The northwestern Pennsylvania region offers numerous camping spots near Rouseville, Pennsylvania, with elevations ranging from 1,100 to 1,600 feet above sea level. The area sits within the Allegheny Plateau, characterized by rolling hills, hardwood forests, and numerous creeks and waterways. Winter temperatures often drop below freezing from November through March, with summer temperatures typically ranging from 70-85°F.
What to do
Disc golf at camp: Oil Creek Family Campground features a 27-hole disc golf course set in the woods around the property. According to one visitor, "We had a blast on the disc golf course, fishing in the pond, and playing ping pong. The kids had an awesome time in the pool for hours and running around with the other kids in the maze."
Explore wilderness trout streams: Tionesta Recreation Area Campground provides access to pristine wilderness fishing. As one camper notes, "Pennsylvania is home to some of the best wilderness trout streams that you're ever going to find. The area is just plain beautiful! If you like hiking, fishing, and getting to enjoy some of the pristine wilderness of the Allegheny National Forest, this campground is your gateway to its natural beauty."
Winter camping options: Two Mile Run County Park operates year-round with winter camping available. The park features hiking trails that transform into cross-country skiing routes during snowy months.
What campers like
Creek and river access: Tionesta Recreation Area Campground sites near water are particularly popular. One visitor described their experience: "We had sites #46 and 48 right above the creek surrounded by tall trees. Incredibly quiet. Great for those traveling with dogs. We had a bluegrass quintet playing two sites down from ours and it was amazing!"
Sheltered camping: Wolfkiel Run Shelters offers a distinctive camping experience with Adirondack-style structures. A camper explains: "Wolfkiel is one of two hike-in areas along the Gerard Hiking Trail, in the Oil Creek State Park. Wolfkiel is made up of six Adirondack Shelters and a tent camping area. The shelters are perfectly positioned to be private from one another, each looks out over the forest."
Private wooded sites: Campers appreciate the natural separation between sites at many campgrounds. At Two Mile Run County Park, a visitor observed, "Didn't explore much of the campground here, seemed huge with lots of sites, we basically had a whole area of sites to ourselves, and it was a very wooded area. Some lots were large, some were not."
What you should know
Hookup distances: At some campgrounds, utilities can be far from parking pads. One camper at Kalyumet Campground reported: "Our only complaint would be the site we were in (11) and others next to it were quite far from the water and cable hookups. I ended up having to run 60ft of water hose and 50ft of cable in order to get a connection."
Winter preparation: For cold-weather camping, appropriate gear is essential. A visitor to Wolfkiel Run Shelters advised: "The shelters have hooks that allow you to hang a tarpaulin to help keep the heat in your shelter, although not necessary, especially if the nights are still. Snow did blow into our Shelter in the morning but was minimal."
Primitive camping logistics: Danner Primitive Campground requires some planning. One visitor explained: "This is a hike in or paddle in only campground. The shortest distance is about 2 miles from the trailhead at the Kennerdell bridge. This is meant more to be a stop along a paddling or hiking trip than a destination camping trip - you must get a permit to stay more than one night."
Tips for camping with families
Supervised water activities: At Outflow Recreation Area, parents should keep water safety in mind. A camper mentions: "Always loved it here but needs maintenance on road and can't fish on top of outflow like before. There really slacking on the upkeep. The restrooms are always clean and bonus bathrooms added by fishing area which is really nice and convenient."
Educational nature exploration: Oil Creek Family Campground offers diverse wildlife experiences. One visitor suggested: "Quick Tip: If you're camping with kiddos, try turning over the rocks in area creeks to find little aquatic insects. A little creepy, but a lot of awesome."
Seasonal activities: Many campgrounds offer scheduled events during peak seasons. According to a camper, "They also provide weekly entertainment for the kids, e.g. rock painting or special guests. This weekend, for instance was 'Jungle Terry and his amazing exotic animal family.'"
Tips from RVers
Site selection matters: Cook Forest State Park Campground & Cabins accommodates larger rigs but site choice is important. A camper observed: "235 sites, many with electric. Most seem pretty level and big rig friendly. Good ATT & Verizon cell service. Nice trails and friendly campground hosts."
GPS navigation challenges: Some campgrounds can be difficult to locate with standard GPS. One RVer at Tionesta Recreation Area advised: "There was not a real address to set our RV GPS. Waze and Google maps will pull up directions by entering Tionesta Recreation Area. We came in from the west on US-6 to PA-66, and up PA-36."
Site length verification: RVers should double-check site lengths when booking. A visitor to Tionesta noted: "The site lengths vary in the CG and the lengths from the reservation site seemed to be fairly correct. There were quite a few larger rigs here. Most if not all of the sites in this CG are full hookups."
