Best Tent Camping near Crooked Creek Lake
Tent camping options around Crooked Creek Lake, Pennsylvania range from free primitive sites to more developed campgrounds with basic amenities. Mountain View Camps offers tent sites with drinking water, electric hookups, and fires allowed, while Dravo's Landing provides free walk-in tent camping with picnic tables along the Youghiogheny River. Several campgrounds in the region cater specifically to hikers and bikers using the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) trail system.
Most tent sites in this area feature fire rings and picnic tables, though amenities vary significantly between locations. Walk-in tent sites at Roundbottom and Dravo's Landing include vault toilets but may lack reliable drinking water. A camper noted, "The well for the campground stated that it was no longer potable," so bringing water or filtration equipment is advisable. Sites are typically first-come, first-served, with free campgrounds like Round Bottom having raised tent pads and Adirondack shelters. Train noise is common at riverside campgrounds, particularly those along the GAP Trail where trains pass throughout the night.
Tent campers frequently use these sites as bases for hiking, biking, and paddling adventures. The Danner Primitive Campground offers eight hike-in tent sites spread along the edge of the river, accessible only by foot or paddle with a 2-mile minimum hiking distance from the nearest trailhead. Based on reviews from The Dyrt, these sites feature "level and clear" tent pads "with new picnic tables and nice fire rings with adjustable grates." While some campgrounds feel remote, nearby cabin developments may be visible from certain sites. Access to the Youghiogheny River provides opportunities for swimming and paddling directly from several tent campgrounds, making them popular for multi-sport outdoor enthusiasts seeking water-based recreation combined with tent camping experiences.




