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Best Tent Camping near Forksville, PA

448 Reviews

Loyalsock State Forest offers numerous primitive tent camping options near Forksville, Pennsylvania, with several dispersed campsites available along forest roads. These established tent sites include Dry Run Road Campsites, Rock Run Road Campsites, and Slab Run Road Campsite, all located within the state forest boundaries. Ravensburg State Park Campground, situated approximately 30 miles south of Forksville, provides more developed tent camping with designated tent pads in a wooded setting along a creek.

Most tent sites in Loyalsock State Forest feature basic amenities limited to picnic tables and fire rings, though they lack drinking water, toilets, and trash facilities. Campers must bring their own water and pack out all waste. Fire restrictions may apply seasonally, particularly during dry summer months. Sites are typically accessible via drive-in forest roads, though road conditions can deteriorate after rain. Ravensburg State Park offers more amenities for tent campers, including drinking water, toilets, and trash collection, though it lacks electrical hookups.

Tent campers at Ravensburg State Park benefit from private sites separated by bushes and trees, creating a secluded forest experience. The park features hiking trails along the creek with swimming holes and is known for being relatively uncrowded. Colton Point State Park, located farther north, offers walk-in tent sites that require a short hike, providing greater separation from neighboring campers. A visitor commented, "I love the walk-in sites. They take a small hike so don't over pack! There is so much that this park has to offer." Most tent sites throughout the region are shaded by mature forest, providing relief during summer months while offering proximity to hiking trails, fishing spots, and scenic overlooks.

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Best Tent Sites Near Forksville, Pennsylvania (44)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Forksville, PA

448 Reviews of 44 Forksville Campgrounds

  • Janet R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 29, 2024

    Salt Springs State Park Campground

    Unique park with unique natural features

    This park is technically a “state park” because the land for it was donated to the state for public use. However, once the state became the official stewards, there werent funds in the state budget to maintain it as a park. A lical group, the Friends of Salt Springs, stepped up and offered to maintain the park with funds raised by their group. The result is a small but unique property open to the public for day use (picnicking and hiking and fishing) along with 2 small rustic campgrounds. One campground has a large open mowed grassy meadow with level sites for car camping or small campers, no hookups are available but each site has a fire ring and picnic table. On the other side of the parks trout stream are seven secluded primitive hike-in tent sites along with three basic camper cabins. The Friends of Salt Springs makes a good effort to maintain these two rustic campgrounds, however it seems there isnt a ranger on site at night so a camper said the meadow campground can get a little noisy some nights. The hike in sites are relatively quiet and secluded though, and are positioned nicely along the stream, one site actually adjacent to a good swimming hole.

    The camper cabins are basic with bunks, bring all your own gear. They are fairly new and have electricity but no water or heat.

    On the grounds in the day use area are picnic spits, a pavilion, and an activity barn. When I was there, the barn was featuring a local quilt show.

    The special aspect of this park are the hiking trails through old growth hemlock forest, said to be the largest hemlocks in Pennsylvania. The trout stream also cascades through some some waterfalls, and there are gorges with unique geology.

    There is a village nearby with limited supplies, you may want to stock up on groceries before heading out to this somewhat remote park. There is, however, a local brewery, plus an odd coffee shop featuring both donuts and ammo, an unusual combination…..

  • V
    Jul. 11, 2018

    Knoebels Campground

    Clean, quiet, inexpensive, fun place to camp!

    Knoebels campground is situated next to Knoebels amusement park and offers sites for tent campers and RVs, as well as cabins.

    There is electricity at every site but not water. There are fill stations throughout the campgrounds. Most sites are level and shaded. There are nice sturdy wooden platforms for tent campers.

    The bath houses are clean and well maintained. There are outside sinks with mirrors, laundry facilities, shower stalls, and toilet stalls. Or if you prefer there are also traditional bathrooms with showers.

    Quiet hours are enforced between 10p and 8a.

    Each site has a fire ring and picnic table. Wood is available by the bucket near the check in building. Sites are inexpensive and are all a short walk, or free shuttle ride, to the park!.

  • Amy R.
    Jul. 16, 2019

    Pine Cradle Lake Family Campground

    RV/tent campground in a beautiful setting

    This is a gated campground that we stayed at 6/30/19-7/04/19. We are NOT an RV. We own a Napier tent that hooks to our truck so that we can sleep up in the bed. However, due to it being a holiday week, the tent sites were completely booked and they only have 4(which also have water& electric). The tent sites are located in the back of the campground behind the sports field within the trees. I unfortunately didn’t get a chance to see them but they have them pictured on their website. They let us book an RV site and it was rough setting up on a gravel RV site but we understood that we were not within a normal tent element and placed an extra tarp under the tent. The campground is located at the top of some beautiful and scenic driving through farmland in Pennsylvania and you will be 30 minutes from anything like shopping or small town amenities(we drove to Walmart after setting up to get our perishables since we drive up from Virginia). Our site had water and electric, was a drive through spot for a typical RV with a section to the side of the drive through for the fire pit and picnic table. We were located right next to the shower/bathrooms/playground and had some tree coverage and shade. A lot of the RVs in the campground are permanent sites and our neighbors never showed so we had a quiet buffer but it was not a noisy campground. It appeared that they cleaned the bathrooms twice daily and we were impressed with the cleanliness of the bathroom/showers. There were 4 in the building so we never had to wait. The staff were friendly and helpful. They had a store right next to the pool area that offered common items and RV'er might need with a small grocery area as well which included bundles of wood($6 honor system after hours) and Ice($1.78 per bag). We were allowed to run an account which we paid at the end of our stay. Our campsite was required to be paid at check in. The campground is 18 acres with gravel roads, a sports field, fishing, horse shoes, bocce ball, multiple playgrounds, a rec center with some games, claw machines etc. a splash pad and salt water pool. You will be doing a lot of walking or bring your bicycles like we did. They offer scheduled activities for holidays etc and various weekend activities. You can rent non electric boats and they offer catch& release fishing without a PA license in the lake. My son caught 2 sunfish :) They have guidelines for visitors and quiet hours(my cousin came to visit us in the evenings as she lived close by). We enjoyed camping here even if we were on an RV site. We booked site 211 which had the little bit of tree coverage and was located right next to the showers/bathrooms/playground with a quick walk to the lake for fishing. Most of the other available sites in the road ahead of us had no tree coverage but closer to the lake had more trees and shade. OR, just get an actual tent site :) but they are all the way at the back of the campground, furthest from the lake so I actually preferred our site.

  • Jennifer F.
    May. 10, 2020

    Worlds End State Park Campground

    Great campground

    I've been coming here every year for a while now. Overall, it has everything you'd want in a campground. They have one of the cleanest bathrooms I've seen yet while camping. The campsites are a good size. Certain sites have more privacy than others, I'd recommend the higher loop if you can. However, some of the sites on the lower loop are close to the road but the road noise isn't too bad. They have designated sites for pets. There are also primitive free sites that are first come first serve. In the colder months, they even have cabins you can rent out. Plenty of hiking and swimming nearby. We always hit up the Forksville General Store for breakfast before we leave. The food is sooo good. I recommend getting the sausage links. Also, the stars are incredible here! I usually come in the fall in October/early November. It's my favorite time to come because it's not extremely packed with campers and the leaves are beautiful. If you come in the fall, make sure you bring a cold weather sleeping bag or heater because the temp does drop. Seriously, a great campground you wont be disappointed!

  • T
    Aug. 18, 2022

    Ricketts Glen State Park Campground

    Impromptu trip that we don’t regret!

    This trip was a bit impromptu so we assume most of the good sites were picked over. The site we stayed at was the perfect size for two people, not the biggest site in the campground but we had a bit of a buffer between our neighbors so we weren’t on top of other people. We were located at a bit heavily trafficked area because we were near the entrance of the campground and the restrooms. The state park was beautiful and had a lot of things to do. I recommend doing the Falls trail and to get onto Lake Jean. They have a concessions by Lake Jean that doesn’t only sell food and drinks but some ice and bundle of wood. Definitely bring a hammer because it’s near impossible to stake down your tent by hand because the turf is hard. Would definitely come again and do the primitive group camp option if I can. No cell service (Verizon) but if you drive 10 miles north up towards Lopez we were able to get a signal. This was a nice way to end summer!

  • David A.
    Aug. 23, 2025

    Tiadaghton Campground — Tioga State Forest

    Tiadaghaton State Forest, PA

    Roadside site 1/4 mile from the nearest site. You can drive right to the site on Hackett Rd. Very secluded and peaceful. Picnic table and fire ring, but no water or latrine.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 17, 2019

    Ricketts Glen State Park Campground

    Waterfalls!!

    The biggest draw to this state park (which no one in Pennsylvania I spoke with seemed to know about) is the 22 waterfalls! We saw 18 of them on a four-mile moderate hike, but if you want to see the additional four, you could make it a seven-mile hike. The trails are very well marked. 

    We stayed in the large loop, which is a peninsula on Lake Jean. Many of the sites have lake views. The bathhouse was clean but not adequate for 73 sites. The campground was about ¾ full and there was often a wait in the bathroom. Showers looked reasonable but I did not use them.

    There were many tent campers in this loop, which does not allow pets (the other, smaller loop does allow pets). There are no hookups at all in the park. The water had been tested earlier in the season and unsafe levels of manganese were detected. All water spigots were shut off and covered but we were told it was safe to wash our dishes and brush our teeth. However, the water for the dishwashing sink was turned off as well as the water in the restroom at the trailhead. Since we had a reservation, we received a phone call in advance of our stay letting us know about this.

    There are trails to the beach, but we woke to rain the next morning, so we did not explore this. 

    One trash/recycle area a distance away from the campsites which seems typical for PA state parks. Alcohol is strictly forbidden– we were warned that if a ranger saw any alcohol outside of our vehicle, we would be cited. Quiet hours are 9 pm– 8 am, which is more restrictive than other state parks, however, some did not observe these quiet hours (a guitar-playing singing camper thought he was talented, but I disagree!)

  • Jackie F.
    Aug. 22, 2021

    Frances Slocum State Park Campground

    Good stay, great site!

    The goods: We had site 44 in the Stony Point loop and it was by far the largest campsite on the property. We had a thick covered wooded area to our right and a huge grassy area to the left. Was also an easy back in site as there’s an adjacent road (to parking and the amphitheater) right in front of it. All sites only have electric and only certain allow pets. Dump station had easy access and bathrooms, weren’t great but wasn’t the worst I’ve seen either.

    The not so good: mosquitoes and ticks can ruin a good trip, come prepared! Others in the campground were not honoring the quiet hours rules or the no alcohol rules. Some guy walked right in front of our site and threw up in a wooded area close by. Around the lake people leave their fishing bait and tackle on the ground so please be careful with your pups! Also, DO NOT take your pups to the water. There is a weird bacteria or algae currently growing in the lake, it’s completely visible. There are advisories around about it too.

  • Craig F.
    Jul. 9, 2019

    Ricketts Glen State Park Campground

    Great Hikes but RR conditions lacking

    Ricketts Glen State Park has amazing waterfall lined hikes and recreational lake activities. 

    The campground is comparable to many PA State Parks with a variety of different sized sites, some very close& small and some more private. There are no hook-ups in the campground. While Ricketts Glen has a lot to offer, the repeated conditions of the restrooms/bathhouses throughout the campground will be a deterrent in the future. The bathhouses were not maintained throughout the weekend and were very filthy by Saturday evening. Since there are no hookups, the number of bathhouses to camping sites is significantly lacking. Be aware that PA State park campgrounds are alcohol free and quiet hours start at 9:00PM.

Guide to Forksville

Tent campsites near Forksville, Pennsylvania cluster around the deep valleys and forested ridges of north-central Pennsylvania's Appalachian plateau. The region's elevation ranges from 800 to 2,000 feet with a humid continental climate that brings abundant rainfall during summer months. Primitive camping sites in Loyalsock State Forest remain open year-round but access becomes difficult during winter when forest roads aren't maintained for snow removal.

What to do

Fishing access points: Riverside Acres Campground provides direct access to the Susquehanna River with a 200-meter wide fishing stretch where eagles are often spotted fishing alongside campers. A camper noted, "The river in front of first row sites is 200 m broad. Eagles fish here. You can too. Good beginning or end for a canoe trip."

Creek exploration: Ravensburg State Park offers multiple swimming holes along its creek trails where campers can cool off during summer months. "There are few hiking trails; short and long that take you to beautiful views along the creek with a couple of places deep enough to swim," reports one visitor.

Canyon hiking: Colton Point State Park Campground features trails that descend into Pine Creek Gorge with varying difficulty levels. The Turkey Trail follows a stream with multiple waterfalls. A hiker observed, "Unlike Leonard Harrison, Colton Point on the western rim of the Pine Creek Gorge isn't a tourist hub. The trails aren't built up with steps and the like, but I think the Colton Point Turkey trail is much more manageable even without them."

What campers like

Secluded sites: The walk-in tent sites at Colton Point provide increased privacy from other campers. As one camper described, "I loved that you can pick your own tucked away spot within the camp area but yet still close enough to other people."

Natural sound barriers: Ravensburg State Park Campground features natural vegetation between sites for privacy. "There are bushes and trees between the sites and it feels very private. Sometimes it can feel too secluded but the park ranger drives through a number of times," explains a regular visitor.

Uncrowded atmosphere: Many primitive camping areas in Loyalsock State Forest remain relatively undiscovered compared to more developed state park campgrounds. The camping areas on Rock Run Road and Dry Run Road typically have fewer visitors, especially midweek.

What you should know

Road access challenges: Forest roads leading to primitive campsites can be difficult to navigate without proper directions. One camper at Ravensburg State Park advised, "Park is easily accessible from I-80, just be aware of your directions and make sure they're taking you to the park via Rocky Road. Mine did not, and I ended up down a seasonal road that did not end at the park entrance."

Reservation systems: Most Loyalsock State Forest primitive sites operate on a first-come, first-served basis, while Ravensburg has an unusual system. "First come first serve but still had to pay transaction fee! which was annoying for our one night stay as if rather the state parks get that," reported a camper.

Ambient noise levels: Water noise can be significant at streamside campsites. A camper noted, "If you camp on the sites by the river, be prepared for lots of noise from the rapids. It had been raining quite heavily all day, so this may have impacted the volume levels."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Forksville, PA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Forksville, PA is Dry Run Road Campsites — Loyalsock State Forest with a 0-star rating from 0 reviews.

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