Little Pond
Nestled around Little Pond in the valley of Touchmenot Mountain, the campground contains 8 lakefront drive-to sites, and 7 remote lakefront sites, accessible by boat or by walking about 1/4 mile from the boat launch parking area. The remaining 53 sites are tucked into the woods to the south and southwest of the pond.
Nice spacious campsites....
....with room to spare
Don't be deceived by the name, Little Pond is more of a small lake than a pond. There is a sandy beach area and with no waves and shallow water, the little ones will love splashing around. For the older kids, they can wade further out or just bask in the sun. Next to the beach is a dock where you can rent rowboats, canoes and paddle boats for a moderate fee. No motor boats are allowed which makes for a quiet experience and there is a boat launch where you can bring your own row boat or canoe. You can fish in the pond but a permit is required for anyone over 16 years of age. There are also volleyball & soccer courts and a horseshoe pit.
Woods behind the campsite
The rangers at Little Pond are very friendly and there is a junior naturalist program available. At the registration booth you can buy firewood and ice. There is a small convenience store a few miles away that sells basic groceries and camping supplies. If you need a supermarket, that's about a 40 minute drive away so be sure to bring enough food and snacks.
Don't worry, only the primitive walk-in sites have pit toilets
There are several very clean and well maintained restrooms throughout the campground, all with flush toilets, sinks and a dish washing station. There are also drinkable water spigots throughout the campground. The 8 walk-in sites are much more primitive, each with a pit toilet. There is a recycling center and dump station though trailer camping seems to be at a minimum here and most sites will either contain tents or pop-ups.
Hiking trail starts with the remains of an old fireplace (watch out for cobwebs)
Trail features include an old stone wall and cellar as well as a frog pond.
There's no playground on the campsite but a really lovely nature trail runs from one end of the campsite, up touchmenot mountain, ending down at the opposite end of the campground. The trail is just under 2 miles but the last part involves a very steep decent which is only advisable for children over 7-8 years old. The best way to start the trail is if you start near the boat launch parking area. Follow the yellow blazed trail, starting at a standalone fireplace in the middle of the road from a former farmhouse that was in the area. You'll pass along a creek, and up a steady incline through a very primeval looking pines. Along the way you'll pass an old stone wall and the remains of a cellar. These are fun for the kids to explore and it really makes them feel like they're discovering a lost and forgotten realm.
Primeval looking woods
Tiny frog in the frog pond
As you make your way up through the pines, you will pass near a meadow on your right, and the ground will level off a bit. Eventually, you'll come across an unmarked trail that veers off to the left. If you follow this a few yards you'll come upon a frog pond filled with all sorts of interesting creatures. You may even spot a turtle or two. Then head back to the trail and you will continue to an open field near the top of the mountain. Here you can see out for miles and it's a great photo opportunity. If you're lucky, there may be some ripe blackberries, which are totally edible, along the trail to provide a yummy snack. We were lucky enough to pick some and they made a great addition on top of some cornbread we baked in a dutch oven.
Top of the world!
You can continue along the trail a few more yards into woods however after that point the trail becomes more difficult. If you have little ones, this would be a good point to stop for lunch and walk back down the way you came. If you're up for more of a challenge, you can continue. Hiking downhill can be more strenuous than going uphill as you must position your feet to prevent yourself from sliding, and there are a few rock scrambles along the way which can be tricky, especially if there is moss on the rocks. Older kids would definitely enjoy the challenge, if Mom is up to the challenge as well. There are other hiking trails in the region that you can drive to as well as a few waterfalls and covered bridges.
All in all, Little Pond campground provides the perfect nature experience while still providing a level of comfort that can make the kids (and Mom) very happy. Little Pond has become a special place for me and my family.
Distance: 3 hours
Age: Toddler+
Partner: N
Comfort: The Works
Privacy: Moderate
Swimming: Y
Boating: Y
Hi Jacinda. Thanks for the great post, it is really helpful because we are looking into camping at Little Pond for the first time this summer.
ReplyDeleteWe would like to get a campsite next to the lake with a nice view of the lake. Which sites would you recommend? It's hard to tell from the pictures but it appears that many sites do not have the view of the lake.
Thanks again for the details in this post.
Etela
Thanks for reading my blog. The sites along the south lake side, 25, 26, 28, 29, 31, and 33-37 all have lake views and access though they not as private as the other sites as they are close together with little tree cover between sites. Site 37 is the nicest as it is at the end so there is only a neighbor on one side. Sites 68-75 are open to the lake but they are only accessible by footpaths so you would need to park in the lot and haul your gear. They are also serviced only by pit toilets where the rest of the campground has flush toilets and sinks. However these sites are spaced apart and very private.
DeleteCamping is fun and when you have a place like Catskills you are in for mind blowing experience, Catskills Tourism made our trip there count, thanks to them.
ReplyDeleteWe camped with another family in the remote sites with 4 under-ten kids and a small dog, and brought a hand truck so moving the stuff to the site was not that big a deal. It's only a ten - fifteen minute walk to the shower house (and 5 minute drive.)I have a Pinterest board for our trip, http://pinterest.com/jwpines/little-pond-campground-ny/
ReplyDelete