Things were already looking good for the camping season by Memorial Day. Now, at the tail end of the summer, the state Office of Parks and Recreation is declaring it one of the best it's ever seen.

Despite high gas prices and soggy weather, advance campground reservations were up four percent compared to last year, which itself saw a record number of reservations recorded.

Over 7,700 campsites, cabins and cottages have already been booked for the Labor Day weekend, though the Parks Office says there's still room left for last-minute campers.

"[C]ampers can squeeze in another summer trip to New York's great state parks," said Carol Ash, commissioner of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, in a written statement. "It's not too late to discover what many New Yorkers have already found this summer: Camping at a state park is a fun, inexpensive way to get away."

Campgrounds are 82 percent booked heading into the three-day weekend, but hundreds of spots are still available, said Ash.

The Parks Office oversees 67 campgrounds with more than 8,000 campsites, 800 cabins and 41 vacation rentals.

On the Web:

www.nysparks.com