Allegany Mountain Resort offers a lakeside oasis to nature lovers

Allegany Mountain Resort has provided camping and cabins on the shores of the 70-acre Rainbow Lake in East Otto since the 1970s. Now that it has been under new ownership for a year and a half, Resort Manager Michelle Holt said that the facility is “spruced up” and ready for another season.

According to Holt, the 300-acre resort is now owned by Dave and Marlene Geddes, who hail from outside Pittsburgh. A membership-only resort, the campground is part of camping networks Adventure Outdoor Resorts, Coast to Coast Classic and Resorts of Distinction. Members may take advantage of Allegany Mountain or one of the other member resorts across the country, to create either a one-stop shop for summer vacations or to travel throughout the United States according to each individual’s preference.

The resort features 735 sites, including 391 reserved sites, and is open from May 1 - Oct. 15. All sites include electric and water service and some are connected to a sewer, as well. All of the reserved sites are sewer-equipped. There are also approximately 15 cabins available for campers who do not own their own recreational vehicles.

“We haven’t made any changes [to programs or the site itself],” Holt said, of the new management. “We’re just working on sprucing it back up, putting a fresh face on it. The structure [and] the surroundings are very good. It just needs focusing on to make it even better.”

Holt said one reason campers choose Allegany Mountain is because of the extensive list of amenities, activities and events the resort offers. Those perks include three laundry facilities, three dumping stations, an indoor heated pool and spa, five playgrounds, a volleyball court, ball field, tennis courts, basketball court, croquet and bocce ball court, horseshoe pitch courts, seven shuffleboard courts, an 18-hole miniature golf course, fishing, canoeing, kayaking and paddle boats in the lake, a fast food cafe, recreational pavilion and more.

Events include celebrations for Independence Day, Canada Day, Christmas in July and themed weekends, fishing derbies, steak dinners, bingo, walks, game nights and others to keep families busy seven days a week.

“We have a full schedule of activities for people, which everyone really enjoys,” Holt explained. “And there’s always plenty to do. Fishing is a big one. Someone caught a 47-inch pike in the lake the other day.

“People who go camping nowadays know what they want,” she continued. “They like that we have 24-hour gate security, our general location and amenities. Campers of today also like their modern conveniences. You don’t see pop-up or tent campers anymore. Some of these new [recreational vehicles] are the size of Greyhound buses. It’s stunning.”

Holt also said that campers at Allegany Mountain Resort enjoy the camp’s proximity to local attractions, including Ellicottville, East Concord, Jamestown and Niagara Falls. The majority of campers are families.

“I can say that without any hesitation. We’re very family-oriented,” Holt said. “The average family will come here for a minimum of six weekends throughout the summer. We are their home away from home. We’re affordable and convenient and they can rely on what we have for them.”

She added that campers will keep coming back, generation after generation. “It fits them. That’s what I keep hearing that people feel at home here. I’ve heard more stories about couples who met when they’d come to their grandparents’ camp here, started dating and now they bring their kids. It happens, time after time. Three and four-tiered families are here, in the same place they’ve always been. It’s a great legacy,” she said.

In order to obtain a membership to Allegany Mountain Resort, Holt said she invites prospective campers to come down for a tour of the facilities and to discuss what the resort has to offer. More information can be found online at www.alleganymtresort.com or by calling 699-2352. The resort is located at 6994 Plato Road in East Otto.