Watch Hill Campgrounds, Fire Island, Long Island

Want to camp but you don't have a car? No Problem! Located on Fire Island, Watch Hill Campground is only accessible by ferry. Luckily the LIRR Patchogue station is about one black away from the ferry terminal. If you have a car, there is a parking lot (free) at the ferry terminal. This is a relatively easy camping destination to get to, provided you have the strength to haul your gear, otherwise you may need at least one other adult. I have done it solo - you can too, if you have children old enough to carry a medium sized backpack with a large wagon/cart to wheel your gear.

*Again a special thanks to Noah for the beautiful photography....and dish washing....and heavy lifting....and beer delivery service.

The campsites are nestled between the sand dunes

There are two types of camping options available; back-country camping or organized campsites. 

For back-country camping, you must acquire a permit at the ranger's station. These are free but limited and issues on a first-come, first-served basis. With permit in hand you must walk about one mile out through the sandy beach and camp in the dunes. There are no facilities and you must pack everything in, like water, and out, including your waste.

The organized campsite offers 26 sites nestled between the dunes. You must reserve these early if you wish to go during any weekend in the summer months. Other than the ranger driven ATV's, there are no vehicles on this part of Fire Island so a red wagon, shopping cart or other type of gear transport is a must, in addition to a wheeled cooler and sturdy backpack. 

As another option, if you're lucky enough to own a boat, you can also rent a slip at the marina. This review is based solely on the organized campsites.

Boardwalks connect everything and protect the delicate vegetation on the dunes.

Whether going by car or LIRR, when you arrive at the Watch Hill ferry building you are not allowed to bring cargo into the building so park your wagon outside as you buy your ticket. You can get a round trip ticket which is good for the season.

The ferry does charge for cargo but the fee is nominal. Bring your gear around the ferry terminal and wait to board. The ferry workers were incredibly nice and helpful in getting everyone's gear on board and positioned with Tetris-like precision. 

You can choose to sit on the open air top but hold on to your hat since the ferry picks up speed pretty suddenly when you exit the marina. There is also seating below but there is a fair chance you will get wet. The total ferry ride time is about 30 minutes.

Breathtaking sunrises on the dunes - what more could you ask for?

When you arrive at the marina, head straight to the general store to get a tag for your campsite. You cannot reserve a specific site but rather you pick from whichever sites are available when you arrive (the sites which aren't tagged).

The campsites start about 1/4 mile from the marina but everything is connected via a boardwalk. Some of the sites require you to walk through other sites to access so there may be some minimal sand hauling. The process of picking a campsite is a bit chaotic as there will most likely be several campers getting off the ferry with you and the race begins to try and grab the "best site" before anyone else. Don't get me wrong - all of the sites are good, but some are better than others.

Site 10 is furthest from the boardwalk and most private but that involves a longer walk to the facilities. Site 2 is closer and private but there is quite a bit of brush so bugs may be a problem. Sites 23, 25 & 26 seems the most private without a lot of brush and pretty close to the restrooms though you do need to walk through sites 22/24 to get to them.

Most of the nature trail is shaded.

Once you set up camp and get settled you can choose to head to the beach, or there is a nature trail via a boardwalk though the salt marshes.

Back at the marina, there is the visitors’ center/ranger station with a few exhibits on display and there are nature books and coloring books for sale. On weekends they sometimes offer canoe rides through the marshes of guided tours through the nature trail so check to see what's available. They have a junior naturalist program which is fun for the little ones.

Also at the marina is a snack bar open for breakfast & lunch, the general store where you can pick up overpriced supplies (hey, it's a seasonal business), and a restaurant, The Pier, which is open for dinner and Sunday brunch. It is a bit pricey but the food is pretty good. I recommend planning and budgeting to eat a meal or two at the snack bar....you know you'll cave in anyway.

There is the Tiki bar and while kids are not allowed to sit at the bar, you will see kids running around the area. They serve all drinks in plastic cups and plenty of parents were taking their cocktails "to-go".

The Tiki Bar will gladly make virgin drinks as well.

You can access the beach easily from the campsite or marina by taking the boardwalk up to the top of the dune. Be prepared to have all your stress release from your body when you get to the top and see the pristine beach stretch for miles and miles. A few steps down to the beach and pick your perfect spot.

Be sure to pack plenty of strong sun block and bug spray.

On the beach is a volleyball court and when we went there was only one lifeguard station. Make sure you stay between the green flags as this entire coastline has notoriously strong rip tides. The waves at Watch Hill tend to break pretty close to shore which makes boogie boarding a bit tough unless you enjoy planting your face in the sand. Still there were lots of kids (and adults) trying anyway.

The currents can be strong here sometimes so check with the Rangers for the latest conditions. There are some pretty strong waves here so most kids stay close to the shore. Body surfing is popular with the little ones so if you own a board, bring it along. Most of the adults were just floating on their backs on the ocean. The sand here is perfect for sandcastle construction. Note that the band of seemingly "dirty" sand is not dirty but in face a different type of sand found on Fire Island which is purple and actually made up from tiny garnets.

Comfort stations offer uncomfortably cold showers.

Taking the boardwalk back towards the campsites you'll pass the comfort stations. The facilities were pretty clean though there is no hot water. The showers and changing stations are open with no doors or shower curtains though it seems some campers put up their own curtains. If you and/or your children are more modest, you may want to bring 1-2 cheap shower curtains with hooks. The hooks should be large in diameter since the poles are rather thick - rope works as well to hang the curtain. The showers have pull handles which you must hold to keep the flow of water going. Parents will most likely have to hold the water poles for their little ones as they are located rather high up. And beware that the showers are cold - really cold. It is not uncommon to hear screams from the bath house as a poor unsuspecting beach-goer is suddenly doused with ice cold water. Also at the comfort stations are two electrical outlets near the sinks though you will often see technology-addicts lounging around the toilets while their phones charge. 

As you venture back towards the campsites, there are potable water spigots throughout, though ironically these seemed to pump out lukewarm water. If you'd like a cold drink, the spigots by the bath house are your best option. There are also two trash stations, one right near site 1 and one further down. There is also a dish washing station further down the boardwalk.

A view of the path to the beach from the comfort stations.

The crowd at the beach, campsite and marina seems to be a good mix of singles, couples, families and groups of friends. There is that lazy, easy-going beach attitude which is just wonderful. I should also point out that Watch Hill is most definitely LGBT friendly and you will often see same-sex couples, singles and families staying and playing here.

We were lucky enough to have a full moon and a clear night.

You must be thinking this is too good to be true - affordable camping accessible via public transportation with a pristine beach (and Tiki bar) in Fire Island? Here's the draw - because this is federally protected land, they cannot spray for bugs and there are lots of mosquitoes - in fact there are so many that the general store sells tourist t-shirts with a picture of mosquitoes and the words "Bite Me! Fire Island, NY".

There are also deer and thus deer ticks so bring matches or a tick remover. Be sure to check on yourself and your children each day though to be safe. Back to the mosquitoes....while backpack camping typically means only the essentials, it is crucial that you bring a screen room tent. Not only will it provide a much needed respite from the bugs, but because there are no tall trees to put up a shade tarp, you will welcome a spot to escape the sun. You can also bring tent poles to set up a shade tarp, especially if you're sensitive to the sun.

Be sure to bring a DEET based insect repellent and re-apply it according to the directions. It really does keep them away if you're diligent about it. This goes against camping instinct, but try and pick a site that is away from trees and shrubbery and the bugs won't be as bad. Most people opt for the nice shaded sites and end up covered in welts and burning off ticks every night.

Watch Hill is fabulous in moderation.

My overall take on Watch Hill is that it is fabulous in moderation. Being on the beach is wonderful but if you burn easily, or if the mosquitoes are oppressive, you may want to limit the length of your trip. I would say 2-4 nights is the maximum any reasonable person can do.

Also because there is no playground, little children may get bored after a few days. If you want a great weekend getaway, I highly recommend Watch Hill. You can also come to Watch Hill for a day trip.

Watch Hill/Davis Park Ferry
LIRR Schedule
Reserve Watch Hill Campground

Distance: 1.5 - 2.5 hours

Age: Child+

Partner: Y

Comfort: The Works

Privacy: Some

Swimming: Y

Boating: BYOB