Best Tent Camping near Montgomery, PA

Tent campsites near Montgomery, Pennsylvania offer a range of options within state forests and parks. Ravensburg State Park Campground provides tent-friendly sites with tent pads and natural privacy barriers between campsites. Several primitive tent camping areas are also available in Tiadaghton State Forest, including Elimsport CCC Campground, Fourth Gap Road Sites, and Cove Road Site, all within 20-30 miles of Montgomery.

Most tent campgrounds in the region feature basic amenities suited for primitive camping experiences. Sites typically include picnic tables and fire rings, with varying levels of additional facilities. Ravensburg State Park offers clean bathrooms and water spigots throughout the grounds, while the Tiadaghton State Forest sites generally have toilets but limited drinking water access. As one camper noted, "Roadside site 1/4 mile from the nearest site. Very secluded and peaceful. Picnic table and fire ring, but no water or latrine." Campers should plan to bring sufficient water supplies when visiting the more remote forest service tent sites.

The tent camping experience in this region provides genuine woodland immersion with good privacy between sites. Ravensburg State Park features bushes and trees between campsites, creating a secluded feel even when other campers are present. According to reviews on The Dyrt, "It's rarely busy and it's first come first serve. They have tent pads which are nice." Many of the state forest tent sites are drive-in accessible but remain quieter than developed campgrounds. The area's tent campgrounds are generally shaded, with some offering creek-side locations that provide both scenic views and natural white noise. Fall camping is particularly appealing when temperatures moderate and humidity decreases, making tent camping more comfortable while providing opportunities to observe seasonal foliage changes.

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Best Tent Sites Near Montgomery, Pennsylvania (47)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Montgomery, PA

502 Reviews of 47 Montgomery Campgrounds


  • Laure D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 19, 2020

    Locust Lake State Park Campground

    Serenity on the lakes

    Pretty campground with lots of lake views. We arrived just before dark which was good because the sites were not level front to back. Most sites had a slope but there were some level sites. You can kayak, canoe, paddle board, and fish on the lake. There are 2 boat launches. The store wasn’t much to speak of. Bath houses were clean. We walked around the lake on a paved level path. They advertise no alcohol. This is near the Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine tour which we loved. It’s near the Yingling Brewery tour.

  • Cam N.
    Aug. 16, 2018

    Primitive Camping Area — Bald Eagle State Park

    Watch for trains

    I throughly enjoyed my time at Bald Eagle State Park. We stayed at a tent site, I believe 58 in the rustic camping section. The rustic section was located around a large loop with each site ranging in a few feet from the car-friendly loop to about the 50 foot walk where our site was located. While this is a primitive site, planning ahead you can place yourself near the vault toilets. If there was running water in the bathrooms– we didn’t find it! There are several water pumps located around the loop and we used that for washing dishes. Our site had space for two tents with a nice fire ring and picnic table. The fire ring was actually one of the best I have experienced– featuring a grill grate with adjustable levels for exposure to heat. The site also had a hook for keeping food or garage elevated from critters. Hammock lovers: we had plenty of trees to easily string our hammock near the picnic table/fire ring. Now the trains. An active railroad sits about 75 feet away from several of the rustic sites. We noticed the 7 p.m. train on Saturday evening. What we didn’t expect was being awoken at 5 a.m. to a freight train blowing through full steam– really gets your heart pumping– did not need coffee that morning. The rustic area also has access to a trail that loops about two miles near the lake and rustic campground. It was a fun place!

  • V
    Jul. 11, 2018

    Knoebels Campground

    Clean, quiet, inexpensive, fun place to camp!

    Knoebels campground is situated next to Knoebels amusement park and offers sites for tent campers and RVs, as well as cabins.

    There is electricity at every site but not water. There are fill stations throughout the campgrounds. Most sites are level and shaded. There are nice sturdy wooden platforms for tent campers.

    The bath houses are clean and well maintained. There are outside sinks with mirrors, laundry facilities, shower stalls, and toilet stalls. Or if you prefer there are also traditional bathrooms with showers.

    Quiet hours are enforced between 10p and 8a.

    Each site has a fire ring and picnic table. Wood is available by the bucket near the check in building. Sites are inexpensive and are all a short walk, or free shuttle ride, to the park!.

  • T
    Aug. 18, 2022

    Ricketts Glen State Park Campground

    Impromptu trip that we don’t regret!

    This trip was a bit impromptu so we assume most of the good sites were picked over. The site we stayed at was the perfect size for two people, not the biggest site in the campground but we had a bit of a buffer between our neighbors so we weren’t on top of other people. We were located at a bit heavily trafficked area because we were near the entrance of the campground and the restrooms. The state park was beautiful and had a lot of things to do. I recommend doing the Falls trail and to get onto Lake Jean. They have a concessions by Lake Jean that doesn’t only sell food and drinks but some ice and bundle of wood. Definitely bring a hammer because it’s near impossible to stake down your tent by hand because the turf is hard. Would definitely come again and do the primitive group camp option if I can. No cell service (Verizon) but if you drive 10 miles north up towards Lopez we were able to get a signal. This was a nice way to end summer!

  • Napunani
    Jun. 25, 2022

    Russell P Letterman Campground — Bald Eagle State Park

    Park Mowers Trashed Our Campsite

    PROS

    Senior discount $18 

    Able to reserve 334 days prior to arriving

    Campground quiet but can hear PA 150 road noise 

    Great night sky viewing 

    Nice privacy from side neighbor's campsite 

    Asphalt parking pad 

    Large gravel around pad to include firepit and utility hook up 

    Grass around gravel, but was mid-calf high 

    Metal fire pit which was cleaned out upon arrival 

    Lantern pole 

    8 miles off of Interstate 80 

    Firewood for sale at the campground; $6 bundle 

    Park is good proximity to Penn State University and Central Pennsylvania 

    Country Pride Restaurant Milesburg (TA truck stop off of Interstate 80) has some terrific food! 

    4 bars Verizon 

    CONS

    $6.50 reservation fee for self made online reservation 

    One day while away from our campsite, park personnel mowed  mid-cafe high grass at and around our site and the mowers threw grass all over our table with a table cloth, chairs, trailer, driveway...you name it...it was covered with grass. Why the mowers didn’t direct the mowed grass AWAY from our items is beyond me. What a mess!!! 

    Check-in clerk at park office was disturbed we checked in with her. Told us just to go to site. Could not tell us if site was vacated. We had to ask for a park map and directions to campground/campsite since this was first time visiting 

    Site MO45 unlevel from side to side 

    Site MO45 NO shade as was the case with most of the FHU campsites

    Metal frame wood top table in bad condition 

    Need pathway from upper campsite to toilet/shower building…have to wade thru mid-calf high grass if you don’t walk on the roadway 

    Toilet/shower facility lit up like a Christmas tree 

    Toilet/shower facility cleaned on Wednesdays only, according to sign on door 

    No WiFi

  • J
    Sep. 19, 2021

    Poe Paddy State Park Campground

    Great little campground

    I’ve stayed here twice for camping trips. It’s a great small campground that has basic amenities. The experience is likely highly site dependent, as there are a few distinct areas to stay depending on your needs and luck. There is NO cell service and park rangers do “rounds” but aren’t stationed at the site. There are a couple of water pumps, several well-maintained pit toilets, and an emergency phone. It’s about 20-30 min to gas. There’s no camp store here but about 3.5 miles away at Poe Valley there’s a store, real bathrooms and showers, kayaking rentals, etc. There’s a guy that sells firewood just past Poe Valley. The Poe Paddy sites I prefer are well-shaded, fairly large, surrounded by trees, and private (but you’ll be able to hear a couple neighbors). Dogs are only allowed in the RV loop, which is intense gravel, so be sure you have a good sleeping pad if you’re tent camping. The campground is in the middle of the dense Bald Eagle State Forest with lots of hiking opportunities. The creek that runs through Poe Paddy is awesome for wading and people also tube it when conditions are right. Get a Purple Lizard map for best enjoyment of the area.

  • Danielle
    Apr. 12, 2021

    Bald Eagle State Forest

    Dispersed Site #13; Pretty, loud, not accessible for pop up campers

    Husband and I set off for a weekend of boon docking at Bald Eagle State Forest in our little pop up camper. We stayed at site #13, which is a dispersed site- not in the campground. 

    Picture a lovely large, round grassy meadow surrounded by trees at the end of a long gravel road. Picnic table, fire ring, one pretty tree in the center, and a babbling brook down below the site. It looks so perfect! Now picture large boulders preventing any wheeled vehicle (including a light little pop up) from rolling into said field. Add in that the I-80 interstate is so close that you can see trucks through the trees in some places- not to mention hear them all.night.long. Would we camp here again? Nope. We would not. Would this be right for some? Probably yes- especially tent campers, loud groups, and those who feel safer with road noise in the background. 

    This site was not listed as"tent only", and I suppose being able to set up on the gravel road did work. But I was majorly bummed we couldn't set up at the back of the actual site itself. The road set up was not nearly as nice. You can see in my photos the size of the site, and the boulders, and where we ended up setting up. 

    I will also mention that the road getting here involved a hairpin turn (from Long Run Rd. onto Ransaires Rd.) that large set ups would not be able to make. We made it work and we had a great trip.

    Not what we expected, but we still had a good time. We will try again at Bald Eagle State Forest, but would not choose this site again.

  • David A.
    Aug. 23, 2025

    Tiadaghton Campground — Tioga State Forest

    Tiadaghaton State Forest, PA

    Roadside site 1/4 mile from the nearest site. You can drive right to the site on Hackett Rd. Very secluded and peaceful. Picnic table and fire ring, but no water or latrine.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 17, 2019

    Ricketts Glen State Park Campground

    Waterfalls!!

    The biggest draw to this state park (which no one in Pennsylvania I spoke with seemed to know about) is the 22 waterfalls! We saw 18 of them on a four-mile moderate hike, but if you want to see the additional four, you could make it a seven-mile hike. The trails are very well marked. 

    We stayed in the large loop, which is a peninsula on Lake Jean. Many of the sites have lake views. The bathhouse was clean but not adequate for 73 sites. The campground was about ¾ full and there was often a wait in the bathroom. Showers looked reasonable but I did not use them.

    There were many tent campers in this loop, which does not allow pets (the other, smaller loop does allow pets). There are no hookups at all in the park. The water had been tested earlier in the season and unsafe levels of manganese were detected. All water spigots were shut off and covered but we were told it was safe to wash our dishes and brush our teeth. However, the water for the dishwashing sink was turned off as well as the water in the restroom at the trailhead. Since we had a reservation, we received a phone call in advance of our stay letting us know about this.

    There are trails to the beach, but we woke to rain the next morning, so we did not explore this. 

    One trash/recycle area a distance away from the campsites which seems typical for PA state parks. Alcohol is strictly forbidden– we were warned that if a ranger saw any alcohol outside of our vehicle, we would be cited. Quiet hours are 9 pm– 8 am, which is more restrictive than other state parks, however, some did not observe these quiet hours (a guitar-playing singing camper thought he was talented, but I disagree!)


Guide to Montgomery

Tent camping near Montgomery, Pennsylvania offers a chance to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying a variety of well-reviewed campgrounds that cater to outdoor enthusiasts.

Tips for tent camping near Montgomery

  • For a peaceful experience, consider visiting Reeds Gap State Park Campground, where you can enjoy tent-only sites surrounded by serene landscapes and a lovely creek.
  • If you're looking for a more secluded spot, Ravensburg State Park Campground features private sites nestled among trees, perfect for a quiet getaway.
  • Be prepared for a rustic experience at Colton Point State Park Campground, where you can choose from various tucked-away spots and enjoy breathtaking views of the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon.

Local activities for tent campers

  • Explore the scenic hiking trails at Ravensburg State Park Campground, which lead to beautiful views along the creek and swimming spots.
  • Experience the tranquility of nature while fishing or canoeing at Riverside Acres Campground, located along the Susquehanna River, ideal for water activities.
  • Discover the unique charm of the 1000 Step Trail at Colton Point State Park Campground, offering stunning vistas and a chance to connect with the area's natural beauty.

Tent campers appreciate these amenities

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Montgomery, PA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Montgomery, PA is Ravensburg State Park Campground with a 4.8-star rating from 6 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Montgomery, PA?

TheDyrt.com has all 47 tent camping locations near Montgomery, PA, with real photos and reviews from campers.