Taughannock Falls State Park Camping: The Complete 2026 Finger Lakes Guide

Taughannock Falls State Park camping gets you a campsite above Cayuga Lake, about 15 minutes north of Ithaca, and a short walk from one of the tallest waterfalls in the Northeast. Taughannock Falls drops 215 feet into a stone amphitheater, with cliffs close to 400 feet high on either side. The campground and cabins sit across the road from the marina, the beach and the boat launch, so a weekend here can mix waterfall hikes with time on the lake.

This guide covers the campground and cabins, 2026 prices, season dates, reservations, the campground map, the gorge trail and the overlook, plus a few things that trip up first-time visitors.

Taughannock Falls State Park Camping: The Basics

• Address: 1740 Taughannock Blvd., Trumansburg, NY 14886, in the Town of Ulysses on the west shore of Cayuga Lake.
• Park office: (607) 539-4078.
• Operator: New York State Parks (OPRHP). Reservations go through ReserveAmerica or 1-800-456-2267.
• Park hours: open year-round, dawn to dusk.
• 2026 camping season: May 15 to October 12, 2026. The park notes that some loops or sites may open later or close earlier within that window.

If you're searching "Taughannock Falls State Park campground closed," the likely reason is the calendar: camping ended for 2026 on October 12 and returns in mid-May. The park itself stays open all winter for hiking, sledding, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. There's no storm or construction closure. All trails were reported fully open as of April 2026.

Two Entrances: Which One You Need

Taughannock has two entrances off Route 89, and picking the wrong one is the most common first-visit mistake.

• Lower entrance (lakeside): boat launch and marina, the swimming beach, pavilions and campground check-in.
• Upper entrance (rim): access to the campground itself, the Taughannock Falls Overlook, the visitor's center and the rim trail system.

So check in at the lower entrance, then drive to your site. If you only want the classic photo of the falls, the upper entrance overlook needs almost no walking.

Campsites and Cabins

The campground has tent and trailer sites on the hillside above the lake. Some sites have electric hookups, so check the hookup details on each site's ReserveAmerica page before booking an RV. The cabins are split into separate cabin loops. ReserveAmerica lists them by area, for example Cabin Area B.

Shared facilities include showers, a playground, grills and a food concession in season. Pets are welcome at campsites: up to two, supervised, on a leash no longer than 6 feet, with proof of rabies vaccination if staff ask. Pets aren't allowed on the guarded beach, in buildings or on the playground. For tips, see our guide to camping with dogs.

Taughannock Falls State Park Campground Map

The official Taughannock Falls State Park campground map is a downloadable PDF on the park's page at parks.ny.gov, alongside the general Taughannock Falls State Park map (park map) and the hunting map. Use the campground map together with ReserveAmerica's site photos to choose a site. Sites at the edge of a loop are usually the quietest.

Taughannock Falls State Park Prices and Fees (2026)

• Campsites: $20 to $27 per night. Non-New York residents pay $5 more per night.
• Cabins: from $59 per night or $266 per week. Non-residents add $7 per night or $28 per week.
• Reservation fee: $7.25, charged on the first night only.
• Extra vehicle: $10 per night.
• Vehicle entrance fee: $10 per vehicle for day visitors, collected sunrise to sunset. Use the pay stations when there's no attendant. There are no separate Taughannock Falls tickets. The vehicle fee is the admission, and an $80 Empire Pass covers it for the whole season.
• Transient boat slips: $15 per night, or $12 with a camping rental.

Cabin Rules and Reservation Tips

• Cabin season: May 15 to October 12, 2026.
• Shoulder season: a 2-night minimum from May 15 to June 26 and again from August 29 to October 12.
• Prime season (June 27 to August 28): cabins rent Saturday to Saturday only, 7-night minimum.
• Pavilions: three pavilions ($50 to $200, for 25 to 100 people), reservable 11 months in advance, May 9 through October 26.

Taughannock is one of the most popular parks in the Finger Lakes, and the campground listed "existing reservations only" for much of 2026. Book as early as ReserveAmerica allows, and if your dates are sold out, check daily for cancellations.

Things to Do at Taughannock Falls

• Gorge Trail: the classic hike. It's a wide, mostly flat ¾-mile walk up the gorge to the base of the falls, so it works for all ages. Taughannock Falls Gorge Trail parking is at the lower, lakeside area off Route 89, and the trailhead starts there.
• Rim trails: loop above the gorge for views down onto the falls from both sides.
• Overlook and visitor's center: at the upper entrance, the overlook is the easiest view of the falls.
• Free gorge tours: the Finger Lakes environmental education staff run free gorge tours and programs in season. Groups of 10 or more can request one.
• Swimming: the beach is open June 26 to Labor Day, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. It can close for harmful algal blooms, which shut it down in July 2026, so check the park's water quality notice before you go.
• Boating and paddling: a marina, boat launch (not suitable for sailboats), and kayak and paddleboard lessons and rentals through the park's concessionaire.
• Winter: sledding, ice skating, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The falls are often at their most dramatic in spring melt and partly frozen in winter.

Not the Same as the Inn at Taughannock Falls

The Inn at Taughannock Falls is a privately run inn and restaurant on the hill next to the park. It's a separate business, not a state park lodge, and you can't book it through ReserveAmerica. If you want a roof and a park setting, book a state park cabin instead.

Tips for Camping at Taughannock Falls

1. Hike the gorge early. Summer afternoons are busy with day visitors from Ithaca. Go before 9 a.m. for a quiet trail.
2. Pack for cool nights. Cayuga Lake nights fall into the 40s in May and late September. See how to stay warm camping.
3. Bring rain gear. Finger Lakes weather turns quickly. Our guide to camping in the rain covers tarps and setup.
4. Buy firewood locally. New York restricts moving untreated firewood.
5. Make it a Finger Lakes loop. Combine it with Watkins Glen State Park camping on Seneca Lake, about 45 minutes away, or head northeast to Green Lakes State Park camping near Syracuse.

Recommended Gear

• Coleman Sundome Camping Tent: a dependable tent with a full rainfly, good for the tent sites and Finger Lakes showers.
• Teton Celsius Sleeping Bag: spring and fall nights above Cayuga Lake are cold, so a bag rated below the forecast low makes shoulder-season trips comfortable.
• Black Diamond Spot 400-R Rechargeable Headlamp: for evening walks to the showers and pre-dawn starts on the gorge trail.

For a full list, start with our tent camping essentials and camping checklist.

Is Taughannock Falls State Park Camping Worth It?

Yes. Few campgrounds put you this close to a 215-foot waterfall, a swimming beach and a marina, and still keep you 15 minutes from Ithaca's restaurants. Sites and cabins are cheap by Northeast standards, so the hard part is getting a reservation. The 2026 season is over, so plan for May 2027 and book cabin weeks early.