The town of Watkins Glen sits along the southern shores of Seneca Lake in the heart of New York’s Finger Lakes district. The region’s natural beauty and its ties to NASCAR racing at Watkins Glen International -- known locally as "the Glen" -- combine to attract hordes of visitors to town. Nearby is Watkins Glen State Park, which features a spectacular gorge carved by Glen Creek. Five campgrounds lie within 10 miles of downtown.
Less than a mile from downtown Watkins Glen, W.W. Clute Memorial Park and Campground (watkinsglen.us) typically opens in early May and closes in mid-October. Maintained by the town’s Parks and Recreation Department, the 35-acre park has a wide array of recreational facilities, including a swimming beach, ball field, boat launch ramp, tennis courts, playground, skate park and picnic area. Its campground has 130 sites, including roughly half with full hookups and a handful of primitive tent sites. Facilities for campers include restrooms, showers, propane service and a dump station. Clute Park lies along the banks of the Seneca/Erie Barge Canal, which feeds into Seneca Lake.
Watkins Glen State Park (nysparks.com) is on the outskirts of town, roughly a mile from the downtown shopping district. In addition to its natural wonders, including the gorge and its multiple waterfalls, the park is a popular outdoor recreation destination. Activities include biking, cross-country skiing, fishing, field sports, hiking and swimming. Open from early May until mid-October, the park’s sprawling campground has more than 300 sites, including roughly four dozen with electricity. Campers have access to restrooms, hot showers and dump stations, as well as other park amenities that include food concessions, playgrounds, picnic areas and a gift shop.
Less than 3 miles south-southeast of downtown Watkins Glen, Montour Falls Municipal Marina and Campground (villageofmontourfalls.com) is open from early May until late October. Open to both RVs and tents, the campground has dozens of campsites, including several with full hookups and cable TV. Campground facilities include restrooms, showers and a dump station. The marina offers a boat launch ramp and boat slip rentals available on a daily, weekly, monthly or seasonal basis. The marina and campground border the Seneca/Erie Barge Canal, which gives boaters access to Seneca Lake.
If you’re looking for a campground with extensive on-site amenities, Watkins Glen/Corning KOA Camping Resort (watkinsglenkoa.com) might be just the place for you. Open from mid-April until late October, the resort has a heated indoor swimming pool, hot tub, fitness center, camp store, snack bar, gift shop, sports courts, conference facilities, coin laundry, trout stream, nature trail, fishing pond, miniature golf course, pet playground and Wi-Fi. Its campground has more than 120 campsites, most with full hookups. Some primitive sites are available for tent camping. Centrally located bathhouses have restrooms and showers. If you don’t have camping gear, you can rent a cabin.
On the shores of Cayuta Lake near the village of Odessa, Cool-Lea Camp (coolleacamp.com) is just under 10 miles east-southeast of Watkins Glen. The campground, open from mid-May until mid-October, has roughly seven dozen campsites, including several with full hookups, and can accommodate both RVs and tents. Some sites are reserved for seasonal campers. Also available are rental cabins and a rental camper. Facilities include boat slips, a boat launch ramp, kayak rentals, swimming beach on the lake, game room, sports courts, restrooms, showers, a playground and dump stations.
