link to complete article here: http://oneidadispatch.com/articles/2011/06/23/sports/doc4e03e13ad4e1a421622607.txt
A cool shaded campsite with pleasant views, kids fishing nearby, enjoying the sunset over the nearby lake and relaxing around a campfire while planning tomorrow’s activities. These are the common images most people have of camping today.
Perhaps you remember or think of camping as sleeping on the hard ground in a crowded tent and cooking hotdogs over an open fire. Well it was and still can be that, but it also ranges to people spending time in a luxurious RV. For most people it is probably somewhere in between.
Technology has evolved so if you are tent camping it is probably in a much improved and roomier tent, sleeping on an air mattress and using the latest Coleman stove or lantern. Even if you are backpacking or camping primitive style it certainly is not as rough as it used to be. The idea of camping includes everything from hiking into the West Canada Lakes Wilderness to traveling by motor home to a private campground.
Camping is a popular pastime with a long tradition, especially in New York State with its abundance of public forest land and state parks or campgrounds. In addition to an affordable way to spend a weekend or vacation, it also gives people an opportunity to reconnect with nature. State campgrounds in the Adirondacks and Catskills are operated by the Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) while those in the rest of the state are run by Office of Parks & Recreation (OPR).
State parks usually take advantage of a natural attraction (such as a lake) and offer less amenities but more natural activities such as boating, fishing, etc. For example, there are many campgrounds along the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, Finger Lakes and countless smaller lakes or ponds in central NY.
Designated campsites at state campgrounds usually offer swimming, fishing, hiking, playgrounds for kids and more. Usually there is a variety of wildlife there or nearby. For example, two of the campgrounds we frequent have ospreys while another has a pair of bald eagles. In campgrounds operated by OPR a certain number of sites usually have electric hookups, while there are none in DEC campgrounds.
Both OPR and DEC campgrounds are listed in a booklet “New York Camping Guide” with lots of information on facilities found at each. You can obtain this guide as well as get information on line by visiting the web site www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/camping
Reservations can be made by going though Reserve America at 1-800-456 CAMP or www.newyorksta
teparks.reserveamerica.com
