Easy trails. Well circulated with other people. Relaxing views. A great place to paint outdoors,…read morehave lunch under the pavilion or/and explore.

Doing some research online, I came across this park. It's nice to see what the Hudson Valley offers…read morefor its park! Parking can be limited at times, so the best time to go is early in the day. There are multiple paths that anyone can take, but for our convenience, we did the red and yellow path (those are the main ones). Other paths are found along the trails. Some of the markings can be unclear along the way, so keep an eye out on that. It's best to follow the dirt path at all times. Be aware, most of it is windy. The fire tower wasn't what we expected. As we approached near the top, there were a lot of bees on the railing. The view is excellent from where we stopped, but not enough to fulfill a hiker. Another thing is to watch out for is bugs. There is a lot of shady spots on each path, therefore, I strongly recommend bringing bug spy. Something I learned too. As long as you look at the map, there won't be any problems.

Great trail maintenance, accurate mapping, crystal clear water - I was impressed. We will return.read more

I made my Gunks debut yesterday and was pretty impressed despite the very meh weather situation…read more This is about 90 minutes from my HQ so probably right at the limit of a convenient day hike, and somehow I've never really been in this area before beyond travelling past it going up and down the NY Thruway. Definitely returning when the sun is actually out. I did the 8.7-mile Castle Point hike (my gut says it wasn't QUITE that long, but I don't want to argue with my book) from the Awosting parking lot down the Mossy Glen Trail (yellow blazes), making a left onto and up Blueberry Run (blue) to Castle Point itself, and then went basically straight down the cliff on the Scenic Trail (lavenderish and formerly light blue), down the Rainbow Falls Trail (orange) and finally making a right on the Lower Awosting Carriageway back to the parking lot. Wasn't crazy about the $10 fee to park - nature shouldn't cost anything - but it is what it is. It's really a shame the weather was crappy because I could tell that viewpoint at Castle Point is legit - it's sprawling and you can see for miles in almost every direction. That's a very cool spot and easily the highlight of the hike. There are some interesting viewpoints throughout the rest of the adventure, but I'd say they're primarily of rock formations and water features, which have their selling points but nothing beats a view at the top. I'm in decent hiking shape right now, and this was just not particularly challenging for me. The only part where I was even a little out of breath (and it was humid, so grain of salt in that regard) was on Blueberry Run, which was a pretty steady incline up, but really not hardcore at all from my perspective. The drop down from Castle Point on the Scenic Trail IS a little tricky and you really want to spend some time there figuring out where your foot is going to go next. Compared to other parks in the tristate area, this one definitely has more hazards, cliffs you could potentially fall down, etc. But same token, it has a ton of these completely flat carriageways as well. It rained while I was on the Rainbow Falls trail and I DID slip/fall on some of the rocks at one point, but that's on me since I willingly came over here knowing what the forecast was. Wasn't impressed by the Rainbow Falls themselves, and neither were the other hikers who were there at the time. Maybe it was just not an ideal situation for them, but it's been rainy the last few days so unclear when you should take advantage of the optics there. The trail blazes were EXCELLENT, easily some of the best I've ever encountered. Each official trail had an accompanying sign that not only gave you the name of the trail, but a map of the nearby area, the grade profile so you can see what types of inclines/declines you'll experience on that trail and tons of basic facts. Really well done stuff. The bathroom situation was pretty good as well, with ample restroom options in the parking lot albeit without plumbing. You get what you get, but I'll take a clean bathroom situation in a heartbeat, regardless. Okay wildlife sightings. The rain I'm sure kept some of the good quality shizzle away, but I got a cool shot of a black vulture and saw an edgy newt. Worth the trek and will return for further investigation shortly.

If you are looking for a RUSTIC quiet friendly wooded campground look no further…read more This campground is great for those that just enjoy the outdoors and want to entertain themselves and friends/company. They have many options all for Tent Campers (that includes this wonderful little wash/dish/ bathroom/ shower hut) include a charcoal grill The main building has a HUGE CLEAN bathroom, several stall toilets and several open/separate roomed showers Pop ups fit wonderfully where ever you are comfortable, some of the tent sites even include an electric outlet, if you want to rough it with an outlet. Great easy pull in, or back in sites for bigger RVs with water/ electric/ and sewer hook ups This campground is new to this owner for a few years now, and 2020 has not been nice with a couple fires. But they are working hard, and really go out of their way to make your stay wonderful. They had to make some 2020 adjustments and move the store to the front in an older camper and it is ADORABLE! I love the idea of a little mini check in office ( I think you should keep it) Wood available on site for 5$ a bundle Bags of ice for 3$ And ice creams for the kids Thank you for a wonderful stay

Very disappointed. Photos and descriptions on website are innacurate. No pool. Miniature golf…read morecourse unusable. Activity room locked. Only place to get rid of garbage is 1 u-haul truck by playground. No one in front office. Had to call a number to ask for assistance or questions. Picnic tables disgusting. Seasonal campsites need to be cleaned up and made presentable. Could be a very nice place if someone actually took the time and cared enough to do the upgrades needed.

I really love this campground. Its very clean and my site at B-3 was very clean with a newer picnic…read moretable and garbage cans and a fire ring. I would definatly come stay here again in the future.

Happy Days Campground is a great Rustic Campground with tenting campsites as well as full hookups…read morefor RVs and campers at very reasonable rates ... The best thing, Happy Days is only 4 miles from one of the greatest attractions in New York ....Bethel Woods, the 69' Woodstock Concert Field and the historic Woodstock Museum (which is a must see... you'll thank me later). The campgrounds are covered in pine trees, so you awake to great, fresh smelling air. It's very clean. The showers, bathrooms and rec room were immaculate. I drove my RV here, but on the premises, you can rent well restored, classical 3-wheel campers for a minimal fee and spend the night in camping luxury (and instead of my gas guzzling RV, I'll bring my car next time, instead and still save).... Tim, one of the owners, is great. From his story, he had no intention of running a campsite. He was in corporate management. He came to Happy Days as a kid. When the woman who owned the site told him, he'd have to find another place to camp next year ... the wheels went into motion. This campsite is Tim and his brother's baby and the care and the high standards they have also shows in their appreciation of their customers ... and I'm sure that comes from having originally been a customer of the campsite. Make sure you make reservations in advance, especially when Bethel Woods has a concert planned for the weekend. I was going to stay an extra day but I waited too long. Booked for the Bethel Woods concert goers.

Our brunch with donkeys (and frankly all the animals there on the farm) was such a delight! We had…read morethe best time, every small detail for our comfort was realized by Kaity. The brunch was absolutely delicious, we had everything from fresh hard boiled eggs, salad, quiche, pastries, fresh fruit and more. I'll definitely be going back, to see Ellie their gorgeous horse, and do some glamping in the cozy, comfy tent. Such a wonderful experience!!

My grandson (a toddler) and I had a wonderful visit to Hemlock Hill Farm today. Kaity and her son…read morewere warm and welcoming. We were introduced to all the horses and donkeys, the goats and the chickens. Kaity was wonderful with my grandson who became more comfortable with the animals and the barn over the visit. All the animals are so well cared for and it was a great experience all around. We hope to come back another time. It was a lovely way for my grandson to meet larger animals and start to be comfortable with them.

This a a fantastic area to camp in, there are SO MANY things you can do in the neighborhood…read more(Vanderbilt mansion, CIA, Roosevelt presidential library and museum, orchards and farms, walkway over the Hudson). In terms of the campground, the bathrooms and showers are great. The actual campsite are way too close together and there are these little seed pod things that get everywhere and are harmless, but kind of suck anyway.

Well well, Norrie State Park was the first discovery for me when I was on a field trip during my…read morehigh school career when we visited the Norrie Point Environmental Center. This review is going toward the hiking me and my friend experienced, and it was a good one. We parked at the closet entrance, which is on the left. We took the blue trail which is 4.59 miles to exist (making it the longest trail). Some of the markers along the way are not clearly marked as we ended up going the wrong way, making it confusing. One of the blue markers on a tree was facing at the wrong angle. We then figured it out later on thankfully, as we saw the marker up ahead. With me being good with maps and getting around, we ended up going off the path onto the main road to the Hudson River close up. There are a couple of spaces for parking. We got back on the blue trail as it did a big loop and got on the red trail for a bit, until reaching the main road and followed that to the parking lot where we parked. There are multiple trails along the way to take in, as the white trail, according to the map follows the river, which looks appealing. That will be for another visit. To keep life simple, there should be more maps provided along with updated signage for trail colors, which will then bring up my rating.

Just camped here again and was extremely impressed with the cleanliness of this campground. The…read morebathrooms and showers were meticulous, and every campsite in loop 4 was flat and well-maintained, perfect for any tent. While we were here, we saw staff removing tree roots that were impeding the campsite next to ours. I also appreciate that the DEC drives around and ensures that campers are abiding by the fire and bear safety rules and wish that other NYS parks did the same. There was SO much wildlife we saw just on the grounds - friendly deer, baby turkeys, and baby ducks. We were fortunate to have a few nights here without any neighbors and it was so serene and beautiful even in intense rain and fog. There are boat and canoe rentals on South Beach, and so many hiking trails that lead to breaktaking views. I really can't say enough good things about this campground and am already looking forward to our next trip here!

I don't normally write reviews especially a negative one. We had a very upsetting experience at…read moreNorth-South Lake. We drove over two hours to visit my husband's childhood campground for the first time with our three kids (ages 5, 7, and 9). When we arrived at the entrance, we were asked if it was a day visit, and we said yes, we were only staying for the day. We paid the fee, received a map, and drove in. My husband was so excited to finally share this place and create memories with our children. Looking for a place to park, we thought we were lucky to find an empty campsite in one of the loops where he used to camp as a child. We parked the car hoping to enjoy the view of the lake, take a walk, and maybe make the kids a couple of s'mores before heading home. At around 2:15-2:30 p.m., the "SUPERVISOR" in the white Kia approached us in an extremely rude and nasty manner, speaking as if we were committing a serious crime and comparing our situation to "sleeping in someone else's hotel room." She asked us if we had a reservation; we said no. She said, "Someone else reserved this spot." We were very apologetic, embarrassed, and immediately put our stuff in the car. I said they could have told us; we would have moved right away. I'm sorry. She said, "They aren't supposed to talk to you; that's why they send me here." She told us we had ten minutes to leave, waited there while we put our chair, blanket, and s'more cookies in the car, and refused our 9-year-old daughter access to the bathroom while we packed up our three things, and even followed us out of the loop to make sure we didn't park elsewhere. My daughter came to us crying because the lady told her she couldn't use the bathroom and had to get in the car. Well, she had an accident in the car right as we were pulling out. We were mortified and apologetic. My husband even offered to leave the firewood we had just purchased for the next campers, but she was dismissive and harsh about that as well. The following day, I called and asked to speak with a manager to explain how we were treated. The manager was just as unfriendly and miserable sounding as the supervisor. I was told they had been looking for us "for hours" and that it's "common sense" not to park in a campsite. She actually said it's considered trespassing. So, a friendly warning for first-time visitors: Apparently, if you don't know that "day use" doesn't mean "park in any empty campsite," just for the day, you're officially a trespassing criminal--at least according to the manager. Yes, really. Reading the website now, I see that check-in for people with reservations is at 2 p.m., which was the time we were trying to make a small fire, so unless someone left their site and returned, it's unclear how they could have been looking for us "for hours." We were right there at 2pm. The website also states: Day Use * Anyone who is not camping is a day-user. Day-use hours are from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Day-users are not allowed between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. We were not camping but didn't realize we couldn't park in an empty campsite. I think "common sense" would be to inform DAY USE visitors at the ENTRANCE to use public parking, especially for families or first-time visitors who may not be camping experts. Bottom line: this was my husband's childhood family spot. We just wanted to take a beautiful fall drive and have a special day with our kids. We understand now that we needed to reserve the parking spot ahead of time, and it was an honest misunderstanding. I would have even offered to pay for the campers' stay for their trouble. What we wish for is that the staff had approached us respectfully and explained the situation instead of treating us like criminals. Imagine being such a miserable person and working in such a BEAUTIFUL and peaceful place for families. This was meant to be a special family day, honoring memories of my father-in-law and creating new ones with our children. Instead, it became stressful and humiliating. Sadly, this is what our children will remember about the day and about North South Lake The photo is the space we took up and the stuff we had with us. Lol