Higley Flow State Park
Higley Flow State Park
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.0
37 reviews
Excellent
19
Very good
11
Average
4
Poor
1
Terrible
2
Marty H
2 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
As kayakers, we liked the park. Had a site with easy access to the water. Spent a week. Surprisingly little wildlife - one doe with her twins, one heron, couple ducks and a turtle. No sparrows, robins, rabbits, woodchucks, squirrels, etc. Toilets were new, large, and clean. One drawback was the showers; also new, large, and clean, but no temperature control and each offered only scalding hot water. Had to jump in then immediately out. Couldn't imagine having a child use them.
Written August 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Curious790029
3 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
Stayed in loop B with small camper, good site, not to close to our neighbors. Quiet but everyone seemed friendly. Lots of places to sit and read and relax. Bathrooms and facilities are new and clean. We would recommend.
Written July 25, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ACDCJen77
East Bethany, NY10 contributions
Sept 2015 • Couples
This was the second camp I stayed at with my boyfriend during the week leading up to Labor Day. I probably would have been completely blown away had I not stayed at a different, more fantastic park the 4 days prior to arriving at Higley Flow. However, this is a nice wooded park near the Raquette River and the Adirondacks. In fact, we spent more time exploring around the St. Lawrence and Lake Placid/Whiteface Mountain that we did this park!
We were in loop E, which had a few waterfront sites. We were in site #100, which did have access to a small beach if you walked on a short trail behind our site in the woods. My boyfriend actually dragged his kayak back that way and launched it from the shore, which he said worked really well. Our loop was not electrified. There were two RV/campers that ran their generators outside of the time allowed for this and it does distract from the quietness quite a bit. There was no enforcement of anything, as there were very loud holiday revelers, drunk people, more than the allotted people and tents on sites, and other naughtiness that happens in a state park. However, I was impressed that there were recycling buckets at each site, garbage pickup several times a day and an ice cream truck that drove around in the afternoon to each loop (music and all!)!
I did drive around all of the loops, and some of them are more private than others. Loop E, where we stayed, was definitely flatter than F, D, and C. The sites were generally pretty large, with trees and privacy from the sites next to you, but none from those across the way. If you are unlucky enough to get a loud family across the way from you, it will not be a pleasant experience. Some of the other loops seemed to have smaller sites as well. Loop A seemed to be more of the big RV location and had more water sites than any of the other loops. There is at least one washroom, sometimes 2, in each loop. However, they only have toilets and sinks. There are two shower houses for the entire campground. It may have been because it was the end of the camping season, I'm not sure, but the shower house by our loop was NOT as clean as it should have been. The little washroom house on our loop was clean though. Spooky to walk to in the middle of the dark night, but clean once you get there! I never had to wait to go to the bathroom or take a shower and I was always able to use the handicapped stalls because of my arthritis. Showers are push button though, so you will have to push them every 15-20 seconds unless you want the water flow to stop.
There was a fairly large beach and bath house at the end of the park opposite my loop. I drove through it, but did not use it, so I cannot comment on how it was. It did seem to be pretty popular though and people were enjoying themselves. From what I saw, it looked clean and neat. There was one dedicated boat launch with parking. It was suitable for motorized boats and kayaks. I did not use my kayak at this park, but there was plenty of good spots that I could have. My boyfriend said that his paddle around was amazing. I will make sure to do this if I go back. Just down the road from the boat launch is the other shower house. While the one I used had a segregated women's side and men's side, with one unisex/handicapped toilet shower room, this one just had unisex/handicapped toilet shower rooms. I didn't use this one, so I can't comment about it, sorry! This one seemed more convenient for A and B loops. Firewood was sold by the camp booth for $5.00, and you got a TON!! It was good and dry and worked really well for us!!
The park is highly wooded, and there were deer and the largest hare I've ever seen on our site! Also, a lot of daddy long-legs. I am arachnaphobic, but they didn't get into our tent, only between the rainfly and the tent. Whew!! Of course, it's in the middle of the forest and that's where bugs and spiders live, just wanted to caution you! I used one of those OFF fans by the fire, and I didn't get bit at all by mosquitos. There didn't seem to be too many around. I did not check out the trails, due to the arthritis and all, but people seemed to be using them often. It was a very family oriented park, at least when we were there. Lots of kids on bikes, parents walking their children or pushing strollers, hopscotch squares chalked on the roads.
We tent camped on site #100, for 3 nights over Labor Day weekend. Our site was was ENORMOUS! We literally did not use 2/3 of our site. The picnic table was brand new and still smelled like pine! Labor day was the last day for camping at Higley Flow. I'm not sure if this impacted the cleanliness of the bathrooms, but they were not very well maintained. I just kept my flip flops on and didn't look around or on the floor much! It was pretty busy because of the holiday too, but it was never packed in the bathroom. We drove to the shower house for showers, and we were probably the closet loop to the one in our area. If you were in F loop, be prepared for a long hike, or bring a bike, or drive like we did! Bring a good flashlight if you have to make trips to the washrooms in the loop during the middle of the night!
I did enjoy this park. However, I had stayed at a much better maintained park prior to this one, and that may have impacted my overall impression. I think if I had been able to kayak, fish, and swim, I would have loved this park. I think you will not be disappointed if you want a family park that offers you these opportunities.
We were in loop E, which had a few waterfront sites. We were in site #100, which did have access to a small beach if you walked on a short trail behind our site in the woods. My boyfriend actually dragged his kayak back that way and launched it from the shore, which he said worked really well. Our loop was not electrified. There were two RV/campers that ran their generators outside of the time allowed for this and it does distract from the quietness quite a bit. There was no enforcement of anything, as there were very loud holiday revelers, drunk people, more than the allotted people and tents on sites, and other naughtiness that happens in a state park. However, I was impressed that there were recycling buckets at each site, garbage pickup several times a day and an ice cream truck that drove around in the afternoon to each loop (music and all!)!
I did drive around all of the loops, and some of them are more private than others. Loop E, where we stayed, was definitely flatter than F, D, and C. The sites were generally pretty large, with trees and privacy from the sites next to you, but none from those across the way. If you are unlucky enough to get a loud family across the way from you, it will not be a pleasant experience. Some of the other loops seemed to have smaller sites as well. Loop A seemed to be more of the big RV location and had more water sites than any of the other loops. There is at least one washroom, sometimes 2, in each loop. However, they only have toilets and sinks. There are two shower houses for the entire campground. It may have been because it was the end of the camping season, I'm not sure, but the shower house by our loop was NOT as clean as it should have been. The little washroom house on our loop was clean though. Spooky to walk to in the middle of the dark night, but clean once you get there! I never had to wait to go to the bathroom or take a shower and I was always able to use the handicapped stalls because of my arthritis. Showers are push button though, so you will have to push them every 15-20 seconds unless you want the water flow to stop.
There was a fairly large beach and bath house at the end of the park opposite my loop. I drove through it, but did not use it, so I cannot comment on how it was. It did seem to be pretty popular though and people were enjoying themselves. From what I saw, it looked clean and neat. There was one dedicated boat launch with parking. It was suitable for motorized boats and kayaks. I did not use my kayak at this park, but there was plenty of good spots that I could have. My boyfriend said that his paddle around was amazing. I will make sure to do this if I go back. Just down the road from the boat launch is the other shower house. While the one I used had a segregated women's side and men's side, with one unisex/handicapped toilet shower room, this one just had unisex/handicapped toilet shower rooms. I didn't use this one, so I can't comment about it, sorry! This one seemed more convenient for A and B loops. Firewood was sold by the camp booth for $5.00, and you got a TON!! It was good and dry and worked really well for us!!
The park is highly wooded, and there were deer and the largest hare I've ever seen on our site! Also, a lot of daddy long-legs. I am arachnaphobic, but they didn't get into our tent, only between the rainfly and the tent. Whew!! Of course, it's in the middle of the forest and that's where bugs and spiders live, just wanted to caution you! I used one of those OFF fans by the fire, and I didn't get bit at all by mosquitos. There didn't seem to be too many around. I did not check out the trails, due to the arthritis and all, but people seemed to be using them often. It was a very family oriented park, at least when we were there. Lots of kids on bikes, parents walking their children or pushing strollers, hopscotch squares chalked on the roads.
We tent camped on site #100, for 3 nights over Labor Day weekend. Our site was was ENORMOUS! We literally did not use 2/3 of our site. The picnic table was brand new and still smelled like pine! Labor day was the last day for camping at Higley Flow. I'm not sure if this impacted the cleanliness of the bathrooms, but they were not very well maintained. I just kept my flip flops on and didn't look around or on the floor much! It was pretty busy because of the holiday too, but it was never packed in the bathroom. We drove to the shower house for showers, and we were probably the closet loop to the one in our area. If you were in F loop, be prepared for a long hike, or bring a bike, or drive like we did! Bring a good flashlight if you have to make trips to the washrooms in the loop during the middle of the night!
I did enjoy this park. However, I had stayed at a much better maintained park prior to this one, and that may have impacted my overall impression. I think if I had been able to kayak, fish, and swim, I would have loved this park. I think you will not be disappointed if you want a family park that offers you these opportunities.
Written September 8, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CAL_MTL
Montreal, Canada5 contributions
Aug 2013 • Friends
We might have been very very unlucky on August 17-18 but the campsite was LOADED with groups, tons of kids screeming and running everywhere and lots of people in general (they definitely don't manage the maximum number of 6 people per site and 2 cars). In addition, we were probably the only ones with a tent, eventhough we choose the no-electricity loop. We had to endure all the caravans with their generators (although there are running hours, some neighbors just don't care and it's very unpleasant when you are seeking quietness). Do not choose site F115 as it is straight in front and very close of the bathroom. Having toured the whole campground, I am surprised to read people saying the sites are well appart and private.
The campground in general in super clean and the trees are very nice, nice short trails as well. Would recommend to carefully choose your weekends. Hope this helps.
The campground in general in super clean and the trees are very nice, nice short trails as well. Would recommend to carefully choose your weekends. Hope this helps.
Written August 20, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
gingersthomas
Gouverneur, NY103 contributions
Jul 2018 • Couples
We stayed at Higley Flow with our 24 ft camper trailer. They offer water sites, cabins, tent sites, and sites with or without power. They have fresh water and dump station easily accessible. Also fresh water is available on campsite loops at little stations. Restrooms and showers are clean and well maintained. We got a site directly across from the bathroom, which was convenient. Each site has a nice fire pit grill and picnic table. The campground employees drive around each morning to pick up recyclables and trash from each site, which is convenient. The beach is guarded. It has a nice pavilion with grills, picnic tables and playground as well. No pets allowed in these areas, so if you have a dog with your family someone will have to stay behind at the campsite with it while others enjoy the beach and playground area. There is a small nature center that hasn’t been updated in a long time, but some might enjoy a browse through it. There is a little free library box at the nature center if you feel like taking a book to read while camping or donate one you’ve completed. I think it would be better suited as a partial gift shop since they are far from anything but a small grocery store, although the store has a lot. There is a boat ramp and camp sites to be able too keep boats tied up at here as well, from canoes and jet skis to larger boats and pontoons. The boat ramp is also the best place to let your dog cool off when it’s warm without getting muddy. It’s a short walk across from the B loop. This is a really peaceful campground although pretty remote if you forget anything major. We enjoy it and will continue to return.
Written July 23, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gv34957
Jensen Beach, FL16 contributions
Jun 2014
First night there dogs barking to midnight. Low life dirt bags took my camp stove and lantern. Area has definitely gone bad.
Written June 29, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MatthewJPeacock
Ogdensburg, NY1,380 contributions
Aug 2012 • Family
I have camped here my entire life. It's a paradise close to home. Tall pine trees separate every site so there's lots of privacy. Its a premier camping spot in the adirondacks. There's a beach, boat launch, hiking trails, nature center, state park police for security, and of course fishing on the racquette river.
Written August 24, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wally E
Saratoga Springs, New York, United States130 contributions
Jul 2012 • Couples
We discovered this park when looking for a place to camp in the northern Adirondacks that offers walking and kayaking opportunities. It is a gem, with a wonderful campground featuring secluded sites (some with electic hook-ups), a beach, beautiful trails, and lots of places to kayak. The park is located on a reservoir (or flow) of the Raquette River and a few of the campsites are right on the water, although we preferred ones away from the waterfront that offer a little more privacy. The park draws many families, but even on a Friday night in July the campground was not full. We particularly enjoyed the Beaver Pond Trail, a 1-mile loop through a variety of habitats, and kayaking on Blake Reservoir's south end, where we saw a bald eagle and numerous waterfowl. Be sure to check out the "Black Lagoon," a small cove across from the boat launch that is rumored to have a resident "monster" and where people have placed spooky decorations such as gravestones, skeletons, etc. Only small boats can get in there. We went in broad daylight, but it could be an interesting twilight paddle!
Just a short way north on Rt. 56 is Sunday Rock, which legend says used to mark the boundary between the civilized St. Lawrence Valley to the north and the wild "Great South Woods" of the Adirondacks. South of this rock, there was said to be no Sunday.
Be sure to bring your groceries as there is only one small store in nearby South Colton. Otherwise, you have to drive 20 miles or so to Canton or Potsdam. The one drawback we encountered was some relatively loud music on Friday evening that may have been coming from outside the park. But it was not a major problem.
Just a short way north on Rt. 56 is Sunday Rock, which legend says used to mark the boundary between the civilized St. Lawrence Valley to the north and the wild "Great South Woods" of the Adirondacks. South of this rock, there was said to be no Sunday.
Be sure to bring your groceries as there is only one small store in nearby South Colton. Otherwise, you have to drive 20 miles or so to Canton or Potsdam. The one drawback we encountered was some relatively loud music on Friday evening that may have been coming from outside the park. But it was not a major problem.
Written July 25, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bonnie48345
Oswego, NY185 contributions
Jul 2012 • Family
Higley Flow State Park has been one of our favorite parks ever since we "discovered" it many years ago. Set in the quiet little town of Colton, NY, it's away from the hustle and bustle of a tourist town. We love the quiet atmosphere and the pine tree covered sites. Kayacking on the resovoir is interesting and fun. The park is great for riding bikes, with moderate hills to get your heart pumping! The beach is clean and pleasant.
Written July 10, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Denise W
Watertown, NY37 contributions
Sept 2012 • Family
We stayed here over Labor Day weekend. It's a scenic park with all the amenities needed for camping. There is a nice beech. The park is full of beautiful trees which make it peaceful, private and quiet. The canoeing was wonderful. I would highly recommend and we will return again!
Written September 6, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
On the electric site do I need an adapter for a regular 3 prong outlet from the 30 amp or do they have regular outlets as well?
Written June 10, 2018
They have typical 30 amp receptacles as well as your typical 20 amp receptacles. So if you want a 30 amp hook up with a regular house plug then yes you'll need the adapter if you only need a regular outlet then you'll be fine without it.
Written June 11, 2018
Lowest rate is $15 dollars we stayed with a 19 foot camper and a 30 amp hook up for $21 a night.
Written May 27, 2018
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