Camping in Cayuga Lake State Park: Affordable Lake Access!

Cayuga Lake State Park is a small state park in the Finger Lakes Region of New York.  This park offers campsites, cabins, a picnic area, a swimming area, fishing, boating, a playground, lake access and a place to relax and unwind.  With all that at a very affordable price, you won’t want to miss camping in Cayuga Lake State Park!

Cayuga Lake is the largest of the Finger Lakes with over 42,000 surface acres of water.  The beautiful area and peaceful campground make Cayuga Lake State Park a great place for just about anyone to go camping.

So let’s jump right in cover the basics, and then compare the ways you can camp here!

Important Links

Cayuga Lake State Park website

Camping Website – Make your reservation here!

Campground Map – East and West Sides

Taughannock Falls State Park – Nearby Hiking

Watkins Glen State Park – Nearby Hiking

Buttermilk Falls State Park – Nearby Hiking

Location

Cayuga Lake State Park is located in Seneca Falls, NY, which is between the northern sections of Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake.  In the past, we have camped at Taughannock Falls State Park, but now that we are working remote jobs, we needed a state park that had good phone service for our hotspot.

The Finger Lakes region is a very popular getaway section of New York state.  This quiet area has a lot of farms nearby and the lakes create a highly desirable location.  With a 5 hour commute from New York City, 2 hour commute from Buffalo, NY, and a 3 hour drive from Albany, NY, Cayuga Lake State Park is a great place to go camping for a long weekend.  

Time to Spend Here

While it’s hard to give anyone a definitive answer on “How long should I camp at Cayuga Lake State Park?” My best suggestion is to stay for at least 3 days.  There are so many amazing state parks, wineries and lake day activities to be done here, I can’t imagine staying for less than 3 days.

So I suggest camping here for at least a long weekend and here’s why!

Our Itinerary

My husband and I camped in Cayuga Lake State Park for 1 full week.  And with all the wineries/cideries, nearby state parks, and fun to be had on the lake, we found ourselves wishing we had booked a few more days.

We were able to explore Taughannock Falls State Park, Watkins Glen State Park, and Buttermilk Falls State Park, as well as visit 4 wineries and 4 cideries.  Plus we were able to take our stand-up paddle board out on the lake for a few hours each day.  

If you are here just for the lake, a long weekend would suffice.  And the same goes for if you just want to visit a few wineries or just want to hop around to the nearby state parks.  

Campground 

The Cayuga Lake State Park campground has an east and a west section.  The East Side has all the electric campsites, most of the cabins, and the closest walk to the lake.  The electric sites are of varying size, so if you have a larger camper, be careful with what size you are booking.    

The West Side is across the street and is home to just 7 of the cabins and all 216 non-electric campsites.  This area is much larger, with patches of trees providing shade to most of the sites.  Be careful when you’re booking that you read the description if you do or don’t want shade.  

Details

• 141 acres 
• 36 campsites with electric
• 216 campsites without electric
• 21 cabins
• 2 playgrounds
• Picnic Area
• 5 Bathhouse Locations
• Dump Station
• Potable Water
• 4 Pavilions for day use

Season Dates

Cayuga Lake State Park – 2024 Camping Season

Campsites*: Friday, May 17, 2024 – Monday, October 14, 2024
*Some loops may open later/close earlier

• Cabins 1-14: Friday, May 17, 2024 – Monday, October 14, 2024
• Rustic Cabins 15-21: Thursday, May 23, 2024 – Monday, September 2, 2024

Cayuga Lake State Park – 2025 Camping Season

Campsites*: Friday, May 16, 2025 – Tuesday, October 14, 2025
*Some loops may open later/close earlier

• Cabins 1-14: Friday, May 16, 2025 – Tuesday, October 14, 2025
• Rustic Cabins 15-21: Thursday, May 22, 2025 – Tuesday, September 02, 2025

Non-Electric Sites

Let’s start with the most rustic option for staying at Cayuga Lake State Park. 

To those who don’t typically camp, these non-electric sites are what they picture.  This is primarily where the tent campers stay, or those with campers and a generator.  There are several centrally located bathhouses for all of your bathroom needs and there are is a playground thrown in for all those little ones.  

The campground is fairly spread out, with many “loops” to accommodate each of the 216 campsites.  The sites all have a place to park 2 vehicles and the rule of either 2 tents or 1 camper and 1 tent still apply to these sites.  

Electric Sites

Next up is our middle ground option, which is a campground with electric hookup.  The sites DO NOT have water hook-up here, but they do have plenty of potable water spigots where you can fill up your fresh water tank. You can have 1 camper and 1 tent or 2 tents at these sites.

These sites are gravel pads (of varying degrees of levelness) that can accommodate various sizes of campers.  Make sure you read the provided description before you book a site.  

Rustic Cabins 

Thirdly we have what is called a rustic cabin.  These rustic cabins can sleep 4 people in a double bed and a set of bunk beds.  There is no electricity in these cabins, so pack accordingly.  There is also no water, so campers will be required to use the centrally located bathhouses.  

Sheets are not provided, nor are cooking utensils.  You’ll need to pack sheets and all required cooking items while you are camping here.  

Cabins

Finally, we come to the life of luxury…sort of.  These cabins can sleep 4 people or there is one that can sleep 6 people.  There are only single beds in these options, so don’t count on getting to cuddle.

However, these cabins DO have electricity, which means there is also a refrigerator and a stove on the inside for a little touch of home.  However, there is still no AC or heat in these cabins, so be sure to pack a few extra, or a few less, layers.  

Because of the electricity that is provided in these cabins, there is a slight price increase that comes with it.  Let’s compare!

Price Comparison

These are the prices listed for the 2024 season.  There are often increases in the price for weekends and holidays, so these prices may be slightly off.  But it will give you an idea.  

Non-Electric Campsites

• NY State Resident Price: $15 per night
• Out-of-State Resident Price: $20 per night

Electric Campsite

• NY State Resident Price: $22 per night
• Out-of-State Resident Price: $27 per night

Rustic Cabins

• NY State Resident Price: $52.50 per night
• Out-of-State Resident Price: $57.50 per night

Cabins

• NY State Resident Price: $66.50 per night
• Out-of-State Resident Price: $71.50 per night

Our Camping Experience

We spent 7 days in our 25 foot travel trailer in Cayuga Lake State Park.  We booked here because of the proximity to Cayuga Lake, the MANY wineries, and the good phone service.  Plus, because we do this full time, we always book sites with electric hook-ups.  

This campground is dog friendly and allows for 1 camper and 1 tent per site.  So 2 of our closest friends were able to come up and camp in their tent with us, which was an awesome bonus!  

We were able to check out quite a few wineries, cideries, a few nearby state parks with awesome waterfalls, and even able to relax on the lake.  

The bathhouse was always clean and we enjoyed being just walking distance from the banks of Cayuga Lake.  Plus, you can’t beat the price for a great campground!

Conclusion

Are you looking for a getaway location with lake access, with endless nearby attractions and all for a great price!?  Then look no further than Cayuga Lake State Park!

There is a little bit of everything near this park from wineries, to hiking, to cute towns to explore and of course the lake access.  Plus, with 4 different ways to stay here, you’ll be able to choose what works best for you and your family if you camp here.  

New York State is so much more than just a big, boisterous city.  And Cayuga Lake State Park in the Finger Lakes region definitely shouldn’t be missed!

As always, if you have any questions about camping here, feel free to reach out to me at averagewildexperience@gmail.com and I’ll do my best to help.

Happy Camping!