We had a large waterside site at Mongaup and loved it. The kids got to swim right from the site. It was too cold for me! Mongaup is definitely louder than Little Pond since you could park your car next to your site.
There is a fish hatchery right by Mongaup. They farm the fish New York State uses to stock ponds and lakes. It was cool to see all the fish in their pools and you can buy food to feed them. It's not worth a drive from Queens by itself but definitely worth the trip (5 minutes) from Mongaup.
There was a family of ducks and ducklings that wandered up to our site. It was fun to share the camping experience with the duck family. After dinner we took a family hike to throw out the trash. It got dark quickly and the recycling center was far from our site. When we went there I scared a deer who was apparently doing his family's recycling.
They also had a fishing pier that the kids had fun fishing from.
This is our second favorite Catskills campground! The fact that you can get such a large site on a beautiful pond, that you can swim in from your site for $22 a night is amazing!
📍 General Information
- Location: Livingston Manor, Sullivan County, New York
- ~120 miles from NYC; ~2.5 hours by car
- Number of Sites: Approximately 163 campsites
- Notes: Lakeside sites are awesome!
🗺️ Layout & Setting
- Overall Size & Layout: Nestled around a 120-acre lake—Catskills Park’s largest outside NYC reservoirs—featuring wooded, spacious loops and forest preserve surroundings.
- Privacy Between Sites: Generally well-screened and private, though some sites near access roads have less separation.
⛺ Campsites
- Site Features: Each includes a picnic table, fire ring, and grill.
- Highlights: Many lakeside options with direct water access and views.
🚻 Facilities
- Restrooms: Multiple small restroom loops with flush toilets.
- Showers: Hot showers available seasonally.
- Potable Water: Accessible from centralized spigots at comfort stations.
🎣 Recreation & Features
- On-Site Recreation: Swimming, paddling (non-motorized boats only), fishing, sand beach, picnic areas
- Scenic Value: Stunning lake surrounded by unspoiled forest—peaceful and picturesque.
- Wildlife/Fishing: Excellent fishing with brook trout, pickerel, bass, and more; regular wildlife sightings around the lake.
🛒 Services
- Camp Store / Rentals: On-site boat rentals available.
- Cell Service: Spotty—expect limited or no signal depending on provider.
💲 Costs & Reservations
- Nightly Rate: $22 per night ($5 surcharge for out-of-state residents).
- Reservation System: ReserveAmerica online or by phone.
- Value for Money: Excellent—plenty of amenities and natural beauty at a modest price.
👍 Strengths
- Exceptional lakeside scenery with lots of recreational options.
- Spacious, wooded campsites offering peaceful privacy.
- DEC-managed amenities (showers, restrooms, boat rentals).
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