Pennsylvania Dutch country surrounds Mount Joy with rolling farmland and wooded areas at elevations between 300-400 feet. The camping season typically runs from April through October, with temperatures ranging from 65-85°F in summer. Most campgrounds near Mount Joy provide access to Amish country attractions while maintaining wooded settings that create natural buffers between sites.
What to do
Hiking trails access: Gifford Pinchot State Park offers an 8.5-mile Lakeside Trail that circles the lake with multiple access points. "I took an early morning hike on the 8.5 mile Lakeside Trail that goes around the lake and it was really awesome to see the lake from all different angles," notes a visitor to Gifford Pinchot State Park Campground.
Fishing opportunities: Multiple fishing spots exist within a 20-minute drive from Mount Joy. At River Rock Recreation, "We spent our time fishing the river banks right outside our tents and kayaking on the Susquehanna to fish the warm waters. We caught a ton of catfish and carp using live bait," reports one camper at River Rock Recreation.
Renaissance Faire visits: The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire runs weekends from August through October, drawing many campers to the area. "We first had a 2 point site near the river, but when it rains the sites get flooded with runoff from the campground. We moved to a full hookup on the Delaware section," shared one visitor describing their fall stay.
Disc golf courses: Two 18-hole disc golf courses are available at Gifford Pinchot State Park, offering different terrain experiences. "Both areas have their own 18 hole disc golf course, but I will say: BEWARE of poison ivy!! We played the first 10 holes around the Conewago day use area and I was shocked at how much poison ivy we had to dodge."
What campers like
Private riverside sites: Camping directly on waterfront locations provides both recreational access and natural cooling. "My family of 4, kids ages 21 and 17, loved our 3 night stay at River Rock Adventures. One of my favorite features other than staying right on the river was the kitchen area," explains a review describing the private riverside glamping option.
Clean facilities: Bathhouses and amenities receive consistent praise for maintenance standards. "This campground is probably the most well maintained campground we have ever stayed at. The grounds are beautiful, facilities above and beyond the expected," writes a reviewer at Country Acres Campground.
Cultural experiences: Proximity to Amish farms and markets creates unique opportunities to witness traditional farming practices. "We stayed at one of the primitive tent sites with no hookups adjacent to the farm field. Watching a horse drawn equipment cutting grass while we cooked dinner was a joy," notes an Edison L. about their glamping close to Mount Joy, Pennsylvania.
Pool amenities: Many campgrounds maintain swimming facilities for summer heat relief. "The pool is new and has a sloped entrance so my two year old could play by himself and loved it. The new bathhouse has better restrooms than my own home! Everything is clean and well managed," reports a family that visited Country Acres Campground.
What you should know
Railway noise: Some campgrounds experience train noise that can disturb light sleepers. At Hersheypark Camping Resort, one visitor mentions, "Basic RV's park 95 night is way to much you pay for location. Trains are all night," while another confirms: "Nice camp ground but super loud bc of the trains. Bath houses are nice and clean. I would suggest making sure you aren't close to the tracks bc the trains run all night long!"
Site leveling challenges: Many campgrounds in the area have terrain variations requiring leveling equipment. "Unlevel is an understatement we were in E row and every camper there had front end 4 foot off the ground. Many other sites were the same," explains a reviewer at Thousand Trails PA Dutch Country.
Agricultural odors: Farm proximity means occasional manure smells depending on wind direction. "The overwhelming impression of this campground was the smell of cow manure from the nearby dairy farm feedlot. The smell was not present the first day or so we were there and we enjoyed sitting outside in the afternoon, but when the wind shifted the horrid smell drove us inside."
Shooting range proximity: Some campgrounds are located near shooting facilities. "My son got poison sumac behind our site, and the nearby shooting range is incredibly loud. It is a nice campground with fun amenities, but we won't visit again," notes a visitor about Thousand Trails PA Dutch Country.
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Select sites near play areas to allow independent exploration while maintaining supervision. "This campground features an amazing playground, a pond, a beautiful pool, a rec hall, a wonderful hiking trail, and a basketball court," recommends a reviewer at Tucquan Park Family Campground.
Scheduled activities: Many campgrounds offer organized events during peak season. "The family that runs the campground makes everyone feel welcome and feel like you've been their 1000 times. Bathrooms are nice and plenty of things to occupy the kids," notes a Dan A. about Tucquan Park's family-friendly atmosphere.
Water features: Campgrounds with graduated-entry pools benefit families with young children. "The kids enjoyed the park, they offer a small paddle boat to take any time you want on their little lake on site, the area is beautiful, coworkers are friendly. Happy we came!" shares a family that experienced glamping near Mount Joy, Pennsylvania.
Tent locations: For tent campers with children, request sites closer to bathrooms and activities. "The primitive sites are back in the woods which kept us nice and cool on hot July nights. The location also kept us fairly bug free. Note: The campground WiFi does not reach the primitive sites and I had 0 cell/GPS service on the entire premises."
Tips from RVers
Site selection strategy: Request sites away from common noise sources like playgrounds and highways. At Hersheypark Camping Resort, a visitor notes: "It is a nice camp ground but the lower drive threw spots are packed together. Our 32' with slides just fit the sight and we had zero room for the truck. They have other spots up on the hill but would have been more of a challenge with our rig."
Hookup placement: Some campgrounds have challenging sewer connections requiring extension hoses. "Site is gravel and pretty level. Water pressure is pretty low and the sewer pipe is a little high but all around a really solid experience," reports an RVer at Thousand Trails PA Dutch Country.
Access considerations: Campground entrances sometimes share roads with attractions, creating confusion. "The entrance in off the main road turns you into the theme park. Fear not. Turn in and follow the road to the right and into the campground. We stayed on site 123 with a 40 ft Allegro Bus. Plenty of room to maneuver a big rig," advises a visitor at Old Mill Stream Campground.
Site spacing variations: RV sites have significant differences in privacy and size even within the same campground. "Our site(# 837) was a good size for our motor home+ toad. It was level and covered in gravel, like all sites and roadways within the campground. Our site had full hookups, decent wi-fi, cable TV, a picnic table, fire ring, and nicely kept grassy area between sites."
