It has been described as a campground that evokes love at first sight: Scaroon Manor on Schroon Lake. This tranquil campground was completed in 2011 and was designed to be accessible by people of all abilities. The genius design of the facility means that seniors, families with small children, or people with disabilities can all benefit from the amenities. The facilities are all new, and well looked after by park staff.
Most campsites have lines of trees separating you from your neighbors, allowing you to experience a private camping set up. There are wooded areas which provide cool shade in the summer and open sunny spaces ideal for recharging solar panels. All campsites have abundant space for your camping rig and set up.
The campsites have a ring fireplace, picnic tables, smooth hardened surfaces for easy movement in those with wheelchairs or walking aids. If you wish to swim, there is a beach located next to the bath house with a unisex changing room.
The campground is located on the west shore of Schroon lake which provides beautiful views. Enjoy a range of water-based activities including boating, fishing, water skiing, and swimming. There is a modern boat ramp, fishing pier, and docks available for your use. Plus, you'll enjoy plenty of parking for your RV, boat trailer or campervan. Other activities easily accessible from this campground include hiking, bird watching, kayaking, fishing, and exploring Essex County. An additional bonus adult campers look forward to is the Paradox Brewery, which is a one-mile walk from the campsites.
Scaroon Manor Campground was only recently completed and is filled with state of the art amenities. The campground has paved roads, and all the sites include large compacted areas which are easy to drive and maneuver around. The campground is located in the town of Chester in Warren County, NY. It has a storied past as a resort and adds to the local cultural heritage. The closest big town, Pottersville, is only 5 miles away, where you can purchase any food or equipment you might have forgotten. There are several fuel stations a mere 10-minute drive away.
Schroon Manor Campground is known as one of the best campgrounds for accessibility in the state. Every campsite is accessible, contains large spaces with compacted earth, and spacious parking. There are wooden picnic tables located around the campground with various views of the lake, some in shaded areas, some in the sun, and others in the picnic pavilion.
All the campsites are dry camping sites only, with no hook ups available for your RV or campervan. However, there are hot showers available, flush toilets, picnic tables at each campsite.
Overall, there are 75 camping sites, and most are RV accessible, with only 15 that are hike-in. None of the sites are pull through, but there are over 30 sites which are capable of housing RVs up to 40 feet long. There is also a recycling and dump station located near the entrance of the campground.
Lake Schroon allows motor boats and is the perfect setting to take the family for a day on the water. Rowboats, canoes and kayaks are also handy vessels to explore the calm waters of the 4,100-acre lake. The warm summer weather makes it a great place to tow water skiers, wake boarders, or inner tubes.
If you do not have your own boat, there are options to rent kayaks and canoes. There is plenty to explore, with little inlets and an island in the middle of the lake.
The campground also has easily accessible boat ramps with abundant parking near by. Several of the parks are reserved exclusively for people with disabilities.
If you love fishing, then look no further than Schroon Lake with your fishing rods. The lake is almost 9 miles long and has 24 miles of shoreline. Some of the fish you can catch include large mouth bass, small mouth bass, northern pike, landlocked salmon, pan fish, bullhead, yellow perch, and pickerel.
The wild trout population is supplemented by the Essex County Fish Hatchery. This allows fishermen to enjoy the experience of fishing from a rich trout source. Be mindful that you can no longer buy fishing licenses directly at the campground facilities. You can purchase them online or by phone.
Don't forget to pack a swimsuit in your rig. The campground has a swimming beach available for use during the peak season. One of the best points of swimming in Schroon Lake is that there is a lovely sand beach right near the campground. Here children can play with easy access to shallow water. There is also a grassy hill, plenty of floats and a playground near by. Keep in mind that the swimming facilities are not supervised by a lifeguard.
If your children are avid nature goers, the campground staff do run activities to certify your child as a junior naturalist. The area surrounding the campground becomes an outdoor classroom for children aged five to 13. They participate in games, learn about the environment, and have an opportunity to earn an embroidered patch. The activities are the perfect way to allow your children to learn about the stunning Lake Schroon scenery while meeting fellow junior naturalists.
Within the campground there are ample hiking and biking trails available for people of all fitness levels. You can enjoy a stroll through the picturesque green fields surrounding the campground, or take a further adventure around the banks of the lake. The hikes near the water are ideal for children as they are not too strenuous, but provide various stunning look outs and swimming points.
If you are an avid hiker you might enjoy the five-mile Bear Pond Loop or a seven-mile hike up the Pharaoh Lake Trail. For a real challenge, you can attempt to head up Pharaoh Mountain whose peak sites at 2,557 feet in altitude. The view from the top is truly astonishing and well worth bringing your camera.
All points of the High Peaks and astonishing hikes for all levels are a mere few minutes away from Scaroon Manor Campground.
Scaroon Manor Campground earned it's name from it's previous life as a privately operated resort and recreational facility. New York Sate acquired the land in 1967, up until which the facility was a popular destination for the elite. The facility offered similar activities that can be done at the campground now, including golf, swimming, canoeing, boating, water skiing, tennis, hiking, hunting, horse back riding, and rollerblading.
You can explore the ruins of an amphitheater, which in it's prime hosted many famous entertainers. The movie Marjorie Morningstar starring Gene Kelly and Natalie Wood was even filmed here in 1957. There are informational panels throughout the campground describing the history of the site which you can check out if you enjoy learning about the grounds you are staying on.
