Northeast Camping????
 

Hello all!
I'm biking from Kennebunkport, ME, to Summit, NJ, via 8 different states, and using the AdventureCycle Atlantic Coast maps #1 & 2. I'm hoping to camp for most of the trip, but I'm finding that campgrounds, even for a single person on a bike with a tent, are between $25 and $50 a night. Back home, we have some campgrounds that are known mainly to the locals or sports enthusiasts, such as climbing campgrounds for $2 a night. I know that $2 is extremely cheap, but I'm wondering if anyone knows of any smaller, non-ritzy/touristy campgrounds that cater more to college-aged or general bike-bum type of people.
Thanks!!!

I'm not aware of any state or municipally run campgrounds that offer such cheap rates, in the typical NY and NE area. Possibly privately run sites, but I can't imagine them not charging at least what the public sites charge, if not more.

I suspect you're discovering that due to the area to the SW of Maine, being more densely settled, there are few area's (outside of the Adirondaks) with an abundance of land to allow a lot of campgrounds. Even then, for a state as big as Maine, there are not a lot of public campgrounds (I.E. State run), as compared to say, NY. Never heard of a "climbing campground" either. Possibly you might be thinking of all those un-improved camp"sites" that are scattered all around the north woods up your way ?.

Check out this website: www.warmshowers.org if you don't know of it already. I found it when looking for people who'd let me camp in their yards. As it has turned out, I have met mostly people who let me (and one of my kids, usually) sleep in their guest beds after feeding me a nice dinner. You don't have to give, or accept, more than you're comfortable giving, or accepting.

In PA I understand there is a law that allows camping within a certain distance of rivers (like, a hundred yards or something like that) unless posted as private property and unless within the city limits of a city. I didn't learn of this law until I had missed the opportunity to test it out. But it would be worthwhile to learn whether similar laws exist in NY, MA, etc.

There is Winter Island in Salem MASS. that is run by the town which may be cheaper off season.
Near Hampton Beach the is Salisbury SP in Ma and in Gloucester there is Cape Ann.
Thers is no such thing as cheap in New England. In Conn there is a high rate for non residents + a $3 processing fee