhead: 50 minutes
Taughannock Falls
At 215 feet, Taughannock Falls is the tallest single drop waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains. But there are over 150 waterfalls in the greater Ithaca area, according to VisitIthaca.com.
Nearby campground:
— Spruce Row Campground & RV Park, Ithaca, www.sprucerow.com, (607) 387-9225. Distance from Taughannock Falls trailhead: 10 minutes. 10-15 minutes to other area waterfalls.
Waterfalls at Letchworth State Park
Known at the “Grand Canyon of the East,” Letchworth State Park has dozens of waterfalls, including three large waterfalls on the Genesee River.
Nearby campground:
— Sugar Creek Glen Campground, Danville, www.sugarcreekglencamping.com, 585-335-6294. This campground has a beautiful waterfall onsite. Distance from Letchworth State Park is 30 minutes.
Sample Wildflower Destinations
Chautauqua Creek Oxbow Nature Preserve
Nearby campground:
— Chautauqua Lake KOA, Dewittville, www.chautauqualakekoa.com, (716) 386-3804.
Distance from the nature preserve is 25 minutes.
Mildred E. Faust Wildflower Garden at Baltimore Woods
Nearby campground:
— Hejamada Campground & RV Park, Port Byron, www.hejamadacampground.com, (315) 776-5887. Distance from Mildred E. Faust Wildflower Garden is 35 minutes. This campground is also 10 minutes away from the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, a bird sanctuary that’s great for spotting bald eagles and osprey.
Tinker Falls/Labrador Hollow Unique Area
Nearby campground:
— Forest Lake Campground, Truxton, www.forestlakecampground.com, (607) 842-6401. Distance from Tinker Falls/Labrador Hollow Unique Area is 15 minutes.
About Campground Owners of New York
Campground Owners of New York is the trade association that represents independent campgrounds and RV parks in New York. Based in Pittsford, CONY provides education, government affairs and marketing services for campgrounds, including hosting CampNewYork.com, a travel planning website, and publishing a printed directory of New York campgrounds.