Campsite 2 [DEC #11454] (Schuyler Island Primitive Area)

WATER-ACCESS ONLY (paddle / small boat): this is one of three FREE first-come primitive tent sites on the WESTERN SHORE of Schuyler Island, a 161-acre state-owned island in Lake Champlain (Town of Chesterfield, Essex County; eastern Adirondack Park; part of the DEC Lake Champlain Islands Complex, DEC Region 5). There is no road and no bridge -- you reach it by kayak, canoe or small boat, about 1 mile from the free public DEC Port Douglas boat launch, and it is a stop on the Lake Champlain Paddlers Trail. This site (Campsite 2) sits on the northern part of the island's western shore, on the 0.3-mile trail linking the three sites. New York provides it at NO CHARGE: the DEC page lists the Lake Champlain Islands Complex as 'Fee: Free' and says Schuyler Island 'has three campsites on its western shore which are connected by a 0.3-mile trail.' The sites are first-come, marked with a round yellow DEC 'Camp Here' disc and a site number, and have pit privies and fire rings -- but no potable water, no hookups and no showers (bring or treat all water; Lake Champlain is the only source). PERMIT NOTE: between Memorial Day and Labor Day DEC runs a free first-come camping-permit system on the neighbouring VALCOUR ISLAND through an on-site caretaker (voicemail 518-897-1298); that permit/caretaker system is described for Valcour, not Schuyler, but island rules can change -- if you want certainty, confirm the current Schuyler permit and camping rules with DEC before you launch. Camp only at a marked designated site; a free Forest Ranger permit is otherwise required only for stays over 3 nights or groups of 10 or more. Pack out all trash, follow Leave No Trace and DEC fire rules, watch the weather and your boat, and store food from animals. SEASON / ACCESS vary and this is exposed open-water paddling -- confirm current conditions and this site's status on the DEC page (dec.ny.gov/places/lake-champlain-islands-complex) or with the DEC Region 5 office (518-897-1200) before you go; we have not visited. Contacts: the DEC Region 5 Ray Brook Office at (518) 897-1200; the Valcour Island caretaker voicemail for island camping permits is (518) 897-1298 (Forest Rangers via 911 or 1-833-NYS-RANGERS / 1-833-697-7264).

USGS topo — contours & terrain

Aerial — USGS / NAIP

EV charging — from Campsite 2 [DEC #11454] (Schuyler Island Primitive Area) · New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation · NY — nearest public DC fast & Level 2 (US DOE station data)

• Nearest public DC fast charger8.0 mi straight-line E — B E CHARGERS BE19, Burlington, VT · ChargePoint Network · CHAdeMO, CCS · 1 fast port listed · listed open, last confirmed by AFDC 2026-09-16 · hours: 24 hours daily · directions
• Public DC fast stations within reach39 within 25 mi · 73 within 50 · 159 within 100 · 341 within 150
• Nearest listing NACS (Tesla)9.2 mi — Peru, NY - Tesla Supercharger, Peru
• Nearest public Level 2 (J1772)3.3 mi — Ausable Brewing Company, Keeseville, NY · VIALYNK · J1772 · 4 Level 2 ports listed · listed open, last confirmed by AFDC 2026-09-16 · hours: 24 hours daily
• Pricing at the fast chargernot listed
• Power (kW)not listed by AFDC — “DC fast” spans roughly 24 to 350 kW, so ask the network.
• Read this honestlyStraight-line miles, like every distance on this site. Roads run longer than this, and you have to get back. We know where a charger is listed. We don’t know if it works today, how fast it is, or the road miles. Check the network before you commit.
  Snapshot 2026-09-16 · AFDC record 388129 · US DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center

Nearby restrooms — around Campsite 2 [DEC #11454] (Schuyler Island Primitive Area) · New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation · NY — pit toilets, restrooms & rest areas (government data)

• Highway rest areaValcour · ~9.1 mi NW
• Highway rest areaColchester North Weight Station · ~10.6 mi NE
• Highway rest areaWilliston North Rest Area · ~15.5 mi E
• Highway rest areaWilliston South Rest Area · ~15.5 mi E

Open Campsite 2 [DEC #11454] (Schuyler Island Primitive Area) elsewhere

Other camps near Campsite 2 [DEC #11454] (Schuyler Island Primitive Area)

If this one is full, gated or washed out.

• Campsite 1 [DEC #12568] (Schuyler Island Primitive Area)~0.0 mi
• Schuyler #3 [DEC #12608] (Schuyler Island Primitive Area)~0.2 mi
• Campsite 18 (Valcour Island Primitive Area)~7.9 mi
• Campsite 1 (Valcour Island Primitive Area)~8.1 mi

How we know this — Campsite 2 [DEC #11454] (Schuyler Island Primitive Area)

What we don’t know about Campsite 2 [DEC #11454] (Schuyler Island Primitive Area)

A land record can put you within a few meters 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
• Whether a listed EV charger works today, or the road miles to it

Before you go — Campsite 2 [DEC #11454] (Schuyler Island Primitive Area)