We first visited Watkins Glen State Park four years ago, and I couldn’t wait to get back. Finally, I decided camping at Watkins Glen was the next way to fully enjoy the most gorgeous park in the Finger Lakes. And it was a great decision.
The campground at Watkins Glen is quiet and feels secluded, even though you are minutes from town and everything you need. It truly is the best of both worlds.
If you are thinking about planning a camping trip to the Finger Lakes, the guide below has everything you need to know!
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Some Info About Camping at Watkins Glen State Park
Location and Park Entrance
Watkins Glen State Park is located in the Village of Watkins Glen in the Finger Lakes Region of New York.
There are several entrances to the park, but to get to the campground, you’ll want to use the South Entrance.
Camping Season
The campgrounds at Watkins Glen are open from early May until early October. The Cayuga and Mohawk loops open first, and then the remaining loops open about a week later. You can find exact dates on its Reserve America website.
Reserve Your Site
Reservations for Watkins Glen campsites can be made up to 9 months in advance. However, you can also make day-of (until 3 pm) reservations for any open campsite.
Park Fees
Although Watkins Glen State Park typically charges $10 per vehicle for entry to the park, your campground reservation allows you FREE access to all New York State Parks during the length of your stay. This gives you a good reason to visit nearby parks like Taughannock Falls, Buttermilk Falls, and Robert H. Treman.
Alcohol Policy
No alcohol is allowed at any of the campsites at Watkins Glen State Park.
Cellular Service
We had decent cell service while at the Watkins Glen campground. Our Verizon service fluctuated between 2 and 3 bars, and we were able to use the internet and social media apps.
Pets
Up to two dogs per site are allowed at the Watkins Glen Campground. A certificate of rabies vaccination must be presented for pets. Pets cannot be left unattended, and they are not allowed on the Gorge Trail, in playgrounds, buildings, or at the pool, so keep that in mind when planning your trip.
Nearby Amenities
The nice thing about camping at Watkins Glen State Park is that you feel secluded, but you are not far from civilization. That means if you forget or run out of anything, you have a short drive to get what you need.
There is a gas station right at the bottom of Old Corning Road that also sells ice and firewood. And a Tops Friendly Market is a little further down the road, selling whatever groceries you might need.
Activities at Watkins Glen State Park and Nearby
Hiking
Hiking the Gorge Trail is the biggest draw to Watkins Glen State Park. It’s one of the best waterfall trails in the Finger Lakes! The campgrounds (specifically Onondaga Village) have an access trail to the Rim Trail, making it easy to reach the Gorge Trail.
Swimming
The pool at Watkins Glen State Park is open from the end of June until the first week of September. Reach out to the park office to confirm swimming is open before your visit.
Fishing at Seneca Lake and Catherine Creek
Although fishing inside the park is not allowed, visitors can enjoy fishing at Seneca Lake or Catherine Creek. Make sure to follow the state’s fishing rules and regulations.
Boating at Seneca Lake
There are many options for getting out on the water at Seneca Lake. Seneca Lake Kayak offers tours and rentals. Sail True Love offers daytime and sunset excursions on a 67-foot schooner. And Finger Lakes Cycle gives visitors a chance to sing, drink, and snack while pedaling around the lake.
Biking on the Catherine Valley Trail
The Catherine Valley Trail is a 13-mile, compact stone-dust trail perfect for bike rides. It takes you past some of the best sites in the area, including Aunt Sarah’s Falls and Shequaga Falls Park.
Campgrounds at Watkins Glen State Park
There are six loops at the Watkins Glen State Park campground, all accessed via the same main road. Only two of the loops offer electric sites. The other four loops are all non-electric.
Cayuga Village
Cayuga Village Loop has 49 sites, all offering electricity. All of the sites allow RVs (varying between 20′ and 30′ allowance). There is a bathroom/shower house at the center of the loop. This loop is closest to the camp office.
Mohawk Village
Mohawk Village Loop has 55 all-electric RV sites. About half accommodate 20′ and the other half accommodate up to 30′. In addition to the central bathroom/shower house, this loop has a playground. It shares a road with the Cayuga Village loop.
Oneida Village
If you’re looking to stay in a rustic cabin, the Oneida Village Loop is where you’ll want to be. There are nine rustic cabins on this loop, as well as a mix of RV and tent sites (all non-electric) for the other 35. Like the other loops, there is a central bathroom/ shower house. It doesn’t share a road with any other loop.
Onondaga Village
Onondaga Village Loop is the only loop in the campground with direct access to the Rim Trail (which is why we chose it). The 48 sites offer a mix of RV and tent-only sites. There is a central bathroom/ shower house. And the loop shares a road with Seneca Village.
Seneca Village
Although Seneca Village has about the same number of sites as the other loops (46), the loop itself is a bit larger than the others, so the sites feel a bit more spread out (relative to the other loops). That’s good if you’d like more privacy, but you might have a longer walk to the central bathroom/shower house. Most of the sites can accommodate an RV. There is also a playground in the loop.
Tuscarora Village
Although Tuscarora Village has a lot to offer, especially if you’re camping with kids. First, there is a HUGE playground and also volleyball and basketball courts in the center of the loop, which can be a big draw for families. As well as a centralized bathroom/shower house.
However, a large chunk of the 53 non-electric sites are out in the open, poorly protected by trees, and offer little privacy. If that doesn’t bother you and you are camping with young kids, this might be the best loop option for you.
Watkins Glen Campground Review (Onondaga Village)
I can’t say enough good things about the campground at Watkins Glen! We stayed on a Monday and Tuesday night in mid-August, and the campground was about half full, so the bathhouse never felt too busy. The campground itself was also very quiet.
We stayed in site 189 on the Onondaga Village Loop, and I thought it was absolutely perfect. We backed up to the Rim Trail (I could see people walking, but we were high enough to still have privacy), and we had plenty of space.
The bathroom was across the road from our site, and we were right next to the access trail to the gorge, but the site layout and the trees still gave us plenty of privacy.
Checking In
Check-in was very fast and easy at Watkins Glen Campground. We entered via the South Entrance and were given easy directions to the camp office. There, it was less than five minutes to check in since I had completed the pre-registration before we left.
I was handed a map of the campground, with specific directions to my site, and a pass to hang on my rearview mirror that also gave us FREE access to other state parks during our stay.
Site Conditions
As noted above, our site at 189 in Onondaga Village had ample space. I set up our large 6-person tent and a smaller 2-person tent, and still had plenty of room. The site next to us looked much smaller because of the trees lining the back of the site.
However, when driving through the loop, it appeared that most sites had plenty of space to spread out.
Bathroom and Showers
The bathroom and shower house at the Onondaga Loop was fine. It’s not as nice as the one at Promised Land State Park in Pennsylvania, but it was clean.
I liked that they had a large mirror with a shelf and electrical sockets, making it easy to blow-dry hair. I actually saw someone charging their power station, and I thought that was brilliant! (You can tell who the seasoned campers are…).
The showers were hot with decent enough water pressure. I used the larger, accessible stall, which had a single knob and the water stayed on. The other stall had a push-button knob (similar to those you’d find at park sinks), where the water turns off after 10-15 seconds. Neither stall had a separate area for drying/changing, and there weren’t enough hooks to hang your dry clothes, so keep that in mind.
Also inside the bathroom was a large utility sink with an adjacent shelf. This is a good area to wash your dishes, but we used it to fill our collapsible water container.
Rim Trail Access
As I mentioned above, one of the reasons I chose the Onondaga Village Loop was the easy access to the Rim Trail. The trail is right across from the bathhouse (and right next to site 189). It’s about 100 yards long and connects you to the Rim Trail, not far from Mile Point Bridge.
Cell Phone Service
Cellular service was pretty good at the campground. I could easily access the internet, watch videos on social media, and stream music. I think we fluctuated between 2 and 3 bars and had 5g connection the whole visit.
Other Observations
A few other things about the Onondaga Village Loop.
First, if you’re looking for a little more privacy, opt for sites on the “left” side of the loop (when looking at the map). That would include 155-164 and 197-203. The other sites were a bit closer to the shower house, with some even backing right up to it, making them less private.
Also, I noticed the dumpsters weren’t bear-proof, which leads me to believe there aren’t many bear issues in the park. That would make sense since it’s literally right next to town and the park itself is very popular. As always, be mindful of wildlife when camping! We still put our food in the car at night to make sure little critters didn’t get into it.
Camping at Watkins Glen State Park Wrap-Up
I really enjoyed our camping trip to Watkins Glen State Park. The site was great, the amenities were good, and you can’t beat the location!
We were able to leave for the day and enjoy waterfall views at Taughannock Falls and Robert H. Treman State Park. We explored some of Ithaca. After dinner at the campsite, we drove into Watkins Glen to grab ice cream and then walk the jetty along Seneca Lake. There really is so much to do nearby.
The site itself feels so secluded, except you could hear a boat horn in the morning and a train going by in the evening – but those were the only indicators that civilization was close by. But knowing we were so close to anything we could possibly need made it even better.
If you’re debating about camping at Watkins Glen, debate no more! It’s a great place and definitely worth visiting.
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