Ausable Point Campground RV & Campground Guide
New York
- Home
- State Parks
- New York
- Ausable Point Campground
The Ausable Point Campground borders Lake Champlain in upstate New York. It's part of the much larger Adirondack Park, which is the largest such park in the world at 6.1 million acres. The nearby Ausable Chasm Bridge spans what the locals affectionately call "The Grand Canyon of the East." The Ausable Point Campground operates under the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and Adirondack Park operates under the Adirondack Park Agency. Because of the danger of invasive pests, when you have a fire at your campsite, you must buy the firewood from the campground. There is also the legend of Champ, the lake's own cryptid, so having your camera ready is a good idea!
Nearby Cities:
Plattsburgh, NY
Lake Placid, NY
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Middlebury, VT
Spring 39-68 F
Summer 74-82 F
Fall 55-68 F
Winter 9-32 F
RV Resorts & Campsites in Ausable Point Campground
Campground Accommodations
Ausable Point Campground
Water hookup: No
Electrical hookup: No
Sewer hookup: No
Wi-Fi: No
Pet-friendly: Yes
Max RV length: 40 feet
Other amenities: Hot showers, flush toilets, recycling center, car-top boat launch, dump station, bathhouse, basketball court, fire rings
Iroquois Campground & RV Park
Iroquois Campground & RV Park is conveniently located near attractions like Santa’s Workshop, Wilder Farm, Ausable Chasm, and Lake Placid. It is a 190-site campground with lots of activities and amenities, including bingo night, a playground area, an arcade, and volleyball courts.
Water Hookup: Yes
Electrical Hookup: Yes
Sewer Hookup: Yes
Wi-Fi: Yes
Pet-friendly: Yes
Other Amenities: Camp store with propane, bathhouse, restrooms, dump stations, shuffleboards, hot showers
Macomb Reservation State Park
Macomb Reservation State Park has a campground open to the public. It features a natural setting and provides a good location for animal watching and fishing.
Water Hookup: No
Electrical Hookup: Yes
Sewer Hookup: Yes
Wi-Fi: No
Pet-friendly: Yes
Other Amenities: Bathhouse, restrooms, dump stations, hot showers, swimming, boat ramps, hiking trails, playground area, kayaking
Ausable River Campsite
Ausable River Campsite is in the Adirondack Park along the Ausable River. Many campsites are on the river, and you can go tubing during the day.
Water Hookup: Yes
Electrical Hookup: Yes
Sewer Hookup: Yes
Wi-Fi: No
Pet-friendly: Yes
Other Amenities: Laundry facilities, propane station, picnic tables, fire rings, showers
Bolton Acres Campground
Bolton Acres Campground is close to Lake Champlain and many surrounding towns. The campground is quiet, caters to families, and provides a good spot for fishing.
Water Hookup: Yes
Electrical Hookup: Yes
Sewer Hookup: Yes
Wi-Fi: Yes
Pet-friendly: Yes
Other Amenities: Laundry facilities, pool, bathrooms, hiking trails, nearby golf course, firewood, tent camping
RVshare’s Top Picks for Nearby RV Parks & Campgrounds
What to Do at
Ausable Point Campground
Lake Champlain is famous for its water-based activities. You can swim, boat, and fish. People like to waterski and visit the various islands within Lake Champlain. There is a wildlife management area near the campground. It's called the Wickham Marsh Wildlife Management Area, and the 200-foot-tall observation platform gives you unparalleled views of the area's 862 acres.
Inside Ausable Point Campground
Ausable Point Campground offers a variety of activities to keep campers busy. These activities include bird-watching, hiking, playing on the playground, kayaking, and biking. You can enjoy walks on the natural sand shoreline of Lake Champlain. The water is clean, shallow, and excellent for swimming. Other activities include going tubing, boating, and canoeing.
Hiking
There is a laid-out hiking trail in the Wickham Marsh Wildlife Management Area. It leads to and from the observation platform and is an easy hike.
Stargazing
The best place for stargazing near Ausable Point Campground is the mountain called Poke-O-Moonshine, which is about 17 miles south of the campground. It's 2,178 feet tall and one of the darkest places in the Adirondack Mountains.
Climbing
Poke-O-Moonshine also has many climbing routes for advanced climbers. The toughest is Psalm 32, which is rated 5.13a. There are quite a few other routes rated as high as 5.11d. The intermediate routes, such as The Snake and Puppies on Edge, are rated 5.4-5.9. This is not a place for beginning climbers, however.
Swimming
You can swim at Ausable Point Campground. The water temperature in May averages 48 F, so you'll need insulated swimwear. Throughout the campground's operating months, the water warms up to a high of 72 F in July, dropping to roughly 59 F by the time the park closes in October.
Geocaching
There are geocaches all through Adirondack Park. The one near the Ausable Point Campground is in the Wickham Marsh Wildlife Management Area. It's not a particularly difficult cache to find, but some of the others in the surrounding area are.
Boating
There is a car-top boat launch at Ausable Point Campground. For a regular boat launch, you can travel 3 miles to the Peru Docks.
How to Get to
Ausable Point Campground
From points south, take the Adirondack Northway, which is also Route 87, north from Albany until you reach Route 442. Take Route 442 east until you see the signs for the campground.
From points north, take the Northway south, also to Route 442, and then proceed east. If you're coming from Canada, Quebec Route A15 becomes the Northway once you cross into the United States.
From points west, you can either take Route 190 east to Plattsburgh and then the Northway to Route 442, or you can follow Route 3 from Saranac Lake or Route 9N from Lake George. The Route 9N way is leisurely and scenic, and you can bypass the Northway if you like because it takes you to Keesville. From there, it becomes Route 9, which goes to Route 442 very near the Ausable Point Campground. You turn east on Route 442 when you reach it.
Entering Ausable Point Campground
There is no fee to park in the Ausable Point Campground day-use area.
Ausable Point Campground Per vehicle : $0.0
Frequently Asked Questions About Ausable Point Campground
The best time to visit every year is between May 19 and October 9 because the campground is closed at all other times. The early spring, fall, and winter times provide access without the campground being open.
Birds are the most common wildlife, and you can spot scaup, goldeneye, and merganser species of ducks. Occasionally, you can spy a golden eagle on the wing or in its eyrie. During the fall, just before migration, teal, snipe, rail, and bittern are common in the area.
Yes, there are 123 RV-specific campsites in Ausable Point Campground. Contact the campground or the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for information about the closure of specific sites within the campground for renovations or for other reasons.
Yes, you need a reservation to camp at Ausable Point Campground or any other such campground in New York state. You can make same-day reservations up until 3 p.m. the day you arrive. Campsites cost $22 per day, and out-of-state residents pay $5 extra.
Yes, you may bring your pets. They must be on a leash that is no more than 6 feet in length, and you must clean up after them. Pets are not allowed in any of the buildings in the campground.
Related
Top RV Dump Stations in Vermont RV Rentals near Shelburne Camping Top RV Dump Stations in Burlington, Vermont RV Rentals near Apple Island Resort RV Rentals near Lone Pine Campsites RV Rentals near Plattsburgh RV Park RV Rentals near Sunset Rock RV Park RV Rentals near Moosalamoo Campground RV Rentals near Keeler Bay Campground RV Rentals near Ausable Chasm Campground RV Rentals near Champlain Adult Campground RV Rentals near Macomb Reservation State Park RV Rentals near Lake Champagne Resort Vermont RV Rentals near Lake Placid / Whiteface Mtn. KOA Holiday