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Best Tent Camping near Claysville, PA

277 Reviews

The Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) Trail region near Claysville, Pennsylvania offers several tent-only camping options for hikers and cyclists. Round Bottom Camping Area at Slush Run, located at mile 99 of the GAP Trail (approximately 15 miles east of West Newton), provides free primitive tent camping with raised tent pads and Adirondack shelters. Dravo's Landing Campground, another walk-in tent site along the Youghiogheny River, features similar amenities and is accessible only by foot or bicycle. The GAP Trail Campground offers tent-specific sites with more developed facilities including showers and toilets, catering specifically to cyclists traversing the 150-mile trail between Pittsburgh and Cumberland.

Most tent campgrounds in the region require walk-in or hike-in access, making them ideal for backcountry tent camping experiences. Sites typically include basic amenities such as fire rings, picnic tables, and vault toilets, though potable water availability varies significantly between locations. Campers should plan to filter water from nearby streams or carry sufficient supplies, particularly at Round Bottom where the hand pump may produce discolored water. Seasonal considerations include potential flooding along the Youghiogheny River during spring runoff and train noise at night for sites near the rail lines. All tent-only sites operate on a first-come, first-served basis, with no reservations accepted at the free campgrounds.

Tent campers frequently note the peaceful atmosphere despite occasional train noise. According to reviews, "The river is very easy to access for a quick dip after a long day on the trail," making these sites popular with long-distance hikers and cyclists. One visitor reported that "there was plenty of room for everyone to pitch their tents and spend a relaxing night under the stars," highlighting the spacious nature of Dravo's Landing. Weekday visits typically offer greater solitude, with campsites "either sparsely filled or empty" during mid-week periods. Wildlife sightings are common, though campers should secure food properly as raccoons are active in the area. The grassy, level tent sites provide comfortable sleeping surfaces, particularly important for those carrying minimal padding on multi-day treks.

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Best Tent Sites Near Claysville, Pennsylvania (12)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Claysville, PA

10 Photos of 12 Claysville Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Claysville, PA

277 Reviews of 12 Claysville Campgrounds

  • Shannon G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 16, 2022

    Tomlinson Run State Park Campground

    Camping in the trees

    Electric 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.

  • Danielle S.
    Apr. 16, 2021

    Hidden Hollow Campground — Fernwood State Forest

    Can't beat free, but caveats abound.

    This 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.

  • Olivia M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 31, 2019

    Coopers Rock State Forest

    Beautiful Mountains

    We 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.

  • Aloma O.
    Sep. 5, 2022

    Tappan Lake Park Campground

    Needs accurate website for bookings

    Booked 2 sites online using website. Upon getting to our sites the numbers listed on the site posts did not match the numbers on the site map used for booking. Section 4. Seasonal campers verified the campground constantly changes site numbers around.. It is very misleading. Should not offer booking online or should make sure all online booking locations have the site numbers and pictures accurate. The site we had was NOT the one pictured on the map online. Very small, muddy, and could not even have a fire on it. Got lucky no one was across from us. We used that site to build a fire. Make sure you don't forget anything or need gas, not much around.

  • Danielle S.
    Apr. 16, 2019

    Coopers Rock State Forest

    Go all the way up the hill

    We 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.

  • Emily S.
    Jun. 1, 2017

    Hidden Hollow Campground — Fernwood State Forest

    Free!

    Spent 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.

  • K
    Jun. 25, 2021

    Jefferson Lake State Park Campground

    Quiet and Beautiful

    This smaller campground has a mix of equestrian sites and tent/RV sites. There are no showers, but the vault toilets were cleaned thoroughly ever morning. You need to be careful when booking, especially if you are trying to pitch a tent, as some sites are quite sloped. Our site was huge and right next to the water spigot.

  • Dave V.
    Aug. 1, 2020

    Round Bottom Camping Area at Slush Run

    Great Hike/Bike Camping Area on the Great Allegheny Passage Trail

    Round Bottom Camping Area at Slush Run is a free camping area directly on the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) Trail around Mile 99 (East of West Newton roughly 15 miles).  For those not familiar with the GAP Trail, it is a Rails-to-Trails initiative that travels from Pittsburgh, PA to Cumberland, MD…meandering through numerous Trail Towns that were former thriving railroad towns at the end of the 1800's.

    Round Bottom Camping Area at Slush Run can only be accessed by the GAP Trail, which means on foot or bicycle…or paddlers on the Youghioheny River. Being positioned directly off the GAP Trail grants easy access to those traveling the trail. 

    Amenities:

    • Raised Tent pads (4)
    • Vault Toilet
    • Adirondack Shelters (2)
    • Firepits
    • Picnic tables

    No potable water…there is hand pump but the water was discolored.  It is a short walk down a trail to the river's edge, where I filtered water for drinking.

    There is plenty of grassy area for scores of tents in this area.   So if you are not fortunate enough to secure one of the two Shelters or tent pads, you can still set up a tent in the nicely mowed areas, which are still level.

    We were bikepacking the GAP Trail east from Pittsburgh and arrived on a Sunday evening mid-June. We secured the only open Adirondack Shelter and were able to set up our tent inside, along with keeping our bicycles inside and out of the elements. Which made it wonderfully convenient when it started to rain. Sites and shelters are first come, first served.

    Usually the vault toilets along this trail are clean, maintained and stocked…but on this visit, piles of trash were inside likely from an overly busy weekend.

    The only negative was the train traffic on the opposite side of the River…it is loud when they rumble through. If you don't sleep with ear-plugs, you will wish you had.

    Bicycle traffic was fairly light during the week, so not only did you have the GAP Trail mostly to oneself, the camping areas were either sparsely filled or empty. Although, things just did start opening up from the Covid-19 shutdown.

    Apart from the train noise during sleeping hours, Round Bottom Camping Area is very peaceful and though you can still visually see the GAP Trail, you are not disturbed by passing cyclists.

  • Joni P.
    May. 28, 2024

    Benner's Meadow Run RV Campground

    Commercialized campground

    The entry is strange as we had to block the gated entrance to get to the office to check in.  Once past that,  the staff was nice and the buildings and properties are well maintained.  They have a new bath house which is personal bathroom style and very nice.  The sites are very close together with little privacy.  We stayed in site 435.  The site was sloped pretty bad side to side and there is a drop off on the one side of the fire ring so we could not sit completely around the fire.  We did not take part in the planned events they had set up but did use the pool which was nice.  The star gazing platform leaves a lot to be desired and is in need of repair.  Roads are all gravel so no bikes or scooters for kids.

Guide to Claysville

Tent camping near Claysville, Pennsylvania often takes advantage of the region's connection to the Great Allegheny Passage Trail. The area sits within the Allegheny Mountain section of the Appalachian Plateau, typically experiencing significant rainfall year-round with summer temperatures averaging 70-85°F. Winter camping requires preparation for temperatures that can drop below freezing from November through March, with snowfall common in higher elevations.

What to do

River access for cooling off: At Roundbottom Hiker-Biker Campground, campers can easily reach the Youghiogheny River. According to Shari G., "The river is very easy to access for a quick dip after a long day on the trail."

Sunrise viewing: Wake up early at Rhododendron Camping Area to catch the sunrise. Emily M. recommends, "Wake up early and watch the sunrise at the overlook I'm telling ya!" The overlook is within walking distance of all campsites.

Ghost story opportunities: The historical elements near Dravo's Landing Campground provide material for evening entertainment. Lauren C. notes, "It's close to an old cemetery which is useful in telling ghosts stories around the campfire."

What campers like

Spacious tent setups: Campers appreciate the generous space at most tent sites in the region. "There is plenty of grassy area for scores of tents in this area. So if you are not fortunate enough to secure one of the two Shelters or tent pads, you can still set up a tent in the nicely mowed areas, which are still level," reports Dave V. about Round Bottom Camping Area.

Clean facilities: The maintenance of bathroom facilities varies by location, but several campgrounds maintain very clean restrooms. Sienna L. reports that at Rhododendron Camping Area, "The facilities are always clean- no shower available."

Wildlife encounters: Local campers frequently mention wildlife sightings. At Dravo's Landing Campground, Sarah Q. advises, "Just be sure to secure your food overnight - if you don't, the raccoons will make quick work of it!"

What you should know

Water sources vary: Many tent camping locations have inconsistent water access. At Round Bottom, Dave V. cautions, "No potable water…there is hand pump but the water was discolored. It is a short walk down a trail to the river's edge, where I filtered water for drinking."

Train noise considerations: Railroad tracks run parallel to many camping areas, affecting nighttime quiet. Shari G. warns, "One thing to consider with these campgrounds next to the trail is the number of trains that pass by in the night. It's not the train horn but the number of turns in the track and the squealing breaks that keep you up."

Campsite availability patterns: Weekdays offer better chances for securing campsites. As Dave V. notes, "Bicycle traffic was fairly light during the week, so not only did you have the GAP Trail mostly to oneself, the camping areas were either sparsely filled or empty."

Tips for camping with families

Bathroom lights: Check bathroom lighting if camping with children. Emily M. shares about Rhododendron Camping Area: "The camp bathroom light didn't work while we were visiting so it got a littttttle creepy after sunset."

Comfort upgrades: Some locations offer surprising amenities that make family camping more comfortable. Shari G. describes The GAP Trail Campground as "More like a Spa than a Campground! Imagine if a luxury AirBnB and a Hobbit Camp had a baby – this place would be it."

Shelter options: Families might benefit from lean-to structures when available. Dave V. explains, "We secured the only open Adirondack Shelter and were able to set up our tent inside, along with keeping our bicycles inside and out of the elements. Which made it wonderfully convenient when it started to rain."

Tips from RVers

Limited amenities: Traditional RV hookups are scarce in the immediate Claysville area. Most RVers use Indian Creek Camplands which Christopher M. describes as "Good spot, just beyond owners side yard. Not the most level areas but good clean and quiet campsites."

Site leveling: RVers should bring leveling blocks as many regional sites have uneven terrain. Christopher M. notes the importance of being prepared for "Not the most level areas" when setting up at area campgrounds.

Town access planning: Access to supplies requires advance planning. As Shari G. mentions, "Town is a short walk away, with a few restaurants and other options for necessities as well," but this varies significantly between camping locations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Claysville, PA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Claysville, PA is Laurel Highlands Hemp Cannabis Farm with a 5-star rating from 1 review.

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