Little Sand Point Campground, Adirondaks

Located on Piseco Lake in the central Adirondacks, Little Sand Point Campground is not exactly next door but the natural beauty of this location is well worth the 4.5 hour drive from NYC.

Beautiful Piseco Lake

Piseco lake is a 1 mile wide by 5 mile long lake which is pristine in it's beauty. Dotted with lakefront homes the area is far from being overdeveloped. On the western shore of the lake there are three separate state campgrounds, but Little Sand point is the best in my opinion since the sites are more secluded and wooded than at the other campgrounds.

Our ample campsite fit two tents, a screen house and room to spare

There is a sandy beach area that the family can enjoy, with a boat launch which seemed to be put to use more for diving than actually launching boats. The beauty of this campground is that nearly all sites are lake-front and many of the campers simply dock their boats at their campsite. Some sites even have a sandy beach, while others are rocky or muddy. There is no day use at this facility which means only the campers get to enjoy the beach and facilities. The comfort stations here are basic but clean with flush toilets and sinks. The trash/recycling center is across the road from the campsite and since this is black bear country, taking out the trash nightly is a must. There is also a bathhouse recently added which contains private hot showers with changing rooms and a nice dish washing station. 

Our site had a private beach, with a natural log bench

The ranger station is little more than a booth and there is no ice for sale here though they recently started selling firewood. Luckily, there is a well stocked general store about 10 miles away, there is also a liquor store at the same location. There are no boat rentals at the campground however there were a few signs along the road for rentals and the rangers can direct you to local boat rentals. Update: This campsite now offers boat rentals. Canoes and 1-2 person kayaks are available for rent.

Lovely creek feeds into the lake

The beach is pretty much the only recreation immediately on the campgrounds however just across the road is the start of the popular Echo Cliff trail, 3/4 mile up panther mountain which offer breathtaking views of Piseco lake. There are many other trails in the area within driving distance. We also went white water rafting on the Hudson river with Beaver Brook Outfitters, about an hour and ten minutes away from Piseco, children have to be 8 and older to participate in the summer (12+ in Spring).

White water rafting on the Indian & Hudson rivers

If you drive past the town of Speculator and then south towards the town of Wells, you can stop for a hike to Auger Falls, an amazing waterfall. There are some spots that are level and you can get a great view of the falls and there are some stretches of the path that are along a steep edge so be careful not to let little ones out of control when you get to these points. I'm a big fan of waterfalls. Other waterfall hikes in the area is the Falls on Buckhorn Lake, Christine Falls, Austin Falls and East Jimmy Creek Falls.

Breathtaking Auger Falls

Outside of Lake George/Lake Placid, the Adirondacks always offers rustic at it's very best. The nearest "large" town is charming Speculator, with a population hovering around 350. In Speculator you'll find a supermarket where you can refill on groceries. Also in Speculator is Charlie John's General Store where you can stock up on any supplies or gear you might need. There is a nice public park and beach on Lake Pleasant right on route 30 which has a floating dock that the kids can swim out to and dive from. There is a very charming parade every 4th of July in the town of Speculator which is fun, and there is also fireworks show on Piseco Lake which is visible from the campsite side of the lake.

Public park & beach at Lake Pleasant

So Piseco Lake may not be next door but if you really want to get away from it all and immerse yourself in the beauty of nature you really can't do much better for the price. Little Sand Point is pretty high up on my favorite campground list.

Reserve Little Sand Point Campground

Distance: 4 hours

Age: Child+

Partner: N

Comfort: The Works

Privacy: Moderate

Swimming: Y

Boating: Y

Getting Started

Camping can be a relatively low cost vacation option, once you make the initial investment in basic gear. If you take your children on picnics or trips to the beach, you may be surprised to find that you already have some of the basics needed for camping. Click on the "Getting Started" tab near the top of the page to view a list of gear you will need.


If you're new to camping I suggest starting small. If you have never taken your children on a BBQ, try planning one for the day to see how it goes with the planning, hauling gear, cooking/grilling, etc. There are many locations in NYC where you can barbecue - be it Prospect Park, Flushing Meadows, Randall's Island or Van Cortlandt park. The following link will allow you to search for parks in any borough by feature: NYC Find a Park. 


Next, consider planning a 2-3 night trip relatively close to home so in an emergency you can pack up and leave quickly. If you are in the NYC area, there are a few campsites in Long Island which are close, like Wildwood or Heckscher. 


Cabin camping is a great way to introduce yourself to camping and requires less of an investment in gear since you don't need a tent. Many cabins come equipped with bunk beds or cots and a basic kitchen. Kampgrounds of America (KOA), Sebago cabins in Harriman Park or North-South lake in the Catskills are good places to start. If you have any single parent friends willing to go, it will always make things easier however don't be discouraged if your only option is to go it alone.


My initial camping gear investment was about $400, and that was five years ago. There are some economical ways you can save on gear. Consider finding used items for sale from craigslist or ebay. Some items you should buy new are the tent and the sleeping bag. Backpacks, grills, folding tables, camp chairs and other items can be bought used.


There are few camping outfitters in the New York metro area. Paragon Sporting goods is fairly well stocked with quality camping gear but they can be rather expensive, though you can sometimes find deals. Modell's sporting goods has some camping gear but their selection is severely limited. Target also has a better selection of camping gear than Modell's. If you want to buy gear online, here is a list of sites I often find deals on:

• www.amazon.com - The online superstore. They have nearly everything and offer good prices. If you're a prime member, 2-day shipping on many items is free which is great for the bulkier items. 
• www.sierratradingpost.com - This is a discount store for outdoor gear. Their selection is somewhat limited to discontinued or closeout items but you can get great deals.
• www.campmor.com - A New Jersey based outfitter they have a good selection and you can sometimes find good deals.
• www.cabelas.com - This is not an inexpensive store but they typically sell very good quality items here. If you want to buy something guaranteed to last, this is your store.
• www.rei.com Just like Cabelas, this Washington State based outfitter has been providing quality outdoor gear for decades. Again not inexpensive but high quality and they have an outlet store where you can find deals. Happily they are expected to open a store in NYC (in SoHo) in Fall 2011.

Camping does take careful planning but I have provided checklists on the Camping Checklist tab near the top of the blog. They provide a solid foundation and you can customize these to suit your particular trip.

Introduction

     I'm a mother to four daughters, two adult, two teenagers, originally from Brooklyn, New York. As a child growing up in the city, my father always tried to bring us out to nature as much as possible - from day trips to camping. I spent several years as a single mother and I wanted to introduce my children to the joy of nature as well. 
     I am now remarried and we have gone on several camping trips, but I have also gone camping as the only adult, and I have camped with other (spouseless) mothers. To ensure a successful camping trip with children, whether you have another adult with you or not, involves careful planning and work. It is totally worth the effort as the experience you can have bonding in nature with your children will stay with them for a lifetime.

     In my life before I gave birth to my twins, I would take my two older girls on road trips to Boston, Philadelphia and Washington D.C. After the twins came around, it became more difficult to afford the road trips so I decided to try camping as an alternative to our old family vacations. We've had many fun trips, and I take particular pride in trying to go beyond the "burgers & dogs" menu by cooking gourmet meals on the campsite.

     Now I have many seasons of camping under my belt - primarily car camping and I have learned a great deal. I hope to share my experience and expertise in future posts to help guide and inspire any reluctant mom's out there who are thinking of taking their kids to the great outdoors.