Fahnestock State Park Campground

Came in on MetroNorth from NYC then took a pre-arranged taxi ($25 flat rate) to the campground. The campsite (#040) was private, but was located next to the Nature Center and a water spigot, so not a super quiet place. The site was littered with small pieces of trash and there was a folding chair someone had left. The site comes with a picnic table and a fire ring with removable grate, and a charcoal BBQ grill. Overall, the campsite was pleasant and it was peaceful during quiet hours (10pm-7am) on both Friday and Saturday nights. Removing one star for the lack of care at the site itself (litter, trash around when we arrived) and the poor firewood quality (hissing/smoking, didn't really catch). Bathroom/water facilities were clean and new.

It was a nightmare for us. People partying late and fights broke out. Not a nice relaxing back to nature place. There was human excrement at one of our sites although there was a restroom close by and the cops were called twice. We were awakened by a non-English speaking family who needed a ride to the highway at 4am because the man theyw ere with was drunk and threaten violence....

My girlfriend and I took a train from the city to Cold Spring. From there, we rode our bikes the rest of the nine miles to camp. It was a strenuous uphill climb with packs on, but not too bad. We got to the ranger station a bit late, but the two gentleman in the station were very accommodating and got us set up with a good spot at the back side of the camp site.

We passed quite a few sites with a large group of campers. I assume some of the camp sites could have been noisy for this reason, but ours had decent privacy and we spent the night very comfortably.

The only major downside was that there is currently no drinking water on site. You have to walk a 1/4 mile up the road to park headquarters to fill up.

So easy from the Metro North. This part of the world makes NYC feel a million miles away. Lake swimming perfect for this time of year, and the hiking round here has something for everyone - easy to difficult. Cooked some delicious dinner over the fire and hiked through Harriman State park.

As one of the closest campgrounds to New York City, it's pretty sweet. However, the noise from the Taconic Parkway is heard from almost all sites. Be selective in choosing your site as some are closer to neighbors than others (campsite #2 was a good deal!).

I really enjoy the location, as there are multiple hiking options (easy ones from the near the campground, slightly more challenging on the Appalachian Trail nearby, and a toughie of a scramble at Breakneck Ridge, a 10min drive away).

My fiance and I had a wonderful time here. We cooked our dinner on the fire, and the sites are easy access. But I have to admit that I was disappointed with the noise from the nearby roads outside of the park and the background noise from the adjacent Taconic Parkway. If I didn't hear cars at this campsite, I would keep coming back, but it defeats the purpose of camping when it's not perfectly quiet. My visit was in 2014.

When we stayed, we backpacked on the Metro North and had a cab drive us to the campground (cost about $20). There was NO drinking water from the pumps when we got there, so every day it was a hike to the ranger station for potable water. Hopefully resolved.

Great for a day at the lake! Rent a boat $25 for the full day!