Allaben Roadside Campsite [DEC #228937] (Shandaken Wild Forest)

FREE roadside primitive camping at the ALLABEN campsites, along a short state-land access road just off NY Route 28 in the hamlet of Allaben (town of Shandaken), in the Shandaken Wild Forest of New York's CATSKILL Forest Preserve (DEC Region 3, Ulster County). This is a DEC-designated primitive campsite ('Allaben Roadside Campsite [DEC #228937]'), and New York provides it at NO CHARGE: the DEC Shandaken Wild Forest page lists the fee as 'Free' and the unit as open year-round, first-come first-served, and community listings confirm 'nine campsites' here with no fee to stay. This site is a roadside drive-up: turn off NY Route 28 at Allaben (a hamlet in the town of Shandaken) onto the short DEC access road -- community sources say the only marker is a small 'State Land Access' sign -- and the designated sites sit just off that access road (measured a few dozen to a couple hundred feet, 74-174 ft), so you drive right in and park at the site rather than hiking to it. It is one of a cluster of nine designated sites (two of them listed by DEC as accessible); the Esopus Creek -- a noted Catskill trout stream -- runs nearby (about 1867 feet away, across toward Route 28), though these sites are NOT on the water. This is free, first-come Catskill Forest Preserve ROADSIDE camping (the Allaben sites in Shandaken Wild Forest) -- do NOT confuse it with a reservable fee campground; the nearest paid DEC campgrounds (Woodland Valley near Phoenicia, Kenneth L. Wilson near Mt Tremper) are a separate, paid system several miles away. SEASON / ACCESS: DEC lists Shandaken Wild Forest as open YEAR-ROUND and free, but the Allaben access road and sites are unplowed primitive infrastructure -- confirm current road, gate and site status with the DEC Region 3 New Paltz office (845-256-3076) before you go, especially in winter or mud season. RULES: these are designated, first-come first-served free sites -- no reservation and no fee. Look for the round yellow DEC 'Camp Here' marker and camp only at a designated site; standard NY State Land camping rules apply (keep 150 feet from water/trails/roads unless the marked site itself is closer), and a free Forest Ranger permit is required only if you stay more than 3 nights or camp with a group of 10 or more (arrange it through the DEC Region 3 New Paltz Office at (845) 256-3076 (Forest Rangers via 911 or DEC dispatch 1-833-NYS-RANGERS)). DEC lists two of the Allaben sites as accessible; the ATV / MAPPWD (accessible motorized access) permit DEC mentions applies ONLY to Rochester Hollow Road, a separate parcel -- it is NOT needed for these Allaben roadside sites. Every one of these sites sits around 1,050 feet, well below the 3,500-foot line, so the March 21-December 21 Catskill high-elevation camping ban does not apply here; confirm current fire rules on site. These are primitive sites: expect at most a fire ring, picnic table and grill (reported) -- no hookups, no showers and no potable water, so bring water or treat what you take from the creek. Pack out all trash, follow Leave No Trace and the DEC fire rules, and store food from bears (this is black-bear country). Confirm current rules, road status and this site's status on the DEC page (dec.ny.gov/places/shandaken-wild-forest) or with the New Paltz office (845-256-3076) before you go; we have not visited.

USGS topo — contours & terrain

Aerial — USGS / NAIP

Nearby restrooms — pit toilets, restrooms & rest areas (government data)

• Highway rest areaUlster Travel Plaza · ~19.2 mi E
• Highway rest areaParking/Rest Area · ~19.3 mi E
• Highway rest areaParking/Rest Area · ~20.1 mi E
• Highway rest areaMalden Travel Plaza · ~20.3 mi E

Open this spot elsewhere

Other camps nearby

If this one is full, gated or washed out.

• Allaben Roadside Campsite [DEC #228936] (Shandaken Wild Forest)~0.1 mi
• Allaben Roadside Campsite [DEC #228938] (Shandaken Wild Forest)~0.2 mi
• Allaben Roadside Campsite [DEC #228935] (Shandaken Wild Forest)~0.2 mi
• Allaben Roadside Campsite [DEC #228939] (Shandaken Wild Forest)~0.2 mi

How we know this

What we don’t know

A land record can put you within a few metres of a spot. It cannot tell you any of this — so check it yourself, and treat anything below as the open question it is.

• Road surface & last-mile access
• How many rigs actually fit
• Cell coverage by carrier
• Seasonal & winter access
• Current fire restrictions
• Whether any water here is drinkable
• Shade & wind exposure
• Noise and who else shows up

Before you go