It’s Raining, You’re Camping—Now What?

You can control many elements when vacation planning but the weather’s not one of them. For my first solo camping trip, I would have dialed up days in the 80s with sunshine and a light breeze. Instead, I faced steady drizzle punctuated by torrential downpours with nighttime temps just above freezing. Here’s how I made the most of my road trip between two of the Northeast’s great mountain regions when Mother Nature delivered late fall instead of mid-spring.

The writer’s accommodations were hosted. All opinions are her own.

A Tale of Two Mountains

As a kickoff to summer, I planned a multi-day road trip between the Berkshires and Adirondacks with stays at two campgrounds. I’m not an outdoorswoman, despite years of Girl Scouting. I lean heavily towards 5-star spa resorts when choosing vacation accommodations.

But I also like to challenge myself. Within limits. A woodsy stay felt right for the hiking I planned. As a camping newbie, I was prepared to dip my toe in without committing to a tent and tons of equipment. Spacious Skies, a string of 15 campgrounds stretching along the east coast from Maine to Georgia, offered lodging choices beyond tent sites and RV lots. I booked a cottage and a yurt and started making trail plans.

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Packing Pivot

The fundamental scout mott0 – be prepared – meant that I checked the forecast. And the news was grim. So I needed to adjust my packing.

Out went the bug spray, high SPF sunscreen and bathing suit. Instead, I retrieved my winter clothes from storage, packing the following essentials:

• Lightweight Cuddl Duds long underwear
• Zip-up Patagonia fleece
• Waterproof LL Bean hooded jacket
• SmartWool hiking socks

Once I knew I’d be (relatively) comfortable, I set about adjusting my activities for the trip.

Rainy Day Things to Do in the Berkshires and Adirondacks

My trip wasn’t a total washout because the Berkshire and Adirondack mountain regions are established vacation destinations with dozens of attractions. Once I wrapped my head around the fact that I wasn’t going swimming or roasting s’mores, I filled my days with fun and my belly with the area’s great food.

I monitored the forecast closely and when damp pockets opened up between drenching downpours, I headed outdoors for some short hikes, being careful to watch my footing on slippery rocks and muddy trails.

Here are my top picks for rainy day camping fun in the Berkshires and Adirondacks with sunshine alternatives if you get luckier than me!

Hike to Bash Bish Falls

A 20-minute hike from NY’s Taconic State Park crosses the Massachusetts border and ends at the Commonwealth’s highest waterfall. The final cascade of Bash Bish Falls plunges 60 feet into a crystal clear pool ringed by dramatic boulders. The ascent to the falls is uphill on a wide, rocky trail.

If the Weather’s Sunny:

• Longer hikes to the falls are accessible from NY’s Taconic State Park and MA’s Bash Bish Falls
• Bike the recently repaved 3.6-mile section of the Harlem Valley Rail Trail in Copake Falls
• Pedal boats and kayaks are available for campground guests at Spacious Skies Woodland Hills

Flower Power at the Berkshire Botanical Garden

I seek out public gardens when traveling to get inspiration for my own yard. The Berkshire Botanical Garden in Stockbridge, MA, is a petite gem with trails winding through classic rose gardens and whimsical topiary installations. They were having a plant sale when I visited. I scored a cardoon plant – a spiky exotic with purple artichoke-looking flowers. And it was only $5.

If the Weather’s Sunny:

• Spacious Skies promotes a Spring Bloom trail linking its campgrounds. Pick a bouquet of local wildflowers such as Queen Anne’s Lace, Bee Balm and Wild Blue Phlox to brighten your campsite.
• Explore The Wild Center, a 115-acre, science-based nature exhibit with treetop bridges, playgrounds and a music-filled forest.

Tour The Mount

In 1902, author Edith Wharton designed The Mount, a grand European-style estate in Lenox, Massachusetts. She resided there for ten years, composing many of her most famous works from her bed, including Ethan Frome and The House of Mirth. She was the first woman awarded both the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and an honorary doctorate from Yale. Separate tours of the house and garden are included with admission. Seasonal ghost tours are popular, requiring a separate fee and reservation.

If the Weather’s Sunny:

• The woods at The Mount are meticulously maintained and feature outdoor sculptures worth exploring.
• The Berkshires are home to the world-famous Tanglewood summer festival and Shakespeare & Company theater performances. They’re less than 15 miles from Spacious Skies Woodland Hills.
• Spacious Skies Adirondack Peaks campground is an hour north of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, featuring a full summer schedule of concerts, dance, comedy and an annual jazz festival.

Fort Ticonderoga – It’s Revolutionary!

Much of the action during the Revolutionary War happened in the region between the Berkshires and the Adirondacks, including the pivotal Battles of Saratoga in 1777. As America approaches its 250th birthday, historical sites are featuring special exhibits and programs. Fort Ticonderoga was seized by Ethan Allen, Vermont’s Green Mountain Boys and America’s most famous traitor Benedict Arnold in 1775. Costumed guides explain the fort’s history and demonstrate colonial trades like shoemaking and tailoring.

If the Weather’s Sunny:

• Boat tours are a fun summer activity in the Adirondacks on both Lake Champlain, which separates NY from Vermont, and Lake George, one of the region’s most popular family vacation destinations.
• Lake George has a Six Flags Great Escape amusement and water park and Fort William Henry, which featured prominently in James Fenimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans.

Shop, Eat, Repeat

When it rains on vacation, I don’t feel guilty indulging in two of my favorite pastimes: shopping and eating. Bouncing between boutiques, breweries and bistros was a fun way to pass rainy hours.

Where to Shop

I scored some unique treasures like a monogrammed cutting board from Vermont woodworkers JK Adams. At their Dorset, VT, factory and retail store, you can view the production facilities in action.

Here are some of my top spots for shopping near the two Spacious Skies campgrounds where I stayed:

• MacKimmie Co. in Lenox is the place to go for hard-to-resist throws and a great selection of Frank and Eileen women’s clothing.
• Don’t head home without pure VT maple syrup from the Sugar Shack. Bonus: They have an interesting, free Norman Rockwell exhibit.
• Find Adirondack gear, camp apparel and a stellar downloadable playlist at Schroon Lake Department Store.

Good Eats

The dreary weather put me in a comfort food state of mind, so I gravitated towards cozy places with hearty plates like Jackson’s Old Chatham House. My favorite discoveries include:

• The French onion soup and homemade pie are two excellent reasons to visit Pitkin’s Restaurant.
• The prime rib sandwich at The Old Heritage Tavern in Lenox was smothered in crispy onion bits and big enough to share, if you get a cup of clam chowder as a starter.
• You’ll find a wide selection of craft beers at Paradox Brewery and solid pizza, too.

Spacious Skies Adirondack Peaks scheduled a weekend of activities for the Memorial Day holiday, including local food truck 80K Street Plates. Their $25 cold lobster roll was packed full of claw and knuckle meat.

Survival Tips for Camping in the Rain

I was able to survive and enjoy my first camping trip for several reasons.

• I didn’t stay in a cold, soggy tent.
• There were plenty of rain or shine activities nearby.
• The Spacious Skies campgrounds had a fun vibe, despite the weather.

Camp Accommodations

You can rough it at Spacious Skies campgrounds or enjoy nature from the comfort of your RV. Both the Woodland Hills and Adirondack Peaks sites have multiple lodging options, including tent sites, retro trailers and cabins.

I stayed in the Cosmos Cottage, a pet-friendly mobile home in Woodland Hills that comfortably sleeps six and has a stocked kitchen and two full bathrooms. The Cottage comes with complete linen packages, so you don’t have to worry about packing sheets and towels.

At Adirondack Peaks, my home was a bunk bed in a family yurt that also sleeps six and can accommodate your pets. Fortunately, there was a heating unit since the nighttime temps dropped to near freezing. However, there’s no running water or bathroom in the yurt. I carefully planned my evening treks to the nearby bathhouse when there were pauses in the storm. The rhythm of the rain pelting the canvas was very soothing, and I had great sleeps in the yurt.

Fun and Games at Spacious Skies

The Spacious Skies concept of building a collection of campsites was launched in 2021. The goal of wife and husband co-founders Ali and Eric Rasmussen was to develop sites with a consistent feel in unique locations. The atmosphere is inclusive and welcoming to all; Spacious Skies is a proud partner of LGBTQ Outdoors and Black Folks Camp Too.

My fellow campers included young couples traveling with their dogs and large families kicking off the summer season. One woman I met decided not to sell her 22-foot RV after her boyfriend died. She rented a site at Spacious Skies for the season and plans to commute from her home near Albany for weekends in the woods this summer.

The friendly team at the Adirondack Peaks site sent out encouraging texts to guests inviting them to a polar plunge in the pool and an evening screening of The Incredibles in the open-air pavilion with complimentary bags of popcorn. Although I shivered through the movie, I couldn’t help but smile. The kids were oblivious to the weather. They raced bikes, squealed into orbit on the massive jumping pillow and happily stomped through puddles. It was heartwarming to see children having fun at play without screens.

I’m glad I didn’t give up and go home. I awarded myself an imaginary Camping in the Rain merit badge. Will I try it again? Yes, but I’ll probably book at the last minute when the forecast is sunny and dry.

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