Best Campgrounds near Dawson, PA

Terrible experience. Had to check in late at night due to construction and traffic. Pulled in the park around 11:00 p.m., the park is pitch black barely light in sight. Signs for the road and directions are very confusing. The campground is a mud hole, they desperately need to get some more crushed rock in there. The site they gave us would have been impossible to back into? So I pulled in straight because I had no other choice, so ended up mudding the lawn up a little bit. Proceed to hook up to 50 amp which is not working? Just 30 amp also not working, 120 also not working. Plugged into another campsite only thing working on that pole was the 120. Sent an email, and as of now several days later still haven't heard anything. Called the office in the morning, girls on the phone sound very young and inexperienced. She sent somebody down around 10:00 a.m. . Susan asked if we

could hang around untill around 2:00 and there would be somebody there. We stayed until 3:00, after patiently waiting, nobody showed up. We returned to the campground right before 7:00 , the office was closing. Nobody had still been two or site to fix our problem. I went to the office, and it was locked. The girl open the door, and as I was explaining the problem to her I noticed Susan's on the phone. She tells me someone is on their way right now. I truly have a feeling she never contacted anybody. By 9:30 nobody had still showed up, at the point when we went to bed nobody ever came? On our way leaving the campground the next day we ended up on a road that we weren't able to get through, and had to turn around with a 41 ft fifth wheel, that only took about 20 times back and forth to maneuver around all the trees. Come to find out a couple of gentlemen that we're helping us our maintenance at the campground. They told me they never received a call from Susan??. I told them we had no electricity for the two days we were there. At that point when we were leaving he went over and checked the pole and he said it was working?? I assure you the night we pulled in nothing was working. Obviously I never checked back the next day to see if it was working, as I was waiting for someone to come and evaluate the problem. I would park my camper just about anywhere, except for this campground.

The campground is entirely in a flood zone. It gets so deep the locals cars have floated away. The weather was forecasted to rain for several days. Our camp area ended up in at least 6inches of rushing creek water (we moved when it was ankle deep). The owner relocated us to a concrete slab next to his house so we were safe and dry. We never should have been allowed to set up camp where we were initially. And it was a giant pain to break down camping stuff to relocate. That being said, the owner was nice. And I’m sure in good weather, this is an amazing spot to camp.

I came up for an event at the farm show grounds(yes the event you’re thinking of). I made a reservation and paid in full the day after it was announced 6 days beforehand. I got a call the day before Friday stating that I wasn’t able to check in until 1PM and the latest was 8PM. I asked if I could park there before the event and deal with it later. The owner reluctantly agreed, however said that my vehicle would be towed if I came after 8. He also stated that I couldn’t check in early or wait a little. Gates closed at 1; and was over at 8 and couldn’t leave the parking lot until 10. Needless to say I just drove home 3 hours instead. Mind you the“campground” is a quarter mile from the farm show grounds. I honestly just wanted somewhere to rest my eyes for a couple of hours in my car before I left early on the morning. I understand that places like this have policies, however this was probably the largest congregation of people Butler and the Farm Show has ever hosted. There was 10s of thousands of people in town and as a bonus the rounds were closed to due construction. If you lean even a little right, caveat emptor. The guy knew exactly what was doing. This will be the most expensive$35 this guy ever stole.

When you pull into Beaver Creek Family Campground you pretty much have two choices: either you go left into multiple Pine tree sites or right into two cabins and more RV friendly open sites.  A few of the RV sites have electric, but no water for their tanks.  I suggest the pine sites for any tent or hammock campers.  I stayed in one of the first set of 3 pine sites numbered 43, 44, and 45.  There is some brush and cover between these sites, but each has a pull in parking pad.  If 45 was occupied with a RV, 44 would not be as nice as it was.  Backing into 44 and 45 would be tricky as well.  To be fair any larger RV that came in better know how to get through tight quarters.

The back area of each of those 3 sites looked best to get even ground for a tent.  My buddy hung his hammock between the tree to the left of the picnic bench and to a tree back and left in the picture of site 44.  Site was fairly clean, but be sure to move the pine tree duff away from the fire pits to be safe. 

Probably the nicest pit toilets I have experienced and while we didn't use, it the sun shower building would give anyone privacy if they had packed a portable shower.  Lots of trails to choose from and the pioneer village in the state park gives you many options to spend the day.  Had some luck fishing at the Canoe/Kayak area in the South East area of the park close to the Group Camp Sites.