Join the fun near California. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. California is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near California and user-submitted reviews.
$100 - $150 / night
"We're happy to welcome your host, Laurel, to our platform. This is a cannabis friendly campground that overlooks the Laurel Highlands Hemp field, and surrounding mountains."
"Being positioned directly off the GAP Trail grants easy access to those traveling the trail. "
"This is one of the only free hiker-biker campgrounds along the GAP trail (mile 99.6), and it is laid out similarly to the Dravo Campground, with lean-tos, picnic tables, firepits and lots of spaces for"
"We camped out overnight with a group of 14 people, and there was plenty of room for everyone to pitch their tents and spend a relaxing night under the stars."
"This campsite is a nice reward for west-bound riders on the GAP trail (it's the last one before Pittsburgh!)"
$25 / night
"The spacious and lush lawn has lots of space for tents, but the winner is the covered seating, dining, and cooking area. Everything is clean as a whistle…pun intended. "
$10 - $60 / night
$25 - $35 / night
"There was a fire place and a picnic table and an area to park your car. It was walking distance to the beautiful overlook and a great price for what you get."
"Laurel Ridge State Park is the greenway that protects the legendary Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail from the busy world around it."
"It is a beautiful wooded park offering lots of trees for privacy. I wish I had more time to explore the park before moving on. The bathhouse could use a renovation. It felt old and kind of dirty."
$20 - $150 / night
"Beautiful lake for canoeing and fishing and the hiking and mountain bike trails are amazing! Cant wait to go back!"
RangerKooser State Park is a small campground nestled in the Laurel Highlands, close to Hidden Valley and Seven Springs ski resorts. The park has great amenities just a short walk from all sites. All sites have fire rings, with grills, however note they are double walled so do not expel a lot of heat outward. Great for cooking however.
Most sites are not level, but very grassy. Firewood is available at the entrance for$5 bundle supporting a local club. A beautiful walk through the park leads you to the Kooser Lake, great for fishing. It is also close to the Laurel Hill State Park which is great for hiking and water activities. The park is close to the road so you will experience some road noise.
The park is 15min from Somerset. No phone reception at this one! They welcome all furry friends!
ScoutClean, beautiful and quiet (occasional barking dog or children playing loudly). The basic tent sites each have a picnic table, fire pit w/ grill, and lantern post. The trails to the beautiful falls are a short walk from the campgrounds.
LegendElectric Site 37 - pad is pretty level, plenty for our small camper and truck, on a slight hill to get to fire ring but lots of space to spread out. You could tent but not really a flat spot. We were near the non-electric cul de sac and a neighbor right across but not on top of each other. Trees are everywhere and wonderful during the fall season. We had a big night of rain and with the wind it dried up pretty quickly.
Camp store - small, not a lot in it but may be end of the season items only. Mostly shirts and mugs and very little snack food. The camp store staff were all very friendly and helpful and the store has limited WiFi if you stood in the right spot. There is a laundry room available there as well.
Dump station- 2 way and potable water on the other side of it. The only place to drop your trash too.
Trails - lots of trails to choose from. Some were pretty easy some were a little hilly. My favorite was the fern trail - lots of ferns and a very pretty stream. Hiking poles are recommended especially if it rains.
Playground - is available for kids and a huge shelter house too.
Firewood is $6 a bundle and burns well, no slab cut.
Water - have to go up to entrance as the water spouts are still shut off.
Showers - in womens the shower on the left never got warm, other two were fine. There are 4 flush toilets.
LegendPROS
Able to reserve 129 days prior to arriving
Melissa at check-in was very friendly and helpful
Good overnight stop to visit Flight 93 Memorial 22 miles from campground
Site #391 level
Gravel site surrounded by grass
Moveable wooden picnic table
Large concrete fire ring
Clean toilet-shower building that are heavily used
Mostly quiet except for road noise
Firewood for sale in Park
CONS
No discount
Site #391 no shade
Park cable connection failed
Sewer connection“up hill”
Never found trash dumpster and wasn’t marked on campground map
Very loud radio station blaring in the toilet/shower building that could be heard outside the building
2 bars Verizon
No WIFI
RangerThis tiny gem of a campground is actually quite decent. Each site is furnished with a small fire ring and picnic table. The fire rings do not have a grill grate. The pit toilets in the restroom are "fragrant" when you enter the women's side of the building but not so terribly that they can't be used. My friend did gag upon entering the men's room. There are designated wastewater areas to dump grey water, but you'll have to bring your own water for drinking, washing, etc. There are no electric hookups.
As others have mentioned, there is a gun range nearby and you can hear occasional firing. Helicopter traffic at night was a slight distraction from the otherwise quiet night I spent here.
There is an easy orange-blazed trail behind site 10 but as of this writing, a there are several downed trees blocking the trail a good distance in.
I'd definitely stay again.
5/3/2021 Edited to add:. Well, our second stay here is decidedly less positive. We are at site 9 this time. No fire ring here. The women's bathroom is filthy and it made me gag (there is feces all over one toilet seat and the other smells so bad that I just peed in the woods). It's turkey season so lots of noise in the woods.
RangerWe often do dispersed, leave no trace, primitive camping throughout the state forest. There are wonderful, well maintained trails throughout. If you want to dive into nature within a 30 minute drive from Morgantown, this is your place to go. Take the scenic hike to raven’s rock for views that will not disappoint.
RangerWe stayed here 9/2018 at site #10 and can't wait to return. There is a small campground just by the entrance that has a small store and electric sites with RV hookups. Site 10 was at the campground at the top of the hill, sparsely populated, and had beautiful views beyond the trees. There were toilets and drinking water, but no electricity. The bathrooms do not have lighting so bring a headlamp or flashlight. Each site had a fire ring and a picnic table. Trails were well maintained, but be warned that the overlook is crowded.
GuideSpent the first camping trip of the summer here on Memorial Day weekend and it was a beautiful spot. There are a number of sites set up in a circle, the initial sites are better suited for RVs while the sites along the back of the loop are flatter and can accommodate a tent. This was our first car camping in an actual campground experience in a while - our last few trips were all backcountry sites - and it felt very luxurious. The campground is situated near shooting ranges so the gunfire lasts late into the evening and begins early in the morning disrupting the serenity a bit.
The best part - it's free! Just register at the box. There are vault toilets and each site has a fire ring, picnic table, garbage cans, and there are spots to dump waste water. It's very well-organized and well maintained.
ScoutCampground was well maintained. Tent pads were great. It rained on us but tent pads were elevated enough that we stayed dry. It is so peaceful and serene there. Hiked the trails to the waterfalls and had a great time. Firewood was cheap. Bathrooms were good and clean.
Tent camping near California, Pennsylvania offers a variety of scenic spots for outdoor enthusiasts looking to immerse themselves in nature. With well-maintained facilities and access to beautiful landscapes, these campgrounds provide the perfect backdrop for a memorable camping experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near California, PA is Laurel Highlands Hemp Cannabis Farm with a 5-star rating from 1 review.
TheDyrt.com has all 13 tent camping locations near California, PA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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