Camping in Pennsylvania

With activities for all four seasons, camping in Pennsylvania is the perfect way to take in the state's wild forests and Appalachian mountains.

97% (11540 reviews)
97% (11540 reviews)

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Star Hosts in Pennsylvania

12 top campgrounds in Pennsylvania

97%
(221)

100 Mile View Camping

22 sites · RVs, Tents400 acres · Jim Thorpe, PA
The 100 Mile View Campground is located 3 miles from Jim Thorpe, the Lehigh Gorge State Park, Delaware, and Lehigh Heritage Trail, White Water Rafting, Steam Train Rides, Museums, Music Entertainment at Mauch Chunk Opera House, and Mauch Chunk Lake which is perfect for swimming, kayaking, paddle boating and fishing. You can get to all of these activities in 3 miles with no traffic by turning left out of our driveway and driving west on Flagstaff Road to Jim Thorpe. We offer hiking and mountain biking trails on our property and a variety of camping opportunities for parties with tents, campers, overlanders, and RVs. Our campsites are booked on ResNexus.com which does not charge additional booking fees for reservations made at our campground. 100 Mile View Camping is a family-run campground that is located in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania on a property that has 100 Mile East to West Panoramic Views. It is comprised of several parcels totaling 100's of acres that were purchased over the past 35 years. We have shared our property with hikers, bikers, and outdoor recreation enthusiasts since day one. Our campground started with only 6 campsites, but with great reviews, we continue growing and have recently received the approvals to become one of the premier camping and outdoor resort destinations in the Eastern United States. Our founder, Jake Arner, has a passion for the outdoors and for people who show respect for nature and for other people. Jake genuinely enjoys sharing his property with others. This property and Jake's generosity have received 5-star reviews online from many people.
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$44
 / night
98%
(684)

Fairview Farms Airfield

15 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents66 acres · Pine Grove, PA
The 66-acre property has been licensed as an airport (PS20) since the 1980s. It is currently an active, private airport. We don't sell fuel or offer services beyond camping so we primarily have only air traffic with few to no landings each year. In other words, it is very quiet here except during the occasional low pass. We are very eager for pilots to fly in and camp out! The beautiful sunsets and stargazing night skies are a real treat for anyone that comes to visit. Lots of deer, birds, and other wildlife can be seen out and about. Bring your telescope and binoculars to view all the property has to offer! Note that we are always working to improve our slice of heaven, thus we do have tools, vehicles, and equipment stored around the farm that if not used now will be one day. We appreciate your understanding that some areas are used for our personal / farm storage. If you're not into looking at our farmware, there are a few nearby campgrounds. The hot tub is located next to the owner's home. Guests are welcome to use this at any time but must reserve and pay for a time slot. * Book this through the Extras * We are within walking distance of Swatara State Park and close to the Appalachian Trail. Short drive to the local winery, bowling alley, pub/diner, and movie theater. Grocery stores and gas are also nearby. Miles of hiking, rail trail, single-track mountain biking, and kayaking are all right here! See our kayak and bike rentals under extras! Hershey Park is approximately a 30-minute drive from our location. Rausch Creek, Anthracite, and Reading off-road areas are also nearby. Note: Monthly rental discounts are available. Work-stay exchange programs are available. We are always looking for good reliable part-time help on the farm! Please ask! Fall leaves colors are looking awesome! Come enjoy the leaves by day and stars by night beside your campfire! Follow us on Instagram: @fairview_farms_airfield
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$45
 / night
100%
(179)

RoundStone

15 sites · Lodging, Tents400 acres · Weatherly, PA
Rustic tent sites and log cabins on nearly 400 acres nestled in the Appalachian Mountains. The property has been in our family since the late 1800's, initially operating as an ochre mill. We are near the historic town of Jim Thorpe, Whitewater Rafting Adventures, Hickory Run State Park, Lehigh Gorge State Park, Tuscarora State Park, and more. ***PLEASE READ BELOW AND READ EACH SITE DESCRIPTION BEFORE BOOKING*** - Our tent sites are rustic with NO electric or running water. Cabins have electric, but no indoor plumbing. Porta-Johns are available throughout the grounds. (Some sites are closer to port-a-johns than others.) We do not provide potable water or showers for tent campers but we allow responsible use of the stream for cleaning. Cabins have a rustic outdoor shower available May-October. - FIREWOOD: Due to the threat of invasive pests, we do not allow firewood to be transported onto the grounds. We have firewood for sale for $7 per crate. You can pick and crate your wood at the wood pile on the grounds at your convenience. Please bring cash if possible or get in touch at the end of your stay to pay via Venmo, PayPal, or Zelle. -We have a variety of wildlife in the area, including BLACK BEARS. Please follow 'Leave No Trace' protocols and be mindful of trash and food throughout your stay. Keep your coolers in your vehicles and take garbage to the dumpster frequently. We have a dumpster available to you on the grounds. -Check in is contactless. Upon booking, you will receive directions to your site. **If you would like to stay for one night during the week or one night on a weekend during November-April, please get in touch and I can adjust the booking specifications. Otherwise, weekends are typically a two night minimum. Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day Weekend are a three night minimum ** Our prices are higher on Hipcamp due to fees.
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$55
 / night
96%
(1445)

Bald Eagle Campsite

33 sites · RVs, Tents11 acres · Tyrone, PA
Originally opened as a family campground owned and operated by Denis and Kay Snyder in 1964. Bald Eagle Campsite has been owned and operated by the Snyder family to this day! Come join us in the beautiful forested landscape of Central Pennsylvania. Located a mere 20 miles south of Penn State University, we are surrounded by the many amenities Central PA has to offer. We are welcoming to LGBTQ+ campers as well as all ethnicities. Pitch a tent on a quiet site and drop a line into one of our two trout streams crossing the campground. Hang a hammock between two towering poplar trees surrounded by flowering rhododendron. Or pull up in your camper and relax before and after a Penn State Football game under the blue and white sky. We have small, secluded sites to get away from it all, as well as conjoined sites to accommodate larger groups. On property we have bathrooms, hot showers, and a recreation hall with free ping pong, board games, and billiards. For a fee, we also have firewood, electricity, and a large event tent for rent. Campers must be less than 25 feet. Generators are not allowed. Music should not reach outside your own site after 9pm. There are no water hookups. Vehicle noise is audible from route 350, especially on Friday afternoons. Noise is diminished at sites further back from route 350. Our sites are wheelchair accessible, but the bathrooms and showers do have one step up into them. Walk to Snappy's 24-hour convenience store to use their free Wi-Fi, buy bags of ice, or to pickup snacks and a sub in the attached Snappy's Grille. An ice cream stand and restaurant are within walking distance. We require a minimum two nights stay for the recognized holiday weekends for Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day.
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$30
 / night
98%
(245)

Grouseland Hospitality

5 sites · RVs, Tents80 acres · Clearville, PA
We have 4 sites ready for you here at Grouseland! Please read their descriptions and book the one best for you! We encourage guests to bring dogs, however dogs must be kept on leads when on site or on leashes when on walks. There are no exceptions to this rule to ensure the safety of all of our guests. All sites include an allotted amount of free firewood, miles of hiking trails, and use of communal facilities including a hot shower and flush toilet. Tall Oaks Campsite: Tall Oaks Campsite is a small private site and is our only rustic style site, so no water or electricity, designed maximum 6 people with parking for 3 cars on site and space for 4 average size tents. This site has a single 8-foot picnic table, portable toilet, scenic overlook, hammock, fireplace, a bench and charcoal grill. Twisted Oak: Twisted Oak Campsite is a medium-sized luxury private site includes potable water and electricity on site, designed for maximum 8 guests with parking for 4 cars on site and has space for several tents. This site has a 10-foot picnic table, portable toilet, scenic overlook, hammock, fireplace, benches, charcoal grill, and on-site string lights. Red Maple Campsite: Red Maple Campsite is a large luxury private site that includes potable water and electricity on site, designed for a maximum 10 guests with on-site parking space that is 90ft long and 20ft wide, for an RV or 6-8 cars and overflow parking for several more cars. It is designed to be backed into with an RV and then pulled out of. This site can handle several tents and has two 6-foot picnic tables, two portable toilets, a scenic overlook, hammock, fireplace, benches, a charcoal grill, and on-site string lights. Aspen RV Campsite: Aspen RV Campsite is a medium private luxury drive through site great for RVs, rooftop tents, pop ups or camper vans. This site includes potable water and electricity on site, designed with water and electric hookups for a single camping vehicle, maximum 6 people. This site is a drive through site, so guests don’t have to back in or out. This site also has a 10-foot picnic table, portable toilet, scenic overlook, hammock, fireplace, charcoal grill, and a bench.
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$51.75
 / night
100%
(137)

Camp Dietrich on Bear Creek

4 sites · Lodging425 acres · Jim Thorpe, PA
Four secluded campsites along Bear Creek in the Poconos, feature spacious safari tents with queen bunk beds, covered dining area, a deck to set up an additional 6 person pop up tent. In addition we have “Check Point Shed” where campers can borrow gear. Drive into your campsite immediately you will hear the sounds of a babbling creek, by giant rhododendrons under magnificent hemlocks and oaks - a truly natural and relaxing experience. Campers can enjoy a short hike to our private waterfall with swimming hole or lay in a hammock by the creek. The sites are surrounded by 400 acres of privately owned natural forest with several miles of marked trails. The campsite is adjoined by Lehigh Gorge State Park and PA state game lands. Sturdy shoes or hiking boots are recommended for hiking. Just minutes away there are outdoor adventures galore: white water rafting, kayaking, biking on rail to trails bike paths, skirmish paint ball, Glen Onoko Falls and Hickory Run state parks. The mountaintop entertainment venue Penns Peak and the historic town of Jim Thorpe are just 15 minutes from the campsite. Jim Thorpe has many fine eatery’s, shops, the Lehigh Gorge Railway and Asa Packer mansion
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$157.50
 / night
99%
(97)

Wilbur's Shed

1 site · RV, Tent60 acres · Blairs Mills, PA
Let your children and dogs roam free without a leash. This property is remote and private. There are no neighbors nearby. This location is; twenty minutes north of I-76 Turnpike Willow Hill Exit forty-five minutes from Raystown Lake one hour and thirty minutes north of Gettysburg one hour and thirty minutes south of PSU three hours east of Pittsburgh three hours west of Philadelphia five hours west of NYC There is some cell service, but it is limited. Can you hear me now? Be sure to save site information on your phone before you leave, in case you lose cell-service. This is not Alaska, but it is not a KOA campground, either. We recommend you print of bring a paper map. Your GPS will not bring you to the exact driveway location. You need to be personally observant. This is the top of a mountain ridge. The access lane is steep, rocky, and has water erosion ditches you must drive over. Do not attempt this if you have a low profile car or a new/fragile camper. 4WD/AWD is highly recommended. Low profile and fancy cars are not recommended. This is not Alaska, but it is not a paved KOA campground, either. This camping site is for those who want to live ruggedly like Lewis & Clark, or Teddy Roosevelt. It is NOT for those who like their campground to be like The Villages of Florida where everything is flat, paved over, and you drive golf carts. This location is in a mix of farmland and mountain Appalachia. You will see common species such as chipmunks, squirrels turkey and deer. Many bird species. There are also porcupines, skunks, and black snakes around. You may also see black bear - it is rare, but possible. You are visiting wildlife species in their natural habitat. Please be self-aware of your own level comfort with wildlife. Once again, this is not an RVs park where you will socialize with a hundred other campers. This is primitive and isolated. This is an ideal camping spot if you want to escape from people. Nearby is the Tuscarora Creek which is excellent for trout fishing. The Tuscarora has a small but lovely window for kayaking from mid-March through the end of May. Please contact the host if you would like help to plan some paddle logistics. Twenty minutes south is Big Spring State Park which has an abandoned RR tunnel form the late 1800s. Forty-five minutes away is the 1,000 steps near Mt. Union which is part of the Standing Stone Trail that runs from Cowan’s Gap State Park to PSU. The Steps provides and amazing view of the Juniata River, and is a strenuous heart work-out. If you are interested in historic trains, East Broad Top Railroad is in Mt. Union. If members of your party would like a more pampered camping experience that includes real beds and hot showers, there is an adjoining property for rent on air b and b. Google search for The Crowe's Lounge.
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$36
 / night
97%
(264)

Organic Farm in the Pocono Mts.

3 sites · RVs, Tents45 acres · East Stroudsburg, PA
Our chemical free farm is set on 45 acres overlooking the iconic Delaware Water Gap in the Pocono Mountains! We're located 1 hour from NYC and 1.5 hours from Philadelphia. There are plenty of activities within the 45 acres: hiking, fishing, farming activities, bird watching, biking all on site. We have luscious fields of sustainably produced vegetables, fruit and flowers. Explore the Delaware river from our boat launch or one of the great canoe rental companies. Hike Mt. Tammany, Ski Shawnee Mt, walk the Appalachian Trail, visit America's oldest jazz club in Delaware Water Gap or visit the dozens of water falls surrounding our farm for a swim. (Autumn is camping season in the poconos, bring blankets and plan hikes for excellent fall foliage) We have 3 camping locations which you can park near with your vehicle. They are all private camps and out of sight from others. Our camps sites are for people that like camping in the mountains and near a working farm. Our farm and the community we built is focused on sustainable living with nature, local self reliance, and kindness. Also, feel free to join us in the fields, request a tour, pet a goat, smell a pig, and check out our DIY home renovation, (built with hempcrete). Pets should not be off leash unless well behaved and pets should not be left unattended. truck campers are allowed if they're under 8 feet. No trailers/campers.
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from 
$80
 / night

Dog-friendly getaways

Under $50

Value Prop
Value Prop
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Camping in Pennsylvania guide

Overview

Pennsylvania is a land of contrasts. Historic cities and industrial towns give way to the patchwork farmlands of Amish Country and the rugged hills of the Appalachian Trail. Dramatic canyons and forested mountains sweep through the heart of the Keystone State, providing endless terrain for hiking, kayaking, and mountain biking. Pennsylvania weather is notoriously changeable, but the best season for camping is May through October. Snow covers much of the state from December through March, so swap tent camping for a heated RV, replace your hiking boots with snowshoes, and head to one of 22 ski resorts.

Where to go

Pennsylvania Wilds

The evocatively named Pennsylvania Wilds blanket the north and boast some of the state’s best camping and hiking. Views of Pine Creek Gorge, the “Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania,” can be enjoyed at Leonard Harrison and Colton Point State Parks, and there are primitive tent sites and RV sites in the surrounding Tioga State Forest. To the west, the Allegheny National Forest covers more than 500,000 acres, with kayaking, ATV and mountain biking trails, and a national scenic byway.

Pittsburgh & the Great Lakes

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s second-largest city, is the first stop in the state’s southwestern corner, and several state parks lie within easy reach. Top of the list is Ohiopyle State Park, where adrenaline seekers go to raft or kayak along the white-water rapids of the Youghiogheny River. In the north, camp resorts and RV parks with full hookups dot the shores of Lake Erie, and you can hop over to the Presque Isle State Park to hike, windsurf, and bird-watch.

South-Central Pennsylvania

West of the Philadelphia region, the state capital, Harrisburg, is the gateway to the southern stretch of Pennsylvania’s Appalachian Trail. Just to the south, a day trip to the chocolate capital of Hersey is a must to stock up for all those s’mores around the campfire, and there’s back-to-basics camping in Amish Country around Lancaster. The Allegheny Mountains rise to the west, where campers can hike in the backwoods, paddle along lazy rivers, or hit the ski slopes.

East Pennsylvania

All roads in eastern Pennsylvania lead to Philadelphia, where you can dive into US history and take a peek at the Liberty Bell. For a wilderness camping experience, head north into the Poconos Mountains—there are more than 100 miles of hiking trails in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, including 28 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Further west, Ricketts Glen State Park has waterfall hikes and a family campground with yurts, cabin rentals, RV camping, and tent sites.

Frequently Asked Questions

Set in Pennsylvania (not Delaware), Delaware State Forest offers several camping options. Campers can enjoy primitive camping at designated sites with a camping permit, which is required for stays longer than one night. More information and permit applications can be found on the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources website.

Yes, Pennsylvania is an excellent destination for camping. The state is home to numerous state parks, national forests, and private campgrounds that cater to tent campers, RV enthusiasts, and those seeking cabins or glamping options. Pennsylvania's diverse landscape, which includes mountains, forests, and lakes, provides campers with a wide range of outdoor recreational activities such as hiking, fishing, boating, and wildlife watching. You can browse your options on Hipcamp.

Yes, it is legal to camp in designated areas and campgrounds within Pennsylvania. Camping is allowed in designated campgrounds and specific areas within state parks, state forests, and national forests. In state forests, you can engage in dispersed camping, also known as primitive camping, but you must follow certain rules and regulations. For example, you need to obtain a free permit for stays longer than one night, and you must camp at least 25 feet away from trails and water sources.

For private land, you need the landowner's permission to camp. There are many private landowners who offer camping experiences through platforms like Hipcamp, where you can find unique camping spots in Pennsylvania.

In Pennsylvania, you can camp for free in some areas of the state forests and the Allegheny National Forest. Dispersed camping is allowed in these areas, but make sure to follow the guidelines and regulations set by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Allegheny National Forest. Keep in mind that amenities are limited, and you should practice Leave No Trace principles when camping in these areas.

Boondocking, or camping without amenities in undeveloped areas, is not illegal in Pennsylvania as long as it is done on public lands that permit dispersed camping. In Pennsylvania, you can boondock on state forests and some national forests, such as the Allegheny National Forest, where dispersed camping is allowed. However, it is essential to follow the guidelines and regulations set by the respective land management agency. Boondocking is allowed in designated or non-designated areas, but make sure to practice Leave No Trace principles and adhere to any posted restrictions or rules. Boondocking on private property without permission is illegal. If you are looking for more secluded camping options in Pennsylvania, you can also check out Hipcamp for private land camping.

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