Dog-Friendly Camping near Glenville, PA

Codorus State Park Campground features tent, RV, and cabin sites across three loops with varying amounts of shade and proximity to Lake Marburg. The campground connects to trail systems for hiking and exploring the 3,500-acre park's wooded terrain. Site sizes accommodate multiple camping setups with level areas for equipment.

What to do

Fishing opportunities: Lake Marburg at Gifford Pinchot State Park Campground offers bass and bluegill fishing accessible from shore. "We caught a handful of bass and an absurd amount of bluegill from shore," notes one camper. The park maintains two day use areas with excellent fishing access.

Battlefield exploration: Located minutes from the historic Civil War site, Artillery Ridge Campground provides direct access to Gettysburg National Park. "The national park is mostly dog friendly. My husband caught a fish first day in the pond behind our site," shares a visitor. The campground itself served as an artillery storage area for the Union during the battle.

Water recreation: The swimming pool at Codorus State Park provides summer heat relief with clean facilities. While swimming isn't permitted in the lake, boating options include rentals from the marina. "You can bring your own boat (gas allowed) or rent one from their marina. There is no swimming allowed in the lake but there is a pool located at the park," explains a camper.

What campers like

Farm animal interactions: Thousand Trails Gettysburg Farm combines camping with a working farm experience. "We came amid COVID-19, so the many activities and events this location usually holds are down, BUT there is still fun to be had here! We've enjoyed mini-golf, feeding the animals, 'hiking' through the cornfield, fishing, and campfires," notes one visitor. The farm features goats, pigs, chickens, horses and llamas.

Quiet wooded sites: Gettysburg Battlefield KOA offers more natural surroundings than typical KOA locations. "What impressed me most about this CG was the landscaping and use of natural surroundings. There are tons of really nice boulders everywhere, bordering each site and most of the fire rings. The grounds are also very green and wooded," explains a camper. The campground features a challenging nature trail through the woods.

Waterfront camping: Sites along the water at Gifford Pinchot provide direct lake access. "We had site 114. It has water access and is right next to a small man made beach and playground," mentions one reviewer. The campground offers a small beach area within certain loops, plus access to the main beach on the opposite side of Pinchot Lake.

What you should know

Site privacy varies: Campgrounds near Glenville offer different levels of privacy depending on location and loop. At Gettysburg Campground, "It is a wonderful place to have Kids. tons of things for them to do. we were in tent sites which felt bigger than most and were right by river."

Reservation timing: During peak season, especially weekends, most campgrounds fill quickly. Many campers recommend booking weeks or months in advance for summer stays, particularly for waterfront sites.

Rules and restrictions: Some private campgrounds have strict policies. Merry Meadows Recreation Farm operates primarily on cash. "Yeah, I know it's not popular because most of us live in a plastic dominated world. I read it in advance and I just made sure we had some with us," one camper explains about their payment system.

Tips for camping with families

Playground proximity: Choose sites near play areas for convenience. Gettysburg Battlefield Resort features "a large playground with a play set, Gaga ball court, basketball court, volleyball, shuffleboard, arcade, and a pavilion for activities. The main building also has nice common areas and a kids activity area complete with a wooden camper play set your kids can crawl around in."

Themed weekends: Many campgrounds offer scheduled activities during summer months. "During the summer they have different themed weekends and fun activities for the whole family. In the fall they have Halloween weekends," explains a Gettysburg Battlefield Resort visitor.

Safety considerations: Be aware of local wildlife when hiking with children. Rattlesnakes have been spotted in central Pennsylvania's wooded areas. "This area tends to have a lot of rattlesnakes, and we spotted one about 20 feet off the trail in a downed wood pile - cool, but a little terrifying!" cautions a visitor to the region.

Tips from RVers

Leveling requirements: Bring leveling blocks as many sites have some degree of slope. At Gettysburg Battlefield Resort, a camper notes: "About half the sites have sewer, but there are two dump stations that are centrally located and easy to get to. Make sure to bring your leveling blocks, some sites do have a slope to them of 3-4"."

Site selection strategies: For larger rigs, request specific sites when booking. Artillery Ridge has been updating their facilities: "Amazing location surrounded by the national park. The grounds are nice and shaded, and you don't feel crowded. The only issue is there is a lot of construction at the moment."

Utilities and hookups: Most area campgrounds offer full hookups with varying amp service. "All sites have water and electric, but not all are 50 amp sites," notes a Gettysburg Battlefield Resort camper. Electric hookups are standard while sewer connections may require additional fees at some locations.