Set on the edge of gorgeous Lake George, Rogers Rock Campground is a popular spot for family-style camping near the border of Vermont in eastern New York. Tucked within an unspoiled forest just a little over six miles from the town of Ticonderoga, NY, and situated alongside a sandy beach with a safe swimming area, it’s the perfect spot for campers to enjoy a little outdoor rest and relaxation.
Named after Rogers Rock, which rises 700 feet above the shore of Lake George, Rogers Rock Campground is an RV vacationer’s paradise. When reserving the rustic campsite to park your campervan, you can choose either a campsite on the water’s edge or one that is further in the woods, tucked beneath the white pines, red maple, and yellow birch that make up this colorful forest.
Opportunities for outdoor recreation abound. Campers can enjoy swimming in the safe swimming area—complete with lifeguards—or they can indulge in watersports like tubing, kayaking, or water skiing across the 32-mile-long Lake George. In the day-use area, families and groups can enjoy lazy picnics on the beach or in the designated picnic areas, or they can challenge each other to a rousing game of volleyball. Guests can also experience a unique climbing experience at Rogers Rock or hike along the park’s state-marked trails. The trails that are used as hiking trails in the summer are groomed and turned into spectacular paths for cross-country skiing when the campground is closed for the winter.
The campground is six miles south of the town of Ticonderoga, NY, on NY-9S. The two-lane, paved roads that lead to the campground and day-use area wind through miles of wooded wilderness. The roads should be easy to navigate, even if driving a big rig or towing a trailer, but it’s essential to keep an eye on the road to watch for wildlife. Campers should be aware that there is a very steep hill that leads in and out of the park town. The majority of the roads within the campgrounds are narrow, unpaved, and unmarked, making them more challenging to navigate, particularly in larger vehicles. Many of the roads in the day-use area are paved, including the ones nearer the boat docks. The speed limit within the campground and day-use area is 15 miles per hour. There is a paved parking lot for boat trailers available in the park, as well as several other paved parking spots for larger rigs.
Rogers Rock Campground is a pet-friendly campground that has a total of 332 tent and trailer campsites available for reservations, 232 of which are considered appropriate for RVs. Some sites are tucked into the trees while others are set up along the shoreline. The campsites vary quite a bit in size, and while there are a few dozen that can accommodate big-rigs and larger trailers, but the majority are more suitable for smaller vehicles, up to around 25 feet in length. The campsites are rustic, with no electrical, water, or sewer hookups, but each camping loop has a water tap as well as access to a sanitary dump station. There are also several restrooms with flush toilets and hot showers scattered throughout the campground, as well as a trash and recycle area, picnic tables, and fire pits. If you need firewood or ice, a truck comes through the campground twice a day. Generator use is permitted for two hours in the morning from 9 AM to 11 AM and for three hours in the evening between 4 PM to 7 PM.
Rogers Rock Campground is an idyllic spot to enjoy a picnic for both overnight campers and day guests. Picnicking is a pleasant way to spend the afternoon in all but the coldest months. Pack a picnic lunch to enjoy on the sandy beach or make use of the park’s beautiful picnic area, which comes equipped with picnic tables, fire pits, and a small covered group picnic area. A kitchen shelter is conveniently located nearby, as are restrooms with flush toilets.
Rock climbing enthusiasts can enjoy scaling the campground’s namesake, Roger’s Rock, a 700-foot slab of rock that rises out of Lake George. Permits are not necessary to climb here. Rock climbers will want to approach the rock face from the base of the cliff face, known as Roger’s Slide, which originates in the water. Climbs range in difficulty from 5.6 to 5.9 or even harder. Keep in mind that the rock face gets plenty of sunshine, so make sure you wear sunblock and carry plenty of water. Please note that you should approach this activity at your own risk.
Fishing enthusiasts will want to pack their rod and reel in their campervan so that they can pursue this peaceful activity when they visit Rogers Rock Campground. The waters of Lake Geoge abound in black, bullhead, rock bass, lake trout, landlocked salmon, northern pike, and yellow perch. Anglers are likely to find success fishing from either a boat on the water or from the shoreline. Lake George is a popular destination in the winter as well, and once the ice is four or more inches thick, ice fishing commences. Some of the largest fish, especially lake trout, landlocked salmon, and yellow perch, are caught during the ice fishing season. If you are planning to fish here, please note that a New York State fishing license is required for anyone over the age of 16 years and they are not available for purchase at the campground.
Geocaching is a relatively new outdoor activity, made possible by the advent of cellular technology and the removal of selective availability from GPS in the year 2000. Participants use these technologies to search for small containers, referred to as caches, where they can note their find on a log sheet in the container. Some containers also contain little trinkets, which seekers can replace with similarly valued trinkets, or tracking tokens, which can be tracked as they are moved from cache to cache on their adventures. There are several traditional and mystery caches to be found near Rogers Rock Campground. If you are willing to search a little farther out, there are a few earth caches near this campground. Earth caches feature geology-related or educational information.
From the beginning of July through to Labor Day, you can take part in several environmental programs and activities hosted at Rogers Rock Campground, which can include hiking, craft making, games, and live entertainment. Budding naturalists will be in their element with the Junior Naturalist Program, which is available at Rogers Rock Campground. The ranger program is suitable for children from five to 12 years old, and the program includes a range of fun activities to tick off in order to earn a Junior Ranger Badge.
Rogers Rock Campground includes a lovely designated swimming area, complete with sandy beaches and a lifeguard tower. Swimming is permitted at the campground within designated areas whenever a lifeguard is on duty. Bring along your inflatable devices and your sunscreen so you can enjoy a lazy day floating in the cool waters of Lake George. Please note that there will be times when lifeguards are not on duty, and the beaches and swimming areas will not be open for use.
Lake George is a fantastic spot to spend hot summer days. With a boat launch ramp close to the beach as well as a boat pump station, campers and day visitors alike can launch their personal watercraft here to enjoy a day of water skiing, tubing, and jet skiing. All boats must be inspected before entering the water to avoid introducing invasive species to the lake. You can also bring along kayaks and canoes or paddleboards to use on the lake. You will also find kayaks and canoes available to rent for the day close to the beach. The speed limit on this lake is 45 mph during the daytime, but after 7 PM or sunset, whichever is earliest, loud motorboats and jet skis must cease operation, and the speed limit on the lake drops to 25 mph. Lifejackets are required by law at all times for individuals under the age of 12, and they are recommended for people of all ages.
The forested areas of New York are filled with songbirds and other woodland birds, including several varieties of nuthatches, woodpeckers, grouse, and chickadees. If you are lucky, you might even hear the unique song of the eastern meadowlark, a bird with near-threatened conservation status, or catch a glimpse of the New York state bird, the eastern bluebird. The waters of Lake George also support several water and shorebirds. You are likely to see several types of ducks floating on the lake, such as mallards, wood ducks, shovelers, and long-tailed ducks, as well as Canada and snow geese, and an abundance of different varieties of sandpipers along the quieter shore areas. Various types of egrets and herons also spend a great deal of time near this lake, including the occasional visit from great egrets and cattle egrets, both considered endangered in New York.
