October Camping

October Camping at Hickory Hill: Fall Weekends, Halloween Fun and One Last Campfire

October changes the feeling of a camping trip.

The air gets cooler. Sweatshirts come out after dinner. Campfires feel a little more important. Kids start talking about costumes, pumpkins and trick-or-treating. Adults start noticing how good a quiet morning outside can feel when summer has finally slowed down.

At Hickory Hill Camping Resort, October brings a full stretch of fall and Halloween themed weekends before the season closes on October 31. It is a great time for families who want one more trip, one more campfire and one more chance to make the kind of memories that feel especially good in the fall.

October is made for campground memories

Summer camping has pools, long days and that barefoot vacation feeling. October camping has its own kind of charm.

The pace is a little softer. The evenings invite everyone back to the fire. The campground feels cozy in a way that only fall can. Families bring costumes, decorate their sites, sip something warm, and settle into the kind of weekend that does not need to be rushed.

For kids, October is all anticipation. For parents and grandparents, it is a chance to enjoy the season without building a whole fall festival day from scratch. You arrive, unpack once and let the weekend take shape around the campground.

Pumpkin Patch Pals: welcome the season

Pumpkin Patch Pals is listed for September 28 through October 4, 2026. It is the gentle start to Hickory Hill’s fall stretch, with games, crafts and friendly fall festivities built around the cozy charm of autumn.

This is a good fit for families who like fall but may not want the full Halloween energy yet. Think pumpkins, simple activities, comfortable layers and that first real feeling that the season has turned. It is also a nice choice for younger kids, grandparents and anyone who loves fall without needing too many frights.

Pack sweatshirts, easy campfire meals, sturdy shoes and a camera. The best photos of the season often happen when nobody is posing too hard: a kid carrying a pumpkin, a grandparent laughing by the fire, a campsite that looks just festive enough.

Monster Mash: costumes, dancing and not-too-scary fun

Monster Mash is listed for October 5 through October 12, 2026, and it brings a bigger Halloween spirit to the campground. The event page lists planned activities including brunch, a wagon ride, a craft, a pumpkin painting contest, chili cookoff, craft fair, Ray’s Mobile Food Truck, dirt cups, Sip N Paint, a dance party with Stereo Dave, trick-or-treating, a site decorating contest and a corn maze.

This is the weekend for families who want the campground to feel fully in on the fun. Kids can dress up, dance, trick-or-treat and take part in the kind of activities that turn a normal weekend into a story they tell on the ride home.

Adults get their own kind of fun too. A chili cookoff, craft fair, food truck, Sip N Paint and decorated sites give the weekend a little more texture than a standard camping trip. It is playful without needing to feel overwhelming.

Frightening Halloween: classic October campground fun

Frightening Halloween is listed for October 13 through October 18, 2026. The current event page includes costume bingo, a spooky corn maze, Sip N Paint, a site decorating contest, pumpkin painting, cider and donuts, live music from The Neighbors, trick-or-treating and Keuka Trails Food Truck.

This is the weekend for families who really want the Halloween chapter of fall camping. Costumes belong in the packing list. Decorations are part of the fun. Kids get the excitement of trick-or-treating in a campground setting, which has a very different feeling than rushing down a sidewalk at home.

For parents, this kind of weekend takes a lot of pressure off. You do not have to create the whole Halloween experience yourself. You just bring the costumes, plan for cooler weather and let the campground provide the setting.

End Of Season: one last quiet goodbye

End Of Season is listed for October 19 through October 31, 2026. Compared with the bigger Halloween weekends, this one feels quieter. The current listing includes bingo, a wagon ride and a craft, along with a simple invitation to relax, connect and toast to memories made as the season comes to a close.

That quieter feeling is part of its appeal. Not every fall trip has to be full of costumes and activity. Some families want one more weekend outside, one more breakfast at the site, one more walk through the resort and one more night by the fire before the camping season ends.

If your family likes slower travel, this may be the October stay that fits best. It gives everyone space to enjoy the end of the season without trying to squeeze too much into the calendar.

What to pack for October camping

October camping is all about layers. Pack warm clothes for mornings and evenings, but be ready for afternoons that may still feel comfortable. Closed-toe shoes, extra socks, flashlights, blankets, rain gear and easy fire-friendly meals are all useful.

If you are staying in a cabin, cottage or lodge, remember that linens, pillows and towels are not provided. Bring bedding, towels and a few cozy extras from home so the rental feels easy after a cool fall day.

For Halloween weekends, add costumes that can handle outdoor weather. A sweatshirt under a costume is not a failure. It is good campground planning.

Choose the October weekend that fits your family

The best October weekend is not the same for every camper.

Choose Pumpkin Patch Pals if you want a softer fall start. Choose Monster Mash if your family loves costumes, dancing and a busy activity mix. Choose Frightening Halloween if trick-or-treating, decorated sites and classic Halloween fun are the main event. Choose End Of Season if what you really want is one last calm weekend before the gates close for the year.

Whichever weekend you choose, check the current schedule during your stay. Activities and times may change with weather, staffing and the season, and the schedule you receive at the resort is the best guide for your trip.

Ready for one more fall getaway?

Hickory Hill is open May 1 through October 31, and October is a beautiful time to come back for one more campground memory.

Check availability, view the site map and pick your October weekend.