Located on the shore of Lake Sebago in Harriman State Park, Sebago Cabins is another great introduction to single mom camping. These are cabins so there is no need for a tent so you can start your camping adventures with minimal investment in gear. Also being very close to NYC means you can get back home pretty quickly should things go awry. The cabins require a 7 day stay (Saturday thru Saturday) from the end of June through the end of August but if you want to have a shorter stay, try booking for early to mid June or September where you can book nightly and try it for a weekend.
The campground has 40 cabins which are relatively close together with little forest cover in between however the entire area is well shaded. Two of the cabins (B005 & B007) are full service cabins, with real beds, well equipped kitchen and bathroom. Needless to say these tend to book up very quickly. The remaining cabins are very rustic, but each does have a refrigerator and a hot plate, as well as cots in each bedroom. One warning is that these cots are not very comfortable. Luckily when I went I brought air mattresses (one full, one queen) and was able to move the two twin size cots next to each other and placed the mattresses on top for a better sleep. Some cabins have porches, some are even screened in. Each cabin site contains an outdoor picnic table, grill and fire ring.
The cabins are arranged in three clusters - A, B & C. The C cabins are the prime ones in terms of location as they are close to the lake. The A cabins are clustered along two circular roads and the B cabins are tucked into the woods along more rocky ground so these are not advisable for if you have young children. Restrooms are available in the main ranger area and the A camping area with flush toilets, sinks and showers however they are not very well maintained and were a bit cruddy so bring water shoes/flip flops if you plan to shower. There is also a laundry room but I didn't use it while I was there and cannot speak to it's functionality. The terrain around the campsite is hilly and rocky so be wise about getting supplies (ice, firewood) and bathroom trips as the road to the comfort stations and ranger stations are pretty steep. You may want to consider bringing a wagon or cart to help haul gear to and from your cabin.
An important note on the cabins - while they are rustic and charming, they may not always be clean. Bringing a broom (for clearing cobwebs) and some cleaning wipes (for the refrigerator and table) are highly recommended. As is often the case when camping, sometimes you get there and the previous campers left it spotless, sometimes the previous campers were slobs - you never know what you'll get. Because of the close proximity of the cabins to each other, don't expect much in terms of privacy or quiet. When we were there, we had some very loud campers one night, who didn't respect the quiet hours and quite frankly, the rangers didn't seem to be doing much to enforce it but the second night was much quieter.
However, the campground and surrounding park offer so much to do and the kids are guaranteed to have fun. There is a basic playground area and you can ask the rangers for soccer ball or basketball to play in the field. There is also a recreation room with ping pong and other limited games for kids if it rains. They also offer movies on rainy days and Saturday night there is a bonfire. On the campsite is a small beach area, and the day use area with larger beach is a short distance away. You can also rent boats here to go out on the lake, which is great to explore. We had a few deer come by to visit, and the kids got a real kick out of that.
One of my favorite hiking trails, Almost Perpendicular, is a short drive from the campsite. This trail is just under a mile, and would take about 35-45 minutes with children. It does contain some steep inclines, with areas that level off to give a break and a few minor rock scrambles and a creek or two along the way. The following link will describe the full trail in detail: Almost Perpendicular. However with children, I only follow the trail to the top of Almost Perpendicular (the end of the second paragraph in the description section on the website), a great spot for a picnic lunch, before heading back down the way I came. This trail does take you to the top of a cliff so keep a very careful eye on your little ones. Because of the steep inclines, I would take caution not to attempt this hike if there has been recent rain in the area because the mud will make this hike much more difficult and dangerous. But if the stars align and you can tackle this trail, you will be greatly rewarded with a spectacular view (and sense of accomplishment) at the top.
All in all, Sebago cabins offer a nice experience provided you set your expectations accordingly. They are very close to NYC
Distance: 1-1.5 hours
Age: Infant+
Partner: N
Comfort: The Works
Privacy: None
Swimming: Y
Boating: Y
If you are thinking of constructing a retreat in a peaceful location or in a place where tranquility is present, then building a cabin is a perfect fit for you.
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