Belden Hill Campground

Motorhome camping at Belden Hill Campground provides easy access to Chenango Valley State Park, which sprawls across 1,137 acres along the Chenango River. Aside from its hiking, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing trails, the park also features a boat launch and boat rentals for getting out on the peaceful waters of Chenango Lake. You can practice your swing at the 18-hole Chenango Valley State Park Golf Course or go birdwatching for woodpeckers, warblers, and thrushes in the forested wetlands. Chenango Lake is also popular among anglers hoping to lure trout, bass, perch, and bullhead. 

Directly north of the RV campground is the Beaver Flow State Forest, which encompasses just over 1,000 acres of land that has been altered by the activities of beavers. There are numerous beaver-built dams that have created ponds and meadows, attracting a variety of wildlife that includes muskrats, raccoons, mink, and deer. You can stretch your legs along the short multi-use trail at the southwestern edge of the forest or embark on the longer southeast to northwest hiking and snowmobiling trail. 

Head east from Harpursville, and you’ll eventually arrive at the Arctic-China State Forest, which is traversed by a section of the long-distance Finger Lakes Trail. For just a taste of the trail, you can begin hiking in the Oquaga Creek State Park and pass through the Beals Pond State Forest that’s home to the Getter Hill Lean-to and Motor Engine Falls. After descending through Beals Pond, the trail eventually arrives in the Arctic-China State Forest and finishes beside the sparkling waters of Arctic Lake. 

When you’re camping at Belden Hill Campground, you can pick up grocery supplies in nearby Harpursville. There’s also a gas station if you need to fill up your RV rental and a couple of restaurants if you want to enjoy a meal out. Alternatively, you can make the 20-minute drive into Binghamton for a more extensive range of services or head to the retail stores in Johnson City. 

Camp in an RV near Harpursville and spend a day exploring Binghamton, which serves as the seat of Broome County. Take a step back in time to discover the opulent Gilded Age on a tour of the Phelps Mansion Museum or admire the Italian Renaissance architecture of the Roberson Mansion. Designed by local architect C. Edward Vosbury, it’s now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is said to be haunted by the ghost of its former owner, Alonzo Roberson. 

If you’re traveling with kids, make a point of visiting the long-established Binghamton Zoo at Ross Park to get up close to their big cats or get hands-on with the exhibits of the Discovery Center of the Southern Tier. Children can learn life skills while shopping in the replica Weis Market, reporting on the news at the TV station, or creating works of art in Studio 60. The center is also home to an award-winning Story Garden that features 13 interactive areas based on popular children’s stories. 

Also in Binghamton is the Bundy Museum of History And Art, which houses two art galleries and the community’s only darkroom. It was once owned by Harlow E. Bundy, the cofounder of the Bundy Manufacturing Company that made a name for its time-recording clocks used by businesses around the world. Admire the Queen Anne-style architecture, then step inside to explore the interior rooms and outdoor carriage house where you’ll find a theater and a re-created vintage barbershop. 

Whether you want to explore the recreational pursuits surrounding Harpursville or see the sights of Binghamton, book an RV in Broome County and start planning your next vacation.