Very nice campground. Stayed at a non-electric site. Not super close up on our neighbors. Plenty of space to put up our tent. Some downsides- the bathrooms were not that great. Very old and poor ventilation.
Our flat was flat and roomy, as were most of the ones around us. We were on the back loop so it was pretty quiet and no one behind us. The bathhouse was dirty and old, but I’ve been in worse.
Our first time at Cook Forest and the state park campgrounds. The park itself is very hilly and beautiful. Trails in area are well marked and maintained. Nothing beyond moderate difficulty, but some are one direction and miles can add North Country Trail is one example of this.
The highlight of the park is the old growth forest. 300+year old evergreen trees and ancient stumps, moss, ferns. Some areas are fairy tail gorgeous. Offseason, which is when we were there (mid May) can be dead quiet. Like test your tinnitus quiet. This includes the campgrounds, where there were probably less than 20 campsites in use, most in the pets/full hookup area.
The campsite is large and winding. Site quality and size and levelness is mixed. And the services aren’t localized. There are electric, electric and water, or even full service sites all over the place. Makes it nice, as you can be in a lesser used ‘no services’ tent area, but find an electric site. Northern most loops are the more wooded and private ones.
We went Sunday-Wednesday. Apparently it fills up on weekends, but we felt practically alone much of the time. Bath houses are consistent old, tired looking, but functional. No heat/open door style. Cleaned daily and plenty of hot, good pressure water.
Cell coverage for Verizon was one bar or no bars. But typically one. On top of the fire tower hill across rt 36, there are two bars.
Cooks forest is absolutely gorgeous. I look forward to returning as there are a lot of hiking opportunities we missed. We stayed in the pet friendly area, which was nice. There is a pet trail through the woods that was really great to take our dog rather than walking around the campground. Our site was right next to a drinking water spigot and a path to the bath house. The sites near ours were in a wooded area, which felt more private than many of the other sites we saw. There was a fore pit and a picnic table. Our fire pit was behind where the camper was parked, which also felt more private. There is no alcohol permitted in PA state parks, so alcohol is prohibited in the campground as well. It was a great spot, and we look forward to returning.
This is truly one of my favorite state parks to camp at. The whole campground is mostly wooded with hardly a bad site. They have primitive, electric only and full hookups available. This is definitely a family friendly campground. If you're into hiking there's lots to see here. There's no camp store in the campground, who is something they could improve upon, but you can get supplies nearby.
We have camped here many times over the years in our tent..... so hopefully, this season will be our 1st in our new camper. We rarely have any big complaints about Cook Forest. There are soooo much family things to do here in this state park. We've always had a lot of fun here over the years. You can tell it's different as soon as you enter the state park....the tall trees are amazing. It's so peaceful, friendly and quiet here and we'll worth our 2.5 hour commute from central PA. The sites are large and it's nice to have options of sunny, grassy, shaded or wooded sites to choose from. Fire Tower and Seneca Point? WELL worth the short drive to see the view over the trees and the Clarion River. The Clarion River is great for a tube or canoe trip. Just check with the Pale Whale for the depth update before you venture out. Be SURE to eat at the Cooksburg Cafe as well there. Absolutely delicious and very reasonable in cost. The homemade Ranch Dressing is the bomb. This is one of my top 3 absolute favorite state parks in all of PA...... for many good reasons.
I have been coming here since I was a child and will continue to come here till the day I die. Love this place.
Great 3 night stay! It’s what I expected for a rustic cabin. Comfortable enough and close to everything the area has to offer. Gas log fireplace did give me a huge headache which I overcame by leaving one window open. I do recommend bringing a fan for cooking and air flow.
Lots of sites here, some in wooded areas, some in very open areas. Lots of traffic and noise. Multiple bathhouses. Volleyball court. We prefer more of a quiet atmosphere but not a bad place to pitch your tent.
Site is clean and level. Not too far from the clarion river to kayak. Campground has non electric to 50amp service. Some full hook up spots available. Dog friendly for most of the campground. Bath houses are clean and have good water pressure.
We stayed here on a busy weekend. The sites are good sized, have a picnic table and fire ring with grill. The bathrooms need to be updated. There are a lot of cracks and crevices where bugs hide and lots of chipped paint. I didn't shower, so no commentary on the warmth/pressure. Look at the campground map before you book your site if being close to a bathroom is important; ours was across the campsite behind us but we had to step in a rock set in the stream to get to it without walking around the loop. Plenty of trees and shrubs for privacy. Lots of firewood both in and outside the park. It's a decent drive to Clarion PA to a Walmart, but there are small camp stores close by.
We stayed in the pet friendly area for 4 days. Very nice campers, bathrooms very clean. Even with half the spaces open, still felt a little crowded.
Was there a few months ago. I love this area. Cook Forest is about 10-11 miles from Clarion, PA where I attend college. The state park is one of the most popular in the state, I think. The Clarion River provides lots of water activities, etc. and there is lots of hikes to do including a walk to the Fire Tower right from the campground. But I’m not a fan of this campground. There are over 200 sites in the campground and it is frequently full. Sites are way too close to each other. The weekend I was there this last time, it was packed. The sites appear to be level and have all the amenities but I will not camp there again due to the size.
This park has numerous flat sites, hidden in the forest, with all the normal state park amenities. The Cook Forest is lush and cool, with a beautiful stream on the back loop. There are walking trails directly from the campground- one specifically for dogs and one that takes you into town(~1.5 miles). The park roads have recently been resurfaced and each site is very well maintained. There is firewood for sale at the Park entrance for$6 a bundle The Seneca fire tower is directly opposite the park entrance and worth a look& a climb for the beautiful view. Its a short 4-5min drive to "town" where there is kayak/canoe rentals, shop, fuel and other amusements/attractions.
Had a very nice time over the 4th of July weekend. Even tho it was busy for the holiday, the camping was relaxing.
Overall a good campground that I would stay at again. Almost every site had plenty of trees and shade, plenty of shower houses throughout so not a long walk whichever site you choose. The bathrooms were the older style shower house could use some updating. The not so good is alot of the sites were on an incline but there were plenty that had some level spots for tents. Also some of the sights blended together so you and your neighbors are close. Also cell service is in and out not a bad thing when camping but be aware of
We don’t live far from this campground, so it was a quick weekend trip in early April. Early April in western Pennsylvania means overnight temperatures in the 40’s and highs in the 50/60’s. The campground sits at the top of a ridge, with an uphill climb if coming from the south. We stayed in site #50, which was in the middle of the loop. Once there, backing in the site was easy, although the narrow road on the loop can be a little challenging, especially if you have a big rig. Once parked, leveling was easy and we were set up in no time. Our site was a little short, so the back door to our camper was near the fire ring, which resulted in smoke blowing through our camper, but nothing a can of Fabreze didn’t fix when we got home. The campground has a nice playground, volleyball court and open grass area for tossing a football or playing soccer. There are a couple of fresh water stations around the loop, so plan accordingly before arriving or be prepared to block traffic on the narrow road while you fill up with fresh water. The dump station was very open and convenient, so departure was quick. We will definitely visit this campground again, but will probably pick something with more shade, especially if visiting in the summer. We have a Winegard Air 360*, but Verizon 4G LTE was non-existent. OTA TV signal picked up a couple of TV stations.
This weekend was our first excursion with our new travel trailer. The other campers were very nice and respectful. The grounds are well kept.
They are currently repaving the roads as well...but this was not an inconvenience for the weekend camper.
Beautiful park with huge pine trees. 235 sites, many with electric. Most seem pretty level and big rig friendly. Good ATT & Verizon cell service. Nice trails and friendly campground hosts.
A nice park with a serious vintage summer camp feel. Lots to do in the area— kayaking, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, touristy stops. Campsites are shaded and spread out well. There was no cell service, but for us, that’s a plus.
We spent two incredible nights here (and a full 3 days!) in mid-July.
Our site: we stayed on site 202. Our site is in the furthest loop back, and therefore the most remote. The site itself wasn’t particularly level, but didn’t prove too much of a problem. If you are staying with a large group (20-30), the inside of the furthest loop back might be a great way to reserve a section where everyone stays together. During our trip, it was used by a family of about 30 folks. Looks like they a great time!
The campground: The campground is nicely laid out, with a variety of deciduous trees and large pole Pines. there’s a nice playground for the kids, open field for throwing a frisbee, several restroom and shower locations. During our visit, everything is clean and in tiptop shape. Happy to recommend for those who are concerned about such things ;-) There’s also firewood available to purchase on site for reasonable rates.
Things to do: Cook Forest is nestled in an area along the Clarion River that’s full of possibilities! The biggest draw seems to be canoeing and kayaking down the river. We took advantage of one of the local liveries with really reasonable rates. The host/owner was incredible, and our 4-hour trip was perfect - even in low water. There’s also a fire tower (built in 1929!) across the street from the state park campground. It’s a 1.5 mile hike from the campground via gravel road, or you can drive and park. Worth the climb!
Quick tip: if you’re able, bring your bikes. It seemed like we were the only family who didn’t ;-)
We stayed in site 216, as it was one of the few left for Father's Day weekend, but next time we'll stay in one of the sites on the outer edges of the campground (for quiet). We did have one bad night, as there was a group camping in a site adjacent to ours that was drunk and carried on until about 4 am. They were evicted by the forest ranger the following day, and our subsequent night was very peaceful. Lots of trees and it is possible to hammock camp here. The hot showers have great water pressure. There is a central area in the restroom building containing a coin-operated washing machine and dryer for those who need laundry facilities. There is also an electrical outlet near the laundry facilities if your inflatable mattress decides to deflate in the middle of the night. Campfire pits include a grill.
There are several great hiking trails - recommend Longfellow for the ancient hemlock groves and the Fire Tower for a neat way to get an overview of the forest.
Nice and quiet for a holiday weekend. We enjoyed ourselves. Spacious sites but the restrooms were old and not clean. Would camp here again but definitely with full hookups. Cell service not great but could make and receive calls on Verizon with 2 LTE bars but could not load anything else. Looks like they are working in places and making some improvements. Would have been nice to have the second dump station lane open, especially for the holiday weekend and the size of the campground. Overall a good time and very peaceful.
This is a very nice campground. They have a lot of sites available. The more central area of the campground sites are very close together. Which is fine if you are camping with a group. My husband and I prefer some space between us and other campers. They do have these types of sites available too. The area is beautiful with so much to do! Wether your a family camping or a couple getting away I think you’ll enjoy this campground.
Went there off-season which I recommend everyone do. In the Fall. Beautiful colored folage. Woke up to find I was surrounded by a huge herd of deer. Outstanding!
The Campground was really nice, some spots gave you enough space to feel pretty secluded from other campers, which was nice for my partner and I.
I’ve been going here since I can remember and every time I see the trip coming up on the calendar I get excited. The cabins are always very clean with comfortable living spaces and great theme. The campground has very spaced out camp sites for privacy and really incorporates the forest around it. Plenty of hikes and activities to do during the day. Cooks forest has always been one of my favorite places.
Cook Forest is a wonderful park with tons of trails and canoeing down the Clarion River. Campground is vast and hard to pick a spot, though I found the park office helpful in giving me their opinion. Can be very crowded in the summer and on weekends. My site ended up not being very private but I had woods along the back which made it better. Lots of other families around so my son liked playing with the other kids while I made dinner.
Grew up in the area so I’m bias but I love the atmosphere. Swimming, mini golf, kayaking, horse riding, etc. and so much more to do in the area. Visit the Farmers Inn restaurant and petting zoo while you’re in the area.
The scenery is beautiful so much to see the wildlife very clean park the nature walks
