Best Tent Camping near Jamestown, NY

Recent Tent Reviews near Jamestown, NY

413 Reviews of 18 Jamestown Campgrounds

• 

  Tom C.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 28, 2021

  Sara's Campground

  On the lake.

  I have tent camped here many times over the years. No reservations for tent sites. Off and on the beach camping. Very friendly staff. Impeccable bathrooms and showers. Sandy but well worth the price. Will come back.

• 

  Backpacken P.

  Guide

  

  Mar. 3, 2021

  East Otto State Forest

  Loved it , primitive friendly for sure

  Hot tent camp no problem it was awesome

• J

  JoJo S.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 24, 2023

  Riverhurst Park Campground

  Peaceful

  My family and I had a wonderful stay tent camping here. The grounds are huge and very well maintained, including the grass being mowed. There are large, beautiful trees to tent camp in the shade. There’s lots of amenities like volleyball, basketball, playground, swings, all in a safe area away from roads. There’s entrance spots to kayak/ play in the river. Other than a few mosquito bites, we left with a peaceful, wonderful time and memories. Including seeing an eagle fly over the river!

• K

  Kelsey B.

  Traveler

  

  Apr. 9, 2021

  Willow Bay Recreation Area

  Beautiful

  Most beautiful and peaceful place to tent camp! Definitely a long drive for us but it was beautiful before we got the snow and even during (what we could see). One thing I didnt like was we have to drive to the hiking trails.

• 

  David A.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 20, 2020

  Red Bridge Recreation Area - Allegheny National Forest

  Big Woods!

  If your looking for no frills camping in the forest, this is the place! Couple full hookup sites, some electric but most are rustic, great tent sites! No playgrounds etc, just camping in the woods!

• 

  rich E.

  Ranger

  

  Jun. 20, 2018

  West haven rv park and campground

  Camped here a few years ago

  We have been tent camping here since the 90's it was r&k campground back then . We would stay in the honey moon sight. Completely surrounded by trees bath rooms where clean . Cant say anything about the place now hope its the same or better

• 

  Amy M.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 15, 2017

  Red House Area — Allegany State Park State Park

  ASP

  This is our absolute favorite park to camp! You can stay in Red House area or Quaker Area. You have the option of staying on a tent site or in a cabin. Great fishing and hiking and lots of other stuff to do!

• C

  Caitlin M.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 28, 2021

  Chapman State Park Campground

  Long overdue honeymoon

  We tent camped at site 76. Secluded and beautiful. We had the whole side of the upper loop to ourselves! Bumped up against the nature trail for a quick hike. We fished at the small section opposite the swimming area. We were alone the entire time! This park is well kept and very very clean. Attracts the friendliest people.

• 

  Bill G.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 26, 2020

  Willow Bay Recreation Area

  Quiet nights, Easy days

  Willow bay campground is run by the National Forest Service. The reservable lots are wide and numerous for a out of the way sight. The campground services tent sites, RV sites as well as small cabins with electricity. There is a central bathhouse near the oak loop. Closer to the boat ramp sites- most of which are tent ready, there are vault toilets. These sites are less than a mile from the North Country Trail. Other, smaller trails are here as well. The New York State lone is less than five miles away- providing access to Allegheny State Park. The closest town of note is Bradford, which is about 18 miles away. It has all you need to get your necessities. The cabins were small- one twin bed and a set of single bunks. You need to bring your own sheets. There is a small heater imbedded in the wall. It keeps things from getting too cold, as it was when I was there. Fire ring and picnic table provided. Charcoal grill as well. The only problem I had was with the wildlife. A mouse or something kep crawling in the space between the roof and ceiling. There is no cel service here, and you shouldn’t need it either. Places to visit are too numerous to mention, but I will give a shout out to the zippo case museum, absolutely a must.

• M

  Michele H.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 30, 2018

  Quaker Area — Allegany State Park State Park

  Largest State Park in NYS

  This campground has something for everyone-camper and RV sites with and without electric, tent sites, single cabins, group cabins, etc. It has two beaches, several hiking trails that range in difficulty, points of interest (ex-thunder rocks is a must see), two camp stores, a museum, gift shop and restaurants. It truly has something for every kind of camper.

• 

  Rachel K.

  Guide

  

  May. 28, 2019

  Outflow Recreation Area (PA)

  Very low key!

  My husband and I stayed at Site 030 for the weekend and it was beautiful! No electricity and the sites are most tent sites, but the sounds of the creek, birds, and frogs really immerse you in nature! If it rains, it does get quite wet, so be prepared for that. There is opportunity for fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and hiking in the area!

• 

  Anna H.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 21, 2021

  Minister Creek Campground

  The Perfect Spot

  We have a camper, but wanted to take the kids tent camping for a change, and this was the perfect place. It’s first come first serve, but we lucked out with a huge spot, shady, right beside the gorgeous creek, and also the closest to the toilet (which did occasionally send a slight scent our way, but not really a big deal). No running water or electricity, but that’s what we were looking for. We had a big tent (10x14) and 2 vehicles, with plenty of room to spare.

• 

  Marilyn C.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 15, 2024

  Sprague Brook Park

  Beautiful park

  I loved everything. The sites are neat. We tent camped with no electric. $23 per night. Fishing allowed in the pond. Bathrooms with showers were spotless. Grass maintained. One small complaint is checkin and out times not enforced. Checkin states 3 pm but we saw many checking in as early as 8 or 9 AM. We could have gained a whole day!  Next time! 

  Lots of very wet, muddy sites where even mulch would have been helpful.

• 

  David W.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 28, 2022

  Chautauqua Family Campgrounds

  Horrible. Worst camping experience I ever had

  Place was horrible. We were tent camping and the area they offer for that is up a muddy hill in a mud pit. Getting stuck is likely. Even without that, the seasonal campers are nuts. I was driving slowly up the road and this lady ran out in front of my car and stopped (which I was clearly able to do because I was going very slow) and she screamed that I needed to slow down and that I was "driving too fast." I am guessing she was on some kind of substance or something. Don't ever go to this dump.

• 

  Fred J.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 23, 2022

  Sara's Campground

  Beautiful location, not great for tents..

  The location of this Campground is great! Right by the lake with plenty of beach within walking distance! The scenery is amazing and I'd recommend it! The attached restaurant is also very good! We eat there every year as a tradition when we visit Presque Isle. There is also an awesome water park/amusement park called Waldameer just down the road!

  The facilities are good and the campground is very nice and clean. However if you are tent camping, it's not really meant for it.. The sites are small and kinda boring. However the location definitely makes it worth it.

• 

  Kelly B.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 10, 2018

  Sara's Campground

  Lots of fun and close to everything

  Sites are tight but nice because of the gravel. Keeps everything clean. Across the street from the Lake Erie beach. At the entrance of Presque Isle park. There is a a couple restaurants connected to the park and a little store for any needs you may have.

  The office is across the street. There is tent camping on the shores of Lake Erie, first come, first served. Staff is remarkable

  Bring your bikes if you like to bike.

  If you have kids this is a great place. Water park right next door

  Only downfall, some of the seasonal sites look pretty bad.

• S

  Sean C.

  Traveler

  

  May. 27, 2020

  Willow Bay Recreation Area

  Willow Bay

  The camp grounds were great. Staff was very helpful and nice. Camp sites were decently spaced out. Fire wood was priced fairly well but they don’t usually deliver($).and they sell worms at the gate along with ice.

  The RVs had their own loop and tents and cabins were on the water down a wooded trail.

  The reason this was 4/5 is because you have to unload the car then walk everything to the camp. There is no drive up access for tent camping. A wagon is highly encouraged

  Additionally, vault toilets on the tent side and plumbing and showers on the RV side. Bathrooms were very clean and didn’t smell, the showers were hot.

  I saw some boats anchored at sites which I thought was nice. I also got to peek into a cabin and it was pretty cozy.

• S

  Spencer S.

  Scout

  

  Feb. 10, 2022

  Chapman State Park Campground

  Great First Camping Experience

  Great, great campground it was very clean and fairly quiet. It seemed like a lot of RV campsites which is great but we wanted a more tent like experience. It was my wife’s first time tent camping and the cleanliness of the campground really helped her want to camp again. We did a walk to campsite as we wanted a little more privacy, which was nice, we were fairly spread out while only being 150 feet from the showers. Showers were clean and we have Verizon cell service.

  Almost all the RV spots were full, but most of the walk to spots were empty which you can see the availability on the PA Parks website. Likewise you had to walk over a small bridge to get to the walk to site.

• 

  Kim D.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 31, 2018

  Evangola State Park Campground

  Some Sites Have a View of Lake Erie

  Unfortunately, my site did not.

  However, my site wasn't crowded and the electricity was reliable. This campground has three loops. One has 30 amp power, one has 50 amp power (with a 30 amp outlet on the same pedestal) and the third loop is for tent camping. There are several places to get water in the camp, so be sure to fill up your tanks before you park. There is a dump station. None of the sites are full hook up.

  Each site has a picnic table and a grill.

  There are two bath houses. The newer one - between loops one and three - also has laundry facilities.

  Your payment for your campsite entitles you to admission to the beach, which is a hike or a drive away.

• 

  Bill G.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 31, 2018

  Hearts Content Recreation Area

  Central to everywhere within Allegheny National Forest

  Small and limited, Hearts Content offers serene quiet evenings.i was lucky enough to get a site that provided an additional shelter that provided cover from the extensive rain we received one night. The canopy is dense here. The tent sites are moderately sized and there would be no problem bringing the largest of tents. Though I stayed here alone with just me and the two dogs, there is enough room at some for entire families. Water is available. Showers are not. Bathrooms are if the privy type but are well kept by the host. Firewood and ice is also available from the host. The great thing about this site is it lends availability to the rest of the National Forest. I spent a week here and barely scratched the surface on what was available for hiking and discovering. Go to nearby town of Warren or Tidouette for supplies. (Stop at the store just outside of Tidouette just across from DG- they have the best deli sandwiches around)

• 

  Christine J.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 9, 2021

  Red Bridge Recreation Area - Allegheny National Forest

  Campground in Allegheny National Forest

  Nice location near the water. Campground has three sections to it. Once you come in the main enterance, off to your right are nice walk in tent sites. Off to the left are two loops for tent and RV camping. There are two bath houses, one near each loop. They each have three hot water showers, flush toilets and sinks. All sites have a fire ring. Some sites offer more shade than others. (We were at site #31 and it didn't have much shade.) Ice and firewood is avaliable. You are better off getting firewood down the road as you will get more wood for the money. Current price is $10 a bundle. Ice is only $2 a bag. Closest grocery store is in Kane. There are hiking trails nearby. The only thing that I didn't like was that it seemed that many of the sites were quite muddy because all of the grass was worn out. Not much grassy area for tents. Other than that it was great.

• 

  Sarah K.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 10, 2017

  Sprague Brook Park

  Does well for city folk who want an easy intro to camping

  Sprague Brook is a smaller, clean, well maintained ground. There are a lot of tent sites, a few sites have electricity but most do not. There is a play area for kids every time you turn around and a nice little pond for fishing. For what it is, it's a very nice spot if you're looking for a less wild camping experience. You definitely won't be getting lost in the woods around here! But for many families with small kids, it would be a wonderful place that isn't too far off the beaten track, but still offers trails, fishing, and sometimes there are activities for the campers. If you, like me, tend to prefer camping to NOT include seeing other humans, this is not the place for us! The trails are easily followed, bathrooms and showers are about average for places like this (not spotless, a bit buggy, but they do the tricks they were made for!).

• 

  Britt B.

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 27, 2020

  Wolfkiel Run Shelters — Oil Creek State Park

  Best Hike-In Camp in PA

  Wolfkiel is one of two hike-in areas along the Gerard Hiking Trail, in the Oil Creek State Park. Wolfkiel is made up of six(6) Ariondack Shelters and a tent camping area. The Adirondack shelters are perfectly positioned to be private from one another, each looks out over the forest. They are a raised timber platform with a slanted roof and stone chimney with fireplace. There are two shelves and several hooks on the wall. Each shelter has a picnic table. The platform is large enough to sleep 4 people in sleeping bags or set up a two person tent. 

  The tent section is cleared and grassy with communal firepit and picnic table. Lots of trees to enable hammock set up. There is a supply of firewood in a covered shed for a small donation and two(2) drop toilets. Water is available in the summer months. The shelters are approx. 15min walk to the creek& Miller Farm Bridge, which joins the Oil Creek State Park trail. It’s a stunning walk with lots of small swimming spots along the way. 

  The shelters are approx. 10min drive from Titusville, PA. The walk-in from the carpark is approx. 15min– slight downhill on the way in.

• 

  Britt B.

  Ranger

  

  Mar. 1, 2021

  Wolfkiel Run Shelters — Oil Creek State Park

  Winter Camping at Wolfkiel Shelters

  This was our second time to the Wolfkiel Shelters in Oil Creek State Park. Wolfkiel is one of two hike-in camping areas which consists of six(6) Ariondack Shelters and a tent camping area. The road in was snow covered but easily navigated. The Shelter carpark is small and was almost full the day we arrived. The track from the carpark to the campground is beautifully graded making it easy to pull a sled in with extra supplies. The walk in is less than a mile(~15min). The drop toilets were open, but probably wise to BYO toilet tissue. The shelters have hooks that allow you to hang a tarpaulin to help keep the heat in your shelter, although not necessary, especially if the nights are still. Snow did blow into our Shelter in the morning but was minimal. There is a self-serve timber stack which was fully stocked. A donation is requested. It’s wise to bring your own kindling, or an axe to cut some from the larger pieces. The shelter fireplaces have hooks for hanging pots and pans over the flames. Even in Winter, the shelters positioned so you do not look at other shelters. They are a raised timber platform with a slanted roof and stone chimney with fireplace. There are two shelves and several hooks on the wall. Each shelter has a picnic table. The platform is large enough to sleep 4 people in sleeping bags or set up a two person tent. These shelters are very peaceful in the winter and would highly recommend them if you are keen for some“winter camping” but not keen to sleep in a tent or be completely exposed. The shelters are approx.15min walk to the creek& Miller Farm Bridge, which joins the Oil Creek State Park trail. The shelters are approx. 10min drive from Titusville, PA

• 

  Joe F.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 25, 2020

  Tracy Ridge

  My favorite primitive Camp!

  This review will be based on tent camping not w an rv. I 1st came here in late 90’s w friends from school. If you like The feeling of being in the middle of nowhere and extreme fresh air this is the place for you! Lots are huge and never crowed. I think there’s 3 loops still open , 1 closed. Last time we went it was a honor system - put $ in envelope at box near entrance . Ranger might come by to check people and payment - and he/ she may not. There are no hook up electric /water ... just you and nature . Kinzua dam is about 40-45 min drive . Rim rock is a great hiking trail/park you ll pass on way to dam. Before that and much closer to Tracy ridge is boat launch or fishing area . Whether you’re going w a group to get a little crazy or you have young children that will enjoy just being in the woods and learning primitive style camping methods there’s enough space that all will enjoy. We have a camper now and will Definitely visit this place after we get a inverter/ generator .. ya spoiled now hahaha I can’t think of better camp spot for your dogs either ... as long as they listen they ll be able to stretch their legs a little too. Oh and the trail system for hiking is great too, one trail head takes to to the reservoir due East . There a also a campground out on main rd to the north just past a lil camp/country store that lets you pay couple bucks to shower there . Plenty of dead wood around to not even worry about bringing firewood and plenty of options for hanging multiple hammocks 😎 I’ve camped here maybe 15x over the yrs and still my favorite primitive get away.

• 

  Brian S.

  Guide

  

  May. 6, 2018

  Twin Lakes Recreation Area - Allegheny National Forest

  Quiet, Wooded Campground at Backpacking Trailheads

  Twin Lakes is a beautiful spot, tucked away in a stream valley in the Allegheny National Forest. It's mainly locals who come here, since few outsiders know about it. If you come in the spring or fall, you're likely to have the whole recreation area to yourself, though the swimming beach can get crowded in summer. Originally, there were supposed to be two small lakes--more like ponds--on this site. But money for the second pond was redirected elsewhere--to construct the swimming area at the Lolita Campground instead. And so, the little body of water called "Twin Lake" sits solitary and with a misleading name. The campground is quiet and pleasant, with large, sunny sites for trailers in the lower loop and shaded tent sites in the upper loop. Unfortunately, nearby gas drilling has made the drinking water unsafe, and so the National Forest Service first closed the upper loop, and now for the 2018 "camping year" it has closed the entire campground. The ANF website promises that this is temporary, and the campground will reopen. In every way, Twin Lakes is a lovely location, with dark, towering hemlock trees, rustic old CCC architecture, and a serene little lake completely encircled by a walking trail. Black bears have long been habituated to humans at Twin Lakes! Keep your food and toiletries in the car. To my knowledge, no one has ever been attacked by a bear here. The wild and overrun Twin Lakes Trail is a linear backpacking route that starts here and heads westward toward the North Country National Scenic Trail. But unfortunately, the Twin Lakes Trail ends up getting lost in those dismal parts of the forest that have been completely trashed by gas drillers. I hope this campground reopens. I have fond memories of bringing my kids here when they were little, flying kites, picking berries, swimming in the frigid spring water! PS: If you've got a tall trailer, be sure to check the Twin Lakes page on the ANF website; there's a way in, but it's not all that easy to find.

• K

  Kaye

  Scout

  

  Sep. 18, 2021

  Sara's Campground

  3rd tent site offered was great!

  They gave us tent site #60, we pull up and someone’s tent is there, we call and she says “go to #62” and we agree, well someone’s belongings were on the picnic table for that site and we thought well it’s probably just the campers stuff that are in site#61 but we let her know about the stuff and she says “oh well a lady lives at #62 in her car so that’s probably her stuff and she’s just gone for the day. I’ll have the park ranger come check it out”our thought was okay….well why offer it if you know a lady lives there?? So the park ranger comes over and says “just go to 63 that’ll be fine” so we do even though we’re a$$ to a$$ with a pop up camper. Shortly after setting up EVERYTHING a med sized camper pulls up and backs in next to #64 and just sits there and then proceeds to come tell us “you guys gotta move we gotta pull up in there cause it’s the only spot with a dumping site I’d call the office if I were you” Which pissed us off as this family just stood there watching us and waiting for us to move . We’re so flustered and confused and sweaty so I call the office for the 3rd time and the ranger shows up again and says “I told you to go to #64” and we like…..dude there’s a pop up camper there we can’t….he says well it wasn’t there before….IT WAS THERE THE WHOLE TIME. We then had to break it all back down and shove everything back into our car hurried and go to the other side in the campground to #35. We were very tempted to just pack up and drive 1,000 miles back home. It ended up being a great spot and no ther campers showed up but was all sand which sucked cause the rain but we worked with it. She gave us $30 out of $60 back for our two night stay and apologized. She was nice and sweet but clearly not organized. Our ankles got bit up not sure if it was just mosquitos but possible sand fleas cause they are very small bites like fleas and quite a few just on our feet/ankles and SO ITCHY. We made the best of our stay but will Never go back there…a campfire grate to cook food over fire pit is $17 and the middle of it burnt and bent so not great quality but once again we worked with what we had. To top it off we ended our last night short by having to hide out in our tent due to a skunk rummaging around a little to close to our site we watched out for it for about an hour as it got closer and closer to us, we kind of made a game of chicken out of it! Haha Sounded like a huge accident waiting to happen considering our dog was with us and she somehow ended up coming into contact with skunk spray only on one of her fluffy ears???