Best Tent Camping near New Florence, PA

The Laurel Highlands region surrounding New Florence, Pennsylvania offers several tent-only camping options along the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) Trail. Laurel Ridge State Park Campground, located approximately 30 miles south of New Florence, provides primitive tent camping with eight distinct camping areas along its 70-mile corridor. For hikers and cyclists, specialized walk-in tent sites can be found at Round Bottom Camping Area at Slush Run (Mile 99 on the GAP Trail) and Dravo's Landing Campground, both offering tent-specific amenities for trail users.

Most tent campgrounds in the region feature basic facilities with varying levels of amenities. Sites typically include dirt or gravel tent pads, with some offering raised platforms specifically designed for tents. Vault toilets are standard at most locations, though potable water is limited or unavailable at several sites. Campers should plan to filter water from nearby streams or carry their own supply. The GAP Trail campgrounds operate seasonally, with Laurel Ridge State Park open from May through October. Fire rings are available at most locations, but firewood quality varies considerably between sites. Earplugs are recommended for light sleepers, as train noise affects several campgrounds along the river corridors.

Tent campers frequently note the peaceful atmosphere at these sites despite occasional train disruptions. According to reviews, Dravo's Landing provides "plenty of room for everyone to pitch their tents and spend a relaxing night under the stars," with ample space even for larger groups. At Round Bottom Camping Area, visitors appreciate the "grassy area for scores of tents" with level ground throughout the site. Backcountry tent camping in Laurel Ridge State Park offers more seclusion, with one camper noting the "beautiful wooded park offering lots of trees for privacy." Most tent-only sites along the GAP Trail provide direct access to the Youghiogheny River, allowing campers to cool off after hiking or biking.

Best Tent Sites Near New Florence, Pennsylvania (15)

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Tent Camping Reviews near New Florence, PA

464 Reviews of 15 New Florence Campgrounds


  • Britt B.
    Oct. 27, 2020

    Kooser State Park Campground

    Small Shaded Park

    Kooser State Park is a small campground nestled in the Laurel Highlands, close to Hidden Valley and Seven Springs ski resorts. The park has great amenities just a short walk from all sites. All sites have fire rings, with grills, however note they are double walled so do not expel a lot of heat outward. Great for cooking however. 

    Most sites are not level, but very grassy. Firewood is available at the entrance for$5 bundle supporting a local club. A beautiful walk through the park leads you to the Kooser Lake, great for fishing. It is also close to the Laurel Hill State Park which is great for hiking and water activities. The park is close to the road so you will experience some road noise. 

    The park is 15min from Somerset. No phone reception at this one! They welcome all furry friends!

  • Napunani
    Jun. 25, 2022

    Pioneer Park Campground

    Close to Flight 93 Memorial

    PROS 

    Able to reserve 129 days prior to arriving 

    Melissa at check-in was very friendly and helpful 

    Good overnight stop to visit Flight 93 Memorial 22 miles from campground 

    Site #391 level 

    Gravel site surrounded by grass 

    Moveable wooden picnic table 

    Large concrete fire ring 

    Clean toilet-shower building that are heavily used 

    Mostly quiet except for road noise 

    Firewood for sale in Park

    CONS 

    No discount 

    Site #391 no shade 

    Park cable connection failed 

    Sewer connection“up hill” 

    Never found trash dumpster and wasn’t marked on campground map 

    Very loud radio station blaring in the toilet/shower building that could be heard outside the building 

    2 bars Verizon 

    No WIFI

  • Johanna B.
    May. 31, 2021

    Duman Lake County Park

    Nice local park

    Duman lake review notes.

    • Well-maintained small park, stocked lake, popular with local fisherman. Kayaking/small boat fishing. I’ve seen bald eagle and osprey.
    • Six campsites, w/mature trees, level, w/paved drive & gravel area, large enough for mid-sized RVs. They state 40 ft., but all are back in. All have (lighted)30 amp & water. We did not see the tent sites. Not sure if they are developed, ask.
    • Number one is closest to the bathhouse, number five was less shaded. Number six is closest to the road.
    • Newer restroom, w/two stalls each. Push-button, hot showers. Men’s worked best.
    • Campsite number one is closest to restroom, but also behind picnic shelter number 12, so if the shelter is booked for a party could be noisy? Day use people bugged out quickly at dusk.
    • We were in #1 in May & had the entire campground & upper park to ourselves.
    • They have a kids’ train in summer.
    • Nice playground.
    • 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. Dumpsters were overflowing with weekend trash & bathrooms needed a bug sweep-out. Sportsmen were target shooting nearby before dark FYI.
  • Dave V.
    Aug. 1, 2020

    Round Bottom Camping Area at Slush Run

    Great Hike/Bike Camping Area on the Great Allegheny Passage Trail

    Round Bottom Camping Area at Slush Run is a free camping area directly on the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) Trail around Mile 99 (East of West Newton roughly 15 miles).  For those not familiar with the GAP Trail, it is a Rails-to-Trails initiative that travels from Pittsburgh, PA to Cumberland, MD…meandering through numerous Trail Towns that were former thriving railroad towns at the end of the 1800's.

    Round Bottom Camping Area at Slush Run can only be accessed by the GAP Trail, which means on foot or bicycle…or paddlers on the Youghioheny River. Being positioned directly off the GAP Trail grants easy access to those traveling the trail. 

    Amenities:

    • Raised Tent pads (4)
    • Vault Toilet
    • Adirondack Shelters (2)
    • Firepits
    • Picnic tables

    No potable water…there is hand pump but the water was discolored.  It is a short walk down a trail to the river's edge, where I filtered water for drinking.

    There is plenty of grassy area for scores of tents in this area.   So if you are not fortunate enough to secure one of the two Shelters or tent pads, you can still set up a tent in the nicely mowed areas, which are still level.

    We were bikepacking the GAP Trail east from Pittsburgh and arrived on a Sunday evening mid-June. We secured the only open Adirondack Shelter and were able to set up our tent inside, along with keeping our bicycles inside and out of the elements. Which made it wonderfully convenient when it started to rain. Sites and shelters are first come, first served.

    Usually the vault toilets along this trail are clean, maintained and stocked…but on this visit, piles of trash were inside likely from an overly busy weekend.

    The only negative was the train traffic on the opposite side of the River…it is loud when they rumble through. If you don't sleep with ear-plugs, you will wish you had.

    Bicycle traffic was fairly light during the week, so not only did you have the GAP Trail mostly to oneself, the camping areas were either sparsely filled or empty. Although, things just did start opening up from the Covid-19 shutdown.

    Apart from the train noise during sleeping hours, Round Bottom Camping Area is very peaceful and though you can still visually see the GAP Trail, you are not disturbed by passing cyclists.

  • not S.
    Aug. 5, 2022

    Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Mill Run

    Kid Heaven

    We stayed in a Ranger Smith Cabin in the upper campground. I give this 3 stars because I'm a state park camper at heart: I prefer more room between sites,  more relaxation and nature when camping. But your kids will love it here: two pools, splashgrounds, fire truck rides, arcades, meeting Yogi and friends, nightly movies...the list goes on. Be prepared for an endless parade of golf carts during your stay. We were underwhelmed by the expensive cabin as it had dorm room furniture and uncomfortable beds. The walk-in tent sites were in a hilly area without pavilions, but reservable tent sites in the lower campground had pavilions and more level ground. This is a great base camp for exploring area attractions in the Laurel Highlands such as Idlewild,  Fort Necessity and the beautiful Ohiopyle State Park. If you go to Idlewild, then stop by Gino's pizza in Ligonier; order the sampler pizza (includes pierogi,  taco, white and margherita)--you won't be disappointed.

  • Joni P.
    May. 28, 2024

    Benner's Meadow Run RV Campground

    Commercialized campground

    The entry is strange as we had to block the gated entrance to get to the office to check in.  Once past that,  the staff was nice and the buildings and properties are well maintained.  They have a new bath house which is personal bathroom style and very nice.  The sites are very close together with little privacy.  We stayed in site 435.  The site was sloped pretty bad side to side and there is a drop off on the one side of the fire ring so we could not sit completely around the fire.  We did not take part in the planned events they had set up but did use the pool which was nice.  The star gazing platform leaves a lot to be desired and is in need of repair.  Roads are all gravel so no bikes or scooters for kids.

  • Ashlee L.
    Apr. 19, 2018

    Outflow Camping

    Serviceable campground

    Pros: Reasonably priced, fairly quiet campground with full shower and bath houses. The tent site I was in was also nicely designed, with a tent 'pad', as well as full campfire ring, picnic table, and lantern hanging hook. There are tent, RV, and group sites at this campground.

    Cons: The bath/shower houses could've used a much better cleaning (but were not the worst I've encountered). Also, I'm not from the area, and the drive to get to this out-of-the-way campground was awful. It's really far from a main highway (which isn't so bad), but the roads to get to the campground are hilly, winding country roads with 55 mph speed limits that I found way too fast if you're not a local. And the locals are really aggressive drivers.

  • Dena L.
    Apr. 26, 2022

    Fox Den Acres Campground

    Review for tent campers

    Mostly an RV campground, but several tent sites. Each site was very spacious and well shaded. Fire ring and table at each sight. Restroom were a short walk away. Firewood available for purchase. I would stay again.

  • L
    Jun. 17, 2021

    Laurel Hill State Park Campground

    Forested State Park in the Laurel Highlands

    August 2020 Stay

    We camped for 1 night.  We chose site 102 because it looked decent in the picture and seemed a little apart and more private than other areas.  Unfortunately, it was not great for tent camping as there wasn't really a spot to set up our 4-person tent.  We squeezed it in by the fire pit, but if we had wanted to use the fire pit it would have been a fire hazard.  Elsewhere in the site it was rocky or uneven ground.

    Looking around the rest of the campground, the loop up near the cabins was a typical RV area with sites lined up with little privacy in between.  I would look at the other loops for our next tent-camping visit.

    We were hoping to do some hiking in the morning but got rained out.  However the trails looked nice and we hope to be back soon.


Guide to New Florence

Nestled in the scenic landscapes of Pennsylvania, New Florence offers a variety of tent camping options that cater to outdoor enthusiasts looking for adventure and relaxation.

Tent campers appreciate these amenities

  • L and M Campgrounds provides thirty-amp hookups, making it convenient for those who need a little extra power during their stay.
  • Indian Creek Camplands Inc features clean and quiet campsites, along with picnic tables and firewood for a cozy camping experience.
  • Lake Eron Park offers essential amenities like drinking water, showers, and toilets, ensuring a comfortable stay for tent campers.

Tent campers like these nearby activities

Some prices for tent camping range from $12 to $0

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near New Florence, PA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near New Florence, PA is Nanty Glo Municipal Park with a 0-star rating from 0 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 15 tent camping locations near New Florence, PA, with real photos and reviews from campers.