178 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
State parks and established campgrounds dot the landscape around Centre Hall, Pennsylvania, providing a variety of camping experiences in central Pennsylvania's wooded hills. Bellefonte-State College KOA offers tent sites, RV hookups, and cabin rentals with amenities like a pool and splash pad. State parks such as Bald Eagle, Penn Roosevelt, and Poe Valley provide more natural settings with varying levels of facilities. Many campgrounds in this region feature cabins as an alternative to traditional tent or RV camping, with options ranging from rustic to fully equipped units with electricity, heating, and basic furnishings.
Many campgrounds in the area operate seasonally, typically opening in April and closing between October and December. "It would even make a good event-specific yard-sale trip. Overall, a damned nice hotel in the woods. Not a survivalist challenge or hXc camping experience; just a clean, safe getaway for a game, Arts Fest, or just a time-out," noted one visitor about Seven Mountains Campground's cabin accommodations. Water pressure can be an issue at some locations, particularly at higher elevations or during peak usage periods. Cell service varies significantly throughout the region, with more remote locations like Penn Roosevelt and Poe Valley State Parks having limited or no coverage. Travelers should verify current facilities status before arrival, as water systems and other amenities may be shut off during shoulder seasons.
The mixed-use campgrounds near Centre Hall receive consistently positive reviews for their natural settings and recreational opportunities. Penn Roosevelt State Park offers a more secluded experience with tent-only sites situated around a small lake. As one camper described it, "Beautiful primitive campground (tent only). Get a site on the outside towards the water. They are spaced out and peaceful." Poe Valley State Park combines camping with beach access and water recreation, making it popular for families. Most developed campgrounds in the area provide fire rings, picnic tables, and access to restrooms, while the more primitive sites may offer greater privacy and immersion in nature. Winter camping is available at select locations like Penn Roosevelt, though with reduced services and facilities.
"The site itself was fairly uneven and rocky so we had to always use caution when walking around the site but it added to the rugged experience."
"The rustic section was located around a large loop with each site ranging in a few feet from the car-friendly loop to about the 50 foot walk where our site was located."
from $16 - $18 / night
Check Availability"Easy access to camp ground. The check in process was just to drive to the site and set up which was different but very easy. The sites are private on the sides with some green space to play on."
"If you are not the camping type you can stay at the Nature Inn and enjoy the beautiful lodge in an amazing location! Definitely tops on our list of state parks in Pennsylvania!"
from $22 - $62 / night
Check Availability"Very peaceful and quite, but close to State College (a must since we were in town for a Penn State game). I also loved historic Bellefonte (I highly recommend eating at the Governors Pub)."
"The section in the front of the park is open with spotty trees; whereas, sites in the back of the park are tucked in the woods and are a lot more private."
"Electric motorboats are permitted on Moshannon Lake. Boat rentals are available in season."
"Great hiking and a beautiful lake for kayaking. Site 22 is a full hookup. Utilities worked nicely. However, our picnic table had seen better days. "
from $20 - $87 / night
Check Availability"Get a site on the outside towards the water. They are spaced out and peaceful. Has restrooms (no shower), picnic table, and fire pit at each site. Short walk to creek and beautiful pond."
"went there for a picnic with the young ones and it was quite a fun evening. there were not many people around so the kids could frolic and be slightly loud without bothering any other people."
from $25 / night
Check Availability"You can also buy firewood at the entrance. Sites have a picnic table + fire ring. There is little to no phone service here and it's not super close to town, so come prepared."
"Well maintained bathroom and firewood plus ice available at the entrance (this is a great plus for those car/tent camping. extremely close to the rothrock forest mountain biking trails."
from $20 - $29 / night
Check Availability"Far enough away from cities that it's nice and quiet"
"We did take the hunter's path, off the beach parking lot, to the mid state trail but it was straight up the mountain and quite difficult. The beach was nice, not crowded, soft sand, and warm water."
from $20 - $57 / night
Check Availability"The campground was maybe only 1/2 full and the camp sites near us were empty so we had a very quiet and peaceful weekend. The creek and river are perfect for curious little ones to explore."
"We had site 108 and had a site path right to the creek. I wouldn't recommend big campers as most of the spots would be a pain to back into."
from $16 - $43 / night
Check Availability"We got a nice one tucked back in the trees, but a few of them are pretty close to the road - not like it's terribly busy."
"There is a trail head near the entrance of the park for hikers and a geocache showed up close to the trail on a road on my geocache tracker if you are into that."
from $22 / night
Check Availability"Our first experience was spectacular- we had a site set back from the road surrounded by mountain laurel and ferns. The second site we tried was a tad too close to the road, hence the 4-stars."
"Nice little spot with no one around. Maybe 2-3 cars passed on the SF road each day. Primitive camping with picnic table and fire ring - that’s it. Have to carry your gear from your car a little ways."
GuideMore of a rustic trailer park than a campground with some long term residents. Owners were nice. "Bathhouse" has flush toilets but wasn't very clean. We don't fish but if you do this might be a place for you.
RangerWhat a gorgeous area. Camp site has a path down to Medix Run (which seems quite clean) with a perfect spot to set out camp chairs and watch the water. Beautiful sounds of birds and spring wildflowers all over the site. Sites are well spaced. The road is surprisingly busy day and night, which did take away from the experience. Unfortunately that issue was dwarfed by other behavior.
Imagine you're sitting by the water on your campsite at 6pm, and a man is suddenly standing next to you. On your dispersed, state forest camp site. With a path only accessible by walking through the site. He tells you a beaver dam used to be here and goes into the water to fish. Weird things happen, but THREE different fishermen at different times used our campsite as their fishing base. Not the area next to it, the campsite. Even parked down the driveway next to our car.
Maybe you're not bothered by this. Maybe it's because you've read this and now had the chance to consider the possibility. However, I'd be willing to bet you'd rather not be surprised. Especially when there are no amenities and as a woman, you need to get partially undressed just to take a leak in the morning.
This is unacceptable behavior. There were other unoccupied campsites, turn offs and places to stop and fish. In all my life camping, no one has ever done this sort of thing. You stay off campsites when other people are there, unless you need help or want to pass on information.
If one person had done this, I wouldn't be writing such a cranky review but three instances warrants a warning for other campers. Good luck, folks.
RangerGreat park, alittle close together than I like. I wish I had picked 1-12 sites by the creek, but I don’t think I had much choice when I booked anyway. Bathrooms were clean. My site was more of an rv and I felt like I was at the neighbors for supper.
RangerBeautiful park, pool and lake. Great for boating and fishing, running or hiking and swimming. In may, it wasn’t busy, but I can imagine it gets packed. I will be back for summer.
GuideThis is a full service RV campground with nightly and seasonal stays. I was tent camping and, unlike most RV campgrounds, the dedicated tent area was very nice and right on the river. There’s a camp store, laundromat, showers and many different boats available for rent right in the campground. Very well run place and everything looked well kept.
The sites face a small mountain wall with the river at the base so very scenic. The river is fairly fast running so boating and swimming are for older kids/adults in this area or put in someplace calmer.
For those riding the MABDR, this is only 5 mins off the trail and a good place to relax before the final 70 miles through the PA Grand Canyon.
TravelerThis campground (now named "Orchard Station Campground" is under new management, and is open all year (I think). They are in the process of upgrading sites with new utility lines and level gravel pads.
Owner was very friendly & helpful.
Allowed me to charge my Rivian onsite (I paid him for the extra power).
Adjacent huge cemetery site is accessible via a goat path at the back of the campground and provided a great place to walk our dog every day.
We were attending the Alleghany Ukulele Soiree at the Altoona Grand Hotel, and this was a perfect spot (less than 5 minutes away).
Will definitely return!!
TravelerNice campground, level site, very clean. (Here early in season though!) $40/night. Lost a star for the long and steep incline walk to the bathrooms. Accessibility note: Careful if you have mobility issues. Many of the sites are terraced and require using steps.
GuideSite SS007 sits roughly two miles off pavement along a fairly rough access road. A standard Ford Explorer handled the drive without trouble, though bringing a trailer would likely only be practical if it is set up for overlanding conditions.
The location offers excellent views of the Susquehanna River and exceptionally clear night skies with strong stargazing opportunities. There was no existing fire ring on site, so we built one using nearby stones. The site does not include a picnic table or other amenities, making it a primative experience.
Cell service was limited but usable, averaging about one bar with AT&T and two bars with T-Mobile.
Overall, it is a quiet, scenic roadside site best suited for campers comfortable with minimal facilities and no other people around.
GuideThe weather wasn’t too great, but the campaign joy could not be hampered. We had a great spot along the creek, which was also a short walk from the lake. The bathroom facilities are fantastic nice and clean couldn’t be happier.
Camping near Centre Hall, Pennsylvania offers diverse natural settings within the Allegheny Mountains, with elevations ranging from 1,000 to 2,300 feet throughout the region. The area experiences distinctive seasonal variations, with warm summers averaging 80°F and winter temperatures frequently dropping below freezing. Most campsites in this region close by mid-December, with only Penn Roosevelt State Park maintaining year-round accessibility for winter camping enthusiasts.
Hiking at Black Moshannon: The park features several miles of trails directly accessible from the campground area. "The park also runs a ton of classes for different things like fly fishing, hiking, etc," notes one visitor who appreciated the educational programming offered throughout the season.
Kayaking at Bald Eagle State Park: The large lake provides excellent flat water paddling opportunities with boat launches near the campground. "We kayaked and biked all over the park. We also fished a lot. Due to the large size of the lake we didn't feel like we were on top of other people fishing," reports a camper at Bald Eagle State Park.
Creek exploration at Poe Paddy: Penn's Creek runs beside the campground and offers natural water play areas. "The creek and river are perfect for curious little ones to explore. Great fishing spot. The walk to the tunnel is quick and easy for all ages," shares a visitor at Poe Paddy State Park.
Secluded camping in primitive areas: Some campgrounds offer more isolated experiences. "Stayed in Primitive Area with RV which is MUCH QUIETER & MUCH MORE PRIVATE with many trees than the full hookups down in the main park area," explains a camper about their experience at Bald Eagle State Park.
Clean facilities despite remote locations: Many campgrounds maintain high facility standards. "The individual bathroom/showers were great & clean. Office facilities & firewood access were also nice. I usually camp in state parks, but I'll give KOA consideration again after this stay," reports a camper at Bellefonte-State College KOA.
Dark skies for stargazing: The region's limited light pollution creates excellent night sky viewing. "The highlights were a spacious camp site, nice bathrooms, little light pollution (we saw the Milky Way!) and hearing screech owls at night," shares a visitor to Greenwood Furnace State Park.
Limited or no cell service: Most campgrounds in the area have connectivity challenges. "There isn't any cell service as you are way back in the mountain but it's so beautiful and relaxing you won't care!!" notes a camper at Poe Valley State Park.
Varying water pressure: Some campgrounds struggle with consistent water delivery. "First, I'll agree with Gayle that water pressure was 18psi. Aside from that, the campground is clean and the staff is friendly," reports one camper about Bellefonte-State College KOA.
Campsite selection matters: Site quality and privacy vary significantly within each campground. "Get a site on the outside towards the water. They are spaced out and peaceful. Has restrooms (no shower), picnic table, and fire pit at each site," advises a visitor to Penn Roosevelt State Park.
Kid-friendly water activities: Several parks offer swimming and water play opportunities. "Lovely area with many shaded spots. Electric hookup but no sewer or water hookups. The beach was nice, not crowded, soft sand, and warm water. It's a great lake to kayak or paddle board on," shares a visitor to Poe Valley State Park.
Playground access: Some campgrounds maintain play areas for children. "We had fun walking to the foot bridge to go fishing. The kids had fun riding the bikes around the loop and taking the short cuts cut in around the loop," notes a camper at Russell P Letterman Campground.
Insect considerations: Bug activity varies by season and location. "Despite the cold wet weather this trip, we had a wonderful weekend!" reports a camper at Black Moshannon State Park, highlighting that early or late season camping can mean fewer insects but requires preparation for temperature variations.
Site leveling challenges: Many campgrounds in the mountainous terrain require leveling equipment. "Make sure you have leveling tools as the sites are not very level side-to-side. The sites are also small and tightly packed," advises an RV camper at Bellefonte-State College KOA.
Tight access roads: Some campgrounds have challenging entry points. "If you have a trailer, I do not recommend this spot. There is a very tight hairpin turn on the way in. My six foot long trailer barely made the turn!" cautions a visitor to Penn Roosevelt State Park.
Seasonal site variations: RV sites can change dramatically with weather conditions. "If it rains, certain sites become ponds," warns a camper at Greenwood Furnace State Park, suggesting visitors research site drainage before booking during rainy periods.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Centre Hall, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Centre Hall, PA is Primitive Camping Area — Bald Eagle State Park with a 4.4-star rating from 18 reviews.
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