Places to sleep in car near gunks

My house is 10 minutes from the cliff and you’re welcome to park in my driveway. Just PM or text me (three 47 four 52 8062). But New Paltz residential roads is very doable. Don’t park at Coxing Kill or another Mohonk lot. They will find you.

The AAC campground for crashing in you car is 24 bucks a night.. so not super expensive but not free either.. you do get access to a bathroom and a nice pavilion to hang and cook under... and you are probably 5-10 minutes from the cliff. hardest part is getting a spot since it is pretty small. 

Michael Spiesbachwrote:

The AAC campground for crashing in you car is 24 bucks a night.. so not super expensive but not free either.. you do get access to a bathroom and a nice pavilion to hang and cook under... and you are probably 5-10 minutes from the cliff. hardest part is getting a spot since it is pretty small. 

A side note is that pavilion is open to the public (so the caretaker told me 2 years ago) so you are allowed to use it, and the restroom, for free but you just can’t spend the night there

Michael Spiesbachwrote:

The AAC campground for crashing in you car is 24 bucks a night..

other side not - they don't allow sleeping in cars at the campground. You have to bring a tent. Weird rule I've never understood...

Mark Berenblumwrote:

other side not - they don't allow sleeping in cars at the campground. You have to bring a tent. Weird rule I've never understood...

Probably because people that can't sleep in their car need a spot whereas people with the ability to do so can park in a few places with a little brain power.

Mark Berenblumwrote:

other side not - they don't allow sleeping in cars at the campground. You have to bring a tent. Weird rule I've never understood...

I believe it is one of the ways they can control/limit the number of people who stay there overnight. Given the frequent( regular ?) 'zoo scene' at the 'multiple use area' that preceded it as the most accessible place to camp for the Gunks this is understandable. The very limited number of places for people to stay ( camping or otherwise) around the Gunks has been a negative there at least since the '60s. I have never been able to figure out where all the masses who climb there on nice weekends stay overnight. Do they actually commute back and forth from 'the City' and environs or is there some secret overnight black hole that absorbs them?

Alan Rubinwrote:

I believe it is one of the ways they can control/limit the number of people who stay there overnight. Given the frequent( regular ?) 'zoo scene' at the 'multiple use area' that preceded it as the most accessible place to camp for the Gunks this is understandable. The very limited number of places for people to stay ( camping or otherwise) around the Gunks has been a negative there at least since the '60s. I have never been able to figure out where all the masses who climb there on nice weekends stay overnight. Do they actually commute back and forth from 'the City' and environs or is there some secret overnight black hole that absorbs them?

In the 80’s there were various folks from the city and some loadies that stayed at my house and that of other students .  I wonder if that still occurs.  I assume the Days of sleeping on top of the nears is long gone.

Alan Rubinwrote:

I believe it is one of the ways they can control/limit the number of people who stay there overnight. Given the frequent( regular ?) 'zoo scene' at the 'multiple use area' that preceded it as the most accessible place to camp for the Gunks this is understandable. The very limited number of places for people to stay ( camping or otherwise) around the Gunks has been a negative there at least since the '60s. I have never been able to figure out where all the masses who climb there on nice weekends stay overnight. Do they actually commute back and forth from 'the City' and environs or is there some secret overnight black hole that absorbs them?

When I moved to the area in 2007 camp slime was almost never even half full on weekends and the roadside spot on the way from town usually had a spot to at least park a truck/van. Most folks I would meet climbing would drive home every night, everyone I knew in CT and NYC would too. 

oldfattradguuy kkwrote:

In the 80’s there were various folks from the city and some loadies that stayed at my house and that of other students .  I wonder if that still occurs.  I assume the Days of sleeping on top of the nears is long gone.

So many fond memories of nights on top of the Nears!!! Also good memories of nights in and around the old 'Appie cabin'. Ah, nostalgia!!!!

Even when I lived with my folks in Westchester, while on rare occasions I would do single day trips up to the Gunks, it never entered my mind to 'commute' back and forth on a weekend.

Just moments ago, my house was shaking for maybe 20-30 seconds---wonder if we just had an earthquake!!!!

4.8 Magnitude 

Alan Rubinwrote:

Given the frequent( regular ?) 'zoo scene' at the 'multiple use area' that preceded it...

Chuck Liff always referred to it as the Multiple Abuse Area.

What would they get you with if they caught you camping on the cliffs?  Asking for a friend....

Bailey Nicholsonwrote:

What would they get you with if they caught you camping on the cliffs?  Asking for a friend....

Condors, trained to swoop you right out of your bivvy 

Head west, young man,

in the 80s and early 90s we just slept in our cars on the side of the road.. 

Alan Rubinwrote:

Do they actually commute back and forth from 'the City' and environs

Yep, that's what we do.

Bailey Nicholsonwrote:

What would they get you with if they caught you camping on the cliffs?  Asking for a friend....

I have a friend who spent the night on the high E ledge... no one was the wiser.

Mark Berenblumwrote:

other side not - they don't allow sleeping in cars at the campground. You have to bring a tent. Weird rule I've never understood...

there website specifically calls out that they have several spots for sleeping in your car.. there was like six parking spots near the pavilion ish that are designated for van/car sleeping... but you still have to pay the 24 bucks. 

Michael Spiesbachwrote:

there website specifically calls out that they have several spots for sleeping in your car.. there was like six parking spots near the pavilion ish that are designated for van/car sleeping... but you still have to pay the 24 bucks. 

Sometimes the parked vans are rentable on Airbnb.  :D

Ellenville Walmart and New Paltz Tops are both options. I've got some driveway space nearby, but I prefer to have met someone beforehand. 

NOT Coxing. The attendant there is an absolute piece of work.