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Crooked Run Campground at Prince Gallitzin State Park offers pet-friendly camping in designated loops, with clean facilities and proximity to a 26-mile shoreline lake. Several Pennsylvania state parks near Duncansville accommodate pets, including Blue Knob State Park, Canoe Creek State Park, and Shawnee State Park. Raystown Lake / Saxton KOA at Four Seasons features a dedicated dog park area that provides ample space for dogs to exercise off-leash. The dog park at Timber Run Campground is spacious enough for both large and small dogs with separate areas. Sites are typically equipped with fire rings and picnic tables, though pet owners should note that not all camping loops allow pets. The bathhouses remain consistently clean throughout the camping season, with many campers noting the well-maintained facilities.
Hiking trails around these campgrounds provide excellent opportunities for dog walking, with several parks offering lakeside paths ideal for pets who enjoy water. Trough Creek State Park Campground features boat-in access and walking trails suitable for leashed pets. Lake Raystown Resort allows pets at their cabins and tent sites, with the large lake providing swimming opportunities for water-loving dogs. Seven Points Campground offers 50 miles of single-track mountain biking trails that can be enjoyed with leashed dogs. Campers should be prepared for varying weather conditions, as temperatures at these woodland campgrounds can be 5-15 degrees cooler than surrounding areas. Wildlife encounters are common, so keeping pets leashed and supervised is essential for their safety and the protection of local fauna.
"This campground is perfect for people who are looking to get away from busy city life or just want to relax next to a lake."
"We stayed in one of the pet friendly loops of the park. We had a great time in our PUP....bathhouse was clean and well maintained."
from $20 - $57 / night
Check Availability"Ridge camp is the furthest away from the marina and the public swimming area. However it's the closest to the Allegrippis Trail system and from the entrance of the camp loop there is a trail head!"
"It’s close to bathhouse and playground if you want those. There is parking at every bath house. There is trash receptacles at the entrance to the loop as well as firewood or sale."
from $28 - $200 / night
Check Availability"it’s small, with shaded sites around the perimeter and two walk in sites just left of the entrance."
"The hiking here is really spectacular with lots of scenery, overlooks, and side trails that extend many miles out into state forest lands which are adjacent to the park."
from $20 - $108 / night
Check Availability"Both RV sites and lots to rent to pitch your own tent, fishing, huge lake with beach, lots of activities for the kids throughout the summer, one of the nicest parks we have camped at!"
"Fantastic lake side camping resort. Best for campers or using their cabins but it has freeway access to the lake and beautiful views."
"Adjacent huge cemetery site is accessible via a goat path at the back of the campground and provided a great place to walk our dog every day."
"The grounds are open to hunting and we were surprised by a bird hunter and his dog who was running around off leash, creating a little havoc for us while walking our two dogs on the trail."
"You can go to the beach, kayak, hike, or go outside the park to explore some caves or a bat church. We will continue to come here every year!"
from $70 - $75 / night
Check Availability"We had easy access to things around us but a quick walk along a path brought us to a beautiful spot by the creek. We set up camp right along the creek, as shown in our pictures."
from $25 - $50 / night
"The pavilion where all those activities happened were right next to our site (22 with the doggie den)."
"The staff here at Raystown Lake/Saxton KOA are great. They a friendly, willing to help anyway they can, and keep the place spotless."
from $100 / night
Check Availability"We camped at Suquehannock for the first time in August 2020 and had a fantastic time with our dog!"
"We ended up with spot 3, which was on a cliff’s edge. So, it looked like it may be near the water, but there was no way down, and the forest obscured any view that may have been there."
from $25 - $32 / night
Check Availability"We wanted to be close to Raystown Lake. Trough is quiet and small. It's really great if you're looking for a spot to "rough" it (not really, but closer than most!) with the kids. Awesome sites."
"Nice small park with gravel drives/roads and plenty of room for big rigs. All sites level with partial shade. Open, but with plently of space between sites. The trails are nice and very sceinic."
from $23 - $25 / night
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GuideOne of the best campgrounds I have stayed at so far the pond is nice and has a 1/2 mile walking path around it with trees and beaches to stop and sit dog park is big and has a place for small or large dogs there is 3 play grounds all different and all well kept
GuidePreface: if your main objective is activities for children, you have come to the right place. This place is loud and full of kids.
We booked a site but chose not to pay to select which one. All the pictures looked great! We ended up on a grassy hill in the back. The spot was so unlevel there were 19 inches between my bottom step and the ground. This site was the same price as level ones closer to activities.
Also bathrooms were outdated. They had older residential toilets that plugged constantly. The day we left 2 of the 3 in our nearest bathroom were out of order.
Aside from all the above, the Dog Park is awesome. It’s the size of a real, normal dog park. The ice cream on site is also a nice perk.
RangerThis is a small campground with about half the sites being rustic electric back-in sites and the other being rustic walk-to tent sites. We stayed in the walk-to section. A lot of them are labeled "waterfront" by the park site but ours did not live up to that criteria so be aware of that. We were hoping to be truly stream-side but were not that near to it. The bathrooms were modern and clean. The park is extremely quiet and peaceful, probably one of the most remote PA state parks we've been to. The camper side was pretty full while we were the only ones on the walk-to side. We enjoyed walking the roads and little trails around the campground and seeing the old stone fireplaces/chimneys. There was a dog park area on the walk-to side which was nice. We liked it here.
ScoutClean and well taken care of, pretty quiet. Would definitely stay here again but a few things to keep in mind.
For kids the play grounds are run down. Also no real “dog run”. All in all if your a couple wanting to go relax its great, but if you have pets and or younger kids there isn’t much on the grounds.
GuideIt has a pretty decent campground with nice spots. A great area for hiking and taking walks. Pet friendly. Only downfall is that the lake swimming area is closed
TravelerWe stayed during Bigfoot weekend. It was super fun as our family likes bigfoot fun. We started out Friday night getting the offered $12 bbq plate that included pork burnt ends, beans and potato salad that were "oh it's so good". On Saturday was rock painting and then bingo and ended the night with a DJ dance party. The pavilion where all those activities happened were right next to our site (22 with the doggie den). Then Sunday we had pancakes and later a visit from RayCEP which is an education program that PA DNCR provides talking about various outdoorsy type things. This is primarily for kids, but we sat and listened too and our 17 year old helped out with the craft.
After the weekend though, all the activity slows down. There are seasonal campers that stay around, and they're constantly working on improving and fixing up sites during the week. Expect lots of quiet time just relaxing during the week. There's the pool, dog park, bounce pillow, playground, but not tons to do which if you're looking for is great. Raystown Lake has multiple access areas that are probably 15-20 minutes away - we fished at Tautman Run and Aitch - both were accessible and had lots of bluegill to steal our worms.
Now to the site description: Site 22 is a deluxe patio back in site with a patio, 4 nice Adirondack chairs, a double glider, a weber propane grill and built in fire pit AND a dog fence just for that site that was maybe 6 ft x 6ft. it was big enough for our 2 labs to fit into when we fed them. The site wasn't hard to level our RV but overall the sites are hilly and in fact the whole park is on a hill.
The owners and workers were friendly and great hosts! We love what they're doing there.
One last tip: if traveling from the Altoona area, go out through Martinsburg over Cove Mountain Rd - it saves you 30 minutes to an hour.
LegendThis park is a little different and has some fairly interesting history. There are some old ruins as well as an old quarry site. The grounds are open to hunting and we were surprised by a bird hunter and his dog who was running around off leash, creating a little havoc for us while walking our two dogs on the trail. If you visit in the fall, be sure to bring some hunter orange if you plan on exploring the trails.
Now onto the cabins- these are quite nice! They have nice bathrooms with hot showers, a common area with a lot of furniture, a kitchen with large table and full sized appliances. The cabin we stayed in was pet friendly and had two rooms, one with a full size bed and a second one with 2 sets of bunk beds. The heat was quite efficient and kept us warm on some cold nights.
These cabins are not equipped with any type of consumables, cookware or linens. You really need to bring everything if you're planning on actually using the bathroom or kitchen. There is toilet paper though :) We chose to stay here due to its proximity to several National Park sites in the area and it was perfect for us! We will be visiting another state park with similar cabins next year, too!
ScoutThis campground is perfect for people who are looking to get away from busy city life or just want to relax next to a lake. Even though you can't see the lake from every site you can be there within a 10 minute walk. They have pet friendly sites, bike trails, and you can canoe, kayak, and take boats out on the lake. There are specific swimming areas and you can fish just about anywhere. Little to no cell service and there are some local stores/restaurants around the lake within 5-10 miles of the campground but most things close between 8-10pm. There is a camp store with food and supplies available sonif you show up with a text and a sleeping bag they can help out with the rest. Keep in mind being in the woods and by the lake it Ian always 5-15 degrees cooler than the surroundings towns so I feel you are leaving and want to explore the areas outside the campground be prepared for it to be much warmer than expected. I've been going here my whole life (32 years) and it is always clean and the people who work/volunteer there are super friendly and helpful. I've been there during every month they are open and each season is a new and exciting experience. They have a lot I feel family oriented activities and so you don't need to leave to find something to do.
GuideNice clean and quiet campground. The address online took us to the ranger station. Turn left BEFORE bridge. Couldn’t see sign from the road. The section we were in was “no pets allowed”. My kids loved the beach, swimming was not deep. Beach was big with adjacent playground. Lots of pavilions all over. The area was a little crowded for my liking.
Dog friendly camping options near Duncansville are available across several regional state parks in central Pennsylvania, where temperatures average 10-15 degrees cooler than surrounding areas due to higher elevations. The Allegheny Mountain region provides varied terrain for camping, with the second-highest peak in Pennsylvania found at Blue Knob State Park at 3,146 feet above sea level. Most campgrounds in this area maintain pet-friendly loops with specific rules regarding leash length and supervision.
Mountain biking on Allegrippis Trails: Access 50+ miles of purpose-built mountain biking trails from Seven Points campground at Raystown Lake. "The mtb trails begin just above the upper camp loops and provide a full day of fast flowing singletrack," notes Travis S. For beginners, "Across from the visitors center is a mountain bike park" with skills development areas.
Fishing at multiple access points: Cast a line at Susquehannock Campground, which offers primitive camping right on Raystown Lake. "Right around the corner from our site was a great spot along the river for sitting out in the sun and fishing for trout," reports Sarah C. Many waterfront sites provide direct access for fishing without leaving your campsite.
Winter sports at Blue Knob: When snow falls, Blue Knob State Park transforms into a winter recreation destination. "The trails also lead to the peak (second highest in PA) and join up with trails on the resorts property," says Travis S. The park maintains "a ski resort at the peak with a bar and golf course" that operates seasonally.
Small, quiet campgrounds: Trough Creek State Park offers a peaceful camping experience away from crowds. "Trough is quiet and small. It's really great if you're looking for a spot to 'rough' it (not really, but closer than most!) with the kids," explains Michael L. The compact size means fewer campers and more seclusion.
Water recreation options: Lake Raystown Resort provides multiple water activities. "The lake is beautiful and sunsets from the campground are stunning. There is a sandy beach which is perfect for swimming," explains Britt B. The resort also features "a boat hire place located on the grounds that hires pontoon boats and jet skis in season."
Well-maintained shower facilities: Raystown Lake / Saxton KOA at Four Seasons Camping Resort receives praise for its cleanliness. "Bathrooms are Soo nice," writes Dawn C. Another camper notes they "have recently remodeled the bathrooms/showers (3 of the 4 look brand new), and the pool has been crystal clear."
Site selection considerations: Many campgrounds in the area feature uneven terrain. At Shawnee State Park, "there are a fair amount of awkwardly-placed sites that sit on a hill and are difficult to place a tent, equipment or gear," warns Kaley R. Check site descriptions carefully when booking.
Limited cell service: Connectivity varies significantly throughout the region. At Blue Knob State Park, prepare for "extremely limited cell service (Verizon)," advises Olivia L. This affects most campgrounds in the area due to the mountainous terrain.
Primitive camping options: For those seeking a more rustic experience, Susquehannock Campground offers no-frills camping. "It's a primitive campground with no electricity. Get your water at a hand pump and they have pit toilets," explains Rebecca G. These sites often provide more privacy and direct lake access.
Child-friendly activities: Prince Gallitzin State Park's Crooked Run Campground offers numerous family-oriented amenities. "Great place for kids! We love staying at crooked run campground. Has a beach on the lake. Affordable boat rentals. Bmx track for kids," shares Jackie W.
Educational opportunities: Some parks provide learning experiences for children. At Seven Points, one camper noted, "We had pancakes and later a visit from RayCEP which is an education program that PA DNCR provides talking about various outdoorsy type things. This is primarily for kids, but we sat and listened too."
Plan for weather fluctuations: Mountain weather can change quickly in this region. "Expect lots of quiet time just relaxing during the week. There's the pool, dog park, bounce pillow, playground," notes Paul B. from Timber Run Campground (formerly Raystown Lake/Saxton KOA), adding that temperatures are "chillier than surrounding areas due to being on the mountain."
Check site length and accessibility: When bringing larger RVs to Susquehannock Campground, be aware of site limitations. "The spots are small though and the fire ring for spot 4 is right next to where you park your car in spot 3," warns Jennifer R. Request detailed site information when booking.
Water and power availability: Not all campgrounds offer full hookups. "Water is available at the entrance only," notes Amelie B. about Susquehannock. At other parks like Shawnee State Park, "There is a 20 amp plug and 30 amp service at this site," making it important to verify electrical capacity before arrival.
Dump station facilities: Some parks have excellent waste disposal options. Seven Points features an "ultra-cool 4 lane dump station" where you can also "fill up the fresh water tank," according to Tim J., who adds that "The dump station had wide lanes and made the experience an easy and clean one."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Duncansville, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Duncansville, PA is Crooked Run Campground — Prince Gallitzin State Park with a 4.3-star rating from 26 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Duncansville, PA?
TheDyrt.com has all 88 dog-friendly camping locations near Duncansville, PA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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