Looking for an adventure where you can explore Lake City and then fall asleep in your tent? The Dyrt helps you find campsites with tent camping near Lake City. Each tent campsite offers quick access to one or more of Lake City's most popular destinations.
This tent site sits in the woods on a hill just above the corner of French Creek (2022 PA River of the Year!) and a small tributary creek. It faces northwest over the valley providing amazing sunset views.
This location is on the high-side of the Union City Dam which is a dry bed, flood control dam. Which means during snow melt, or rainy streaks, the dam will fill up and flood the entire valley. However during dry spells, French Creek will appear as any other creek. At peak flooding, it will make its way all the way up the tributary valley, making a beautiful lake front campsite. Unfortunately, this only occurs a few weeks out of the year (typically early spring and occasionally during wet falls) and is fairly unpredictable (you can compare the high-water vs low-water views from the photos). Most of the summer you can still enjoy the view over both the tributary valley and French Creek valley. (DISCLAIMER: Once or twice a year during the wettest streaks, the water rises high enough to flood the driveway, making it impossible to drive up directly to the campsite. If this happens, you will be notified before so you can choose either to be refunded and not stay or you can park 100 yards up the road and hike into the campsite to enjoy the unique and rare lakefront views. Again, these are natural events that are infrequent and unpredictable, but also provide a truly spectacular setting.)
Located at the end of a dead end dirt road, adjacent to 100's of acres of federal protected land, and within sight of agriculture fields, there is an abundance of wildlife. For over 20 years, an active eagles nest has been located 1 mile north providing amazing opportunities to see either adult or juvenile eagles flying over French Creek hunting for fish. Deer can be seen early morning and late evening in the fields, as well as frequently crossing both valleys. All types of waterfowl flock the lake when it's flooded. I've personally seen up to 1000 geese at one time.
Beyond relaxing and wildlife watching, there are plenty of other activities to explore in the area. Access to many nature walking trails. The Union City Dam, less than 1.5 miles down the road, provides walking, biking, scenic driving, and picnic opportunities. Kayaks/canoes can be used to float the creek when dry or paddle up and down the reservoir lake when flooded. Centrally located between the 2 small towns of Union City and Waterford with gas stations, grocery stores, great local dinning options, and more. About a half an hour drive to Erie and Presque Isle State Park.
Come enjoy this extremely unique stretch of French Creek and Pennsylvania woods!
DISCLAIMER: There is an active gravel pit to the North of the campsite. During weekdays from about 7 AM-5 PM, you will likely hear and possibly see some activity from the gravel pit.
$40 - $45 / night
This is a newly created campsite that has picturesque view of surrounding farmland and of Peek-n-Peak. Located conveniently off of Rt426 with a slight drive along a field to reach the destination. Private and out of the way. Plenty of wildlife (family of fox and usually mamma deer and her babies, can normally be seen doing what animals do. Close to Peek-n-Peak and Findley Lake and its many amenities.
This is a little campsite on top of a hillside besides, you guessed it, a big oak. This is on a working hay farm, so depending on when you arrive you might be able to see hay being harvested. Again, this a new campsite so improvements will be made based on demand.
To enter the property, you will use a field entrance right off Harrington Hill Road (coming from the west it will be on your left-hand side). We have the way marked for you with posts/markers so hopefully it will take you right there. Please be aware this is located on top of a hill (with a big oak, hence its name :)) and you will be going through an active hay field to reach it.
$20 / night
Located on 50 acres of beautiful forest with lots of trails and wildlife. Only a couple miles from the shores of Lake Erie. This is wine country with wineries to the left and to the right. Many surrounding towns that will take you back in time. Fun day trips in the area: Presque Isle, Niagara Falls, Panama Rocks, Lilydale, casinos, Chautauqua Institute, Waldameer, Lucille Ball museum. Something for everyone!
$25 - $60 / night
TENT CAMPING ONLY
*NO AMMENTIES*
•Nearly 2 wooded acres, in Millvillage, PA.
•Just minutes from Port Farms, Amish goods, and the beautiful French Creek. Quiet country setting right off the main road. Surrounded by unoccupied woods.
•30 mins to Lake Erie.
•20 mins to Canadotah Lake.
•10 mins to Lake Leboeuf & French Creek river.
$50 - $100 / night
$8 / night
In an effort to provide more opportunities to enjoy our parks, Lake Metroparks offers tent camping so campers may experience unique natural features and the great outdoors. Reservations are required.
Campsites provide a “rustic” experience for small groups of up to eight people staying in tents. Campers must hike or paddle to the campsites. The sites are set back from the developed areas of the parks from about 0.25 mile to more than a mile. Each location is different and provides a quiet, intimate natural experience—much different than crowded campgrounds.
The paddle-in sites may require a three- to eight-mile paddle by canoe or kayak to reach the campsite. The idea is to paddle a stretch of the Grand River, spend the night under the stars and then paddle another stretch the next day. Imagine paddling 27 miles and spending two nights on the wild and scenic Grand River! That is all possible in your Lake Metroparks.
Each site has a designated area to pitch a tent, a place to build a fire, a grill and a picnic table. The sites do not have restrooms, running water or trash cans. Campers are expected to practice a “leave no trace” camping ethic including carrying in and carrying out all supplies and trash, with the goal of leaving the area better than it was found.
$10 - $20 / night
Tent & RV camping & cottage & cabin rentals at Canadohta Lake with Higby's - Seasonal & Transit campsites. Check us out in Crawford County, PA. Higby's Campground and Cottage Rentals at Canadohta Lake, PA provides a place to stay for your summer vacation destination! Check out our website for additional information www.canadohtalakecamping.com We have office hours and can also be reached outside hours if needed. Late check-ins aren't a problem, just let us know! See you at camp! Call or email us today!
$40 - $50 / night
Legend
Nice huge CG with mostly long term residents. Gravel roads and relatively level gravel sites. Good FHUs. A lot of amenities for things to do. Laundry facilities were clean with good machines. We would stay here again.
Traveler
Stopped through for 1 night with no reservation. Called and the camp host was super helpful and friendly! Got in after dinner and luckily we were just car camping, because we got (in our opinion) the best site there! 23 has a great shot of the lake, nice cinder blocks built up to block any wind from the fire pit. Didn’t use showers, but the bathrooms were well maintained! The lake view was amazing! Very quiet and small location…perfect for what we wanted for the evening. Would highly recommend!
Scout
Stayed two nights mid September. Lovely weather. Clean bathrooms and showers with hot water. Firewood, ice, free drinking water, and trinkets available at registration booth.
Traveler
We came for a quick visit and enjoyed a beautiful sunset and sunrise. Large spaces and easy access to the pier (ramps available for all to enjoy ) We would love to return and enjoy a much longer stay. FYI -several dump stations so no waiting!
RangerStayed here again while passing through the area. Facilities are still looking good and the host was very helpful with getting us settled in. Will visit again!
ScoutBrought the pop-up to Geneva State Park over Labor Day weekend and stayed in site 83. The experience was excellent. The site was wooded and ample, with plenty of distance between us and our neighbors on all sides. The bathrooms were fine, and we never had to wait for any bathroom facilities even though the campsite was completely full. The camp store was well-stocked and had some necessities and some extras. We heard standing water could be an issue at some of the sites, but we did not encounter that. After waking up to a thunderstorm at 4:00 am the first night, we fell back asleep and found no standing water at our site when we reawakened a couple hours later. Lastly, cell service in the park is excellent.
This was my 7-year-old daughter's first camping trip, and she had a blast. It took us about 20 minutes to hike to the beach, which was pleasant and had its own facilities and parking. The trail continues down a bit to the creek and marina as well. Away from the park we visited Geneva-on-the-Lake, which is a very short drive away. There we played some arcade games, putt-putt, and had ice cream.
Note that not all campsites are the same at this park, as some areas are closer together, and some are not wooded. Also note that the opportunities for fishing from shore seemed to be limited within the vicinity of the campground. If you're dead-set on fishing, you may want to check out a charter from the local marina.
In all, however, an excellent facility that has a good range of things to do, along with traditional woodland camping.
Scout
Fun little campground with friendly staff and wide open spaces. Clean bathrooms, great pool, fun little game room. The playground got 2 thumbs up from a 4 and 6 year old. There was a movie night every night. Close to stores (15 mins). The KOA is close to Presque isle and the amusement park, which is a fantastic place for kids. Sites were a good size and comfortable to be around.
Legend
Although this is a KOA Holiday, we used it as a KOA Journey on our way to the Catskills. Not too far from the Interstate & there was no highway noise at the campground.
We arrived right at 5pm, which is when they close up, but Victoria went above & beyond & took us right to our site. Good thing, since we were at the back of a confusing layout.
There are sites in this section that have a partial view of the lake, but they looked like seasonal sites. All the sites looked well cared for. We had a pull through on Chestnut Drive. Y1
If you have kids, most of the activities they would be interested in are at the front entrance. If you don't have a golf cart, you may have to drive to the front for the pool, mini golf, basketball court & jumping pillow.
It doesn't look like they have many cabins.
There's another playground in the back that was getting used. There was supposed to be a splash pad, but I didn't see an evidence of that.
The bathroom/shower house are duel toilet/showers. Not my favorite, but we didn't have any trouble getting in.
We used the back exit on our way out, which was convenient. At least we didn't have to go back to the front entrance!
BTW, Victoria is a treasure! She's friendly & goes above& beyond for customer service. We really appreciated the time she took with us.
Scout
Campground is closed. Roads are a minefield! Park by the dam is nice and so are the trails across from the dam. Trails by the campground are very nice, once you get through the mine field to them.
Traveler
My 6 year old daughter lived her farm animal dream life for a week! The hosts were so accommodating. My daughter loved the free movie nights under stars, running wild with the goats, and the play grounds and play houses kept her busy for hours! The eggs were delicious, I spent time by the fire, in a hammock, and soaking up the sunshine. It was the rejuvenating experience I needed. I will definitely plan to stay here again!
ScoutGOING LAST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER LOOKING TO GET SOME FISH FROM SHORE. HOPING FOR THE BEST! 5 STARS ON LOOKS ALONE.
Traveler
Like the other review, this site has a lot of litter. Clearly people are camping here at times but there are posted signs that say Day Use Only. It was quiet and dark.
RangerAgain it is a nice large place with activities all day for all ages. Pool was great due to temps being in the 90s. Not all sites are full hookup and 50 Amp. The street lights suck as they fully illuminated our sites. Fireworks were OK.
TravelerThe site was fine, fire pit, primitive spot so no services. We arrived late at night so couldn’t see so well but stopped in a clearing on the road toward the coordinates.
Kind of a gross site, the previous people who stayed at our site were messy and left litter, but it served its purpose as a free place to sleep along a longer trip.
Traveler
We stayed here with our Coast to Coast membership, so it was good for that price. The main restroom/shower house is attached to the office. There are 5 restrooms with flush toilet and hand sanitizer scattered around the park. Most all of the sites are back in. We stayed at a site that shares a pole with water and electric hookups with 3 others. The first time I connected to the internet at our site, it connected right away with good quality. For about 30 seconds. I never got internet at our site again. It is good in the game room by the office, but there isn't anywhere with air conditioning to sit. AT&T has one bar of signal. Many problems getting internet with that. We did enjoy the indoor pool. Until it became crowded with kids. So, we went to the swimming pond. It was quite nice. We took out a paddle boat. They offer paddle boats, canoes, and rowboat to use for free. The one we had wouldn't steer. We went in circles to the right in the middle of the lake for 45 minutes before we got it back to the dock. I think it needs more trees.
Scout
This campsite was close to an archery tournament for me. It is a huge campsite that is remote and peaceful. I will try to get this place again next year.
Traveler
There really aren’t words! Everything is clean, quiet and serene! The people that work there we super friendly! Can’t wait to go back!
Scout
The Tuttle Campground was enjoyable. It is a well maintained park with big spacious spots.
Traveler
Quiet park. Some road noise from campsite J100 but US route 322 is lightly traveled. Typical tent site with fire ring and picnic table. Across street from bath house with shower and toilet which was clean.
ScoutWe will definitely be back. The sites are very level, so setup is a breeze. There's plenty of spots to go fishing and hang out by the lake, plus different things to do in the area.
ScoutSites aren't on top of each other. Best sites are along the river and store has lots of fishing supplies. Wifi was too weak at my tent site and Verizon service was mostly unavailable. The site has a tire rim fire pit and picnic table with electric and water. Gravel pad where I parked was nearly level. Bathroom was cleaned the day I used shower and hot water was good. Prices for the site was $31/night and this was early season. I'm in a pickup with rooftop tent.
Legend
We stayed at Sparrow Pond Family Campground for a special long-weekend to view the Total Solar Eclipse. Their normal season doesn’t open until later in April, but they opened for 5-days for people like us who wanted a good spot for the eclipse. Since the normal season hadn’t yet opened, not all amenities/facilities were open but they put on a lot of activities to make the stay fun.
THINGS I LIKED:
Easy access to Lake Erie and Presque Isle State Park
Clean and well-maintained property with lots of activities
All of the RVs appeared well-maintained without trashy-looking seasonal sites
Nice campground with friendly camping neighbors
Friendly and responsive staff interactions
THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE SO MUCH:
The site was nice and in a great location with a view of the pond, but wasn’t level
WOULD WE COME BACK?
Absolutely, this is a nice place with plenty of things to see and do in the area
HOW I CAME UP WITH MY STAR RATING:
★★★★★ everything was perfect with no room for improvement
★★★★ this is a great place with one or more minor flaws
★★★ average in all ways— not great, not horrible
★★ major issues or poorly maintained, we wouldn’t likely come back
★ a terrible place in my opinion and I’d never return
Ranger
My family stayed here for a weekend while visiting the Geneva area. This was a very nice, very secure campground that isn't far from a lot of attractions and wineries in the Geneva region of Ohio's wine country. But at the same time, removed enough to be quiet and relaxing. We honestly could have spent several more days here. Our site was a big rig site, so we had no trees, but it was still nice. This is a place we could definitely go back to.
Ranger
My wife and I stayed here in late September so it wasn't overly crowded. The camp sites were fairly spacious and level. There seemed to be water fill stations scattered around the campground for convenience. I was actually able to fill me fresh water tank from one near by. The campground is fairly large and we rode our bikes around quite a bit, including our to the campground store at the entrance. There were numerous playgrounds and activities for kids. They have full hookup sections, but most of the campground is electric only. All in all the best review I can give is to say that we would go back.
Scout
It is a newly created campsite that is located on top of a hill with a big oak tree. The campsite is accessible by drive-in, but you may need a 4-wheel drive vehicle if there has been rain. I really like geometry dash scratch because it's interesting. The host is super-responsive and helpful. I really like this hill. The landscapes are wonderful. Hope that I will have a chance to return to it in the future.
RangerThe hosts were very friendly and helpful during our short stay. The area was clean and safe. Would stay again!
Legend
Ashley here with The Dyrt - we're happy to welcome this listing to our site. Check them out and come back to leave a review.
Discover the beauty of tent camping near Lake City, Pennsylvania, where nature meets adventure in a variety of scenic campgrounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Lake City, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Lake City, PA is French Creek Flood Plain Overlook with a 5-star rating from 1 review.
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