Top 3 Camping Spots Near Utica, NY

Camping means different things to different folks, but we can all agree that it involves enjoying the great outdoors and taking a break from the daily grind. Located in beautiful Central NY, Utica is within easy reach of several prime camping spots. This list provides details and descriptions of the top 3 camping locations in the Utica area.

Camping at Delta Lake State Park

Delta Lake is located 5 miles north of Rome NY and 30 minutes from Utica NY. The State Park is located off scenic State Route 46 on a mostly wooded peninsula extending into the center of the lake. Delta Lake State Park contains 100 wooded campsites that support tent, trailer and RV camping.

The main attractions at Delta include a beach with shower facilities, boat launch, pavilions, several picnic areas, playground, baseball fields, basketball and volleyball courts, and a wooded trail system. There is great fishing for trout, bass, bullhead, perch, and pike, both on the lake and from the shore above and below the dam.

Lake Delta was created in 1912 with a damn on the Mohawk River. Building the dam inundated the village of Delta on the river and, while most of the buildings were moved at the time, when the water level is lower in late summer a boat ride on the lake can reveal the remaining structures just below the water level.

Lake Delta State Park is open year round and camping is available from the first weekend in May until Columbus Day in October. The beach is open weekends and holidays only from Memorial Day to late June, and 7 days a week through Labor Day. The boat launch is open 24 hours/day from May to November.

Contact Delta Lake State Park at:

8797 State Rt. 46
Rome, NY 13440
(315)337-4670
(800) 456-2267 - Reservations

Website

Verona Beach State Park

Verona Beach is located less than an hour west of Utica NY on the eastern shore of Oneida Lake and just south of the village of Sylvan Beach. Verona Beach has the nicest campground in the Utica area and the broadest variety of activities close by.

The main attractions at Verona Beach include a biking and horseback trails, hiking, fishing on the lake and in the Black Creek, cattail marshland with nature trails, pavilions, picnic areas, playground, and a beach with showers. The nearby village of Sylvan Beach has an older style beachfront amusement park and a variety of restuarants and bars.

The park is open year round.

Contact Verona Beach State Park at:

Box 245
Verona Beach, NY 13162
(315) 762-4463
(800) 456-2267 - Reservations

Website

Chittenango Falls State Park

Chittenango Falls is a hidden gem of a park located less than an hour southwest of Utica NY on State Route 13 between the villages of Chittenango and Cazenovia.

The Park is dominated by a 167 ft waterfall with a staircase cascade. There is a trail/stairway down into the gorge and a footbridge across the creek at the bottom of the falls. The trail continues up the other side and beyond the top of the falls up the creek. The bottom of the gorge has a more humid climate than the surrounding area and can support plants that are uncommon elsewhere in upstate NY. The creek at the top and bottom of the falls is good for both hiking and fishing.

The park also offers picnic areas, a playground, pavilions, and camp sites. The nearby villages have a variety of restaurants and Cazenovia also has shops and a small lake.

Contact Chittenango Falls State Park at:

2300 Rathbun Road
Cazenovia, NY 13035
(315) 655-9620
(800) 456-2267 - Reservations

Website