Campsite Restoration Project
The Campsite Restoration Project is an effort to rehabilitate our 6000+ campsites at all of our campgrounds. Many of your favorite campsites have been in continuous use since the first campground opened in the early 1920's and they are beginning to show their age.
Each camping season, several campsites will be selected at each facility to receive restoration based on condition, usage and from recommendations from campers like you. Although this may mean your miss a year or two on your preferred campsite, it will ensure that you can enjoy that site long into the future.
View the tentative Site Restoration Schedule below to see what sites and facilities will be available this season.
Improvements Made Through Campsite Restorations
Site Screening
Over the years sites have slowly lost surrounding vegetation thus reducing screening between campsites. During restoration, native plant species from DEC's Saratoga Tree Nursery will be planted around the site. Over time these seedlings will provide shade, privacy and add to habitat diversity found in our campgrounds.
Site Compaction
After many years of foot traffic and countless tent stakes and vehicles and campers, it's no wonder some sites are hard as a rock. Although acceptable as the designated campsite, compaction is very detrimental in the surrounding areas. Trees, shrubs and flowers all need room for their roots to breathe and grow. Compacted soils will severely limit the health and vigor of these plants and can completely prevent them from growing. In addition, compacted soils cannot absorb rainwater resulting in campsites becoming wet and muddy. During restoration native soils will be allowed to loosen over several seasons. This will help new plantings become established and allow existing vegetation to recover from previous compaction.
Site Layout
Many sites were originally designed before large family tents and even larger motorhomes. During restoration campsite layouts will be evaluated and if needed redesigned to better accommodate todays camping equipment while at the same time acknowledging constraints such as drainage, topography and existing vegetation. Some sites may be able to accommodate larger equipment after restoration but some may be limited to smaller equipment such as tents depending on what is appropriate to the specific site condition.
Site Drainage
Over time a small puddle or stream of rainwater can develop into a large problem. Many sites have developed drainage issues that need to be corrected. By unplugging culverts and brining in material to grade sites we will not only be able to provide a high and dry camping experience but also prevent harmful runoff and siltation from reaching our wetlands and waterbodies.
Site Amenities
In the same way site screening, drainage, compaction and layout can change, so to can the site amenities. The fireplace, picnic table and overall cleanliness of the site can influence how much you enjoy your site and in turn your entire stay. During restoration these amenities will be inventoried and addressed if needed.
Overall Camping Experience
Although we cannot control the weather we hope that through the Campsite Restoration Project we can improve your overall camping experience.
How You Can Help
Site restoration is a relatively slow process. Most sites will need up to two full camping seasons to be rehabilitated, so we ask that you please be patient while we restore your favorite site. We will make every effort to help you find an alternative site while we complete the site restoration.
Please stay off sites being restored. Although it may seem harmless to walk through a site or gather downed branches, new plantings and materials are vulnerable to your unintended impact. Even minor disturbances during the restoration stage can cause many of the same issues that we are trying to alleviate, and have the potential to set the restoration project back.
| Campground | Current Restoration Sites | Future Restoration Sites |
|---|---|---|
| Alger Island | 15, 16, 17 | 7 |
| Ausable Point | 22, 32, 33, 35, 38, 44, 67 | 28, 52, 64, 101 |
| Bear Spring Mtn. | 5, 7, 22, 29, 32, 33 | 13, 24 |
| Beaverkill | 44, 46, 57 | 84 |
| Brown Tract Pond | 24, 33, 39, 40, 46, 75 | - - |
| Buck Pond | 66, 72, 81, 82, 101, 105 | 36, 42, 45 |
| Caroga Lake | - - | 20, 28, 68, 90 |
| Cranberry Lake | 2, 22, 23, 24, 42, 72, 90, 95, 109, 113, 119, 131 | 106, 109, 110, 112 |
| Crown Point | 19, 24, 27, 64 | 2, 41 |
| Devils Tombstone | 2, 6 | 5 |
| Eagle Point | 13, 20, 21, 33, 42, 44, 45, 47, 48, 61, 62, 64, 68, 72 | 43, 54 |
| Eighth Lake | 1A, 21, 22, 33, 49, 60, 68, 69, 79, 92, 98, 120 | 57, 79, 95, 98, 100 |
| Fish Creek Pond | 73, 125, 170, 173, 183, 280, 281, 282, 285, 286, 287, 288, 289, 290 | 121, 122, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132 |
| Forked Lake | 25, 26, 28, 34, 48, 49, 56, 69, 70, 73, 76 | 1, 2 |
| Glen Island | BB1, BB2, BB5, BB5A, BB6, BB7, BB8, BB9, BB27, J1, LH2, P3, P4, RB28, RR25, RR26, T32, T33, U1 | J2, J3, J4, J5, J6 |
| Golden Beach | 2, 25, 27, 32, 34, 49, 53, 57, 92, 131, 143, 152, 175, 178, 184, 196, 197, 198, 204, 205 | 60, 179, 180, 181 |
| Hearthstone Point | 1, 3, 24, 37, 77, 81, 89, 102, 113, 114, 134, 135, 140, 145, 146, 193, 195, 197, 199, 206, 215, 221 | 136, 138, 189, 242 |
| Indian Lake Islands | 13, 14, 15, 44 | 17 |
| Kenneth L. Wilson | 4, 6, 7, 8, 16, 19, 26, 28, 65, 73, 74 | 3, 5 |
| Lake Durant | 3A, 8, 24, 39, 42, 54, 56 | 13, 48 |
| Lake Eaton | 6, 12, 15, 16, 28, 95, 96, 104, 122, 126, 127, 128, 130 | 56, 99, 134 |
| Lake George Battleground | 18, 26, 28, 35, 37, 43, 44, 49, 52, 56, 57, 60, 62, 64 | 53, 58 |
| Lake Harris | 3, 4, 23, 50, 62, 71, 72, 73, 85 | 64, 88 |
| Lewey Lake | 3, 7, 16, 19, 37, 50, 55, 89, 96, 108, 124, 126, 131, 133, 135, 153, 155, 160, 167, 171, 183, 184, 208 | 4, 112, 165, 166, 168 |
| Lincoln Pond | 34R | 28 |
| Limekiln | 11, 29, 32, 33, 35, 37, 42, 67, 68, 69, 71, 72, 79, 99, 100, 103, 112, 116, 120, 124, 145, 161, 195, 212, 213, 219, 225, 231, 233, 239, 259, 265, 266, 267 | 247, 249, 251, 253, 268, 270, 271 |
| Little Pond | 3, 17, 72, 73 | 13, 16 |
| Little Sand Point | 44, 53, 56, 58, 69, 71, 73 | 8, 47A |
| Long Island | 14, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 42, 44, 45, 43, 63, 64, 65, 66 | 52, 53 |
| Luzerne | 4, 5, 8, 15, 22, 32, 34, 35, 46, 48, 53, 61, 68, 70, 109, 137, 138, 142, H16, H19 | 18, 52, 107 |
| Meacham Lake | 77, 83, 86, 123, 140, 141, 172, 180, 181, 210, 212 | 102, 103, 167, 169, 171, 211, 213, 215, 219, 221, 223 |
| Meadowbrook | 5, 8, 18, 49, 58 | 46, 56 |
| Moffitt Beach | 58, 61, 70, 71, 77, 87, 102A, 145, 163, 164, 165, 169, 184, 186, 206, 208, 246, 252 | 16, 21, 152, 159, 170, 171, 246 |
| Mongaup Pond | 47, 48, 49, 50, 52, 54, 55, 77, 91, 99, 149, 153, 154 | 18, 43, 101, 104 |
| Narrow Island | FB1, FB2, FB5, H1, MB1, MB2, SS8, SS11, SS13, SS16, SS19, V6 | V7, V8 |
| Nicks Lake | 10, 37, 61 | 1, 49, 58 |
| North South Lake | 25, 93, 125, 156, 179, 195, 198 | 29, 110, 113, 152, 156 |
| Northampton Beach | 6, 38, 42, 47, 55, 63, 80, 83, 94, 95, 109, 118, 119, 124, 141, 146, 147, 153, 164, 165, 187, 198, 212, 215, 217, 220 | 113, 121, 150, 158, 170, 181 |
| Paradox Lake | 1, 33, 44, 45 | 49 |
| Point Comfort | 5, 8, 16, 21, 23, 52, 56, 70 | TBD |
| Putnam Pond | 4, 12, 24, 35 | 11, 28 |
| Rogers Rock | 36, 67, 74, 79, 81, 106, 109, 147, 148, 153, 155, 166, 168, 171, 209, 219, 246, 249, 308, TK8, TK9, TK10 | TBD |
| Rollins Pond | 28, 30, 37, 38, 45, 79, 80, 145, 153, 163, 164, 166, 184, 214, A027, A031 | 69, 78, 154, 161, 182, 220, 221 |
| Sacandaga | 9, 11, 76, 87 | 48, 55, 68, 83 |
| Saranac Lake Islands | 3, 4, 18, 20, 37, 39, 57, 66, 73 | 5, 40 |
| Scaroon Manor | 8, 55, 59 | 43, 49 |
| Sharp Bridge | 4, 29, 38, 39, 40 | 17 |
| Taylor Pond | 15. 20 | 21 |
| Tioga Point | 18, 20, 21 | 2 |
| Wilmington Notch | 2, 50, 54 | 37 |
| Woodland Valley | 34, 44, 45, 52, 53, 68 | 70, 71 |
* Site closures may be subject to change
Above is our tentative Site Restoration Schedule. Each campground will be accompanied by a list of site numbers which will undergo rehabilitation. These sites will not be available for either advanced reservation or walk-in camping. We suggest you find an alternate site and/or facility to meet your camping needs.
