Text size:

The call of the wild: Camping on Long Island

BY TOM SCHLICHTER | Special to Newsday

August 3, 2008

It's 8:45 p.m. and the sun has just dipped below the pines bordering our modest campsite. In front of me, around the fire, our kids toast marshmallows on sticks, giggling as they bite into the crispy edges to reach the gooey centers. We've just chowed down on franks and beans, plus a fillet of walleye caught from a nearby pond. I'm grimy, and exhausted from a three-mile mountain hike on which we filled a beach pail with berries.

I'm also as relaxed and contented as I've been in months. As I sit back and smile at my beautiful wife, Felicia, two thoughts come to mind. One of them is that I love camping!

Done right, camping is simple, inexpensive and fun. You can try it right here on Long Island, relaxing where sandy beaches kiss the ocean surf - or head upstate for a wilderness adventure featuring mountain hiking and river tubing. Plan carefully and you can visit nearby attractions between communing with nature and cooking over an open campfire.

Considering the economy, now might be the perfect time to take that camping trip you've been putting off in favor of more grandiose plans. Following are a few tips, plus some great places to pitch a tent, park a pop-up trailer or hook up a recreational vehicle.

Making reservations

Most public campgrounds accept reservations online or by telephone, up to 180 days in advance. Some parks hold a few sites open on a first-come, first- served basis. Call ahead and you may find an open spot even on short notice.

To reserve Suffolk County campsites you'll need a Green Key Card (nonresidents can apply for a tourist Green Key Card; info online at suffolkcounty ny.gov). Once you have the card, you can make camping reservations at the same Web site, or by calling 631-244-7275. Daily fees vary from campground to campground, but generally run between $7 and $35 a night for county residents, about $10 more a night for nonresidents.

Long Island campgrounds

"You'll be surprised at how beautiful, rural and natural most Long Island campsites are," says John Pavacic, commissioner of Suffolk County Parks. "We have great swimming and fishing, tidal and freshwater wetlands, ocean and bay beaches, woods and farmland, plus trails for hiking, running and biking - everything except mountains. You can get really close to nature right here, just minutes from home."

More than 20 public and private campgrounds dot Long Island. Here are several campers' favorites which remain open into October. All currently have some availability left this season; call for specifics.

Nickerson Beach Park Campground, Lido Beach

PHONE 516-571-7724

WEB www.nassaucountyny.gov

On the ocean in Lido Beach. Features two swimming pools, a skate park, playground and dog run, plus ocean swimming and fishing for stripers and blues. Tent and trailer sites. Consider spots 22 or 23.

Smith Point County Park, Fire Island

PHONE 631-852-1316

WEB suffolkcountyny.gov

A great choice for swimming, fishing, surfing and bird-watching. On Fire Island near Mastic Beach, with access to ocean and bay waters. Enjoy the monarch butterfly migration in early October. Trailer and tent sites.

Indian Island County Park, Riverhead

PHONE 631-852-3232