The Dyrt – find campgrounds for tents, RVs, cabins, glamping and more.
Open in App

Dispersed Camping near Martins Creek, PA

4 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.

Search destinations
    Add dates

    Dispersed camping options near Martins Creek, Pennsylvania primarily consist of primitive sites along the Appalachian Trail and surrounding areas. The Appalachian Trail Designated Backpacker Campsite 2 in nearby Columbia, New Jersey offers free hike-in camping with bear boxes but no fires, water, or facilities. The site requires some self-sufficiency but provides good hammocking opportunities and scenic views. A camper noted, "There's plenty of space. We camped nearer to others but there are secluded spots too."

    Thunder Swamp Trailhead in Pennsylvania provides another remote camping option, though it requires a permit. This gravel lot offers shade and serves as a base for extensive trail access. Bake Oven Knob, located on the Blue Mountain ridge of the Appalachian Mountains, allows overnight stays with vehicle access to two large parking lots. Campers can either sleep in vehicles or hike to tent sites. According to a review, "The hike to the overlook is really lovely; short and rocky." All these sites share similar characteristics: no drinking water, no fires allowed, no toilets, and a true off-grid experience requiring complete self-reliance.

    Shenandoah National Park Camping Guide - The Complete Guide

    Get the guide now

    View Guide

    Best Dispersed Campgrounds near Martins Creek (4)

    Filters    Tent onlyRVDispersedCabinGlampingPetsEquestrian

      1. Appalachian Trail- Designated Backpacker Campsite 2

      4.3(3)16mi from Martins Creek

      "I gave the site only four stars because there's no water nearby, and the views are only mediocre."

      "We had thought there was a shelter (there isn’t) but it was fine. No ground fires. No Water (nearest is sunfish pound- easy hike about a 1 round trip). Great views!"

      Check Availability

      2. Thunder Swamp Trailhead

      3.0(3)26mi from Martins Creek

      "Trailhead parking was chill for a night. No trouble. Tons of hiking. Went down Saw Creek trail to a marsh."

      "Plenty of shade. No one bothered me."

      3. Bake Oven Knob

      4.0(1)29mi from Martins Creek

      "This spot is both part of the Appalachian Trail and a day hiking area for the Bake Oven Knob, which is a high point on the Blue Mountain ridge of the Appalachian Mountains near Germansville, Pennsylvania"

      4. Appalachian Trail Campsite

      Be the first to review23mi from Martins Creek
    View all 4 campgrounds

    2026 Explorer Giveaway

    Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

    Enter to Win

    Martins Creek Contest

    Enter to Win

    Drive Time

    Recent Free Dispersed Camping Photos near Martins Creek, PA

    4 Photos of 4 Martins Creek Campgrounds

    Dispersed Camping Reviews near Martins Creek, PA

    3 Reviews of 4 Martins Creek Campgrounds

    • R
      Jul. 12, 2017

      Appalachian Trail- Designated Backpacker Campsite 2

      Small but kind of your only option

      I gave the site only four stars because there's no water nearby, and the views are only mediocre. Also it's a little on the small and sloped side for tent camping, but I was in a hammock and it was a great place for that!

      That being said, as you enter the Worthington State Forest there are signs and hand painted maps indicating that this is the only place you can sleep in the forest. So if this is your timing, this is where you'll be sleeping! The site itself is unmarked when you come to it, but it's the only pretty obvious camping spot on the trail so it's not hard to find.

      Stock up on water at the Dunnfield creek natural area, or wait until Sunfish pond. There are lots of signs around Sunfish pond itself that there's no camping allowed.

    • Katharine T.
      May. 31, 2022

      Appalachian Trail- Designated Backpacker Campsite 2

      Perfect balance of community and space

      We stayed here during our section hike through the DWG on the AT. There’s plenty of space. We camped nearer to others but there are secluded spots too. We’ll maintained w bear boxes provided. Good trees for hammocking. We had thought there was a shelter (there isn’t) but it was fine. No ground fires. No Water (nearest is sunfish pound- easy hike about a 1 round trip). Great views!

    • Sue B.The Dyrt PRO User
      Apr. 17, 2026

      Appalachian Trail- Designated Backpacker Campsite 2

      Great Campsite!

      I've hiked the A.T. through New Jersey, and this is probably my favorite NJ A.T. campsite. The only downside is that there is no water, so depending on which way you come in (nobo or sobo), you'll have to collect water before you get here from either Sunfish Pond, or one of the streams before the climb up here. There are 2 privies, one newer, and also a great spot to watch the sunset. Plenty of campsites, and during peak season there is a caretaker on site.

    Guide to Martins Creek

    Several primitive camping areas surround Martins Creek, Pennsylvania, with most spots located along the Appalachian Trail corridor. The Appalachian Trail Designated Backpacker Campsite 2 near Columbia, New Jersey offers hike-in tent sites about 14 miles northeast of Martins Creek. This free camping area requires no permits but prohibits fires, alcohol, and pets. The site lacks amenities with no drinking water, toilets, or trash service.

    Thunder Swamp Trailhead provides vehicle-accessible dispersed camping north of Martins Creek in Pennsylvania. This basic gravel lot requires permits and offers shade but no facilities. A recent visitor mentioned, "It's a gravel parking lot. Plenty of shade. No one bothered me." Farther west, Bake Oven Knob offers roadside camping along the Appalachian Trail with parking for overnight stays. According to feedback on The Dyrt, "I've overnighted in my van here a bunch, no problems. There are two large lots. You can park and sleep, or hike in and find a place for a tent. There's also a trail shelter about a .5 mile in."

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Martins Creek, PA?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Martins Creek, PA is Appalachian Trail- Designated Backpacker Campsite 2 with a 4.3-star rating from 3 reviews.

    What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Martins Creek, PA?

    TheDyrt.com has all 4 dispersed camping locations near Martins Creek, PA, with real photos and reviews from campers.

    Keep Exploring

    2. View all Pennsylvania cities for camping