Rip Van Winkle Campground in Saugerties


Do you want to take your family for a trip to the Catskills, where they can let loose and enjoy themselves outdoors? Rip Van Winkle Campground is the perfect place to be! This RV campground offers camping cabins, RV sites, spacious tents with bar-coded gates for extra safety, a fire ring, and a picnic table. You will find a rec room, horseshoe pits, and trails where you can take your pet for a walk.

The best part is that you can stay in touch with the outside world with the help of the Wi-Fi at Rip Van Winkle Campground. If you want to sit indoors when you get tired of the multitude of outdoor activities, you can flip through music channels on the television or even watch your favorite cable show!

Located in Saugerties, New York, the 160-acre campground can be accessed through the Hudson area. The tranquility of the trails and sites is enough to make you fall in love with Rip Van Winkle Campground. The campground itself is divided into multiple areas, including The Ledges, Lover’s Lane, River’s Edge, Cabins, Rally Areas, and Group Sites. The most popular one is The Ledges because of its beautiful, big, private layout, giving individuals space to pop up tents and lounge around comfortably around a fire pit.

The History

Rip Van Winkle Campground was founded by Elton Johnson, who KOA approached to develop the campground. The construction began in 1962, and by 1966, it was opened to the public. There are approximately 200 campsites here, and lots of fun zones such as a soft serve ice cream shop, swimming pool, and outdoor movie theatre. This campground is built for nature lovers and is different from other campgrounds because of its vast area and privacy.

Johnson’s three grandsons currently run the Rip Van Winkle Campground, and soon, the fourth generation will take over the legacy.

Why Is It So Popular?

Rip Van Winkle Campground is a family-friendly campground with lots of space for kids to cycle around as the paths lead individuals through the woods and give them a sweet tour of the camp. These paths are also great for going on long, romantic walks with your partner or any loved one you want to catch up with. It is also a good way to get some extra steps in without realizing it, as we guarantee you will get lost in the beauty of the campground.

Even though the campground is filled with children trying different activities, it does not disturb the tranquility of the camp. This is mainly because of how big it is, with Fun Zones dedicated to children so that they do not interrupt adults trying to relax.

The soft-service ice cream parlor is another reason to visit here. You might think that you have tasted all kinds of different ice creams, but the soft swirl here will hit differently. A popular flavor that we recommend trying is the M&M’s ice cream and the one with Reece’s Pieces.

While this campground can be visited throughout the year, if it starts raining while you are there, you can go to the Rec Hall and play indoor games such as air hockey and Skee-Ball. This is a great way to bond with other travelers and get into a competitive spirit.

Of course, we cannot get enough of the cabin rentals here. The cozy cabins will make you feel safe and loved whether you are at the campground for a quick night away or on a family trip. They are located in the woods, so there are loads of privacy and every morning, you can wake up to a beautiful view of the famous creek. Regardless of where your cabin is located, it will only be a short walk from the playgrounds, bathrooms, and swimming hole. The best part is that the cabin is wheelchair accessible, making it perfect for individuals who want to bring their aged parents along. However, we recommend bringing some pillows and bed linens so that you can have a restful vacation during your time here.

The McClain Family

We hope we helped. Please let us know of any place that you want to know about in NYS or if we did a poor job with any part of this. Our goal is to help as many people as possible.

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