RV campers and guests who enjoy water recreation will find Ausable Point Campground the ideal location for waterfront camping and plenty of outdoor activities. Ausable Point Campground is located in Peru, New York in an area that sits between Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains. The campground has views of the AuSable River and Lake Champlain, making the region the hub of extreme water sports.
The park borders a wildlife management area and runs along the natural sandy shore of Lake Champlain. Because of its location to the water, sailing and windsurfing bring visitors from near and far. The area, known to surfers and sailors as Stone Jetty isolates those on the water from the public beach area, so people interested in light or heavy water recreation don’t have to interfere with one another.
Ausable Point Campground provides guests with many activities and amenities, but if you want to adventure outside of the park, there are plenty of things to see and do. If you are interested in sports and sporting history, visit the Olympic Village of Lake Placid, only 45 miles away. Passport holders who want to visit Canada don’t have far to travel to reach Montreal. The stunning city is 70 miles north of the park. If you're going to stay local, spend time in Plattsburgh and visit the many restaurants, shopping areas, and entertainment venues.
Transportation
Ausable Point Campground and Day Use Area is located 154 miles north of Albany and 223 miles northeast of Syracuse, New York. Some routes may require drivers to take toll roads.
Both in state and out of state park guests must pay a daily access fee that is an additional cost added to camping and other recreation. Prices vary depending on the age and the guest’s state of residency. The Department of Environmental Conservation operates this facility and assess fees differently than New York state parks.
Campers should be aware that some camping areas are prone to flooding. If your reserved space is in a flooded area, you will be asked to move to a different location.
All guests bringing pets must bring proof of current rabies vaccination in the form of a vaccination certificate or current rabies tag.
The Ausable Point Campground is a seasonally operating, pet-friendly campground offering four loops of reservable campsites for RVs and trailers up to 35 feet in length. Each space is a primitive, back in, gravel site with no hookups. The campground has picnic tables, fire rings, restrooms, showers, water hydrants, and a dump station. Quiet hours are from 10:00 pm until 7:00 am. Generator use is limited to no more than five hours a day, and only between the hours of 9:00 — 11:00 am and 4:00 —7:00 pm daily. Campers who wish to have a fire must purchase wood from the campground or a local vendor to prevent the spread of invasive species.
Whether you enjoy leisurely boat rides where you can experience solitude on the water, or you like to cruise the waterways in a boat with a motor, there are plenty of boating opportunities near Ausable Point Campground. A car-top boat launch is available for camping guests, and it is located near the camping sites. Boaters who need a traditional boat launch for motorized boats can use the Peru docks situated only three miles from the campground. Guests who don’t have boats but want a fun day on the water can contact one of the many rental facilities in nearby Plattsburgh.
If wind propelled boats are your passion, then you will enjoy taking to the water at Ausable Point, a popular location for sailing and windsurfing. The area known as the Stone Jetty provides boaters a safe place to play on the water as well as rest on the beach. Stone Jetty is a designated windsurfing area. The boat launch for windsurfers is located inside of the campground. After preparing your equipment, you can leave your vehicle in the day use parking area.
Cool off in Lake Champlain after enjoying lunch at one of the picnic areas near swim beach. The Ausable Point swim beach sits next to Lake Champlain and features scenic views and plenty of natural, soft sand. Swimmers have access to the beach, picnic areas, and a restroom and shower facility. Swimmers should only enter the water in the designated swimming area, and only when a lifeguard is on duty. Swimming hours are posted near the beach. For more information, contact the park.
Hikers will have to step outside of the park’s boundaries to enjoy a day out on the trails. Hikers will love the year-round outdoor opportunities at Wickham Marsh Wildlife Management Area. The facility is located five miles south of the Ausable Point Campground. This fee-free area has many different recreational activities, but the wheelchair accessible trail and viewing platform is one of the area’s most popular draws. The 200-foot viewing platform gives hikers and wildlife seekers views of a marsh, forest, and two rare ecological communities. For more information on the hiking trails, contact either Ausable Point Campground or the Wickham Marsh Wildlife Management Area.
Experienced birders will not want to miss the birdwatching opportunities at the Valcour Island Bird Conservation Area. The Conservation Area is only two and a half miles from the camping area and accessible by boat. The island is a migratory and breeding location for songbirds, waterfowl, and shorebirds. Occasionally birdwatchers spot bald eagles and long-eared owls. The area, known as one of the largest great blue heron rookeries on Lake Champlain is also the largest rookery in New York State and the third largest rookery in the Great Lakes region. Birdwatchers will enjoy spotting different bird species no matter what time of year they come to the island.
Bring your tackle and spend time on Lake Champlain fishing for bluegill, carp, smelt, crappie, brown trout, lake trout, walleye, eel, bullhead perch, salmon, northern pike and both large and smallmouth bass. Lake Champlain is one of the country’s largest freshwater lakes and is a popular year-round fishery for anglers of all abilities. Bring or rent a boat and see what kind of fish you can reel in during your trip. Before heading out on the water, ensure that you have a current New York fishing license if you are over the age of 16.
