One of favorite spots! This is the second year we've stayed here. We had a scenic site along the Brandywine River. We had a great couple of families stay next to us and our kids made quick friends with their's. They played in the woods, road bike, jumped on the air mattress the campground has, and many rounds of Gaga Ball.
There is also a great run for the dogs to get off the leash for a bit. Our German Shepard made many a friend there. It served as a great place to meet other families as well as a great way to tire our pooch OUT.
We also did some hiking along the train tracks that boarder the campground. I regret not taking advantage of renting one of the KOA's canoes and floating down the Brandywine. There is something special about Chester County that is hard to find anywhere else. So much history and beauty everywhere you go within the county. We will return and are looking forward to it already.
Love it here!Great place to picnic fish from land or boat, go for a nice scenic walk, go Kayaking, etc. If you don't own a boat, you can rent one right at the lake. There is a place here swim as well even though we never swam. The lake is huge and the the area is clean and beautiful! My family and I love going to Nockamixon.DCNR is on top of their game here and my dogs love it as well!There a a couple little spots around the area that have great food as well! Lots of things to do and plenty of room to explore and the cabins are nice and very inexpensive if you want to camp but don't like tents.It's a nice place for boating, but it's pretty popular so don't expect isolation. There are at least three boat launches…one at either end and one in the middle. You can kayak there but the whole lake permits wakes so expect for some choppyness as the boats go back and forth. There are a lot of sailboats there though so at least they're nice to look at.
Great park to do everything outdoorsy including, hiking, horseback riding, hunting and fishing. I cought a beautiful Brown Trout here a few weeks ago! Great park.(I put the Trout back in, it was very healthy and I managed to get the hook out quickly, otherwise he would have been dinner!) You need a license to fish, and if you plan on catching Trout you need the Trout endorsement on the fishing licence, currently$9.90.The restroom facilities we're clean. There were plenty of maps and brochures available at the different parking areas. It was a great place to walk with your dog and enjoy the Pennsylvania outdoors.
We love French Creek, it is a short drive from Philly(about an hour in light traffic), but it feels like you left the city far behind you.Campsites are clean and we'll maintained. Some sites are a bit more private than others, but we've had both and they're perfectly fine. The bathrooms& showers are convenient and clean.Access to boat rentals & a swimming pool(both are a bit more expensive than you might expect-- so we just decide on one to do). Town of Birdsboro is nearby for necessary things(drinks, ice cream, etc). All in all, our family's favorite summer spot.The neighboring Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site is also very interesting. During the summer months, the pool(very large) is open to the public for a fee, and there's a lake for boating(but no swimming). I highly recommend this place for a great day trip any time of year.
This campground felt huge and was totally packed for Memorial Day weekend. The bathrooms were fine but definitely got crowded and dirty (it rained off and on so lots of mud tracking). The sites are nice but pretty close together. Overall it was a good experience considering that it was a busy holiday weekend with some rainy weather.
There are lots of things to do when staying here. We took an awesome hike down to the waterfall, fished at the lake, played on the playground, swam at the beach, and visited the boulder field.
The camp store is just incredible! You could get lost for hours in there!
Had a great getaway here in early September. During the week it was quiet the weekend came and every site filled up. Even picked fresh apples just down the road.
We stayed here a week in October. The owners are nice and we found the campground to be quite and a good place to hop on a train and ride into Philly. We camped right by the large/nice playground that my kids enjoyed. It’s not far from town, but far enough to drown out the noise of the city.
Stayed in B-08 on mid October and had a great trip. The site was non-electric and it seems most of the outer side of this loop is basic camping with the inside of the loop having power. The other loops offer full hookups but opting for this area kept us from being surrounded by massive RV's. Easy back in spot for our car, partially shaded, decent brush cover between sites and able to keep tent about 20 yards from the road on a crushed rock pad. I will say this site has a little bit of slope but nothing that affected our sleep. The fire ring is very high sided and if you're not sitting on a higher camp chairs you kind of miss the fire. Picnic table was sturdy but easy enough to move lnto place to fit our needs. Tons of hike mg within the park including some historic sites at Hopewell Furnace like the blacksmith shop and old residences. Checked in a. It before the stated 3pm time without issues. Very few rangers seen during stay but it is after labor day and most of the seasonal attractions like the pool etc were closed for the season. Very clean bathrooms with easy to use dish sinks on the outside. Overall for a trip that within 75 minutes of Philly you can't go wrong for a quick jaunt out of town.
A great place to camp for a good nature experience . There are trails that lead from the campground to many miles of wilderness hiking in the federal park and state forests . The Lakota Wolf Preserve is a must see while there and hearing the wolves howl at night while you are out at the fire is really cool . There are a lot of bears roaming the woods in this part of NJ so keep your coolers in the car and garbage in the trash cans . For hiking and a great outdoor and camping in the woods experience check this place out .
Campground Review: French Creek State Park Campground is located in Elverson, Pennsylvania and sits adjacent to Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. There are 200 individual sites in four loops, some with full hookups for RVs, some with electric only but mostly primitive sites. There are also several cottages, cabins and yurts available as well.
For this trip, my husband and I camped alongside our friends, which included three other couples and their children, so we took up two electric sites for the tent campers and two full hook up sites for our friends with RVs. We stayed in Loop C, which is the only dog friendly loop in the campground, on sites 35, 37, 39,& 40. Thankfully, a short walk to the bathroom facilities for us tent campers.
Normally site 35 would have been way too small for our usual gear– a behemoth 9X15 tent- but it was a perfect fit for the tent I was reviewing on this trip. Our friends, who have the same large tent as us, stayed on site 37 and had plenty of space to pitch it, but many of the sites surrounding ours were very rocky and left little option for a larger than normal sized tent so keep this in mind if you have a large family sized tent. I’ve included a few photos of the surrounding sites for future reference. The bath/shower house in this loop was adequate and includes two dish washing stations outside. The showers had good pressure and hot water. It was cleaned often throughout the weekend, however it is definitely in need of an update.
We also checked out the other loops for future use and found Loop A to have very spacious, less rocky sites, however, there was little shrubbery between each site, making them less private than the sites in Loop C.
There are two lakes in French Creek, Hopewell and Scott's Run and each contain many species of fish. We spent Saturday afternoon fishing but not catching anything at Scott's Run. It’s a beautiful location and it was still a fun way to spend the day with the kids away from the site.
We found several places nearby to purchase wood, besides the supermarket and a nursery in town, there are a few residents that sell it right on their front lawn so be on the look-out en route to the park entrance.
Generally, we camp in the off season, and usually have the whole place to ourselves, so I had some concern prior to arrival that every site in every loop was booked for the whole weekend and expected it to be noisy, however, I was pleasantly surprised. It was quiet and our neighbors were respectful of the quiet hours and our space. It was a wonderfully peaceful weekend for us all and we will definitely visit again soon.
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Product Review: Wenzel Ivanhoe 6 Tent
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I am occasionally offered the opportunity to test new outdoor products. For this trip I tested the Wenzel Ivanhoe 6 Tent https://wenzelco.com/ivanhoe-6/.
Generally, my husband and I use a larger ez up tent, but I liked this tent specifically for the design which is reminiscent of the tent my parents used when I was a child and figured it would be a good option for shorter weekend trips, rather than our 9X15 ez-up.
The set up was relatively easy, although one person might have some difficulty. It held up well during an evening thunderstorm, but for a small seam leak near the door. We believe this is a result of the fact that our site was slightly uneven and that particular corner was not as evenly pitched with the other corners of the tent which resulted in a bit of a gap in the roof.
The airflow is great, with the small vent in the rear, two side windows and the full screen door. There are also two smaller vents at the top- though neither seem seem to add that much airflow,- perhaps a design flaw or more likely the uneven ground it was pitched on.
I love the fact that there are awnings over the side windows, but in order for them to be effective one must stake out three guy lines on each side, plus the one on the front and the back. Knowing this I had purchased some small lights to hang on the lines to prevent tripping on them at night and it worked out perfectly.
The front doors are secured closed from wind and rain by velcro strips, rather than the standard ties. There are four side pockets and a handy troubleshooting guide sewn into the interior wall for any issues you experience while in use, such as leaking, condensation, or a faulty zipper.
I am very happy with this tent. For the two of us it was the perfect size for our ten inch high queen size air mattress and some minimal gear. The peak height was just over 6 foot, so we were both able to stand upright without issue.
If you're looking for a nice place to disconnect from everyday, you found your spot. The Muddy Creek borders the campground on one side, which is a really nice backdrop. Sites are generally open and not very private, but the general vibe of the campground is slow pace and relaxing so you don't really mind the lack of privacy. We stayed during October and they had a scavenger hunt and hayrides for the kids in the evenings. Kids loved it. My daughter came up big with her first trout out of the Muddy Creek. Bathhouses aren't the best, but get the job done. Overall a great place to unwind and have some lifelong memories with the kiddos.
On the surface the campground is average. The secret it packs is the great town in which it shares it's name. You are 5 minutes from the wonderful town of Jim Thrope. Can't say the campground offers too much other than the basic campground experience. Though if coupled that with the opportunity to experience Jim Thrope, it sets the Jim Thrope Camping Resort apart.
My son, brother, and nephew tent camped. The tent sites are not very defined, level or rock free. Makes it fun searching for a good position within the site, kinda like roughing it in the actual wild… so not really a complaint. Sites are not very private or secluded. I could personally use a bit more privacy, not enough to be a deal breaker. Bathhouses are rougher, but usable and not dirty per se. Just rustic.
A major pro is access to the Switchback Trail from the campground. A wonderfully scenic trail.
Overall I would and plan on returning.
This is a great family run campground. The store is nice, bathhouses are clean and private. Owners are super nice. There is also a great view of the surrounding countryside because it’s up on a big hill. If you’re hauling a big camper you’ll need power for the hills.
Great smaller campground. Staff was friendly, general vibe was low key. A lot of year round sites. Only complaint being not a lot for the kids to do aside from ride bike. We did notice they have really nice tent sites that are all to themselves. Might be back to give those a try at some point
Car tent camping. Big campground. Crowded even in late September. Sites are a decent size, but you’re really on top of one another here. We were lucky to find a spot that had empty sites on both sides (but people just on top of our site). Beautiful tall trees and shaded. Check in is sort of crazy. You have to drive a couple miles from the campground to the camp office to pick a site— which is difficult if you haven’t seen them. We picked one at the campground and I drove back to the office to claim it— hoping it wasn’t taken. It wasn’t. Also, sites are pretty expensive for camping— $38! Beautiful area tho.
Worthington State forest is right on the Delaware river. It is a beautiful place to camp. You can hike up Douglas trail and sit near the Sunfish Pond. This campground is great for families but not for groups going out to drink alcohol. Alcohol and cigarettes/vapes are not allowed.
Love this place. Other than the way they book for the next season (it’s not at the time of your trip), this place is well kept. Very shaded sites. Have been going for years and will continue.
We went here September 13,14, and 15th. It was nice, we had electric and water at our site. The front office went out of their way to help you get settled in. The showed us 3 different site we could use, and brought firewood to our site 3 times. The bathrooms were in very good shape with plenty of showers. Everything you needed was here. Would go back again.
First, it is a state park so it has many of the things you would expect like a beach area, picnic areas, playground, volley ball, pavilion, etc. We went out of season so there were no lifeguards, or anything “open” at the pavilion. We are always after campgrounds with as little going on as possible other than the nature so this would not be a place for us during the summer when I imagine it gets quite packed. There are about 50 camp sites but many of them, from 1 to 30ish are wide open with ZERO privacy. That said, it’s great for large groups that book a few sites next to each other. There were 3 groups during our stay. Which got pretty loud if you were in sites in the 30s. Starting there, sites get more separated and a wee bit secluded. There are only 4 dog friendly sites, which we need. They are 42-45. Be careful with site 44, no good place for a tent. The other are nice. There is one spot for showers and bathroom. They were really clean. Same for dishwashing facility. So depending on what you’re looking for, it has something for you. Like I mentioned, we like quiet spots so the fact that it has the potential to be too loud in peak times meant 4 starts from me.
Our first shakedown of our new Ranger 12 Aliner camper. Reservations were easy through DCNR and check in was smooth. Level site, quiet evenings along with comfortable sleeping. Site was wooded, bathrooms/showers were good but required more attention in maintenance and follow up inspections throughout the day. Park offered hiking for visiting family members, something like 35 miles of trails, lakes, streams and offered fishing and boating opportunities. Enjoyed other local streams like Hay Creek, French Creek, and we are looking forward to fall trout fishing as well. Enjoy this gem.
Very nice campground, well kept, Paved roads, plenty to do
I've been camping at French Creek since I was a kid. I now take my daughter (6). I usually stay in loop A and enjoy the sites. Bathrooms are clean and easily accessible from any of the sites in the loop. The hiking trails are close by and there are plenty available. Never had a bad time there and will continue camping at French Creek for years to come.
Mom was away so took 3 babies on a trip. Went to Ringing Rocks county park and the kids were having so much fun making music they didn’t want to leave. Made a last minute decision to try out Ringing Rocks Family Campground 2 minutes up the road instead of finding one back in Jersey. Owner was very accommodating. Campground was clean and well layed out. Kids had a blast with hay rides and playground. All other campers were very nice and courteous of noise curfew. Would Definetely go again and plan to next time with the wife as well.
Went up for Labor Day weekend. Nice campground. Lots of activities, but very crowded and right next to a very busy road. Great for a large family camping trip in the Poconos. Not so good for a quiet weekend getaway.
Been coming for years, clean and spacious sites. Family operated. Located between Hershey and all of the PA Dutch Lancaster County attractions.
My family and I just stayed here for a long weekend over the Labor Day holiday. Appalachian is one of the absolute best campgrounds I have ever stayed at. It’s extremely clean and very well organized. We started our trip Friday afternoon, we pulled into the campground and they had a table set up outside to “check in.” We did not wait in a mile long line to park and go into the office. There was no rv backup of people trying to get through. It was extremely quick and very efficient to just pull up to a table say our name and be given the map and directed to our site. The campground had numerous activities set up all throughout the day and there was something for everyone. I find that a lot of campground activities tend to be centered around small children and with my kids being 13 and 12, they’re usually left out of the fun. There was bingo, crafts, a vendor craft show, hot dog eating contest for adults and kids, candy scramble in the dark for adults and kids, a dj Saturday night and a live band Sunday night. The pool was open until 10pm everyday. This campground has free mini golf. You can borrow golf clubs but you do have to buy balls. The staff was friendly and very helpful. You could leave your trash at the end of your site everyday and it was picked up by the staff, you did not have make trips to a dumpster. An excellent little surprise for me was the farm truck they had drive around Saturday morning. I was able to buy fresh produce for our dinner and I never even left my campsite. So beware, have cash or you’ll be cranky you couldn’t buy enough like I was! The only negative thing I could possibly say would be our campsite was….awkward. We were unaware that our site was a buddy site. Now it was Labor Day weekend, the campground was completely full and we booked late. The site we got was the only one available for the size of our camper. The buddy site was very narrow and since our buddy arrived first we had no choice but to park farther down on the site to avoid our awnings touching and that left us very uneven. It was a hill and no matter how many times we adjusted, we just could not get leveled. So my advice would be to make sure you aren’t put on the buddy sites if at all possible. The row starting with 310 on the map is all buddy sites. We have already booked our next trip and made sure we were not on another buddy site. Now that I know this, we can avoid that one issue in the future. I enjoyed this campground so much that this will now be our go to campground when we want to stay close to home.
First time visiting Driftstone and we had an amazing time! Great people, lots of fun activities, clean facilities and beautiful views. We will be back again next year.