Long Island Outer Beach Camping

Nice Beach pics ... Montauk was where we started decades ago , when you could still camp around the the point facing east towards Montauk Pt Lighthouse ... hardly any beach left there at all . Even recall backing into a cut out in the dunes once or twice . Guess Montauk going on the reservation system this year could work out good for you if want to take a trip ! Have Done Mostly Shinnecock since we started up again. Did do Cupsougue a couple of times the first year back , just to get back into it . As the name implies , Now pretty much the Smallest Camper on the Beach ... well even way back when , smallest camper and at that time , smallest tow vehicle :^)) Never invested any Real Money in trailer or Tow Vehicle , as we don't actually Camp at any camp grounds , just the outer beach. May give you , and others I'm sure , a Good Laugh and post a pic or two ... when I am in the mood for abuse that is. :^O

Sorry about that. I thought I heard that Smiths Point stopped allowing it but then that website still listed it. The last time I was there I was in a tent in one of the regular spots. Happy camping!

JustALittleBeach wrote:
Hey,
Thanks for the response . I should have explained better. I guess what I should have said was , new to forum and I was just checking to see if other Outer beach campers came on here to chat. I actually started Outer beach camping back the late 80's ( before the dreaded reservation system ! ). Took a break for a number of years , started back up again about 4 years ago. As you know , Nothing like being right out on the beach ! Smith's Point hasn't had it for a while now , beach has taken a real beating the past few years . although they did open for 2 weeks at the end of Aug a few years back . They have the Regular campground there , so That's their Money Maker. Enjoy your camping and thanks again for the response .

Here's a few pics from the archives...These are all at Montauk, I actually liked it when they marked the spots, I remember having the ranger tell me to squeeze in between a couple of guys that left a little extra room between their trailers...they were both POd at me the whole weekend.

I'm thinking about making a trip to Montauk for a week, that's the good part of reservations...I guess everything is getting crowded now.

Hey Burb,
A real shame about the beating Smith point has taken. It was a rather pathetic attempt , that 2 weeks they opened up the Outer beach Camping in 2012 . The Outer beach itself does open but is Always Closing for the Tide and/or Piping Plover nesting. Shinnecock is a beautiful beach , but it was a ZOO last year due to Smith's point being closed most of the summer. We were lucky and got 3 - 4 trips there last summer . Cupsouge is nice , But spots are not On the Beach . Montauk is a Hike . Also with a New Reservation system this year , 90 day in advance now and Montauk is on the System . I guess I will always miss the days of No Marked Spots at Montauk and Real Dunes and the little inlet on the bay side of Shinnecock ... old , who said old :^)) I still get strange looks from people when I say Camping on the Beach , with a trailer . Still we are pretty lucky to have any places at all , that still allow the crazies to drag trailers onto the Beach !!
Happy Camping !

Diehard OuterBeach camper here, until we moved to the midwest in 2011. Smith's point closed after that big erosion thing years ago and he never re-opened. Getting into Shinnecock has become almost impossible, since all the Smith's Point traffic went there, and reservations open 6 months in advance, and people are at their computers Midnight on Jan 2 booking reservations for Jul 4 weekend. Theodore Roosevelt Park at Montauk doesn't take reservations (or at least they didn't in 2011). So we would go to Shinnecock from April to Memorial Day and then from Labor Day through October when you could actually get a site there, and Montauk in-season.

Hey,
Thanks for the response . I should have explained better. I guess what I should have said was , new to forum and I was just checking to see if other Outer beach campers came on here to chat. I actually started Outer beach camping back the late 80's ( before the dreaded reservation system ! ). Took a break for a number of years , started back up again about 4 years ago. As you know , Nothing like being right out on the beach ! Smith's Point hasn't had it for a while now , beach has taken a real beating the past few years . although they did open for 2 weeks at the end of Aug a few years back . They have the Regular campground there , so That's their Money Maker. Enjoy your camping and thanks again for the response .

Smiths Point has some outer beach camping.

http://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/Parks/Parks/SmithPointCountyPark.aspx

I grew up camping in a travel trailer every summer here.