R
Russell A.
Scout
Scout100 Mile View Camping
What a great place. So unique! Love the view, and a great experience! There are no hook ups, so be prepared but if you are looking for the dispersed camping experience you have found it. What a gem!
Camping near Jim Thorpe, PA
14 campgrounds with availability this weekend
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Campgrounds near Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania range from developed facilities with full hookups to primitive tent sites. The Mauch Chunk Lake Park located directly in Jim Thorpe offers lakeside camping with tent and RV sites, while Jim Thorpe Camping Resort accommodates tents, RVs, and cabins with additional glamping options. Hickory Run State Park Campground, approximately 15 miles northeast, features similar accommodation types within a state park setting. Most established campgrounds in the region maintain seasonal operations, typically opening from April through October, with few offering year-round accessibility.
Access to camping facilities varies by location, with most developed campgrounds featuring paved or well-maintained gravel roads accessible to standard vehicles. Tent sites at some locations may present challenges with exposed tree roots and uneven terrain. Several campgrounds provide full hookups for RVs, including electric, water, and sewer connections. Reservations are highly recommended, especially during summer weekends and fall foliage season when the area experiences peak visitation. Amenities differ between facilities, with most offering restrooms, showers, and potable water, though primitive camping options with limited services exist. According to one visitor, "The campsites were adequate size. The campground is very close to lots of outdoor attractions and fun in the Jim Thorpe and Blue Mountain area."
Waterfront camping opportunities rank among the most popular options, with Mauch Chunk Lake Park providing direct lake access for swimming and boating. Multiple reviewers note the family-friendly atmosphere at most developed campgrounds in the area, with amenities like playgrounds, swimming pools, and scheduled activities. A common theme in visitor feedback involves site spacing and noise levels, particularly during busy weekends. The camping options near Jim Thorpe are especially popular for their strategic location near recreational trails and scenic Pocono Mountain views. Several campgrounds receive positive mentions for their proximity to recreational opportunities, including hiking trails, fishing spots, and bicycle routes. The nearby D&L Trail provides direct access from some campgrounds to expanded outdoor recreation. While some facilities maintain a rustic atmosphere, others offer more resort-like amenities. Jim Thorpe campgrounds are particularly sought after during peak seasons due to their convenient access to both outdoor adventures and the charming historic downtown area. Travelers seeking greater privacy should consider weekday visits or early season reservations when campgrounds typically experience lower occupancy rates.
Best Campgrounds near Jim Thorpe (208)
1. Hickory Run State Park Campground
"The newly built park office and entrance rivals some national parks. Staff is helpful and professional and the campsites are always very well maintained."
"Great location lots of hiking trails right in the park and many more close by"
65 Sites AvailableAvailable this weekend
from $20 - $72 / night
2. Jim Thorpe Camping Resort
"The sites were fine and I liked the location. Next to the creek where you can fish trout (don’t forget to buy a license). About 3 miles stroll along the creek to Jim Thorpe."
"Love the area of Jim Thorpe."
3. Mauch Chunk Lake Park
"Beautiful lake beach and canoe and kayak rentals. There’s much to explore in the town Jim Thorpe and beautiful hiking close by."
"You are in beautiful Jim Thorpe that has white water rafting in town, plus great restaurants and bars. I like that I can launch my paddle board from my sight and the water is so clean and clear."
Check Availabilityfrom $20 / night
4. Locust Lake State Park Campground
"Nice campground with some trails and access to Pottsville - for the best brewery tour ever - Yeungling! Check out the Jim Thorpe fall fest and Hershey Park."
"We had lake front access to put kayaks in and fish which was awesome. Great walking path around lake for kids to ride bikes to parks or beach. Beach area was nice."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $20 - $43 / night
5. 100 Mile View Camping
"Paved road and hard packed gravel for a short distance to get to the camp site. We made it up there no problem motorcycles."
"This is a hidden gem, as close to dispersed camping you can get with dirt, gravel roads, large stone fire pits, a amazing views with the added benefit of a five gallon jug of non potable water and very"
2 Sites AvailableAvailable this weekend
from $40 - $50 / night
6. Allentown KOA
"This campground is nestled in rhe mountains of Pennsylvania. This campgound is family oriented, it has a pool, a store, a game room. They also do things for different holidays."
"We chose this campground mainly because it was close to home and we could camp and not miss my daughter's soccer practice/game. We were pleasantly surprised by the campground. "
7. Stonybrook RV Resort
"There’s lots of space to walk your dog on leash but no dog park. We had an issue with our surge protector and the manager had an electrician out to us quickly who helped us solve a problem. "
"Our site(F20) is level and beautiful— spacious and beautifully landscaped
- We interacted with 5 members of their staff and all were welcoming and friendly to talk with
- There’s a heated pool behind"
8. Pocono Point
"Good location and easy to get to from the PA turnpike NE extension 476. Also a good location to get to all the state parks nearby like Beltzville and Lehigh Gorge."
"Cute campground with RV and creekside tent sites near Lehigh Gap. The staff here was incredibly friendly and helpful and they have a well cared for site."
Check Availabilityfrom $45 - $550 / night
9. Blue Mountain RV and Camping Resort
"Wanted to find a close by place for for a night of Tent camping and stumbled across this winter time ski resort/ spring summer camping and adventure grounds."
10. Blue Rocks Family Campground
"According to hikers on the AT, this is what they call Pennsylvania, as they hike through this section of the state. And Blue Rocks Campground doesn't dissapoint."
"Blue Rocks family campground is close to I78 however it is still off the beaten path. It is very peaceful to camp here as you have different types of environments."
Drive Time
- 41 min from Allentown, PA
- 47 min from Scranton, PA
- 1 hr 9 min from Reading, PA
- 1 hr 20 min from Lebanon, PA
Recent Camping Photos near Jim Thorpe, PA
526 Photos of 208 Jim Thorpe Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Jim Thorpe Camping Resort
100 Mile View Campingw
Mauch Chunk Lake Park
Pocono Point
Blue Mountain RV and Camping Resort
Scrub Mountain Retreat
Stonybrook RV Resort
Whitewater Challengers Adventure Center
Hickory Run State Park Campground
BMR Operations, LLC dba Blue Mountain Resort By: BM Resort Management, LLC its Authorized Agent
Lehigh Gorge Campground
Tuscarora State Park Campground
Recent Reviews near Jim Thorpe, PA
1208 Reviews of 208 Jim Thorpe Campgrounds
Nancy W.
LegendHickory Run State Park Campground
Peaceful State Park Camping in the Fall
This is a large campground with a wide array of campsites so be careful attention when you book online, especially if you have a pet because some sites are not pet-friendly. Some are 50-amp full hook-up and some are primitive with no hook-ups.
There is a nice nature center with interesting interpretive exhibits and lots of informational brochures including ones about the hiking trails, bears, scat and tracks of local animals, and fishing. Our site was at the edge of the campground and backed up to Route 534 which resulted in a bit of road noise at our site. Other than the road noise the campground was pretty quiet and was not very crowded when we camped there in October.
Not all sites are level and we happened to book one that was not and we had to live with a slant for our stay. The roads in the park are gravel/dirt and since it rained the day we arrived the roads were a muddy mess which made the roads slippery and there were lots of potholes. Unfortunately, some campers were disrespectful and left bags of trash in the fire pit and scattered around their site which was totally unnecessary because there were dumpsters plenty of dumpsters in the campground. Since we camped at Hickory Run late in the season, there were no camp hosts and the trash never got picked up.
The campground is open from mid-April to mid-December; however, the shower facilities and dump station are not available after the third week of October so plan accordingly. We really like the hiking trails which are of varying degrees of difficulty and lengths. The Hawk Falls is a nice easy walk (1.4 miles round-trip) to a waterfall but is extremely popular so don’t think you will be admiring the falls alone. The parking lot at this trail head fills up fast so you better get there early if you want to get a spot.
You can enter the park from two different directions. If you have a big-rig, it is best to approach from the east side. We made the mistake of coming in from the west side as we dropped down from I-80 and came down 534 and the road was really windy with no shoulder. Luckily, there was very little traffic so we could go 10 mph and safely navigate the roads.
Be aware alcohol is not allowed in PA state parks. This park does allow hunting in certain sections of the park. The no-hunting areas are clearly marked with white no hunting signs on trees and you can also pick up a brochure from the office that designates hunting and no-hunting sections.
Tony F.
Guide100 Mile View Camping
The best views
This is a hidden gem, as close to dispersed camping you can get with dirt, gravel roads, large stone fire pits, a amazing views with the added benefit of a five gallon jug of non potable water and very clean port-a-potties. The owner regularly patrols the site and makes sure everything is okay.
SkywaystoHighways.com Y.LegendRicketts Glen State Park Campground
Beautiful Falls!
What a great campground! We stayed here on a recommendation from a friend after the Overland Expo. Great hiking trails and the falls were absolutely breathtaking. Truly enjoyed our stay and plan to return!
- WWill W.Guide
Lackawanna State Park Campground
Car camping
Stayed October 14 without reservations because website showed lots of availability. Office was closed (M-F 8-4) so submitted honor system envelope with cash and stayed at Site 041 on Carpenter loop. Shower building was a short walk and was spacious enough. Water temp didn’t quite reach hot but was warm enough.
Electric kept on tripping breaker.
Roger V.
TravelerBake Oven Knob
solid parking place for vans and RVs. road is dirt gravel but not terrible. nice hike nearby
- jjeanne A.Guide
Council Cup Campground
Better than nothing
Small campground with rude owner. Everything I asked about was putting her out. It was cheap though at $36 for water and electric with a military discount.
- jjeanne A.Guide
Echo Valley Campground
Big sites with lots of trees
We only spent the night and didn't look at the amenities. The manager was very friendly and accommodating.
Thomas B.
RangerTohickon Family Campground
Simple, peaceful FHU
We stayed just a couple nights here on our way north. The camp host was helpful before our stay and during check-in. Our site was pretty isolated from the others, so it was very quiet (no complaints here). There is a decent mix of sunny sites by the river and shady sites under the trees. The weather was perfect mid September. There wasn't anything spectacular for me, but it was a good experience and it was a nice taste of fall PA scenery. Beware that the roads are tight for a big rig. Side note, it did seem like most campers lived there.
Guide to Jim Thorpe
Camping options near Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania extend beyond the common lakefront campgrounds to include mountain settings, stream-side camping, and secluded forest locations within 25 minutes of town. The area sits at the edge of the Pocono Mountains with elevations ranging from 400 to 1,800 feet, creating varied terrain and camping experiences. Most campgrounds maintain seasonal operations from April through October, with only a few sites offering accommodations during winter months.
What to do
Hiking accessible trails: The Hickory Run State Park Campground offers 44 miles of trails rated from easy to difficult. One visitor noted, "We found the 2 trails we hiked - Hawk Falls and Shades of Death trails - where were rated 'more difficult' were not bad to hike at all. We hiked both with your 2 large dogs." Many trails feature creek access and waterfalls.
Boulder field exploration: Multiple campgrounds provide access to unique boulder fields. At Blue Rocks Family Campground, campers can explore a glacier rock field. As one visitor described it: "Boulders everywhere! Big ones, small ones, run (carefully) across them all! Beyond the Boulder field is a vast, scary, unknown."
Water activities: Several campgrounds offer fishing, swimming, and boating opportunities. One visitor to Mauch Chunk Lake Park shared: "Our first time tent camping was here and it set a great tone. We set up the tent, kayaked on the lake, cooked up some dinner, watched a strawberry super moon rise over the lake, went to bed, woke up to make some breakfast and then we were off to go rafting on the Lehigh river 10 minutes away."
What campers like
Creek access: The Jim Thorpe Camping Resort features the Mauch Chunk stream running through the back of the property. According to one camper, "The mauch chunk stream runs through the back of the campground. The D&L trail also runs at the back of the campground, giving great bike access to mauch chunk lake."
Accessibility to trails: Many campgrounds connect directly to popular hiking routes. One visitor to Blue Rocks Family Campground commented, "It's right at the base of one of the most popular hiking trail, The Pinnacle. It's nestled in the woods and is very rustic. Really gives you that camping feel!"
Dark skies for stargazing: The remote location of some campgrounds provides opportunities for stargazing. A visitor to Locust Lake State Park Campground mentioned, "You can hear the road from some sites so choose carefully if you care. Really pretty lake and nice stargazing!"
What you should know
Site leveling challenges: Several campgrounds have uneven terrain that requires preparation. One visitor to Pocono Point noted, "Cute campground with RV and creekside tent sites near Lehigh Gap. My favorite spots are the tent-only sites along the creek. They are peaceful and separate from the RV area."
Limited connectivity: Cell service varies significantly throughout the area. A camper at Tuscarora State Park explained, "If you want to be disconnected, literally because there is no cell service, then this is the place for you. You have to be alert to make the turn into the mountains onto the dirt road."
Tree roots and rocks: Many tent sites have natural obstacles. One Mauch Chunk Lake Park visitor commented, "Many sites have exposed tree roots and rocks, recommend extra padding for tenters. Plenty of space away from neighbors."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature play areas for children. A visitor to Allentown KOA shared, "2 different playgrounds and a pool that could use some updating. Staff was very helpful and accommodating."
Stream exploration: Kids enjoy wading in the creeks at many campgrounds. One camper at Jim Thorpe Camping Resort noted, "Theres a creek where you can go fishing. There is a playground, pool, arcade, and office store."
Lake swimming: Designated swimming areas provide safe recreation. A visitor to Locust Lake State Park Campground mentioned, "We had lake front access to put kayaks in and fish which was awesome. Great walking path around lake for kids to ride bikes to parks or beach. Beach area was nice."
Tips from RVers
Site width considerations: Many campgrounds have tight spacing between sites. One RVer at Jim Thorpe Camping Resort noted, "Our site was way too small even though we gave the length and width of our rig ahead of time. We were always looking for a place to park our tow because we had no extra space in front or back."
Leveling requirements: Several campgrounds require significant leveling for trailers. A visitor to Allentown KOA shared, "My site was nice and level. Didn't need leveling blocks as our site was nice and level."
Access road challenges: Some campgrounds have difficult entry roads. A visitor to Stonybrook RV Resort pointed out, "The entrance made for a challenging entry up a steep grade, narrow roadway, and sharp turn in. I made it without problems, but it wasn't easy in a 45' motorhome towing a Jeep."
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best campgrounds near Jim Thorpe, PA?
What are the best campgrounds near Jim Thorpe, PA?
Mauch Chunk Lake Park is consistently rated as one of the best campgrounds in the area, offering spacious sites that feel secluded even when full. The park features a beautiful lake beach with canoe and kayak rentals, clean water for paddleboarding, and waterfront sites. For a different experience, Lizard Creek Campground provides a nice pool, playground for kids, and creek-side sites. Both campgrounds are conveniently located near the town of Jim Thorpe, giving you easy access to local attractions, hiking trails, white water rafting, restaurants, and seasonal festivals.
Are there RV camping options in Jim Thorpe?
Are there RV camping options in Jim Thorpe?
Jim Thorpe Camping Resort offers RV sites with hookups just 3 miles from downtown. The resort features clean bathrooms and showers, and its creekside location provides fishing opportunities (license required). Some sites are more secluded than others, as this is primarily a seasonal campground. For another option, KOA Campground New Tripoli is close to Jim Thorpe with RV-friendly amenities, a dog park, and a river flowing through the property. This KOA is conveniently located near recreational activities and Appalachian Trail access points.
Is there any state park camping available near Jim Thorpe?
Is there any state park camping available near Jim Thorpe?
Hickory Run State Park Campground offers excellent camping opportunities near Jim Thorpe. The park features hiking trails, fishing spots, and mountain biking opportunities. While the campsites and roads can be a bit tight, the park boasts a newly built visitor center and professional staff. Another great option is Locust Lake State Park Campground, which is particularly beautiful during fall. This state park provides trail access and is conveniently located for visiting Jim Thorpe's fall festival. Both parks are within reasonable driving distance from Jim Thorpe.
What amenities can I expect at Camp Dietrich on Bear Creek near Jim Thorpe?
What amenities can I expect at Camp Dietrich on Bear Creek near Jim Thorpe?
Based on available information about campgrounds in the Jim Thorpe area, specific details about Camp Dietrich on Bear Creek are limited. However, most established campgrounds near Jim Thorpe typically offer basic amenities such as potable water, restroom facilities, and fire rings. For confirmed amenities, it's best to contact Camp Dietrich directly before your visit. For alternative options with well-documented amenities, consider Blue Mountain RV and Camping Resort near Lehighton or Tuscarora State Park Campground, both offering various access options and facilities within reasonable distance to Jim Thorpe.
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