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Accessible by private boat or ferry, Watch Hill is located directly across the Great South Bay from Patchogue, and the campground is a 1/4-mile walk from the ferry dock.
When it comes to Fire Island Camping, the family-friendly campground is within walking distance of visitor center, marina, general store, ocean beach (lifeguarded during summer months), showers and bathhouse, nature trails, and Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness.
The Watch Hill campground has 26 tent sites and one group campsite. Most sites have a sandy base, so you'll need appropriately long tent stakes. There is one universally accessible site on a raised platform.
Campground is exactly what it needs to be: a place to land for access to the barrier island beach. I've been there a few times over the last decade, and it's maintained in good shape, tho the poison ivy never retreats. Water supply is good, wash station is useful. Bath houses at national seashore are right nearby. Nothing fancy but they're open so far this year (3rd weekend of May). Campsites are generally small, tho a couple are just cherry. All are exposed: sun, bugs, and sometimes wind. The mosquitos weren't out yet for us, and the little gnats nipped at you, but were manageable. Bring your own comfort - shade and screening.
Nearby, the staff at the cabana are just great. You could spend a lot of time under those shady canopies, sipping something, ducking out of the sun/escaping the bugs for a spell. It's going to be a great season out there, you can feel it.
Too many mosquitoes around the camp area, there is 5 star hotel price but we have a horrible environment. Anyway it can’t be the tourist attractions. I said one more there have too many mosquitoes around the camp site and inside the tent. We not go back there anymore.
Went glamping here with my friends and it was a great experience. The place you can rent out is practically a small screened in hut, and was very nice compared to any small store bought tent. We grilled food and had a lot of laughs. Would recommend to anyone who enjoys the beach experience of Long Island. Staff was busy doing their job and not bothering us at all. Awesome environment and nature, I even pet a deer that was wandering around the camp sites and fed some birds raisins and nuts from trailmix. Love it. The only downside was that there was a ton of bugs, but honestly that is to be expected. No really, like I was getting eaten alive as if I was living in the jungles of Africa, but really that is what nature is like. 10/10 would glamp again.
Trying to call them to reschedule our camping was so hard, took my hundred calls before got to talk to someone. The beach was ok, its and its not crowded. But the mosquitoes here is crowded. Its like the manhattan of mosquitoes! And they will bite and follow you even if your jogging or walking. This is the place I went to with the most mosquitoes. We have something to make them go away but some still get go bite you. I don't know why the people here are not doing anything about this, do they love the insects here? lol
We went camping here over Labor Day weekend. Our camping game is high (meaning we have lots of gear to make it super comfy), but trying to limit our equipment knowing that we have to carry everything from the ferry to the campsite was stressful. But we did it, and it was 100% worth it! Here is what we learned:
It is buggy!! Bring Picaridin spray for the body. We had 2-6 oz cans between 5 people, and we used them both for the 5 day weekend. Spray tents with Sawyer insect repellent to keep the bugs away from the tents.
If you have, bring a cart. It is quite a hike with your gear from ferry to campsite, and in the heat is it's not fun. You can borrow carts from the ferry station area. Ask the staff.
Bring bungee chords to keep all your equipment in place on the carts
There is camp store with all necessary supplies, but it is expensive. If you can organize and bring everything from mainland, it will be cheaper.
There is boardwalk everywhere. Unless you are wilderness camping on the beach, you won't have to drag anything through sand (phew!!)
Choosing a campsite: The map on the reserve america is not clear. Some campsites are two in an alcove area. If you are a group of two sites, you need to pick correctly. Site 10 is solo site. 11/12, 9/8, 7/6 are alcove, the others are in row next to each other. Unlike other campgrounds we have been to, these sites are on the smaller side. In our 11/12 site we luckily picked an alcove area, we had two sleeping tents and bug tent.
There is a restaurant at the marina which becomes a disco on the weekend. The food is pretty good, cocktails are not bad!
Beach is walking distance from the tents with a lifeguard
Lots of birds, and very chatty gray catbirds (bring ear plugs! I kid you not! One was right outside our tent at 5 am!!)
It seems that a lot of families come back every year on the same weekend, and it felt like close community.
National Parks have lots of activities during the day. On Monday they had a canoeing trip. You had to sign up the day of the trip to get a spot.
Highly recommend, and we will make it an annual trip!
I am not sure the glamping sites are worth the price but we have all camping gear. I can't speak of their comfort.
