New York's Scenic Beach Hidden In The Adirondacks Is A Serene Destination With Waterfront Camping

The Adirondacks are often considered New York's best mountain range, beloved for their vibrant fall foliage, lush landscapes, and pure, unadulterated wilderness just a road trip away from New York City. When you picture your trip, you might imagine hiking to breathtaking overlooks or walking through charming small towns — but do you imagine yourself lounging on a beach? Sacandaga Lake is a tranquil Adirondack secret with some gorgeous sandy coves to sit and watch the sun set, and one of the absolute best can be found at Moffitt Beach Campground.

This unique campground is right on the shore of Sacandaga Lake, so if you snag one of the campsites on the side of the loop closer to the water, you can unzip your tent and immediately be greeted by the sight of the water, with only a pine tree or two to block your view. You can sit at your picnic table and watch the burning red sun sink below the mountains across the lake or take a few steps down the rocky shore to dip your toes in the cool water. On the other side of the loop, you'll find shady woodland campsites, completely surrounded by woods and blanketed in fallen leaves.

While you might have easy access to the water from your campsite itself, the best place to relax here is probably the sand beach. This isn't exactly naturally occurring, but interestingly the sand itself was mined by the land's 1840s owner, Josiah Moffitt, so it has been there an extremely long time. This spot has been a campground since the 1930s so even though you may feel like you're the first person to ever walk these woods, the views you're enjoying from your tent have actually been captivating adventurous campers for nearly a century.

Whether Moffitt Beach is the place you want to spend your entire week-long Adirondack vacation or just one of the fun stops on your road trip through this mountainous New York paradise, this gorgeous campground is well worth the four hour drive from Manhattan. Located right in the middle of the wild Adirondack Park, you might think it would be a difficult journey, but in reality, you can drive right in. At time of writing, visitors should expect to pay $22 per night if they are New York state residents and an extra $5 charge if they're visiting from elsewhere.

The gorgeous views and the easy access make this a popular destination in the summer. If you want to get one of the best campsites right on the water, you will want to reserve in advance. Fortunately, if you're able to plan your trip for later in the year, reservations open nine months early. If you want a quieter experience, or maybe just aren't quite fast enough to secure yourself a peak campsite in peak season, consider coming in the early fall. The campground remains open until mid-October. While you probably won't want to go swimming in the chilly lake then, (expect daily high temperatures to drop into the 50s by October.) this is one of the best places to see fall foliage that you could hope for.