Camping spots near Hummelstown, Pennsylvania offer diverse experiences from basic primitive sites to comprehensive resorts with Hershey attractions nearby. The area sits in the Susquehanna River Valley at elevations ranging from 361-690 feet, creating varied camping terrain with rolling hills and river access. Most campsites in the region have gravel pads, though tent campers should prepare for sites that aren't always perfectly level.
What to do
Water recreation along Swatara Creek: Jonestown/Hershey KOA provides excellent creek access for water activities. "The Swatara creek runs right next to it so it is great for kayaking, tubing, etc. Highly recommend," notes one visitor. The campground also connects to the Swatara Rail trail, perfect for biking enthusiasts.
Fishing opportunities: Gifford Pinchot State Park Campground offers excellent fishing access with multiple shore locations. "Great time camping. We took our 3 yo camping for the first time here. He had so much fun. It was clean campground located in a State Park. Easy walk to the lake with a small beach. There was also a beach location on the state park side vs campground side of the lake," shares one reviewer.
Private river camping: For a completely different experience, River Rock Recreation offers exclusive riverfront camping. "This is a single campsite that you rent, no other campers on site unless you are bringing them with you! You can camp with up to 10 people and there is certainly plenty of room for everyone to spread out," notes a visitor who enjoyed the privacy.
What campers like
Spacious sites at certain campgrounds: Elizabethtown-Hershey KOA receives praise for its site layout. "Site Details: I forget our site#, but we were in the wooded area farthest from the central hub. Our site was level, shaded and quite large. Almost every site in this section was similarly large and wooded, with an impressive amount of space between sites for a KOA."
Clean facilities: Pinch Pond Family Campground consistently earns praise for maintenance. "Clean bathrooms and showers. The sites were of ample size and well spaced," notes one visitor. Another adds, "The office and grounds keeping staff were super friendly and helpful."
Swimming options: Thousand Trails PA Dutch Country provides swimming facilities that families appreciate. "The Campground itself has tons of amenities from a pool, kids and adult lounges, basketball court, mini golf, ice cream in the store, a store and hiking trails," reports one camper, though they note sites can be uneven.
What you should know
Train noise affects several campgrounds: Many campgrounds in the area have train lines nearby. At Hersheypark Camping Resort, "Nice camp ground but super loud bc of the trains. Bath houses are nice and clean. I would suggest making sure you aren't close to the tracks bc the trains run all night long!"
Shooting ranges near some campgrounds: Pinch Pond Family Campground & RV Park is located near a shooting range. "This campground has nice large sites, shade and sunny, full hookups, clean pool, playground, super clean laundry room and bathrooms. The only thing that is negative is that there is a shooting range right next door. It is pretty consistent from lunch to dinner."
Campsite leveling challenges: Many campsites in the region require leveling equipment. At Thousand Trails PA Dutch Country, "Unlevel is an understatement we were in E row and every camper there had front end 4 foot off the ground. Many other sites were the same."
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly arcade options: Pinch Pond provides arcade games with a reward system children enjoy. "Their game room has tickets. This is the one and only campground we have ever visited that gave tickets for playing games and my kids LOVED IT! It was like camping and going to chuckie cheese at the same time."
Tent sites with amenities: At Elizabethtown-Hershey KOA, "They have upgraded the tent sites since last year, no more primitive sites, all the tent sites are now mulch pad with water and electric. Bathrooms are very clean and modern, but a decent walk from tent sites."
Lake access for children: Hersheypark Camping Resort offers water features alongside their pool. "We camped right up against the lazy River, the campground was pretty open because it was a weekday. It had really nice bathrooms and showers."
Tips from RVers
Site selection for privacy: At Elizabethtown-Hershey KOA, RVers recommend selecting sites carefully. "If you're looking for trees and privacy, stick to the sites at the bottom of the hill(top of the CG map). The sites closer to the entrance of the park near all the amenities were definitely packed in tightly."
Length restrictions: Some campgrounds restrict access based on RV length. At Thousand Trails PA Dutch Country, "Depending on your rig size you're only available certain sites. They won't give you a 50 amp site unless your 50 amp or 40', they save them for larger campers."
Advance arrival recommended: At Thousand Trails properties, timing affects site selection. "The first thing to know is that Thousand Trails sites are a first come, first serve. Meaning you have to arrive early in order to get the best spots. They don't reserve sites for you. For everyone complaining about driving around and not finding spots, if you get there early enough around 1 pm, you won't have a problem."
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