Kettle Creek State Park Campground
Mary H.
Reviewed Jun. 13, 2019

Upper campground: Rustic, remote, restful

The upper campground has a rustic feel, beautiful views and is a great location for wildlife encounters. While it has some amenities (electric on a few RV sites; scullery area near the pit toilets; showers available at lower campground), these grounds are away from the bustle of the outside world. We are tent campers, and without the need for hookup and never having been there, we reserved site 45--but do not recommend it for its challenging slope. When a loud, disrespectful family set up nearby that first night for a long weekend, we spoke with the camp host (helpful, amenable Jim), who suggested we ask about site 71, the most removed of all the sites. Went to the camp office and obtained it for the rest of our week-long stay--and it was perfect. (While it had a hookup that we didn't need/use, we did pay extra for it--but well worth the seclusion.) Super quiet back there and totally private. Some of the rustic tent sites looked lovely, too (did not note best site numbers; sorry), but we cannot recommend #71 enough. If you're an RV camper, however, the sites with the vista views overlooking the reservoir are amazing, if not somewhat close together. 

We wanted to encounter wildlife; went looking for it and found it! Everything seemed to be about an hour or more away on winding roads, but that was okay; love the meandering. We went to:  

  • Hyner View (gorgeous vistas -- and also came across a mama rattlesnake sunning on a back road and took photos from the safety of our car!); 
  • Pine Creek Gorge (Leonard Harrison State Park) more amazing views; 
  • Benezette to find elk (wild herd at dusk on Winslow Hill, complete with mama and baby--then three buck sauntering through town!); and 
  • lovely nearby Kettle Creek Vista. We also saw a few elk and lots of deer as we drove along the river's edge over the Leidy Bridge. 

Pennsylvania is gorgeous!

We also enjoyed meeting Julie at the Lock Haven Visitors' Center and had our only meal out at Deb's in Cross Fork. For ice cream treats (a weakness): Ice Shack near Lock Haven; Old Bull Cafe in Benezette; the kiosk at the top of Pine Creek Gorge. 

A very restful, quiet week in early June was just what we needed, and Kettle Creek State Park Upper Campground was wonderful.

Site71 (highly recommend) Do not recommend 45
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Kettle Creek State Park Campground by Mary H., June 13, 2019
  • Review photo of Kettle Creek State Park Campground by Mary H., June 13, 2019
  • Review photo of Kettle Creek State Park Campground by Mary H., June 13, 2019
  • Review photo of Kettle Creek State Park Campground by Mary H., June 13, 2019
  • Review photo of Kettle Creek State Park Campground by Mary H., June 13, 2019
  • Review photo of Kettle Creek State Park Campground by Mary H., June 13, 2019
  • Review photo of Kettle Creek State Park Campground by Mary H., June 13, 2019
  • Review photo of Kettle Creek State Park Campground by Mary H., June 13, 2019
  • Review photo of Kettle Creek State Park Campground by Mary H., June 13, 2019
  • Review photo of Kettle Creek State Park Campground by Mary H., June 13, 2019
  • Review photo of Kettle Creek State Park Campground by Mary H., June 13, 2019
  • Review photo of Kettle Creek State Park Campground by Mary H., June 13, 2019
  • Review photo of Kettle Creek State Park Campground by Mary H., June 13, 2019