Best Tent Camping near Erwinna, PA
Erwinna is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. Enjoy the scenic camping, fun activities, and sights and sounds of Erwinna. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.
Erwinna is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. Enjoy the scenic camping, fun activities, and sights and sounds of Erwinna. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.
"The crystal-clear water is home to huge lake trout and the forests are bursting with wildlife. The sunsets across the lake are to die for."
"This campground is hike in or boat in. The campsites are primitive and include a fire ring as well as a picnic table."
$50 - $100 / night
"The areas for that seemed well groomed, bathrooms were acceptable, and there was plenty of space. Some nice trees not too close allowed for good shade, without feeling like in a forest."
"I always look forward to going because it is consistently clean, great for riding bikes and taking pets for a walk and children for a stroll PLUS it is significant historically and it is enjoyable for"
$20 - $30 / night
"We'd like to welcome Joe, your host, to our platform! This property is close to town yet so serene. 2WD is fine but 4WD will make your experience getting to the property a bit more smooth."
"Plenty of fire wood, really cool huge rocks and waking up to owls was awesome."
$20 - $30 / night
"Clean restrooms, lots of open space!"
"Large sites, clean bathrooms, lots of hiking trails"
"This is the first time we decided to forgo tent camping and reserve a shelter at a state park. We had a much better experience than we were expecting!"
"It is set up nicely for primitive camping and you are able to hike out straight from the campsite(which is always a plus!). Theres a great look out point as well."
$28 - $72 / night
"The give you firewood—-if you bring your own, leave with any left over."
"It's almost 500 acres filled with trails, woods,and river. I usually go to the parking right off of Militia hill rd.and Skippack Pike intersection."
$43 / night
"Lots of tree cover running along a small running creek"
"You need a license to fish, and if you plan on catching Trout you need the Trout endorsement on the fishing licence, currently$9.90.The restroom facilities we're clean."
$125 / night
"This location was about an hour and a half away from our home so it was far enough to feel like we were getting away but close enough that we could be home quickly in case of an emergency since we decided"
$57 / night
"Terrific space for exploring"
"well marked trails great for hiking. pet friendly! we love walking here with our dog. there are even a few great spots to get a small creek swim in! It also has a greag picnic area with grills."
The park is lovely, but the camping facilities are subpar, primitive and lack any kind of privacy. I bike toured there. The only potable water was from a near-broken water fountain at the public rest rooms and no electrical connection to recharge electronics. There was also a fair amount of road noise at night. Bathhouse OK, but just basic. Tent spots are just lined up against one another facing a service road.
This is a great campsite right on the river. There are 5 different sites all nicely marked out. Each has its own fire ring. There is also a central area with a big fire ring for everyone to get together. Bear boxes at each site for food storage.
This place is amazing! everything you could want, from tent and RV camping to cabin rentals. They also have a pool and playground. some of my favorite parts of this park are a good 100’ rack wall perfect for climbing, great fishing, trails for miles that even connects to the AT, and when scheduled they open the dam up stream for som world class whitewater rafting.
As for some things that aren’t listed. this is no alcohol permitted in the park due to it being a state park, however that all depends on how open you are about it and the Park rangers. Cell phone service is limited last time I was up there in 2012 only people with Verizon Wireless had any reception. Also there is no WiFi. No hookups or camp store.
PROS
Reserved 328 days prior to arriving
$13.50 senior discount
Immediately greeted by Loop C camp host who was extremely friendly and helpful
Site C3 parking pad level asphalt
Metal frame wooden picnic table that was moveable
One hook lantern pole
Metal fire pit which was cleaned out upon our arrival
Some vegetation between sites provided a bit of privacy from neighbors sites
Park is 21 miles from Valley Forge National Historical Park. Catch National Park Service 90 minute trolley tour at the Visitor Center.
Shady Maple Smorgasbord...authentic Pennsylvania Dutch cooking…largest buffet in the USA…16 miles from French Creek SP
CONS
$6.50 reservation fee for making my own on-line reservation
Horrible signage along PA-345. Never saw very small sign when we where intensely searching
Such a large overall park, but camping loop sites are jammed together
Pitiful low water pressure in Loop C
Site sewer connection is high; needs to be knocked down to ground level
Short length of site caused creative tow vehicle parking
Loop C women’s toilet/shower building a big nasty mess Saturday
Trash dumpsters are on the main road near the campground check-in station (not walkable)
Noisy campground; 9pm quiet hour not enforced
Lots of barking dogs
No wood sales in park
No WiFi
1 bar Verizon
This is the first time we decided to forgo tent camping and reserve a shelter at a state park. We had a much better experience than we were expecting! The "shelter" is what we would describe as a "cabin"; four walls, a roof, locking door, locking windows, large picture frame front window, four beds(two bunks), a wood burning stove, and a porch. Even compared to our glamping this was luxury!!
There are eight shelters at Jenny Jump State Park. Shelter 2 is a minute walk from the restroom with sink/shower and water. Shelters 7 & 8 are even closer while 4 & 5 are the furthest, may an extra 5 minutes walk? The dead end means there isn't too much traffic, though the road is right there so you can wave to the other campers heading to the restroom or for hikes. There is a trail head at one of the parking lots. During the day the parking lots filled up and there was some overflow parking for day-hikers across the road. We got to see their dogs, so that was a bonus for us! Otherwise, this shelter is not situated too close to the other shelters and feels very private.
We brought battery-powered lights since there is no electricity. There were coat hooks and a built-in shelf for our snacks, games, and other supplies. There was a picnic table and benches inside. We brought camping chairs for relaxing on the porch. We spent most of our time on the porch; cooking, chatting, and crafting while enjoying the sunshine and breeze.
Oh, this shelter is wheelchair accessible. Some of the others are not.
I would definitely recommend this campsite to anyone wanting a beautiful, remote setting, but with all of the conveniences that the campgrounds offer. Anyone from a beginner to an expert would enjoy Stokes. Whether it be just a short, relaxing weekend trip or an adventure-packed week long trip, this place has the potential to be whatever you make it.
Pros:
Has the perfect balance of feeling secluded without feeling completely alone in the middle of nowhere; the campsite we were specifically on was just far enough to be remote-feeling and fully private with trees surrounding it
Cute little pond right on the campgrounds
Our site had a fire ring, a picnic table, and a large sturdy pole with a hook for your lantern/mesh dry bag/etc
Even, rocky, yet soft enough ground to sleep on, many trees available for hammock camping
There was a huge, nasty storm one night that we stayed there, with terrible downpour and flash flood warnings, our site was elevated and did not get flooded
A lot of firewood and kindling in the area to be gathered, or you can buy firewood right from the office
Lots of stuff to do in the area for nature-lovers and outdoors-enthusiasts (Hiking trails, fishing/fly-fishing, sightseeing, mountain-biking, kayaking/paddle-boarding (rentals in the area if you do not own), hunting, swimming, horseback riding, waterfall-hunting, bird/wildlife watching (there are hawks, rabbits, owls, deer, toads, snakes, turtles, frogs, foxes, bats, salamanders, many interesting bugs, beavers, and bears in the area, you never know what you will see), lots of beautiful brooks and streams throughout the entire park, many awesome remote areas to set up your hammock and relax) Whoever said that there wasn't much to do here is just either not an outdoors person or straight up lying!
Water and dumpsters are within walking distance, or if you are not up to walking you can just take a short drive to fill up and dispose of your trash
There are outhouses scattered around, or if you are really needing a clean restroom where you can wash your hands, the park office's restroom is always open and very clean
Can be buggy at night time however, I was pleasantly surprised to have experienced zero mosquito bites and ZERO ticks on ourselves and even our dog (however she did have a leech on her from playing in the brook all day). We moderately used bug spray on ourselves and the dog had her flea and tick topical on.
Beautiful view of the stars on a clear night (Which can be breathtaking especially to city folk or those that cannot see stars from their homes)
Cons:
Can hear the traffic from 206, but generally gets much quieter at night
Campsites are close enough that you may occasionally hear other groups if they are being very loud (We were next to a group campsite that had a very noisy party crowd, but could really only hear them at their loudest, and we weren't bothered)
Tent sites are located just off the dirt road where people travel to get to their sites, which means other campers' cars will occasionally pass right through your area. If this bothers you, be sure to book a site as far back as possible. Ex: Site T137 should have no vehicle traffic but your own and is the most remote of that area
Water fill stations can be a bit busy at certain times
Our fire ring rack was bent, but luckily we came prepared with our own rack to place on top of it and it worked out
Lots of poison ivy in the area, if you are not immune to it be very mindful of where you are stepping!
Our neighbor warned us that they got a flat tire after arriving at their campsite, and after searching their site found a bunch of nails almost intentionally thrown about. It's not the park's fault and the rangers were made aware of it. Carefully check your site after arriving for anything out of place and report to the office if necessary to keep these campsites safe and enjoyable.
Points of interest nearby the campsite:
Big Flat Brook - A beautiful babbling brook that runs all throughout the area. Has great fly fishing for stocked rainbow trout. Access to the brook was only a short but beautiful hike north from our site through some thistle fields and woodlands.
Buttermilk falls (Tallest waterfall in NJ), Tillman Ravine, Dingmans Ferry/Falls, and my personal favorite, Silver Spray Falls - Multiple gorgeous waterfalls and ravines just waiting to be explored, all within ~15-20 min by car. I definitely recommend checking them out while you are camping here especially if you live far away from the area.
Sunrise Mountain and Rattlesnake Mountain - Catch a beautiful sunrise or sunset on top of Sunrise Mountain, which is a pleasant, scenic car ride directly to the top where there is a small parking lot, a smelly outhouse, and a nice picnic table area with a great view. Rattlesnake Mountain is a part of the Appalachian Trail and is somewhat barren towards the top which makes for excellent views. Like its name, it's not uncommon to see many snakes in the area, rattlesnakes tend to hang out on the top and sunbathe on the rocks. Keep your pets on a leash and have a stick handy just in case, however, they will leave you alone if you keep your distance.
Lake Ashroe, Stony Lake, Lake Ocquittunk - Many lakes for multiple activities in the area such as fishing (trout stocked waters), kayaking, swimming (Stony lake has a beach area with lifeguards, restrooms, and picnic areas. Check their website for more info.)
Horseback riding - A few great horseback riding places nearby, some offering trail rides through the beautiful park.
Appalachian Trail - The widely-known Appalachian Trail, the longest hiking-only trail in the world, that runs all the way from Maine to Georgia goes right through this area. You may run into very interesting people from all over who are thru-hiking the AT.
PLEASE CLEAN UP AFTER YOUR VISIT. LEAVE NO TRACE. KEEP OUR PARKS BEAUTIFUL. THANK YOU.
Campground Review
This state park is tucked in the largest tract of forest that lies between New York City and Washington D.C. and it is absolutely stunning. The area is full of whitetail deer, raccoons, opossums and other abundant wildlife so be watchful when driving especially during dawn and dusk hours.
The park has tons of amenities from freshwater ponds to a fish to a staffed swimming pool. There are multiple playgrounds for kids to play on and plenty of green space to roam. There are four camping loops (A, B, C and D). Loop A, B and C are in close proximity to one another while D is a bit further away and may be used for overflow camping. Loop A offers simple sites with no hookups. Each site has a fire ring and grate of some sort, picnic table and flat space for pitching a tent. Some sites in this loop have lantern posts but not all of them do. Unfortunately, the flat spot in our site that was not gravel was low-lying and would have flooded in the rain (which was forecasted). We wound up pitching our tent on the gravel to avoid waking up in a puddle. Beware, there is a TON of poison ivy riddled throughout the grounds. Some of it looks like it has been sprayed but it is still rather abundant.
The facilities in loop A are VERY nice and look as though they have been remodeled recently. There bathroom has roomy toilet and shower stalls, nice sinks and is all tile (very nice, clean tile). Outside the bathroom are two dish sinks with both hot and cold water. It was nice to not have food caked in the bathroom sinks!
The sites in loop A are rather impacted and there was a fair amount of garbage littered about which was disappointing. However, the sites in this loop are nicely spaced and while the campground was busy, we felt like we had plenty of space.
We drove through the rest of the loops and found that Loop B was very packed and sites were on top of one another. This was a loop with full hookups so there were RVs and other vehicles everywhere. Loop C, which allows pets was also a bit of a mess. Part of it is just an open field that looks more like a parking lot, however, if you keep driving the loop you will find more normal sites in the trees. We didn't have our dogs this visit, otherwise we might have stayed in this loop.
All in all this is a great spot close to the Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site (totally worth a visit). I would certainly recommend staying here and checking out the area.
Gear Review
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time - today I am testing the Ledlenser MH2 Headlamp. This headlamp is interesting and will definitely be great for certain applications, though it will more than likely not be my go to light in the backcountry.
Pros:
Cons:
Overall this is a nice little headlamp. I keep one in my car as well as in our car camping box as an extra light source around the campground. As I mentioned, it won't replace my backpacking go-to model but it certainly worth the investment if you are looking for a spare or heavier duty model for those instances when weight doesn't matter.
Thanks for the opportunity to check out your product.
Round Valley is certainly a must see for any type of outdoors person, or someone who appreciates relaxation in a gorgeous landscape. It is a semi-mountainous, forested setting with a very large "lake", which is really a man-made reservoir in the middle of a valley. The crystal-clear water is home to huge lake trout and the forests are bursting with wildlife. The sunsets across the lake are to die for. You will have to look very hard to find a more beautiful camping scene in New Jersey. Also, it's dog friendly!
There is no car access to these campsites, you must keep your vehicle overnight in their south parking lot. If you have a camping registration you do not have to pay the fee to enter the park after you check in to the office. The only way to get to the campsites which are located on the other side of the reservoir deep in the woods, are by boating in, backpacking in, or biking in. If you are boating, kayaking, or canoeing to your site, be very careful and watch the wind warnings. If the wind-warning strobe lights go off you should get off of the water asap because the waters can get very rough and this place is nicknamed the Bermuda Triangle of NJ. We were originally going to boat in for a quick overnight, but at the last minute we decided we wanted a challenge. We backpacked 5.5 miles in on an August morning to site #52. The trail was mountainous, rocky, hilly, but for the most part in the shade. This is definitely not a walk through the park easy trail, pack light and don't bring coolers or wagons if you are hiking it. The first three miles are very rocky, with some larger rocks protruding from the ground, but from there on the trail turns into smooth asphalt to allow for ranger and emergency vehicles and it gets a lot easier. We were a bit sore the next day with a couple of mild blisters but we were still able to easily do the 5.5 mile hike back in the afternoon. Someone who does a lot of hiking and backpacking will find the trail easy, but with little to no experience you may struggle. My dog is a 7 year old retriever with minor joint issues and the trail was a piece of cake to her (she even carried all of her own gear).
These are truly primitive sites with only a few drinking water pumps scattered about and some primitive outhouses, however, you never feel completely alone here because the campsites are not spaced too far apart. My honest opinion: filter or purify your water right from the reservoir if you have the option, because you may be far from a pump, or it may be temporarily closed, and the reservoir water tastes good and is cold. I also opt to skip the outhouses too because they are never clean and always stink unbearably no matter where they are. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. Alcohol and smoking are not permitted. If you must bring alchohol, bring a little in a subtle container and do not bother the other campers. Swimming is also technically not permitted but there were many people swimming and we swam also and no one was bothered.
Now onto our campsite. Site 52 was nearly perfect. The views were to die for. We were able to clearly see the water past the trees from our tent and from our picnic table. The trip to the water was just a few yards away by a footpath carved through tall grass. Unfortunately, the guests before us were very dirty and there was fresh trash scattered about our spot, so we had some cleaning to do when we arrived. The other downside to this spot is you could just barely see site 53 from your spot, which wasn't a huge deal but it wasn't total privacy. Since the surrounding campsites are just barely spaced out to give enough privacy, you can clearly hear your neighbors if they are being noisy. Keep that in mind if you are being the noisy one too. The park strictly enforces its rules and if you are being a nuisance you will be escorted off the property. We saw it first hand on our overnight trip. Our neighbors were college-age, very loud and rowdy, chugging beers and smoking (both are not permitted so don't make it obvious if you are doing either). Suddenly it got quiet and we look over and there are 3 cops at their site arresting them. We were thankful that it got quiet after that, but it was short lived, right before the sun set our other neighbors boat in and start playing music loudly and chopping wood, this continued until around 1am. We would have complained but we were just too tired and kept just falling back asleep. But seriously please don't be that guy.
Onto the the tl;dr!
PROS:
CONS:
**THINGS TO DO AT ROUND VALLEY **
I stayed at Cheesequake at the beginning of August and had a very positive experience.
Campsite
Campsites are fully shaded and include a picnic table, fire ring, and hook to hang food supplies from (away from wildlife). The site was well kept and clean - I didn't have to look hard to find a nice secluded space for my tent.
Each site is separated from its neighbors by a small (about 5-10 foot) forested area, and are deep enough that you can pitch your tent away from the road and have some privacy.
The park is bisected by the Garden State Parkway. While the campsite is fairly well protected from highway noise, you're still going to hear it at least a little.
Amenities
The bathroom and shower facility is older and has limited stalls, but I didn't have any issues with lines or finding time to use it. They're closed for about an hour in the early morning.
Potable water is available at the bathroom and showers.
The lake has a small beach and swimming area, and a concession stand. On Friday the beach was pretty quiet, it was closed on Saturday due to water conditions however.
Access
The park is about 2 miles from the nearest train station and can be accessed on foot, but it may be difficult with camping gear. I took the train to the station and a rideshare the rest of the way to the entrance. The campsite is about a mile from the park entrance so it's easier overall to drive, but not required. Bringing a bike to travel within the park would be a good idea.
Tent camping near Erwinna, Pennsylvania offers a blend of scenic beauty and outdoor adventure, making it an ideal getaway for nature enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Erwinna, PA is Round Valley State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 24 reviews.
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