The Penn Run area of Pennsylvania sits at approximately 1,650 feet elevation in Indiana County, with camping options spanning the Allegheny Mountains and adjacent valleys. The region experiences distinct seasonal changes with warm summers (averaging 80°F) and cold winters (often below freezing), making April through October the primary camping season. Many campgrounds near Penn Run provide creek access with specific water-based activities not available at standard sites.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: At Duman Lake County Park, visitors can fish in a regularly stocked lake with diverse wildlife. "I've seen bald eagle and osprey," reports one camper, who also notes it's "popular with local fisherman" for kayaking and small boat fishing.
BMX biking: Prince Gallitzin State Park offers an unexpected attraction for families with active children. "Very nice state park in PA. Huge lake for water sports, scenic trails, small dirt bike oval track," notes one visitor. Another camper specifically recommends it for kids: "Has a beach on the lake. Affordable boat rentals. Bmx track for kids."
Creek floating: Several campgrounds offer creek access where children can play. At Mirror Lake RV Camping & Fishing, kids enjoy using the creek as a natural water slide. "Alot of their sites are along a small creek which the kids play in and can float down," explains a camper, adding "Site 26 is our favorite. It has a huge back yard and easy access to the creek."
What campers like
Private island camping: Yellow Creek State Park features an uncommon camping option for those seeking isolation. "The private island is a beautiful campsite and has enough room for several tents," notes a visitor who adds practical advice: "There's plenty of trees on the island so there are plenty of sticks to find for fires." Weather considerations apply as "the creek surrounding the island does make it cold at night so make sure to pack warmly."
Clean facilities: Silver Canoe Campground receives consistent praise for maintenance. "It's very clean and well maintained. All campers have been respectful each time. It's not loud and crazy once 10pm hits," shares one regular visitor. Another mentions, "The pool area and bath house were clean and maintained. The camp store was a great asset for small items left behind, plus prices were great for ice and firewood."
Affordable amenities: Several campgrounds offer rentals and activities at reasonable prices. A camper at Prince Gallitzin notes they "participated in the Outdoors for Everyone event" and found "Rangers were wonderful to work with in setting up teaching opportunities for the girls."
What you should know
Site selection considerations: When selecting a campsite near Penn Run, Pennsylvania, examine terrain carefully. At Keystone State Park, campers advise choosing between two distinct camping areas: "There are 2 campgrounds in the park, the hillside one and the one on the lake. The lakeside one is a glorified trailer park and is packed during the summer with no privacy... The hillside one doesn't get near the crowds and it set in the woods."
Weather preparation: Temperature fluctuations can be significant in this region, especially near water. Yellow Creek's island camping requires extra preparation as "the creek surrounding the island does make it cold at night so make sure to pack warmly."
Facility variations: Not all campgrounds maintain the same standards. While many offer clean facilities, others need improvement. One camper noted about Woodland Park: "Badly maintained facilities. Mostly permanent sites which are often bad maintained and full of trash."
Tips for camping with families
Look for multiple accommodation options: Camping families appreciate flexibility in lodging. At Mirror Lake RV Camping & Fishing, groups can mix accommodation types. "My family stayed in one of the cabins while friends were in their campers. The cabin was great, very clean and cozy," reports a visitor. The family-friendly atmosphere extends to activities: "We had 8 kids and 8 adults who all had a blast playing on the playground, floating down the creek, swimming in the pool, riding bicycles etc."
Consider group camping areas: For larger family gatherings or scout troops, dedicated group sites offer practical advantages. At Prince Gallitzin, one visitor explains: "We used the group tent sites for our Girl Scout weekend. The site was clean, decently level area for tents, accessible to potable water and bathrooms with showers."
Check for dog restrictions: Families traveling with pets should verify policies before booking. Silver Canoe Campground stands out for its inclusive approach: "The main reason we started going there is because they are dog friendly and they don't hold breed restrictions against bully breeds. This place is literally a diamond find for us."
Tips from RVers
Site surface matters: For a comfortable stay, check what surface your RV will park on. At Wheel-in Campground, RVers describe a "Peaceful family campground" with full hookups. At Duman Lake, sites feature "paved drive & gravel area, large enough for mid-sized RVs. They state 40 ft., but all are back in."
Verify site dimensions and hookups: RV campers should confirm specific site details before booking. At Keystone State Park, site 96 provided a concrete solution for tent campers: "our tent site was more like an RV site as we had a hill side but each site has a 30ft concrete pad to park on so I just put our tent on the concrete pad."
Consider noise levels: RV sites near roads may experience traffic noise. At Duman Lake, a reviewer notes: "The only real downside of this campground is that the local road is close by and you do get some traffic noise before dark. It is not a high traffic road however."
