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Campgrounds near Craley, Pennsylvania span from wooded state parks to riverfront sites along the Susquehanna. The area includes established campgrounds like Pequea Creek Campground with its peaceful riverside setting and Gifford Pinchot State Park Campground, offering diverse accommodation options including tent sites, RV hookups, cabins, and yurts. Several locations operate seasonally, typically from April through October or November, with Gifford Pinchot open from the second Friday in April until October 31 and Otter Creek Campground available from April 1 to October 31.
Most campgrounds in the region require reservations, especially during summer weekends and holidays. "Beautiful picturesque campground with large spots and a lot of trees. Very quiet and close enough to Lancaster for shopping," noted one visitor about Pequea Creek Campground. Terrain varies considerably, with some campgrounds situated on hilly land that can present challenges during wet weather. Flash flooding can affect campsites near creeks and rivers, particularly in spring and after heavy storms. Cell service remains reliable near most established campgrounds, though coverage may become spotty in more remote areas. While many campgrounds offer full hookups with electric, water, and sewer connections, primitive tent sites with fewer amenities are also available at lower rates.
Waterfront camping receives consistently high ratings from visitors, with sites along the Susquehanna River and smaller waterways like Pequea Creek providing popular fishing and paddling opportunities. Several visitors mentioned proximity to local attractions as a significant benefit, including Hershey Park (approximately 30 minutes from some campgrounds), Lancaster's Amish country, and various covered bridges. Campers report mixed experiences with bathhouse facilities across different properties, with state parks generally maintaining cleaner facilities than some private campgrounds. The camping season peaks from Memorial Day through Labor Day, when many campgrounds offer organized activities like music bingo, as mentioned in reviews. Noise levels vary significantly, with sites near highways or train tracks (particularly near Hershey) experiencing considerable disruption compared to the more secluded state park locations.
"Close to Lancaster for necessities and great proximity to Baltimore and Philadelphia for day trips."
"I used to stay here all the time with my grandparents when they were around. It was always some of the best times for me."
"Covered bridges and road side shopping are close by. Enjoyed river tubing which is close by to this campground. Music bingo on Saturday night was so much fun. Owners are very nice and helpful."
"The wife & I stayed in site 22 for three nights and bicycled 14 miles, some along the Susquehanna, on nearby Enola Low Grade Trail . "
"We have a small camper and there are some great sites on the lake side to park it where you can get AMAZING sunset views. "
"We had site 108 which is an electric site along the shore and close to the beach, and it was perfect for our needs. "
from $20 - $89 / night
Check Availability"Just down the road about a mile or so was the Indian Steps Museum which is owned by York Conservation Society."
"Its close proximity to the Susquehanna River, Otter Creek, and the Mason Dixon Trail is absolutely ideal! Sites are spacious and nice! Restrooms clean!"
"Highly recommend staying here with lots of close hiking trails within driving distance."
"There was a lot of space so walking our dogs was great. The smaller bathroom stalls are pretty small but got the job done. Playground and pool were both nice and clean. Wonderful place for a family."
"There was a bathhouse and dish sink nearby, as well as the entrance to a nice little nature trail a few sites down. "
"Large and easy to enter/exit sites. Wifi was pretty good. (It helped that the antenna was right beside our site!) Cable TV, too! Everyone we talked to was nice and friendly."
from $45 - $279 / night
Check Availability"Tent sites are lined up along the water which is great for fishing (especially when you need to stay close to the littles sleeping in the tent). Lots of benches lined up along the water."
"Not to noisy being next to a theme park. The bath house was just remodeled so it's excellent! Good price!"
"The trails from Campground are ok for a short walk, not much of a lake view but mostly shaded trail. The pool is conveniently located maybe even walking distance for some. "
"Older State Park just outside of Hanover, PA. Used it as a home base to explore Gettysburg and the surrounding area."
from $20 - $195 / night
Check Availability"The large lake is great for a day of kayaking and fishing with supplies readily available for rent at the boat dock store."
"The observatory is open to public once a month, we recommend you plan your trip around this."
"It was a VERY dark walk to get to the bathhouse for showers. And the fire pit had no grill, so we ended up having to use the stoves of some RV camping friends for meals."
"Large campground with some good trails. Will definitely return!"
ScoutThe campground is in excellent condition. The facilities are top notch. The excellence and care of the campground is evident. The 4 stars is only due to the road noise and many of the sites are on top of each other. You feel like your neighbor is at your camp fire.
ScoutThe area is very nice and so are the people. The sites are clean and the livestock are a cool sight to see
RangerWe stayed at Redemption Springs to get relatively close to Baltimore without bringing our 30ft travel trailer into the city. Seth and the other gentlemen I spoke with were all extremely accommodating. Enjoyed learning about their approach to restorative farming and purchasing a variety of treats at the farm store. Beef, pork, chicken, seasonings, baked goods, and more. We booked on Hipcamp and recommend following his driving instructions. Our rig fit fine by tuhe main barn and they kept an eye on us going in and out to make sure we didn't have issues making any of the turns. Lots of farm life!
TravelerThere was no hot water in the showers. There are no dog poo stations. There is a dumpster marked “STAFF ONLY”. It’s nice they have a place to stuff the staff!
TravelerOMG! Next to busy interstate, railroad tracks and shooting range. Way to much for me!
TravelerThis campground is a great place to bring kids. The spots are a little tight but we were able to get our 46’ toy hauler in the spot with very little effort. Because the sites are back-in, we can’t use our rear patio but that is ok. The pool is very nice and the farm atmosphere makes it very fun for kids.
GuideMary & her crew run a great campground. Full hookup. Slow schedule during the week-camp store & pool mainly. Saturdays always have activities planned from bingo to quarter auctions, picnics & music. Each Saturday is different. Clean grounds. Nice playgrounds. Kiddie pool & nice size pool from 3-5’ deep. 2 cabins also available.
TravelerThe owner is kind and knowledgeable a lot of live in / snowbirds . Some are very kind but some of the live in’s are crude .
TravelerThe sites ard nice, it's run by Mennonites, I believe. Lots of recreation for kids, quiet time respected and a service on Sunday morning. Full hookups for a very reasonable price.
Camping near Craley, Pennsylvania encompasses sites along the Susquehanna River with elevations ranging from 300 to 600 feet above sea level. The area experiences four distinct seasons with summer temperatures averaging 85°F and winters often dropping below freezing. Most campgrounds operate from April through October with several offering extended weekend camping opportunities during early spring and late fall.
Hiking the Mason Dixon Trail: Access trailheads near Otter Creek Campground which connects to scenic river views and wooded paths. "Beautiful hiking in the area, which was the reason we went out there in the first place!" noted one visitor who found the location ideal for trail access.
Water recreation on Pinchot Lake: The 340-acre lake at Gifford Pinchot State Park Campground offers fishing, boating, and lakeside relaxation. "We also did some hiking and jogged the Quaker Race Trail... it was a little confusing at times as it actually crossed the disc golf course in that area multiple times and it was not well blazed," shared one camper detailing trail conditions.
Disc golf courses: Multiple courses available within a 30-minute drive, including two 18-hole layouts at Gifford Pinchot. "Some of the groups can get rather loud especially when there are a bunch of teens," mentioned one reviewer about weekend crowds at certain courses.
Kayaking on Otter Creek: Launch directly from camping areas for paddling adventures on calm waters. "The boat launch is in great shape and with the close islands makes it great to put the kayaks in this huge gorgeous river! Then throw in Otter Creek... it's a great adventure paddling up the creek," explained a visitor describing water access points.
Spacious wooded sites: Tucquan Park Family Campground offers secluded camping areas set back from main areas. "The primitive sites are back in the woods which kept us nice and cool on hot July nights. The location also kept us fairly bug free," reported one camper about the natural insect protection provided by site placement.
Clean facilities: Bathhouses receive consistent maintenance at several campgrounds despite heavy weekend use. "Bath house is located at top of steep hill and bathrooms were not very clean. So if you don't have a camper to use, you might not like the bath house situation," cautioned one reviewer about specific location challenges.
Family-friendly activities: Regular scheduled events occur throughout camping season at most locations. "They had a lot of events that people participated in like candy bar and regular bingo, corn hole and horse shoe tournaments and a dj," noted a visitor highlighting organized recreation options at Tucquan Park.
Proximity to attractions: Old Mill Stream Campground provides direct access to area highlights. "Nice campground with a creek that runs along the backside of the campground! Even though the amusement park wasn't open yet, kids still had a good time!" shared a camper regarding off-season visits.
Weather impacts: Flash flooding affects riverside sites during heavy rain periods. "We first had a 2 point site near the river, but when it rains the sites get flooded with runoff from the campground," warned a visitor at Circle M RV & Camping Resort about specific drainage issues.
Seasonal availability: Most campgrounds close completely from November through March. "The grounds are well-kept, and aside from the 8pm Saturday night golf cart parade that was beyond loud, it's been really quiet and peaceful," noted one camper about specific weekend noise patterns.
Train noise: Railroad tracks near several campgrounds create periodic disruptions, particularly at sites closest to tracks. "It was nice that the pet area is separate from those of us who don't have pets or want quiet from dogs barking," mentioned a camper regarding noise management strategies.
Varied pricing: Rates range from $35-70 per night depending on hookups and season. "At 35/night during peak season for a primitive site it's a little above our usual budget. However we found it to be well worth it," explained a visitor regarding value considerations.
Playground access: Consider site proximity to play areas for convenience but potential noise. "There is a nice pavilion right aside of the playground which was only one road behind us. We could hear our son from our campsite," explained a parent about monitoring children from Pequea Creek Campground.
Swimming options: Pool availability varies widely between locations, with some requiring additional fees. "There is no swimming allowed in the lake but there is a pool located at the park, there is no extra cost to use the pool if you are at the campground," clarified a visitor about specific swimming policies.
WiFi considerations: Internet connectivity remains inconsistent across most properties. "The campground WiFi does not reach the primitive sites and I had 0 cell/GPS service on the entire premises (my carrier is AT&T)," noted one camper about specific connectivity challenges.
Holiday activities: Book well in advance for themed weekend events. "We spent Halloween weekend here. The kids loved it!! It gets very full on the weekends here," shared a parent about specialized holiday programming and resulting capacity issues.
Water hookup challenges: Bring extended hoses for some sites with distant connections. "Cons: Bring 50 ft of hose for water hook up and an extension cord with a converter. The water hook ups are randomly placed, ours was 2 sites away," advised an RVer at Muddy Run Rec Park.
Site selection strategy: Request specific site numbers after researching campground maps. "We got pretty lucky and were assigned one of the concrete pads that was pretty level," mentioned one RV owner about site quality variations.
Leveling requirements: Pack additional leveling blocks for sites on slopes or uneven terrain. "Sites were of ample size and well spaced. Sites were level," confirmed a camper about specific preparation needs.
Dump station timing: Plan for morning congestion at single-station facilities during busy checkout days. "There is a sanitary dump station available, but on busy weekends expect a line during peak checkout times," reported a seasonal camper about facility usage patterns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Craley, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Craley, PA is Thousand Trails Circle M with a 3.9-star rating from 19 reviews.
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