Best Tent Camping near Bushkill, PA
The Appalachian Trail corridor provides several primitive tent camping options near Bushkill, Pennsylvania, with multiple hike-in sites concentrated around the Lehigh Gap area. Notable tent campgrounds include the AT Ridge Campground and George W. Outerbridge AT Shelter, both offering basic amenities for backpackers traversing this section of Pennsylvania's mountain terrain. Jenny Jump State Forest in nearby New Jersey provides more established tent camping with designated sites accessible within a short drive.
Most primitive tent camping areas near Bushkill require hikers to pack in all necessary supplies as amenities are minimal. The AT campsites typically feature stone fire rings but lack drinking water sources, requiring campers to fill up before ascending the mountain or filter from small seasonal creeks. Sites along the ridge are generally flat with pine needle or dirt surfaces that drain reasonably well after rain. The Lehigh Gap Woodpecker Trailhead primitive campground can become boggy after precipitation, necessitating good ground tarps for tent campers. Fire regulations apply at all sites, with established stone rings indicating designated camping areas.
Tent campers seeking views should prioritize the ridge locations above Lehigh Gap where several sites offer panoramic vistas. The AT Overlook Campground provides what one visitor described as "by far the best campsite option on this section of the AT" with tent placement that allows "a view of the valley right from your door." Pine forest group sites offer more protection from weather elements with tent pads on soft pine needle beds, making them comfortable in adverse conditions. The ridge sites feature surrounding fern fields and opportunities to view both sides of the mountain with minimal hiking distance. According to a recent review, sitting on the mountain is "a very peaceful experience as you can hear the wind blowing through the trees while watching the ferns sway back and forth."
