Best Tent Camping near Dallastown, PA

Tent camping options in the vicinity of Dallastown, Pennsylvania include several established campgrounds with tent-specific sites. Susquehannock State Park Campground offers walk-in tent sites with views of the Susquehanna River, while Mill Creek Camping Area in Lancaster provides a more accessible tent camping experience. Both locations maintain designated tent areas with basic amenities for primitive tent camping enthusiasts seeking outdoor experiences close to town.

Tent sites at these campgrounds typically feature natural settings with minimal improvements. Fire rings and picnic tables are standard at most locations, though amenities vary considerably between sites. Susquehannock State Park provides potable water access points and recently renovated bathhouses, while Mill Creek sites are positioned near a refreshing stream that helps keep the camping area cool during summer months. Most tent campgrounds in this region require reservations, with prices ranging from $15-25 per night. A camper shared that "the stream is refreshing and the site stays fairly cool. When it hits high temperatures a quick dip in the water is amazing."

The tent camping experience near Dallastown offers varied terrain and natural settings. Sites at Susquehannock feature scenic hiking trails leading down to Deer Creek and the Susquehanna River, providing tent campers with excellent day-hiking options directly from their campsites. Hibernia County Park, slightly farther away, offers primitive tent sites under tree cover for $15 per night with access to children's fishing ponds and multiple easy hiking trails. One recent review noted that "large campsites at the Lake Loop" provide "very clean and wooded sites" with "super peaceful" walking trails. Tent campers should be aware that some parks, particularly Mill Creek, experience regular hiker traffic through camping areas, which may affect privacy levels at certain sites.

Best Tent Sites Near Dallastown, Pennsylvania (16)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Dallastown, PA

9 Photos of 16 Dallastown Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Dallastown, PA

1058 Reviews of 16 Dallastown Campgrounds


  • Napunani
    Jun. 25, 2022

    French Creek State Park Campground

    Campsites Jammed Closely Together

    PROSĀ 

    Reserved 328 days prior to arriving

    $13.50 senior discountĀ 

    Immediately greeted by Loop C camp host who was extremely friendly and helpfulĀ 

    Site C3 parking pad level asphaltĀ 

    Metal frame wooden picnic table that was moveableĀ 

    One hook lantern poleĀ 

    Metal fire pit which was cleaned out upon our arrivalĀ 

    Some vegetation between sites provided a bit of privacy from neighbors sitesĀ 

    Park is 21 miles from Valley Forge National Historical Park. Catch National Park Service 90 minute trolley tour at the Visitor Center.Ā 

    Shady Maple Smorgasbord...authentic Pennsylvania Dutch cooking…largest buffet in the USA…16 miles from French Creek SPĀ 

    CONS

    $6.50 reservation fee for making my own on-line reservationĀ 

    Horrible signage along PA-345. Never saw very small sign when we where intensely searchingĀ 

    Such a large overall park, but camping loop sites are jammed together

    Pitiful low water pressure Ā in Loop C

    Site sewer connection is high; needs to be knocked down to ground levelĀ 

    Short length of site caused creative tow vehicle parkingĀ 

    Loop C women’s toilet/shower building a big nasty mess SaturdayĀ 

    Trash dumpsters are on the main road near the campground check-in station (not walkable)Ā 

    Noisy campground; 9pm quiet hour not enforced

    Lots of barking dogsĀ 

    No wood sales in parkĀ 

    No WiFiĀ 

    1 bar Verizon

  • Rick W.
    Aug. 15, 2022

    Colonel Denning State Park Campground

    Tent camping sites

    Walk in sites have picnic table and fire ring. Tent pads are level and smooth. Showers and restrooms are close to sites. Strongly recommend...

  • Nate & Erika L.
    Aug. 31, 2021

    Susquehanna State Park Campground

    Great State Park Camping

    We decided to stay a weekend at Susquehanna based on the reviews on the Dyrt and it’s closer proximity to home. We arrived and were greeted by super friendly rangers who gave us the lay of the land. We found the rangers to be very knowledgeable about the area and the wildlife, plants, and trees in the park. They had two display tables full of flora and fauna by the check-in station set up for kids and adults alike to glean some knowledge. On one night while we were there, there was a program run by the rangers where kids could learn about some common native and invasive species.

    We hiked the Green Trail, which had a sign saying it was ā€˜very difficult’, but we found it to be no problem for our crew of seven kids aged 3-10 and four adults. We only passed one other hiker. We saw some champion trees, lots of deer, and had some run ins with more than a few spotted lantern flies. One ranger told us they have nine champion trees in the park, we’d love to go back and hike to find the others.

    With only two loops, the sites were fairly spaced out with lots of trees between them. We had a spacious electric site for our pop up and camped with friends who had a nice level, secluded tent site. We hardly ever heard any neighbors and all was quiet at night. Each loop shares a bathhouse, and there are some portable toilets spaced around the loop, too. The facilities were cleaned every morning. They even have a large laundry utility sink in the bathhouse should you need it. The only downside we found was that showering at prime time (around 8 or 9 pm) led to very little hot water. A small price to pay for good camping and hiking!

  • Nick C.
    Jun. 19, 2022

    Owens Creek Campground — Catoctin Mountain Park

    Cozy and Clean - Lots of Firewood

    The sites are very clean but close to each Other. You can hear the kids and families and all that. The sites have a nice mulched tent pad, fire ring / grill grate, lantern pole and picnic table. There is a firewood hut at the entrance and you can take what you need - just leAve a donation. The bathrooms are very clean and there’s some trails around the creek (dry creek/ nothing impressive)

  • Craig F.
    Jul. 1, 2019

    Gifford Pinchot State Park Campground

    Fun Camping and Lake Activities

    We had a wonderful stay at Gifford Pinchot State Park!Ā 

    The camping area at GP is separated into A loop and B loops with approximately 300 sites. All sites had a paved pad, varying in size depending on the location, with tent site being smaller. Most sites have electric and there are 22 full hookup sites in the camping area. Both loops are peninsulas into the lake, which is convenient to launching boats directly from many sites. Loop A is closer to the designated swimming area with a sandy beach and playground. B loop is closer to many of the hiking trails and also several boat launch areas. It is nice that the camping area and amenities are separated from the public day use area. At the entrance to the camping area there are three dump stations.Ā 

    During our stay we were at a full hookup site which was very spacious and often hard to find in PA State Parks. Our site was#299 and for some reason the entire site was paved/blacktop, which was different than all the other sites where the pad was paved and the picnic table area was gravel/grass. While this site made it easy to level our camper, it became quite hot in the afternoon/evening after the sun had baked it all day.

    Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed GP and couldn’t believe we hadn’t visited before because it is a great state park. Wood is available for purchase at the campground hosts’ sites and ice at the park office. As with most PA state parks, quiet hours are at 9:00PM, which is a bit early, and there is no alcohol allowed in the park. We look forward to returning to GP in the future.

  • Roger W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 2, 2023

    Owens Creek Campground — Catoctin Mountain Park

    Peaceful w filtered sun

    Owens Creek Campground : (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good (70 yr olds in 17’ trailer) Overall Rating: 4.5 Price: $15/night w senior pass Usage during visit: very low including Fri night Site Privacy: understory trees, filter l e of site in many sites. Site Spacing: most very nicely spaced Site surface: blacktop Reservations: Yes Campground Noise: Very quiet Road Noise: Only a bit in first few campsites Through Traffic: no problem Electricity: No Water: Spigots at bathhouses Sewer: No Dump: No Generators: 6 AM to 10 PM Bathroom: Old but very clean.
    Showers: Yes. Double curtains Pull Throughs: Some Cell Service (Verizon): Very good Setting: A thick deciduous forest Weather: nice. Cooler because of shade Bugs: A few. Will probably increase as month moves on Solar: Too much shade for fixed solar panels Host: Yes Rig size: Not all sites will accommodate a 22’ trailing. Sites: Pictures are of some of the best sites. My favs: 14 nice woods view , (28 & 29 hear creek,)37. 45, 46

  • Jim N.
    Apr. 29, 2019

    Hibernia County Park

    Hidden gem

    A nice primitive campground - good for a quick trip away. The campground is a county run one that works on a first come first serve basis, which is fine if there are others close by. They are wooded sites and have 2 loops. There is no store, but there a places close to get supplies. The park is dry, no alcohol. No hook ups either. There is an old mansion that gives tours on weekends.

  • A
    Sep. 24, 2020

    Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area

    Nice Small Campsite Close to DC

    Nice small campsite in MD not too far from DC. One negative was that when it rains it really flushes through the grounds. We had a site on the lower end of the loop and our site was hard to set up as we arrived during a storm and it was very wet even after the rain died down. Another negative was after the storm for the next few days we heard trees falling nearby. Where we were hiking. 😬 The positives are as others have pointed out there is a huge park for kids- it’s not within walking distance for little kids but it’s a very short drive by the entrance to the park. There’s also another small park on the loop. The restrooms were central and well maintained. We found a small river and swimming hole at the bottom of the hill off to the side opposite the cabins/park. All sites had a picnic table and fire ring. Firewood available from camp host. Hiking poles would have been good for the trails when we had a kid in a pack on our back. Overall a nice close small campground.

  • Sean M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 22, 2020

    Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area

    Great Small Campground - Cool Cabinso

    This is a small gem of a state park campground, one of only two is the massive Patapsco Valley State Park. It’s a bit odd getting here through a suburban neighborhood, but the Hilton area is great. It seem like this area is, possibly unintentionally, geared toward children. There is a massive playground, nature play space, sensory trail, and a small nature center. There are a lot of easy, but beautiful hikes.

    The campground is on the smaller side. You get a fire pit and cooking crate, and a picnic table. The crushed stone at the sites isn’t comfortable for tents, and they won’t let you pitch it on the ground, so bring extra pads and alternative ways to secure the tent to the ground. There are helpful and friendly camp hosts always on duty. The bathhouse is nothing special, but it’s well maintained and clean. The best part of this campground are the neat mini cabins. Small one room cabins that have electricity and heat. They are a nice touch for those that want to camp, but not completely ā€œrough it.ā€ We found everything reasonably priced.

    Remember: no alcohol or firewood can be brought into the park. Firewood can only be purchased on site due to harmful insects. But the money goes toward the parks volunteer program.

    This is a very nice small campground that is great for kids!


Guide to Dallastown

Tent camping near Dallastown, Pennsylvania offers opportunities in Pennsylvania's woodland terrain, typically ranging from 400-700 feet in elevation. The camping season generally runs from April through October, with summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F during the day and cooling significantly at night. Local campgrounds feature varied terrain from riverside locations to forested settings with multiple trail access points.

What to do

Creek access activities: At Mill Creek Camping Area, campsites positioned along the water provide natural cooling and recreational options. "Campsite for where we stayed is down by the creek making for a cooler camping experience and love the sound of water flowing at night," notes camper Meagan J.

Fishing for families: Hibernia County Park maintains children's fishing ponds stocked specifically for young anglers under 12. "The children's pond is a short ways away for well stocked fishing," reports Anna, who visited with children ages 3-12.

Bird watching opportunities: Susquehannock State Park Campground offers excellent wildlife viewing, particularly for bird enthusiasts. "There's a great bike trail to the Conowingo dam which is a nice place to visit, and a great place to see lots of eagles," notes David G., who also mentioned "amazing wildflowers" along the trail.

Historical exploration: Take a short drive to the renovated mill at Susquehannock State Park. "There's a working, renovated mill and home at the river also," writes David G. about Susquehannock, adding details about specimen trees and other natural features along the trails.

What campers like

Secluded tent sites: Hibernia County Park tent sites feature wooded settings with ample tree cover. "Very clean and wooded sites. Walking/hiking trails and the lake were super peaceful," writes Chelsea about the Lake Loop.

Budget-friendly pricing: Most tent camping options near Dallastown maintain affordable rates. "Super great price at $15/night as well," notes Anna about Hibernia County Park, which offers basic amenities including picnic tables and fire rings with built-in grills.

Water proximity: Many campers appreciate streamside sites for natural cooling effects. Philip B. notes about Lancaster County Mill Creek Camping Area: "The stream is refreshing and the site stays fairly cool. When it hits the high temperatures a quick dip in the water is amazing."

Scenic overlooks: Multiple parks offer viewpoints overlooking water features. "It's look out over the Susquehanna River is fantastic and puts you up with the birds," writes Nick S. about Susquehannock State Park.

What you should know

Hiker traffic considerations: Public trails sometimes pass through or near camping areas. "The site is public access and there are lots of hikers, joggers, and people expecting you not to be camping. I was woke up every morning by people walking through the site," reports Philip B. about Lancaster County Mill Creek.

Primitive facilities: Most tent camping options near Dallastown offer basic amenities only. At Hibernia County Park, "you only get picnic table and fire ring. No hook ups," explains John Z.

Weekend-only availability: Some parks operate on limited schedules. Jennifer S. notes about Hibernia: "This campground is only open on the weekends, in season. Sites can be reserved online, by phone, or by 'first come, first served' self-registration."

Reservation requirements: Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area has strict check-in policies. "This was also the first time we have ever had to wait till exactly 3pm to check in. So if you arrive early expect to wait until 3," warns Gabrielle E.

Tips for camping with families

Playgrounds and activities: Lower Allen Community Park offers multiple recreation options. "Cute site in a local township park that not many people know about. There actually three total. You just need to call the township to reserve. The sites sit right along the Yellow Breeches creek so you can put in a few miles up and float down to your site," explains Joann.

Clean facilities: Family campers report well-maintained bathrooms at several locations. Anna notes about Hibernia County Park: "porta potties are very clean and don't smell and are lit with a street lamp."

Trail accessibility: Multiple parks feature family-friendly hiking options. "There's a huge playground, sensory trail and nature discovery center at the entrance to the park," writes Angel G. about Patapsco Valley State Park, though cautioning that "neither the hiking trails or playground are stroller friendly."

Site selection: When tent camping with children, consider locations with natural barriers. Alexandra T. suggests at Patapsco Valley: "We found a small river and swimming hole at the bottom of the hill off to the side opposite the cabins/park," providing both recreation and site definition.

Tips from RVers

Limited hookup options: RV camping near Dallastown generally means dry camping. Jennifer S. advises about Hibernia: "There are NO HOOKUPS, and water is not easy to come by if you are in an RV. If you are coming in an RV, you should come with a full water tank."

Site limitations: Most tent-focused campgrounds have limited RV accommodation. Jennifer S. notes specific sites at Hibernia that can handle larger rigs: "We mostly camp in a 28ft 5th wheel and though at first glance the sites don't look big enough to house an RV, there are a few sites that will, including #3, #17 & #18."

Dump station planning: Prepare for limited waste disposal options. "There is NO DUMP STATION. There are a few nearby campgrounds that will let you dump for a fee, otherwise, you'll have to look for a truck stop on the way home," advises Jennifer S. about Hibernia County Park.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Dallastown, PA is Susquehannock State Park Campground with a 4-star rating from 6 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Dallastown, PA?

TheDyrt.com has all 16 tent camping locations near Dallastown, PA, with real photos and reviews from campers.