Whispering Pines Campsites

Luisa Sherman

This campground does offer peace and quiet and a nice albeit small swimming pool in a wooded setting. However, the campground itself is quiet tired. The lower main lawn section has pull thru sites that are just dirt ruts in grass. Electrical hookups are 30 amp there with no sewer connections, water pressure was just OK (and this section was nearly empty so pressure could be worse when park is more occupied) We were amazed that zoning allows electrical lines to be strung from and attached to living trees-and it appears they have been that way for a long time. All roads are dirt/some gravel and narrow. The sites up in the wooded loops are primarily taken by long term seasonals, some of those are FHU. The bath house by the dump station was clean but old and worn. Dump station is up the hill in woods, it was narrow and would not accommodate our overall 60 ft length so we had to resort to using our sewer tote and multiple trips since we had stayed 7 days. As mentioned the lower camping area is nice lawn, the larger pond is pretty to look at (no fishing or swimming), near pool at office/store. The bath house (toilets only in this one closest to lawn loop) is a moderate walk away and up around a short loop hill. It would have been nice to have at least one shower and bathroom in main office/store building for those camping in the lawn area. They charge a $3 fee per day for 1 pet which we felt was not appropriate for such an older property. There are no amenities for dogs, no dog park, no disposal bag stations offered, etc. Not sure what our $21 is used for. Those fees should be refunded at end of stay it is deemed the dog did not do any damage or owners did not pick up after the dog. In our 20+ years of camping al over the USA and CAN this is only the 3rd time we have ever been charged anything for our 16lb dog and those other parks were high end resort parks, not a country, older campground with no amenities other than a pool. There are no planned recreation activities despite a phone tree extension for "their recreation director". The backroads getting to and from the campground are winding and hilly with some steep grades and blind turns so take it slow. Saratoga Springs proper is about 15 minutes away that does offer some great shopping and restaurants and of course the race track in summer. Lake George is 40 minutes north. Several local farm stands sell eggs. Overall we did not feel the price, location, the site lock fee and pet fee was worth it and would not return.

Nex Skala

Sorry this is so long but I see some 1 star negative reviews from here and I don't believe they deserve it so I'm going to break down my experiences compared to the what I read online. I booked on a whim when my usual campground was booked up, for myself, my son, my brother, and his girlfriend. After reading the reviews on Google I almost canceled and looked for other accommodations but I figured I'd already paid so I might as well check it out, and I'm so glad I did as I found my new favorite place to stay when I go to SPAC. After my visit the only reasonable conclusion I could come to is that the people leaving the 1 star reviews are most likely the problem. The one I saw most was that they are crazy strict on any noise after a certain time. Well, yes there are quiet hours just like anywhere you go but nearly every site had a small fire and people sitting around enjoying each other's company until pretty late. Everyone minded their own business and nobody came around to make sure everyone was whispering. On the first night it was just me and my young adult son, the second night the four us. Both nights we stayed up till well past 12 talking, cracking jokes, playing videos and songs on our phones (plenty loud enough at night in the woods) with a low fire and never had a problem. So: Don't be a jerk, be respectful of your neighbors, and try to act as you would want them to act if you were trying to rest and you'll be fine. Second was probably that people tried to sneak visitors in. That's the only way to describe it because there are several places that clearly state the visitor policy online, you sign saying you understand the rules, and there big signs outside the office notifying you that anyone past that point must be registered. You must pass these signs to get into the park. If there is an unregistered visitor it is on purpose. That's on them, they were trying to cheat the campground. I told them my bro and his girl would be coming down the second night, they said no problem, just have them stop and register. That day I went down early to pay the visitor fee and when he got there he just had to sign in and that was it. Don't try to sneak people in and you'll be good. No sympathy for scammers. Next I'll mention is the bathrooms/showers being dirty/expensive/cold. First of all, the bathrooms are spotless. Every time, every bathroom, every stall. I didn't see so much as a cobweb in any of the facilities all weekend. Secondly, yes the showers are coin operated but it's 50¢ for 4 minutes. Like come on, 50¢. And while it wasn't what I call hot they were as warm as any state campground I've ever been to. But much, much cleaner. So if you've ever had a camp shower it's that but sanitary. Finally the prices. On their wood policy, that's not their choice. Your fight is with government regulation, not a business that is forced to follow them to stay in business. They will let you bring outside wood if it's kiln dried, per the law, but if you can find it cheaper send me the deets cuz I looked. The site prices are a little more than state parks but you get a much better experience. I think it's more than worth it. In conclusion: They have more sites than reviews so if everyone that stayed there and had a great time over the last 20 something years shared their experience they'd be at 4.9999/5 stars. The sites were big, private, quiet, level (this is important for a tent site), and I'm pretty sure we got the best one. The staff were friendly, helpful, polite, and never bothered anyone that minded their own business, followed the rules, and weren't a problem. The facilities were the cleanest I've ever seen mid summer at a campground. I had an amazing time, as did the rest of my party. I encourage anyone who was on the fence or thinking of reconsidering due to the handful of reviews from people who can't behave like adults in public to give the place a try. Like me you'll be happy you did!

Chris washburn

This is my seventh year coming to whispering pine campsite. I love the quiet times and the busy times. It is great to meet All different kinds of people from all over the country. The place is real clean and the owners are the best. If you need anything, you just need to ask. The place is very clean. This last week was so hot . Went to the great pool to cool off. I would recommend this campsite to everyone.

Melissa Hennessy

In all my years of camping in NY this campground is by far the best place l have found. Our family has been enjoying the quiet and peaceful nature of the campground community and it’s our third season here! People are friendly and become even like family here. As with all campgrounds there are rules and regulations as well as policies in place for the safety of us all. The staff is more than willing to help answer any questions and help advise you. The pool during this heat wave has been a blessing! Thank you to the crew and the little community we have here for making my summer experience home! Melissa Hennessy

Shari

It's a shame because this place has so much potential. The pool wasn't even open for memorial day week and and the laundry room wasn't even working. Our site was decent but both nights we were there there were a group of kids that partied all night. Separate groups different nights. It's not like a state campgrounds where Park Rangers come through and check on noise control, it's someone's private yard. There are many bad reviews on here and I shouldve read them before I paid $44 a night. We received a nasty email from there after I had to leave a handwritten note when I checked out because no one was in the office at 11 am. They assured me they have been in business for 29 years but thateans nothing when 80% of your reviews are bad. You have a 3.3 rating out of 5. What does that mean to you? I did NOT feel safe at all. Do not go unless you want to party all night.