A great place to camp and spend time with family and friends, you can enjoy lots of trails and explore the woods, and also a great place to enjoy the night sky, see the stars and the Milky Way in the summer months.
Sinnemahoning is definitely an excellent spot for car campers to enjoy the Elk State Forest/PA Wilds region. It was a quiet sleep(a little gravelly for tents, but not bad) with dark skies for stargazing.The park staff was knowledgeable and super friendly. Tracy answered my sister’s 500 plant identification questions with cheerful patience. Will definitely be back. And we saw a bear!Beautiful area with a nice visitors center. It’s quite a bit further from Route 120 than we thought from the signs, but a nice ride. Wish it had a nicer playground and picnic area for the kids to enjoy. We would have liked to hang around longer but it was soooo buggy(not their fault).
Love it here! This is a great State Park. The campground has added many full hookup sites and there are also cabins available also. Nice clean sites.The lake has good trout fishing and the beach area offers a nice place for a relaxing summer retreat. Several picnic shelters are for rent if your looking for a place to have your reunion or annual company picnic. There are also boat/kayak rentals, a snack bar/ camp store, and a large modern bath house/changing building down near the beach.Come for the day or stay for the week. Parker Dam State Park offeres something for everyone.
Splash magic is a great family campground with tons of amenities. There is a great water park as well as adults only pool for those wanting a break from the little ones. Give it a try!
Nice, clean, friendly/accommodating staff and the prices were reasonable for the accommodations. My Outdoor Adventure Algorithm is:(Drink+Fire+Lean-To)-(Rules+Regulations+Fees)/(Crowd-Privacy)*(Isolation*Acceptability of loud, primal, Forest-Man behavior)=Camping. While you won't mistake yourself for a member of the Donner Party, you'll also be comfortable, watching Dish, cooking on a gas stove or microwave inside(fire-ring out), with cold food/drinks and ice from the'big' mini-fridge. Bunk room had 2 bunk beds, each with a full size mattress AND room to move, plus good natural light. Living/dining area is large with a wall-mounted tv, rustic wood dining set, storage room and hooks/hangers, good natural light, as well as sufficient artificial direct and ambient lighting.Comfortable couch pulls out into a comfortable bed. Large covered front porch with again more lighting and a hanging swing. Parking is driveway-close, and they're pretty mellow about blazing conflagrations(IF it's under control) so you can get a REAL bed of coals to properly cook.They also have used/re-purposed camping/RV/tailgating items for sale( some free). 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
I grew up near this park so I’m a little used to it, however, it’s perfect for families. Good trails, kayak rentals, and a private beach for the campgrounds make it a nice vacation spot. I had a good time.
My family of 4 tent camped here for the weekend. Everyone at this campground was so friendly and nice. The staff really tried to make our stay comfortable. I noticed there was always a staff member driving around in a golf cart, checking on things. The bathrooms were very clean and maintained the whole weekend. The firewood sold at the camp store was only$5 for a large bundle and burned very well. Some campgrounds seem to sell "wet" wood that is hard to light. My only negative comment would be this is more of an RV park. If you do tent camp you should know you will be out in the open, no trees around your site and NO privacy. I will say the tent sites are huge and you can park 2 cars at each one. We made the best of it. We stayed in site 404
I camped here as a child so when my husband and I recently purchased our new RV I knew we had to go there. My only reason for not giving 5 stars is that only a small portion of the park is open to campers with pets. I'm ok if they have just a section of pet sites, but you are also not allowed to walk the whole park with them - just that small front section. It would be nice to see the whole park become pet friendly.
Campground Review:
This is our second trip to Parker Dam State Park. It is a beautiful PA state park. It is quiet and peaceful. The leaves were beginning to change. This trip was chilly at night, but gorgeous weather during the day. Bathroom/shower houses are a bit outdated, but clean. We had a full hook up site. They have pet loops as well. If you want to stay in September, book early. Limited cell service. Spent time driving to Benezette - about 30 minute trip - to see the Elk. Great experience seeing approximately 100 elk. Several very large bulls. Would recommend the campground and the trip to Benezette to everyone.
Product Review:
As a Ranger for the Dyrt, we get products to test from time to time- today we tested the Banner & Oak Women's Hoodie. https://bannerandoak.com/collections/hoodies/products/freedom-heathered-black I so apologize because we were so busy watching the elk in Benezette, that we completely forgot to take photos of the product. This hoodie is very soft! The sizing is accurate. While it is not a thick sweatshirt material, it keeps you very comfortably warm. I prefer the thinner material versus a thick and heavy sweatshirt. It has become my "go to" hoodie. Pros: Lightweight, but very warm. Con: The pouch in front is actually 2 small pockets even though it looks like a pouch. I'm not sure this is really a "con" because it depends on what style you prefer. At first, I wasn't sure about it, but I am beginning to like it. Wish the pockets would be a little bigger though. Overall, I think this is a great lightweight hoodie and worth a purchase!
Only was able to spend one night here but I’m excited to return ASAP! The night skies were beautiful (starry starry night w/little light pollution) and trails galore leading directly from the campground. Bathrooms were clean as well- an added bonus!
We stayed here with friends and had a lovely time. 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. Great fishing spot. The walk to the tunnel is quick and easy for all ages. Beautiful spot. We will go again.
This place is great! Always end our season here. The Halloween weekends are the best.
We stayed in the Red Oak section, site 113. The site was roomy enough, but next time I know to try to reserve on the outside perimeter for more room.
Dogs are permitted in this area of the campground and honestly they were all well behaved.
The bathhouse was a bit dated, but clean with a nice size dressing area within each of the 6 shower stalls. I believe there were 10 toilets as well. On the outside of the bathhouse were 2 sinks to do dishes.
The camp store was fairly priced, centrally located and they even delivered wood to your site.
The trails were nice, but I wish we had been given a better map to show where we could walk with our dog instead of discovering no dogs allowed when we arrived to certain areas.
We will definitely return.
Campground Review:
Located in the Raystown Lake Recreation Area is Seven Points. It has 6 different loops to choose from. Two are waterfront and view. Four are wide open sites with space in between. Highlights are the numerous hiking trails, mountain bike trail which is extensive, swimming beach that wasn't crowded on Labor Day weekend, a marina, a restaurant at the marina, a visitors center, and a bicycle "course" for younger people I think. We stayed in Senoia loop in a water view (somewhat) site. It was small for our 22 foot total camper but we fit. It was carved out of the side of the hill with 3 wood walls. Our table and firepit were up several stairs/steps. This is a hilly area so your site is split and the two areas are on different levels. Only the two loops on the water have this. The other four loops are all level spacious sites. There was electric but no water or sewer hookups. We drove into Huntingdon and found signs to two outlooks which had spectacular views. One was Ridenour Overlook and the other Hawn's Overlook which were accessed from the same parking lot. Ridenour overlooked the Raystown dam which led us to see that we could drive to the top of the dam and have another great view which we did. We saw signs for Hesston Speedway which we want to visit next time we go. It's across from the campground main road entrance. The RLRA has numerous activities one of which was Chris Collins and Boulder Canyon group who performed John Denver songs. They tour nationally and into Canada so not a small town group. They were great! The amphitheater provided plenty of space for the couple hundred attendees. While we could walk Senoia loop even with its steep hills, the whole area was not walkable. One would have trouble walking the entire RLRA. There was a path through much of it but that path didn't seem to go all the way to our loop. There was obviously boat noise at times but you're at the lake. In fact, several sites allowed for boat tie ups right at your site so you could have both your camper / tent and boat at the same site. There is a launch area at the marina also. The lake swimming area also had a snack bar and bathhouse. We plan on going again next summer and explore more. I will include pics and videos of campsites. Water sites are in Senoia and The Point. The Valley, Meadow, Bay, and Ridge loops are not near the water but there's plenty of parking in day use areas which were not full that weekend.
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Product Review:
As a Ranger for the Dyrt, I get to test products. At this campground I tested the GrubStick. I was excited to try it out as I wanted to cook over an open fire. First off, the kit comes with two handles, 2 baskets, 2 double prong sticks, a hot pat and finger hot pad to use to open the baskets. It is very sturdy and well made. You're getting a well made product! We first tried a Caprese Sandwich. We use the circle basket and handle combo to heat and melt the tomato, mozzarella, and Pesto. Then we put that on a ciabatta roll. I love these sandwiches. It was delicious and quick. I was happy. Later I used the square basket for S'mores. I put the graham cracker, marshmallow, and chocolate together in the basket and held it over our fire. It burnt the graham cracker, melted the chocolate into a mess but tasted good. I think using the long marshmallow stick for them and then putting the smore together would be less messy. The next morning we made breakfast sandwiches of hash brown patties, sausage, and egg whites with cheese. We had to cut some of it smaller to fit into the GrubStick basket. It heated well and was delicious but we could've done the same in our microwave in the RV or in foil over the fire. My husband said he felt it was a fun tool but if pressed for space or weight on a backpacking trip, he wouldn't take it. I think kids would have fun with it. I recommend it for a meal or snack but probably not for every meal. Though I admit clean up wasn't that bad. If considering it, go for it! You'll have fun with it.
This park is in Potter County in the PA Wilds. The campsites are flat, some in full shade and others out in the open. Electric sites are available with water access to fill tanks but no water hookups. The bath houses are well maintained with newer renovations, tiled floors, shelves over the sinks, large stainless steel utility sinks for dish washing. Firewood is available 24 hours on the honor system for $6 per bundle. The campground hosts are right next to the ranger station in case the ranger isn't in.
There is a lot to do in the park; hiking, fishing, swimming in Kettle Creek, horseshoes, swings and playsets, and several charcoal grills and picnic tables for day use. This is a great location if you want to explore the area, Ole Bull is less than 20 minutes away from Cherry Springs Dark Sky preserve. It is an hour and 30 minutes from Kinzua Bridge State Park, The PA Grand Canyon is near by, and the Town of Wellsboro. Its also near Route 6 Scenic Highway.
If you are first timer and going in for Friday - Sunday weekend camp trip….know this campground will be packed. We tried to rent kettle bikes for the kids twice during our stay and none where available both times. We also had people walking thru out campsite all weekend and the common areas had trash laying around. This campground needs some TLC. Was our first time and we most likely will not be back.
The place was nice, with nice spots and nice hot showers but overall, there wasn’t much to bring me back. There’s a little lake there, and a stream and some trails but in general it’s all pretty uninspiring. If you’re looking for a place to get away from everything it’s fine but, if you’re looking for adventure or proximity to impressive nature and geography, keep moving.
We stayed at one of two walk-in sites at Greenwood. The highlights were a spacious camp site, nice bathrooms, little light pollution (we saw the Milky Way!) and hearing screech owls at night.
A couple of really nice things about this campground: You can buy ice ($2), bundles of wood (15 pc @ $5) and as long as you don't need change, it's self serve. The shower house is nice, nothing too fancy but clean. There's also a toilet-only bathroom closer to the walk-ins with a mirror and a baby changing table. It was VERY clean and heated, which was glorious considering it was quite chilly at night. There's also drinking water spigots in several locations which is a big plus and not something you see a lot in most state parks.
The walk-ins are not very far from the little parking lot, so it was easy to carry our gear down to the site. The site itself was HUGE in comparison to the other sites. Also close to a nice little stream.
There were a few big puddles from this summer's torrential rains but surprisingly no mosquitoes to speak of. The only con about this campsite was that it's down the hill from PA 305. It was fine during the night, but traffic started to pick up at daylight. Maybe it would not bother everyone, but it was annoying to be reminded you're right next to the road all day.
We are extremely pleased with the campground. We decided to stay here based on it's close proximity to Bucknell University. The staff is friendly, clientele is calm. Lots of well maintained seasonal sites. All the kids flock to the playground. A nice feature is the petting zoo. We will definitely return!
There are a couple things that we love in life, and right at the top of that list is peace and quiet in the great outdoors. The wilds of Penns Woods or the area better known as the state of Pennsylvania offers great opportunities for the camping and outdoor enthusiast alike.
This past week we took the time to mix some business with pleasure and ended up at Hemlock Acres Campground located just a short distance from State College of Pa. You would never know that this little piece of heaven on earth is so close to one of the biggest college sports phenoms in the nation(the Penn State Nittany Lions). As you drive up the mountain and into this outdoor haven, the peace and serenity of mother nature kicks in and your troubles seem to get left behind.
Our hosts, Rudy and Ann Schock, who just happen to be clients of ours welcomed us to their property to get a feel for what camping at Hemlock Acres is like. Keep in mind that Hemlock is filled with mostly seasonal campers that return year in and year out for not only the hospitality offered here, but also the atmosphere and amenities the Schock's have to offer. They park their RV's and travel trailers on the close to 150 acre complex to forget about life for a while.
If your not a regular however, this campground offers a number of transient sites both back in and pull through along with a number of rental cabins that sleep anywhere from two to eight people. Some are rustic and some have bathrooms but all are well equipped for your stay. Two bath houses and a game room and playground with pool are onsite to keep you comfortable while there.
We've stayed at a lot of different facilities over the years and we loved the cabins at Hemlock. They were in great condition, were well equipped and the best part, were bright and clean inside.
Tent sites for individuals and groups are also available here. Nestled under the Hemlocks on the very back of the property, this area offers picnic tables and fire rings and a peaceful nights sleep.(no traffic noise to worry about here) and lots of area to explore.
To top it all off, an in ground pool and play area lie near the entrance to the campground and are centrally located for all guests to enjoy.
Beautiful views, clean campground, friendly people. Ice cream, arcade, restaurant and camp store all walking distance away.
Since I am from near the area, I camp here a lot, and I will say that it is a great campground. The sites are spacious and well taken care of, and if you camp on the upper loop, there is a lot of separation between sites, which is nice. The bathrooms are average, not the best I've seen, and certainly not the worst. The sites aren't all level, so If it rains, certain sites become ponds. Other than this, though, it is an awesome campground, and I highly recommend it!
Tail end of our vacation came with a camping trip! We went to riverside and the weather was perfect! The bands were great both nights. We all took the kayaks out on the Susquehanna River that runs behind the property for a sunny paddle. Came back and went to a wine fest, in the park that is right next to the campground, bought some root beer moonshine (which is AMAZING) then ended the night with hamburgers music and a friendly (competitive) game of corn hole. Riverside is such a great place for a short weekend away.
Our first time at Dogwood Acres Campground. Was pleasantly surprised as this was just a weekend trip at the end of June to start the season. When booking the dates earlier in the year, I spoke to a woman in the office who was even willing to drive to a few sites and text me photos since we hadn’t been there before making our final selection. Went the extra mile to ensure we would be happy.
Was impressed upon driving into the place. Looked clean and tidy. Good signage. Flat all gravel sites. Clean pool. Pavilion was a nice meeting place. Big pond was pretty. Friendly staff.
Campground was a mix of seasonal and weekenders. Lots of trees. Some made pulling in/backing in a bit challenging.
I’m recommending this campground to our friends to come back together as a group.
I was expecting a much nicer camping experience based on the reviews and price. We camped out on Poplar. Our site had a gravel pad. But the surrounding area was not level and you had to climb up a 2-3’ incline to get to the fire pit area. Gets very slick because it doesn’t dry out. Sites across the way were on the water. They had cement pads only as wide as your rv/tt but then the surrounding grass dropped off sharply. Very dangerous as you barely had enough room to walk around your unit.
We explored the “red carpet” row up on the hill. What a joke. Gravel pads skinnier in some instances then a TT is wide. One wrong step and you’d fall into the woods. Grass and weeds galore in the gravel areas. Sites barely large (long) enough and all back in’s up there. Trees had low branches which isn’t good for rigs. Not many people up in this area and I can see why.
The beach area really needed combing or raking once in a while. There was a water leak coming out of the road and a tree branch barely hanging on about to fall that staff just drove by like its normal.
When we checked in, there wasn’t much explained to us. This is a huge property and would have thought they’d want to give campers more direction about where things are etc. We went to the store to sign up for pump out service. ($10). I asked the girl a question because I hadn’t done that type of service prior and she doesn’t answer with information, just tells me to read the ticket. …..which didn’t have the answer. Felt like staff wasn’t overly friendly and didn’t want to take the time. So many good camp staff experiences to compare to from other campgrounds so this really stood out.
Water was nice. Rented a kayak. Spent some time on the beach. Boats zoomed back and forth but the noise wasn’t too bad. Jet skis could be a bit loud at times.
Also, almost forgot….we lost power twice. Once a meter overheated and melted. Took a few hours to get that replaced. The other time two workers walked along the tree line behind the campsites and hit the main to our area so they could fix an electrical issue up the row. No warning. No communication. Campers were to ones telling each other what was going on. Another example of staff just feeling very punching a clock.
We stayed at site 8 which is creekside. It was a large, beautiful site and the sound of the burbling water lulled us to sleep every night. The bathrooms and showers are very clean and modern (tiled, not concrete block for a change). The only downside to the area is the quantity of timber rattle snakes that we encountered, one at our site and one in the woods nearby. Something to keep in mind if you have pets or small children.
What I like the best about exploring different State Parks is the hunt to find the pearl… that one thing that makes each park stand out from all the other parks I have visited. This pearl hunt is a completely individualistic process. For example the beautiful stream (Honey Creek) running through it might be the pearl for a fisherman ( It has native and stocked trout). Or the playground might be the pearl for a mom or dad. For me, the pearl is a super clean, eco-shower. Yep that’s right, the shower! Timed water, lights (solar?)etc. are spot on for me! A shower? That doesn’t seem very exciting, you might say…let me explain; My De-stress thing to do after a hard week at work is to go and have Dinner at the park. I first take a nice warm shower and let all the stress of the day go down that drain. Then I go find a deserted section and a picnic table and just sit down. Immediately I can feel every bit is stress or anxiety dissipate. My ears are filled with the sounds of crickets, birds and other insects. This is my meditation music. There are three pavilions and tables everywhere in the park. In this atmosphere, I chew slower, taste more and I swear, food tastes better out of doors…. better than any restaurant… try it sometime! Other favorite things about Reeds Gap - pet friendly … it is tents only, but I like that about it too… I like the rustic setting. There are 3 beautiful pavilions and tons of parking! I also like their waste management as they offer recycling for the campers. 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. I have just shared what makes Reeds Gap special for me, but you will have to come explore this gem for yourself and find your own pearl and what makes this state park one of Pennsylvania’s treasures.
As far as camping goes, the loop area is a bit cramped for my taste, but if that doesn't bother you it's fine. Clean bathhouse and convenient outdoor sink for washing up after dinner. Overall one of the best PA parks and well maintained.
I really have to address some of these other reviews, though:
"Water was thick with weeds& lilies but ok nonetheless." Wow! Pitcher plants, sundews and water lilies are not "weeds." They are unique to bog environments and don't grow in other places. The vegetation in the lake is what makes Black Mo black, so picturesque and unlike other PA parks!
"The overall area has nothing to do. And I mean NOTHING. We drove 45 minutes to Altoona to see the famous Horseshoe Curve but there’s literally nothing else around for miles and miles. Not even an ice cream stand, or not one we could find. And, since there’s no cell service, we couldn’t figure out any options either." Like many state parks in this part of the world there is no cell service, so you need to bring a real map (Purple Lizard) and look a few things up on the internet ahead of time. Black Mo is literally ten minutes from Philipsburg where there is surely an ice cream stand, 25 minutes from State College, which has tons of touristy offerings…I could go on but really this is laughable.