Best Tent Camping

Wilderness abounds in New York State. From the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, from the Adirondack Mountains to the Catskills, from the St. Lawrence River to the Hudson, millions of acres of public lands are dotted with hundreds of campgrounds--but you probably only have a precious amount of limited time. Where should you go? When should you go? That's what Best Tent Camping: New York State is for--to help you make the wisest use of your time in the wilds of New York.

Divided geographically into seven sections--Long Island, Catskills/Hudson Valley, Central/Leatherstocking, Adirondacks, St. Lawrence River, Finger Lakes, and Western--the book is a helpful reference for camping enthusiasts throughout the state. Historical tidbits, descriptions of wildlife and the occasional personal anecdote add flavor to the campground descriptions. Star ratings and maps make choosing the best place to pitch a tent a simple task.

Making reservations online or blindly over the phone can put a camper miles from the restroom, stranded with no shade, or in the middle of a busy campground trail. Maps will help campers avoid those pitfalls, and wherever possible the author has even recommended specific campsites for maximum privacy, spaciousness, or beauty.

About the Author: Aaron Starmer is a freelance writer and editor specializing in children's novels and travel guides. His far-flung adventures inform much of his writing and include chasing down leopards in Kenya's Maasai Mara, rafting through the Grand Canyon, crossing mountain passes in New Zealand's Fiordland National Park, tripping over iguanas in the Galapagos Islands, and swimming beneath waterfalls in Tahiti. When closer to home, he takes every opportunity to explore the mountains, lakes, and rivers of New York, New Jersey, and New England. He lives in Vermont with his wife, Cate. Cate Starmer has reviewed New York City restaurants, written a guidebook to camping, edited dozens of nonfiction books, and produced a daily-updated travel blog. She received a dual degree BS in marketing and tv-radio-film from Newhouse School at Syracuse University and a certificate in Editing from New York University's School of Continuing and Professional Studies. Whether it's horseback riding in the Colombian jungle, running the NYC marathon, or trekking to a backcountry hut in winter, she is always up for a new challenge--especially if it involves an adventure that can be turned into a story. Timothy Starmer has always been an outdoor enthusiast and spent most of his childhood seeking out remote and wild areas whenever possible. During a brief hiatus from Brown University during 1997, he drove across the United States for six weeks, camping the entire way. Along the way he explored many of the West's national and state parks, including Canyonlands, Yellowstone, Arches, Bryce Canyon. At the trip's conclusion, he headed down to Australia, where he backpacked for a few months exploring the eastern Outback, the Great Barrier Reef, and the caves of Tasmania, as well as traversing the Tasmanian World Heritage Area along the Overland Track. Tim currently works in upstate New York as a timber framer and can still be found exploring the wilds whenever possible.