wellesley island state park

We visited this island state park when most of the campsites were closed. However, the trees are gorgeous and the St. Lawrence River, which surrounds it, is also beautiful.

We spent a long weekend (but not long enough) at Eel Bay Cottages at Wellesley Island State Park: they are a great bargain with lots of space and everything you need... except coffee so bring some... wish WE had! haha. Scenery was fantastic at Eel Bay and elsewhere on the island. Weather was pretty wet (rain AND hail) and cold nearly every minute we were there, but it was early October after all; the porch and the cabin itself was a joy to hang out and relax in. Full kitchen with table and chairs, propane fireplace, double and twin beds (bunk-style but surprisingly comfy) and of course the screen porch facing west on the St. Lawrence River. Sometimes nasty weather can ruin a trip like this but we loved the whole mini-vacation there. It's open all winter, so if you or we can GET to the the island it may be worth a visit. Our only regret was being a bit early for leaf-peeping, but the foliage change is a crap-shoot at best every year.We checked out out campsites at Wellesley Island State Park as well as DeWolfe Point and WOWZA : we saw so many terrific sites that I can hardly wait to return and set up my tent. These sites compare favorably with camping I have loved in New Hampshire and Colorado with lots of seclusion and beauty, especially on waterside locations.The rest of the island was cool too... big marina/boathouse areas and a quaint colorful group of homes at "Thousand Island Park" I heard referred to as 'a gingerbread community'; Don't forget to check out the great views of Rock Island Lighthouse from the town of Fineview on your way to T.I. Park.Now if they can straighten out the mess with the so-called 'border check' on the bridge, coming in from Canada, we can use this as a starting place for exploring the Canadian side of the river too.

A very clean well run park. There are alot of different spots available for rent. The resident deer are a nice added attraction. The scenery of the St.Lawrence is breathtaking.

When searching for parks along the St. Lawrence this one looked interesting. It promised trails, a beach,river views and butterfly pavilion. It delivered on all but the butterfly pavilion which was a screened enclosure with some wild flowers and maybe 3 butterflies, there were more outside. If you want to forego sewer hookup there are sites closer to the river. But our site in Fox was just over the hill to the river. Not as much privacy in Fox though but having full hookup was nice and we could get 4 tv stations over the air...one was CBC Kingston...nice to watch The National and see what's going on while away. If you are from out of state expect to pay an extra $5 day, but still a bargain compared to Ontario Provincial Parks We went into Alexandria Bay to do the Boldt Castle tour. Very interesting. On a rainy afternoon we went to Watertown for a bit of shopping. They have all the big stores. Just remember every time you leave the island you have to pay a toll to cross the bridge back.A good value for Canadian campers.

The beach is a nice way to enjoy the St Lawrence River. The hiking trails are ok. They look like any other NY state forest. Next time we hope to see the butterfly garden.

Staying at this park is an amazing family adventure with the river and nature all around you. Camping is a wonderful experience for the family and this year we celebrated our 20th year on this Island camping, with our grandchildren now joining us to start the 3rd generation of vacationing together. The cost for sites is minimal and I recommend any site. The new playgrounds are so much fun and a welcomed addition to the park. They have a camp store that meets the basic needs for camping and right outside the park are several options for convenience stores. Fishing is a great experience with our favorite being the wide mouth bass. We had several fish fry's this year with our daily catch from the River.

This state park was awesome. It didn't have maps when we went (they were all out) but we still were able to find the trails we wanted to hike and hike them. There are a few different overlooks onto the lake and they are very pretty. We saw wild deer, porcupines, otters, black squirrels, chipmunks, and frogs. It was really neat to see all the wildlife that we did. There was a small fee for parking, but it was worth it.

Across the "Big Bridge" on Wellesley Island. This is a really big campground that has something for everyone. Woodsy and private sites....super clean park. Great beach...nice marina for your own boat or to rent one. Very reasonable rates for either! Great hiking, kayaking, and of course the FISHING!!! Close to all the attractions of Alex Bay...just over the bridge back to the mainland. $2.75 when you go from the mainland to the island(free from island to the mainland)....so budget for that!!!! Biggest park in the 1000 Islands, great for families or couples.