If you're looking for a place to pitch your tent near Ford City, look no further. You can find tent campsites by type, including drive-in, walk-in, and even hike-in for a backpacking adventure. You're sure to find the perfect campsite for your Pennsylvania tent camping excursion.
Short on time? Don't feel like spending half of your free time setting up camp? 32 foot Winnebago already set up and leveled so you can go straight to exploring the area. Come enjoy camping, hiking, hunting, boating, fishing, swimming and much more at this site nestled amongst game lands #287 and the Allegheny river. 2000 acres of game land to explore, half mile from the Erie to Pittsburgh bike trails. Stay for hunting season or launch your boat onto the Allegheny river. 1 mile from Ben Franklin Range.
* New addition On-demand hot water heater
*Now for sale RV starting at $19,500 come stay and see if you want to leave with it.
$20 - $70 / night
One camping area with room for 25-30 tents. Convenient camping for cycling trips along the Great Allegheny Passage!
Primitive Camping Area; Permit required for more than one night stay.
We are a dedicated GAP Trail biker only campground. No vehicles are permitted at our campground. Our location is only 200 feet off the trail just 1/4 mile north of the GAP Trail headquarters building in West Newton. The campground is located right on the banks of the beautiful and historic Youghiogheny River. West Newton is a full service, biker friendly town. You can walk to all the restaurants, bars, stores and Main Street from the campground for dinner and entertainment, or for a home style breakfast in the morning to get ready for your next day of pedaling.
$25 / night
You will be camping on top of our hill that overlooks the town, river, mountains and cannabis field. There is a tent that can be used, fire pit and wood.
$100 - $150 / night
This quiet hiker-biker campground is nestled along a bend in the Youghiogheny River and has room for over 100 tents. It features three Adirondack-type shelters (two for parties of six people, and one solo unit), two fire rings (with free firewood available), a pair of grills, and two picnic tables. There is a composting toilet on site and a well with non-potable water. River access offers secluded spots for fishing and birdwatching. Lovely Slush Run tumbles off the hillside and winds through the campground.
Visitor Information Overnighting at Roundbottom Hiker-Biker Campground is free and first-come, first-served; no reservations are required or accepted.
Ranger
Breakneck is a private campground on the edge of the McConnell’s Mill State Park. They offer RV sites, tent camping and cabins. The tent camping is either grassy, flat sites or on an elevated timber platform overlooking a gorge. They also offer walk-in tent sites down by the creek which are beautiful.
We were lucky enough to be able to to camp down by the stream. There are designated fireplaces. It is quite a walk up the hill to the campground amenities, but worth it to feel secluded down by the creek. From our campsite we walked along the creek into McConnells Mill State Park and joined the covered bridge trail. Approx. 30min walk along the creek down into McConnells Mill State Park.
The campground sells firewood and has great amenities. Note: there is no phone reception at the tent sites by the creek. They welcome fury friends!
Traveler
Campground owners were very nice and helpful. We went there for tent camping and were directed to the very top part of the property. The tent sites are in a large open field with sites around the perimeter of the field.
The campground is situated right off of the main road so the road noise can be an issue if it bothers you. We personally, didn't sleep well because of the road noise.
The campground is pet friendly, even for our bully breed, whom is a gentle giant. That was one kf the reasons that we chose this campground.
Traveler
The park is on the scenic Clarion River and offers tent camping, some sites are paddle in only, RV sites, small and larger rustic cabins, and even a couple of yurts. It’s very well maintained, including the restroom/shower houses which were very clean. The upper loop tent sites are a bit more secluded and there is plenty of space for the larger cabins. The smaller cabins are more clustered but we enjoyed staying in them on a couple occasions. Be sure to bring kayaks or inner tubes for lazy hours on the river. There are kayak rentals nearby also. The Clarion River is full of wildlife including bald eagles hunting the river and an occasional black bear nearby.
Be sure to visit Beartown Rocks that is close by. It offers a nice view of the rolling hills of Pennsylvania.
RangerA Pennsylvania favorite, Clear Creek State Park is a beautifully maintained, scenic park, right on the Clarion River in the Clear Creek State Park. The Park offers movies on an outdoor screen, regular nature talks and walks and has an onsite museum. The park has tent sites, RV sites and cabins. Clear Creek runs through the campground and is a perfect spot for a BBQ or Picnic. It also has a designated swimming beach with sand. There are multiple hiking trails leaving the campground. There is a general store just 5min from the park, plus multiple private firewood options on the road in. The park also sells firewood bundles. The Clarion is a crystal clear, shallow, rock bottom river perfect for a cool off, fishing or kayaking. There are two kayaking/tubing companies in Cook Forest to hire watercraft to float the river. Both floats don’t go as high as Clear Creek State Park so you won’t float past the campground, with the longest being 9 miles. The facilities are always clean, with large shower areas and always fully stocked with tissue. All sites have fire rings with adjustable grills. The best un-powered RV site is site 40– private and waterfront. The best powered-RV site is 39– private and waterfront. There are also two very private tent sites that are waterfront(classified as Kayak In tent sites) numbered CR-001& CR-002. Both waterfront, shaded with fire rings. Excellent tent sites! Note you can only book them for 1 night at a time. No phone reception at this one! They welcome furry friends at selected sites!
Scout
Our stay was over the weekend and into the beginning of the week. We stayed in the dog loop because we took our dog. The campsite was clean, very close to the bathrooms and drinking water. The people were all so friendly, dogs were very well behaved. The facilities were very clean. The activities around the site were abundant and super fun. We camped in a tent, so had no need for any rv hookups. Great experience!
Scout
Was a relaxing 4 days at a tent site. Would absolutely recommend this campground!
Guide
Awesome owners,quiet place to relax. Tent site was nice and conveniently located next to the bathhouse
ScoutMostly an RV campground, but several tent sites. Each site was very spacious and well shaded. Fire ring and table at each sight. Restroom were a short walk away. Firewood available for purchase. I would stay again.
Scout
My 9 year old and myself got a tent site with electric for two nights and had a great time. The sites were all level and were well-shaded. The pool area and bath house were clean and maintained. The camp store was a great asset for small items left behind, plus prices were great for ice and firewood. We will be back!
Guide
My husband and I stayed at Site 030 for the weekend and it was beautiful! No electricity and the sites are most tent sites, but the sounds of the creek, birds, and frogs really immerse you in nature! If it rains, it does get quite wet, so be prepared for that. There is opportunity for fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and hiking in the area!
Guide
I stayed there for two months while I was in transition between states and really enjoyed it. Everything is clean and they offer fun amenities. It’s close to the outlets and Keystone Safari. They have a fishing pond but I haven’t walked over and seen it. It’s across the street of the KOA so you could miss it if you don’t ask about it. The tent camping area is also nice. Kind of a free for all when it comes to what site you pick but it’s a nice wooded area.
GuideI was amazed at the shear size of this campground. It is immense. Granted most of the grounds are devoted to cabins, but the tent sites are great too. I got a lone site tucked half way up a hill, hidden under a dark canopy and at least 500 yards away from my nearest neighbors. Water is readily available. Bathrooms are just as large and very clean. Showers available. Bears congregate frequently. Trails nearby, as are quite a few other natural areas.
ScoutMy family has stayed here so many times throughout my lifetime. We always prefer tent camping, but there are spots for RVs, plus there are cabins and yurts available. It has always been clean, quiet and family-friendly.
There's so much to do here--hiking, swimming, rafting, biking, disc golf, etc. There's also a really nice playground and a great little beach at the entrance of the campground (water is always cold though!) Plus plenty of picnic shelters.
This is also a great place to go year-round for kids interested in learning about nature. There is a nature museum. Seek out Ranger Susanne--she is a really great teacher!
TravelerI'll start by saying that I have been here multiple times. Each time we are greeted by friendly people. We always stay at a tent site.
It's very clean and well maintained. All campers have been respectful each time. It's not loud and crazy once 10pm hits. Family friendly and there's a little fishing lake. You can rent paddle boats or canoes to paddle around the lake.
The main reason we started going there is because they are dog friendly and they don't hold breed restrictions against bully breeds. This place is literally a diamond find for us.
GuideLong drive (almost a mile) into the campground from the main road. You follow the creek into the campground where it also meets the Clarion River. Lot of crayfish to catch in frigid cold Clear Creek and great tubing in the Clarion River. Cabins, RV and tent sites available. I’ll be honest, the tent only loop l, sites 43 and higher are not that great. Nothing flat and very difficult to find a good spot on them for a tent. But they are also the most private sites. Clear Creek State Forest is just next door and offers lots of hiking and biking trails. Farmers Inn is just outside of the campground with great food and Cooks Forest is a short drive away with go carts tubing and canoeing and kayaking.
Traveler
I've only camped in state parks before. We went to Bear Run during the pandemic, when the state parks weren't open yet.
We were tent car-camping. We felt as if Bear Run really catered to RVers.
The tent sites were small and crammed together. There was no bathroom (only a porta-potty). There was no place to wash dishes (the closest thing we could find was a hose that was FAR away). There were no grates on the fire-pits for cooking (as there are at DNCR facilities).
Now that said, you CAN drink alcohol there (which IS a plus).
And the staff was awesome ... we could CALL them on our phone and they would bring us stuff (more fire wood, a grate for cooking). THAT was nice.
But without a closer bathroom and a place to wash dishes, we would just as soon go back to state parks.
GuideWe have tented and RV'd at Clear Creek. A must do when camping in Pennsylvania. The Clarian river is great for kayaking . Multiple trails off of park. Biking and breweries close by. if you have RV/travel trailer do NOT recommend the non-power sites, they are not level enough, you may really have to bring up the trailer. There were wonderful campsites hosts when we there
Pros; excellent location, great friendly people, clean and stocked bathrooms which include showers. Some sites are separated.. great camp hosts
Cons…a few sites are really close, however not a bad thing here as we got to meet a lot of great people, so for us it was kind of a Pro.
Guide
Duman lake review notes.
GuideI was here the Friday of Labor day weekend. The woman who took my reservation was great and the grounds were nice. They had several options including tent sites in a large open area, some areas that were a little more secluded, lean-to, RV parking and tent platforms which was where i landed.. The 2 stars is due to the fact i was surrounded by people who were beyond drunk,obnoxious and extremely loud which is fine its all a part of camping right? They were hanging out playing there music when i first arrived about 6 and i can appreciate some good fun and music! (but how much Johnny Cash can one handle?) They then moved onto some less appealing tunes which i do not have children but there were plenty riding their bikes by so I'm sure mom had to explain some words that evening. Nothing was done regardless of the vulger lyrics but i figured what do i know I'm not a parent! I had been traveling for days so i was exhausted and managed to fall asleep only to be woken around 11:00 by several people across the way having a blast laughing and yelling which went until 2am and a couple next to me screaming and arguing at each other until 3am.. Quiet time 10:00? At least tone it down! No one addressed the situation. So if you like to hang out and party it up this is a great place. If your looking for a family oriented camping experience maybe not so much..
Guide
My husband & I recently purchased our first 20ft. pull-behind camper. Having made reservations for a tent site for Memorial Day weekend back in February, there were slim pickings when it was time to find a site w/an electric hookup mere weeks before the 3 day weekend. I stumbled upon Bush Recreation Area on recreation.gov (FYI- the website has been redesigned & is still working out kinks) and it was the only campground w/availability. It’s located east of Pittsburgh and is tucked alongside a large boat dock/launch on the Loyalhanna Creek. Motorized boating is allowed and there’s access for fishing from the shore. Some of the sites are more open & exposed (see picture) but others are back in a more wooded area further away from the water. There wasn’t a map for the facility on the website; we stayed at site 18 & noticed the higher the site number (starting at about #25), the further back in the wooded area it was, where there’s more privacy. It’s definitely a great choice for families, especially those w/young children- there’s a nice playground and green space. Reservations are required (recreation.gov) and as of 5/25/19 the dump station is closed & undergoing construction. My husband and I prefer places w/easier access to hiking & biking trails and more privacy, but for our first weekend in our new camper, it worked out well!
GuideJust got back from a weekend stay here and it was great. If you like camping to be quiet, peaceful and simple, then you'll love this little campground. We stayed at a tent site, site #11. This campground isn't one of those busy, overcrowded, commercialized campgrounds, and that's why my husband and I loved it! The sites are a little close together but since it's so small, it's still very private. The bathrooms were clean and well kept, nothing fancy, but camping isn't about fancy accommodations. They have a pool but it was closed for the season. The lady who checked us in was very nice and escorted us to our site, and made sure we were happy with it. There are a few permanent residents on the upper loop through the campground, and also a small little motel type apartment building with residents living in it, it is actually a part of the bath and shower house. The entire weekend had about 7 spots rented out, and it was super quiet and relaxing.
The only thing I can say about this campground that made me not give it 5 stars is, the highway noise. It's located right off the highway so the traffic noise is a little loud, so it takes away from the great sounds of camping, like the crickets, frogs and fire crackling. But all in all this was a great little find and my husband and I are already talking about going back.
Traveler
It’s been 2018 since our last visit. The place has really gone downhill. We’ve been to the Madison KOA at least 4 times. What they think is clean now a days is laughable.
I will give you some advice if you do HAVE to stay there but PLEASE READ the bottom.
I usually cabin stay when staying at a branded campground, for $10-20 more a night makes it worth it not to lug my tent and usually tent sites are crap at these places and they have a couple just to say they have some (the ones here are grown over they claim to have 2, one is dug up) I camp at all 3 KOA brands, state parks, family campgrounds, and yogi bears etc.
Everything here is dated and it looks like they only have an interest in fixing things when they can’t avoid it anymore. Other places I’ve been have been putting in the upgrades left and right since camping has seen a serge these past couple of years.
Lake-never seen anyone fish at the lake until this past stay and they caught a blue gill. They have a few small non motor boats no peddle boats so don’t let that mislead you with “boat rental”. You do see things jump so I don’t doubt there’s fish and it’s really pretty in the backdrop.
If you HAVE KIDS young enough to have to keep an eye on the kabins and spots facing the pillow ARE PRIME (kids wait for it to blow up every morning), play ground (basic-not toddler friendly, there’s a sand pit that’s not covered up at night where they HAD some toddler play stuff), and pool (clean and small but does the job, they try to open it ASAP every year) all the activities are around there as well. If you DONT have kids or have a napper in the family, expect constant noise until quiet time. Get a white noise app or bring a sound machine, the fuzzy TV you may get isn’t loud enough. Quiet and shade is on the backside of those Kabins in the pet friendly area.
Campstore is sparse, they need to bring it up date and offer more. Make sure you grocery shopping before you pull in. Camp host family was awesome and usually the lower staff all are. They never had a security gate, car hangers, or escorts to sites so don’t expect that. Activities have always been cheap and bare bones. I think they should get more creative. There isn’t an activities director, the camp hosts run them.
Deals: they participate in Kid Care (May) and Camper Appreciation (September) weekend. Some KOAs don’t, claim they do but can’t actually use it when you try or pickings are slim.
Even with the deals I won’t be back. It’s not worth it. There is nothing new or upgraded and I’m not passing through or here for other things like some are. It’s ok for a weekend, don’t spend a week here with kids they’ll get bored. If you want to be within an hour from Pittsburgh there are PLENTY of other options. Uniontown KOA is 15 minutes further out.
What tipped my scales from PROBABLY won’t be back to ABSOLUTELY WONT be back is….when I arrived my cabin was not clean, there was ultra crusty very dried up insect parts (its the woods, but…no one could have wiped that up? It’s obvious it’s been sitting there awhile) all over the top bunk, a flim/dust on the bed mats. I went to set up the beds and found several coins (from peoples pockets I assume) and an ear pod my toddler could have choked on if I hadn’t I lifted the bed pads like a cleaning person should have and looked. A cleaning person should have found that if they truly did clean the kabin. They sent the cleaning lady, she came in with a duster pad and went over our sleeping pads….no cleaners, towels, or shop vac. After she left, I swept the floor and LOTS of dirt came up. I broke out my sani wipes and did everything I could. I didn’t appreciate paying $90 a night for a tiny kabin to have to clean before my kids could settle in.
Also the door didn’t lock, I didn’t find this out until late in the second day when I went for 10 rounds of bingo and wanted to lock it. I was leaving the next day at noon so I figured tell them at check out. She said I should have told them at check in, she knew exactly the problem I was talking about and that maintenance would have come to fix it had I called. Although I’ve always felt safe there…Non locking door, no security gate, electronic valuables, purse, medications and wife there alone with kids not ideal. Explained that to them, made it out to be no big deal.
The upper staff people were indignant and I was the problem for complaining and I was imagining it. I was given a dirty kabin. They kept trying to minimize what I was telling them, tried to pass the buck ( she-referring to the cleaning lady said there was only 1 coin, she didn’t tell me about the air pod), and said measures were taken that were obviously not. There wasn’t an acknowledgement of the problems nor any apologies from anyone.
If you stay in one of the smaller kabins with a shower, just know there will be a flood and you should wet, turn the water off, lather, then rinse. Also don’t think everyone is showering one after the other or you can do dishes and wash hands as much as you want before showering because it’s very small water tank, it goes lukewarm to cold quick.
I’m crossing them off my list of places to camp, they do not live up to KOA brand image and standards even for a KOA Journey brand.
RangerCampground Review:
This is our 12th Memorial Weekend spent at this campground in the rolling green mountains of Cook Forest, in the heart of the Pennsylvania Wilds. We have a group of about 20 friends who take over the back "cul de sac" of the campground (section 180s) each year. In spite of a completely booked holiday weekend (you'd do best to book 8-9, yes, 8-9 months out for this particular weekend) the campground is spread out, secluded and quiet. Our sites are hugged by tall evergreens and level ground, something not easily found on the mountain. Those on the outside of the loop back to the woods and a couple trail heads (not heavily trafficked) and those in the center are large and have quick access to the section's bath house, which is unfortunately fallen into somewhat disrepair over the last decade. The up side is that there is always hot water and they do clean them daily. There's also a nicely kept area to do dishes. This campground is huge, wood can be purchased on site, and there's a large volleyball court, field and playground. Also included is a stage where various forms of entertainment and education are held. Each Memorial Saturday, a meet and greet is recreated with an American historical figure. Good fun for all. There's an abundance of activities available within walking distance. The Clarion river leads through the base of the camp at the bottom of the hill, and kayak and canoe rentals are available everywhere. The river is slow and serene, perfect for families. There's various park/BBQ spots near the creek and guided hikes during the day out of the ranger station. A fully stocked fishing hole is also adjacent to it. The campsites are portioned off by type: motor home, pet friendly, tent only ...and each area has its own bathhouse which is seldom over crowded. Note: this is a "dry" campground.
Product Review:
As a Dyrt Ranger, I get to try out great new products on our adventures, and this time was no exception. We brought alone the Flite+ tree tent from #tentsile - and it was the hit of the campground. First things first: this is a two person tree tent. It's not a hammock, but a true sleeping tent, with far more support at the bottom and a rainfly. The bottom floor strap serves as a good divider as well, so you're not rolling into each other in the night. You really have your own space and plenty of it. There are 2 exits which is also handy. The campers were lined up (literally) to try it out, each getting their 15 mins in the trees. Some brought books, some brought a friend, and all enjoyed it, noting how surprisingly comfortable it was. You cannot sit cross legged in a hammock - but in the Flite+ you and a friend can play a game of cards.
Pros:
No footprint. This tent really shines on sand and areas with uncomfortable underbrush. It's versitity opens up all kinds of possible campsites.
A mobile treehouse. Who doesn't want to sleep in a tree? The rainfly comes off on warm dry nights to reveal a flood of stars from the best bed in town.
Setup: You'll find this both in pros and cons. We found it initially easier than expected to set up. It was roughly as quick to put up as our pop up tent.
Weight: This tent would be ideal for backcountry. It's so light, my 6 year old could pack with it, and it compresses into a very small footprint.
No guff: the rangers not only gave us no hard time about pitching it to the trees, they commended the zero footprint and were unabashed in their own excitement to check it out.
Cons:
Dress for the weather: This tent is labeled as a 4 season tent, however, you should note that this is only when you pair it with appropriate attire, sleepsack and mat. Otherwise, it gets fairly cold up there. Great ventilation for warm evenings though. Really kept dry under the rainfly! Not a leak or drop got inside. It was actually kind of magical.
Setup: The rigging, angle and strain on the straps is key here. The first day, we thought the tent looked flat, tight and even, however, once an adult got in, it bowed like a hammock. The second day we found a better acute angle that lined up as directed, and found it to be a far better sleep. You could sit upright inside and only felt a subtle bow. With a mat, it would hardly be noticeable.
No ladder attachment: While other treetent models have hookups for their rope ladder, sold separately, this tent has none. Not ideal when wishing to hang it higher than a few feet off the ground. We had to hoist each other up into it at the near 5 ft height we arranged it at. After all, what good is a tree tent if it's almost on the ground?!
Overall, we loved this @Tentsile product and cannot wait to take it beach camping and see what other inventive places we can sleep with it! Whether your goal is the serene or extreme, this tent is a great item to have in your reputoir, and I'd take it over a typical ground backpacking tent any day - especially since it does come with stakes to go ground if you'd prefer.
RangerWe stayed here with a group and had plenty of space in the grassed tent area. There was a fire ring per site and we felt very private. The swimming pool was great. The amenities are Basic but functional. Not a busy campground, only one other tent the weekend we were there. A number of permanent Trailers. Close to the highway so expect some noise.
ScoutGot a good spot down by the creek with a great view from the tent.
GuideThis campground is great! I’ve stayed here many times. Normally I use a tent but I’ve stayed in their cabins too. They are much nicer than your average campground cabins.
Scout
We've stayed in cabins, yurts, tents, and our camper. Always up kept and very clean. Have to try out there Halloween production.
Tent camping near Ford City, Pennsylvania offers a variety of scenic spots for outdoor enthusiasts looking to immerse themselves in nature. With options ranging from well-equipped campgrounds to more primitive settings, there's something for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
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