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The Imler area of Pennsylvania provides access to several camping options across its mountainous landscape, including Blue Knob State Park Campground situated on the second highest peak in Pennsylvania. Campers can choose from established campgrounds with tent sites, RV hookups, and cabin rentals. Within a 30-minute drive, additional camping areas include Shawnee State Park, Friendship Village Campground, and Pat's Primitive Place. The region supports various accommodation types from rustic tent-only areas to full-service RV parks with amenities such as electric hookups, showers, and picnic tables. Most developed campgrounds in the area offer both wooded and open sites suitable for different camping preferences.
Camping in the Imler region follows seasonal patterns with most facilities operating from April through October. Blue Knob State Park Campground specifically operates from the second Friday in April until the third Sunday in October. As one camper noted, "It was chillier than surrounding areas due to being on the mountain." The higher elevation creates cooler temperatures even during summer months. Water is available at central locations but not at every campsite in some facilities. Cell service can be limited, particularly at Blue Knob where visitors should "be prepared for extremely limited cell service" according to reviews. Many campgrounds require advance reservations, especially during summer weekends and holidays when sites fill quickly.
Campers consistently highlight the quiet, peaceful atmosphere of the area's campgrounds. Blue Knob State Park receives praise for its spacious sites and excellent hiking opportunities. One visitor described it as "possibly the best car-camping in Western PA" due to its scenic trails and mountain views. The campground is relatively small with fewer than 50 sites, providing a more intimate experience compared to larger facilities nearby. Family-friendly amenities are available at several campgrounds in the region, with Friendship Village offering activities like mini-golf, fishing ponds, and playgrounds. Visitors should note that some campgrounds near major highways may experience road noise, while those deeper in forested areas provide more seclusion. Most developed campgrounds maintain clean facilities with restrooms and showers, though primitive camping areas may require self-sufficiency.
"Was pleased by the quiet despite size of campground and proximity to highway. Sites not overly large or private. Has wood vending machine at entrance for firewood."
"The morning drive started early, had several stops and starts, and I was once again glad that my big dog was along for the ride."
from $20 - $110 / night
Check Availability"it’s small, with shaded sites around the perimeter and two walk in sites just left of the entrance."
"The hiking here is really spectacular with lots of scenery, overlooks, and side trails that extend many miles out into state forest lands which are adjacent to the park."
from $20 - $108 / night
Check Availability"The campground is nestled on the outskirts of Bedford Pennsylvania and is a very easy location to travel to regardless of your rig size."
"One of the best campgrounds I have stayed at so far the pond is nice and has a 1/2 mile walking path around it with trees and beaches to stop and sit dog park is big and has a place for small or large"
"Fantastic lake side camping resort. Best for campers or using their cabins but it has freeway access to the lake and beautiful views."
"Beautiful lakeside sites."
"The pavilion where all those activities happened were right next to our site (22 with the doggie den)."
"The staff here at Raystown Lake/Saxton KOA are great. They a friendly, willing to help anyway they can, and keep the place spotless."
from $100 / night
Check Availability"The trucks passing by on the highway can be loud at night so keep that in mind when choosing a spot if it would bother you. After a little while it was just background noise to us."
from $25 - $50 / night
Check Availability"We had easy access to things around us but a quick walk along a path brought us to a beautiful spot by the creek. We set up camp right along the creek, as shown in our pictures."
from $25 - $50 / night
"We stayed in cabin 170 in Fir loop and the site was incredibly spacious, heavily shaded, close to the bath house, path to the beach, and well distanced from other sites."
"Our friends were in the site next to us (17) which was also nice and there was a wide walking path between them. Family also stayed in one of the rental cabins (21)."
from $23 - $29 / night
Check Availability"It’s close to bathhouse and playground if you want those. There is parking at every bath house. There is trash receptacles at the entrance to the loop as well as firewood or sale."
"Ridge camp is the furthest away from the marina and the public swimming area. However it's the closest to the Allegrippis Trail system and from the entrance of the camp loop there is a trail head!"
from $28 - $200 / night
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ScoutWow, the weekends were fun. They were quite a bit of people there and my kids had a good time. The weekdays were different story we were told we had to be quiet. We had a lot of craziness go on
GuideThis campground's foliage is interesting, I saw fernes growing and trees that looked older than me. I also noticed the campground has some history shown by the rust of the firepits. There is Billy's Pizza and general store which sells firewood if you go a little further down the road that maps takes you and take the second left instead of taking the first left. I think the campground also sells firewood on site. You can order Billy's Pizza and I saw them deliver to the campsites, which is amazing, havent seen that before. I'm a light sleeper and could hear truck engine braking sounds echo through the forest from the nearby highway, so the proximity to the road ruins the feeling of seclusion and the quiet. There's a restroom with a large sink outside which is nice.
TravelerThis is one of six campsites that can be reserved through PA's DCNR website. The six campsites are spread throughout the Laurel Highlands. This is the only one at Mt. Davis. We camp with three dogs, so we really appreciated the privacy. There were occasionally the sounds of distant ATVs or farm equipment, but, overall, this is a peaceful site. The campsite does not connect to the trails at Mt. Davis and there is no vault toilet here, but both vault toilets and a trailhead are just a few minutes away at the Mt. Davis picnic area. There is only one obvious tent site, so, if you need more than one tent site, you will have to get creative. The site is along a gravel road that leads to a field which you can use to walk your dogs. There are no water features here which our dogs enjoy, so that is the only reason for the 4 out of 5 stars. We will be reserving this site again!
TravelerWe stayed one night here (didn't even unhook from the truck). Arrived in the rain and were leaving early the next morning, so I didn't want to disconnect. Our gravel pad was over 6" out of level, requiring me to use leveling pads and a leveling jack to get trailer level. All the short-term gravel sites looked like they needed some love!
Campground is about 80% seasonal, and apparently has no housekeeping restrictions on residents - some sites were pretty full of old dead golf carts and various debris. Not sure I would want to stay for a destination camping experience, but it was cheap and fine for a one night stay.
TravelerThis campground (now named "Orchard Station Campground" is under new management, and is open all year (I think). They are in the process of upgrading sites with new utility lines and level gravel pads.
Owner was very friendly & helpful.
Allowed me to charge my Rivian onsite (I paid him for the extra power).
Adjacent huge cemetery site is accessible via a goat path at the back of the campground and provided a great place to walk our dog every day.
We were attending the Alleghany Ukulele Soiree at the Altoona Grand Hotel, and this was a perfect spot (less than 5 minutes away).
Will definitely return!!
TravelerWe came up here in our Roadtrek campervan. Quiet woodsy forestland. Went for a walk in the morning, lots of birdsong. A bit of road noise from the nearby highways but didn’t hear anything at night.
TravelerNice campground, level site, very clean. (Here early in season though!) $40/night. Lost a star for the long and steep incline walk to the bathrooms. Accessibility note: Careful if you have mobility issues. Many of the sites are terraced and require using steps.
TravelerI want to preface by saying that I believe this is a fairly nice and accommodating campground, it just missed the mark on some of my personal preferences this time around.
I had a two night trip the opening weekend at the Elm Loop, site 118. I actually came to this campground amidst a wind advisory, will definitely not make that mistake again because it was a beast. The grounds were easy to navigate even during the night. Putting up the tent was a bit frustrating as the tent pad was very rocky and it was difficult to get the pegs into the ground.
One of my biggest qualms was that I arrived expecting to be able to buy firewood from the camp store, especially since the provided flyers and maps listed the store being open until 9pm. I got to the store only to find out that it had been shut down last year. A bit disappointing as we couldn’t have a fire that night, would’ve been nice to know ahead of time. Thankfully firewood was available the next day but at the registration office at the entrance of the park. Not sure if they plan on opening the store again, but just be aware if you do plan to go and are expecting it to be open.
Other than that, it’s a well versed site. Plenty for any group to do. I went fishing towards the dam while the other half of my group hiked the lake trail. Bathrooms were available and in usable condition. Sites are a good distance apart, the ones along the lake are pretty. Not sure if I’d return again but it was a nice to try.
GuideTLDR: this is a horrible campsite in a horrible campground. You should reserve somewhere else and leave it open for me. ;-)
My family has a wide variety of preferences. My husband is a water guy. I'm a mountain girl. My kids want a paved campground road so they can scooter and a nearby playground. This place is all of those things - a mountain lake with paved roads and heavy on amenities.
We stayed in site 11, which has a direct path to the lake-loop trail, which is also a straight shot to the beach/playground. We were there in March, so we weren't swimming/boating, but in the summer this would be a prime spot for those reasons too. It's a liiittle far from the bath house. But we RV, so it's not a huge deal. It had a great view of lake and mountains (though once the leaves come in, probably less so).
Sites are nice and private, well spaced. The fire pit was nice and deep, which was slightly inconvenient, but is probably intended to combat the mountain winds. The campground store and other peak season amenities were closed, so I can't speak to those, but it looked like they had very nice facilities. The playground was really nice. (We didn't go onto resort/casino property)
The Imler region sits at a higher elevation than surrounding areas, creating cooler temperatures throughout camping season. Located near the second highest peak in Pennsylvania, Imler area campgrounds experience temperature drops of 5-10 degrees compared to nearby towns. Camping options range from primitive tent sites along creeks to full-service RV parks with extensive family activities.
Fishing access points: Pat's Primitive Place offers excellent creek fishing with trout. "Right around the corner from our site was a great spot along the river for sitting out in the sun and fishing for trout," notes a camper at Pat's Primitive Place.
Mountain biking trails: Seven Points campground provides direct access to the Allegrippis Trail system. "The mtb trails begin just above the upper camp loops and provide a full day of fast flowing singletrack," according to a reviewer who appreciated the "IMBA standard built trails that are open year round and in any weather."
Lake activities: Lake Raystown offers multiple water recreation options beyond swimming. "The lake is beautiful and has a large, sandy beach. Would love to spend more time there to explore the park further," shares a visitor at Shawnee State Park Campground. Rentals for pontoon boats and jet skis are available in season at several locations around the lake.
Historical sites: Bedford County contains numerous historical points of interest within 30 minutes of Imler. "If you stay here, make sure to travel down the road to see the Flight 93 Memorial," recommends a Shawnee State Park camper.
Spacious, private sites: Blue Knob State Park Campground offers well-spaced camping areas. "The sites are nice, the bathrooms are clean, the lake was great to swim and canoe in. Also like that each loop has a host who supplies fire wood for a nominal price," notes a camper at Rocky Gap State Park, which shares similar amenities to Blue Knob.
Multiple camping loops: Seven Points features distinct camping areas each with their own character. "Ridge camp is the furthest away from the marina and the public swimming area. However it's the closest to the Allegrippis Trail system and from the entrance of the camp loop there is a trail head!" A reviewer adds that "Ridge has a laundromat at only 25¢/load."
Clean facilities: Campgrounds throughout the Imler area maintain well-kept restrooms and shower facilities. "The bathhouse was clean with 3 showers," notes one camper about Seven Points, while another mentions "the restroom at Ridge has 4 shower stalls which were very clean with hot water at a great water pressure."
Weekend activities: Many campgrounds organize social events for guests. "This campground is very clean and family friendly. They have mini golf, fishing, and special events on weekends," shares a visitor at Friendship Village Campground.
Seasonal considerations: Most campgrounds operate on limited schedules with varying amenities. "The campground is quite spread out through the property with sites ranging from primitive campsites to full hook up big rig sites," explains a camper at Friendship Village Campground.
Temperature variations: Higher elevation campgrounds remain cooler than valley locations. "It was chillier than surrounding areas due to being on the mountain," notes a Blue Knob State Park visitor about September temperatures.
Site selection: Research specific sites when booking. "Double check site booked," warns a Shawnee State Park camper. "We absolutely loved our stay at this park once we changed sites. We have a 35' TT and there was no way it was going to fit in the site we originally booked."
Supply planning: Limited services in the area require advance planning. "Bring everything you need, it's about 30 minutes to some supplies. Make sure you bring firewood," advises a Blue Knob camper who also notes to "be prepared for extremely limited cell service (Verizon)."
Kid-friendly activities: Multiple campgrounds feature dedicated children's areas. "Lots of fun for kids, live music on the weekend, this campground was full of activity," shares a visitor at Friendship Village Campground and RV Park, adding "there is a jumping pillow and a very well-built gaga ball pit."
Beach access: Several campgrounds offer swimming areas with amenities. "The campground beach is fun. There is a 5 mile trail that goes all around the lake. Lots of lake to paddle," notes a Rocky Gap State Park visitor.
Playground options: Look for campgrounds with multiple play areas. "We love that the campground has their own beach so it's not over crowded with the public. Near the beach there is a nice playground near shade for parents to watch," shares a Rocky Gap State Park camper.
Weekend programming: Check campground schedules for family events. "Went camping here for the first time this weekend. Although it was the off season there was still tons to do. The kids played mini golf, jumped on the pillow, played on multiple playgrounds, enjoyed ice cream and went fishing," explains a Friendship Village visitor.
Site leveling challenges: Many campgrounds feature uneven terrain. "Sites are very spacious and the gravel pad was level upon parking. Good connections and solid cable," reports a camper at Raystown Lake / Saxton KOA, contrasting with less level sites at other area campgrounds.
Road noise considerations: Some campgrounds experience highway sounds. "Nice campground, clean and plenty of activities for the kids. The only thing we didn't like was all of the road noise. This campground is located by 2 major highways and truck traffic and Jake brake are constant all night long," notes a Friendship Village camper.
RV site selection: Research specific sites before booking. "For big rig campers, you need to stay at the upper portion of the campground at sites 200-500," advises a Friendship Village visitor, providing specific guidance based on experience.
Dump station access: Campground facilities vary significantly. "On our way out, we visited the dump station again and got in one of the 4 lanes with no wait. The dump station had wide lanes and made the experience an easy and clean one," shares a Seven Points camper.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Imler, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Imler, PA is Shawnee State Park Campground with a 4-star rating from 27 reviews.
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