Best Tent Camping near Penn Run, PA

Recent Tent Reviews near Penn Run, Pennsylvania

384 Reviews of 13 Penn Run Campgrounds

• 

  Indy A.

  Traveler

  

  Dec. 25, 2021

  Donegal Campground

  Small and close to the road

  Campground owners were very nice and helpful. We went there for tent camping and were directed to the very top part of the property. The tent sites are in a large open field with sites around the perimeter of the field.

  The campground is situated right off of the main road so the road noise can be an issue if it bothers you. We personally, didn't sleep well because of the road noise.

  The campground is pet friendly, even for our bully breed, whom is a gentle giant. That was one kf the reasons that we chose this campground.

• D

  Denise P.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 26, 2018

  Clear Creek State Park Campground

  Beautiful,wooded settin on the fringe of the Allegheny National Forest

  The park is on the scenic Clarion River and offers tent camping, some sites are paddle in only, RV sites, small and larger rustic cabins, and even a couple of yurts. It’s very well maintained, including the restroom/shower houses which were very clean. The upper loop tent sites are a bit more secluded and there is plenty of space for the larger cabins. The smaller cabins are more clustered but we enjoyed staying in them on a couple occasions. Be sure to bring kayaks or inner tubes for lazy hours on the river. There are kayak rentals nearby also. The Clarion River is full of wildlife including bald eagles hunting the river and an occasional black bear nearby.

  Be sure to visit Beartown Rocks that is close by. It offers a nice view of the rolling hills of Pennsylvania.

• 

  Brandon O.

  Scout

  

  May. 25, 2022

  Kooser State Park Campground — Kooser State Park

  Tent sites are nicely secluded

  I love this park, and for tent camping, I think this is one of the best. Their tent camping sites are a very good distance from other sites, so you feel much more secluded. Nothing bothers me more than when I have to set up my tent 15 feet away from someone else's that I don't even know. This park does not jam you in like others do, they give you the space you need to enjoy it the best way possible. Love this place!

• 

  Britt B.

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 27, 2020

  Clear Creek State Park Campground

  Pennsylvania Favorite!

  A Pennsylvania favorite, Clear Creek State Park is a beautifully maintained, scenic park, right on the Clarion River in the Clear Creek State Park. The Park offers movies on an outdoor screen, regular nature talks and walks and has an onsite museum. The park has tent sites, RV sites and cabins. Clear Creek runs through the campground and is a perfect spot for a BBQ or Picnic. It also has a designated swimming beach with sand. There are multiple hiking trails leaving the campground. There is a general store just 5min from the park, plus multiple private firewood options on the road in. The park also sells firewood bundles. The Clarion is a crystal clear, shallow, rock bottom river perfect for a cool off, fishing or kayaking. There are two kayaking/tubing companies in Cook Forest to hire watercraft to float the river. Both floats don’t go as high as Clear Creek State Park so you won’t float past the campground, with the longest being 9 miles. The facilities are always clean, with large shower areas and always fully stocked with tissue. All sites have fire rings with adjustable grills. The best un-powered RV site is site 40– private and waterfront. The best powered-RV site is 39– private and waterfront. There are also two very private tent sites that are waterfront(classified as Kayak In tent sites) numbered CR-001& CR-002. Both waterfront, shaded with fire rings. Excellent tent sites! Note you can only book them for 1 night at a time. No phone reception at this one! They welcome furry friends at selected sites!

• 

  Timothy M.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 9, 2018

  Quemahoning Family Recreation Area

  Swimming, fishing, biking, hiking

  On the lake. Good private tent sites in the woods.Rv sites too.

• 

  Joanne H.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 9, 2020

  Fox Den Acres Campground

  Awesome

  Awesome owners,quiet place to relax. Tent site was nice and conveniently located next to the bathhouse

• C

  Chuck M.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 14, 2024

  S.B. Elliott State Park Campground

  Old and worn out

  A dingy place. The ground was swampy the only dry places are the gravel pads in the sites. I wouldn't tent camp here.

  On the plus side, strong AT&T and T-Mobile cell signals. (I don't have a verizon device)

• L

  Laura

  Traveler

  

  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.

• 

  Dena L.

  Scout

  

  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.

• M

  Matthew D.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 3, 2020

  Laurel Hill State Park Campground

  A Pretty Typical Pennsylvania State Park Campground

  The pet loop mixes tent camping with RVs, which isn't our preference. The sites are arranged around a big field, which means many of them have no trees or shade. If you planned to hang a hammock at some of these sites, you would be in trouble.

  But it's a good park. They've got firewood at the contact station.

• 

  Jenna G.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 30, 2018

  Blue Knob State Park Campground

  Great camping experience

  Plenty of trails to hike from easy to difficult. Local history is right around the corner with the Lost Children of the Alleghenies Monument. Blue Knob houses the second highest peak in PA. The bathrooms were clean. Camp sites are rocky so be sure to bring a mat if tent camping. The park does not offer fire wood for purchase; bring extra.

• N

  Nicole F.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 1, 2018

  Crooked Run Campground — Prince Gallitzin State Park

  Clean sites with nearby water and bathrooms.

  We used the group tent sites for our Girl Scout weekend. It was a fun weekend. We participated in the Outdoors for Everyone event. The site was clean, decently level area for tents, accessible to potable water and bathrooms with showers. Rangers were wonderful to work with in setting up teaching opportunities for the girls. We will definately go back.

• 

  Jonathan B.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 6, 2016

  Kooser State Park Campground — Kooser State Park

  Small but fun

  Kooser State Park sits on the border of Forbes State Forest in the Laurel Highlands. It has a mix of camper & tent sites around a central clearing, and offers a few cabins. There is a central bathroom with showers, flush toilets and a sink to wash your dishes.

• M

  Matt R.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 20, 2019

  Kooser State Park Campground — Kooser State Park

  Park super small, some great sites hidden among some junk

  My son and I tent camped here in July to escape the head down in Pittsburgh.  Sits up high in the mountains close to 3000ft elevation.  Park and campground are very small and almost desolate during the week.  There is a main road nearby and you hear industrial trucks rolling by constantly.  There are some great private tent only wooded sites that sit above the main park of the campground so you really feel secluded.

• 

  Alex D.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 7, 2023

  Friendship Village Campground & RV Park

  BIG but beautiful place

  We do a lot of dispersed camping but we spoiled ourselves with this spot. It was $50 for a tent site but I have never used a cleaner camp shower or seen so many amenities on a campground. They were also very accommodating of our late check-in as we travel across the country.

• R

  Rae H.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 21, 2023

  Silver Canoe Campground

  Beautiful tent spot

  My 9 year old and myself got a tent site with electric for two nights and had a great time. The sites were all level and were well-shaded. 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. We will be back!

• 

  Matthew H.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 20, 2018

  Parker Dam State Park Campground

  Nice park, Surprisingly Nice Swimming Beach, and the Dam is pretty impressive.

  Stayed at one of the two "Tent Only" sites in the campground. These two sites are shaded, surrounded by trees and pretty much private to the rest of the "Modern" campground. When staying in these sites, you can see from tent site to tent site, noise was not an issue though. You can quickly walk down to the Dam from these sites (like a 5 min easy walk, down a stepped hill).

  Bathrooms are really nice and clean, with showers. Bathrooms have lights, heat, and exhaust fans. Everything was kept really clean on a packed July weekend.

  I ventured around the "Cabin" area, cabins look really nice (comfortably primative with an external bathhouse, with cabin key only access, containing a potty and shower) some cabins were more.private than others.

  Swimming at the beach was surprisingly nice. Water depth is very suitable for young kids. There roped off "Swimming Area" only reached maybe 4-5ft. Row Boats, Kayaks, Peddleboats, Canoes can be rented cheaply to explore the lake. The concession stand at the swimming beach has a very large menu, from fried foods to ice cream.

  Hiking trails are really nice, the one that my family did was a few miles of easy hiking, mostly graveled thru nice lush forrested and marshy areas. My young kids had no issues.

  Will definitely visit this park again.

• 

  Bill G.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 31, 2018

  Clear Creek State Park Campground

  See the rest of Allegheny National Forest...

  I was amazed at the shear size of this campground. It is immense. Granted most of the grounds are devoted to cabins, but the tent sites are great too. I got a lone site tucked half way up a hill, hidden under a dark canopy and at least 500 yards away from my nearest neighbors. Water is readily available. Bathrooms are just as large and very clean. Showers available. Bears congregate frequently. Trails nearby, as are quite a few other natural areas.

• 

  Laura C.

  Scout

  

  Feb. 22, 2018

  Clear Creek State Park Campground

  Some of My Best Memories

  My family has stayed here so many times throughout my lifetime. We always prefer tent camping, but there are spots for RVs, plus there are cabins and yurts available. It has always been clean, quiet and family-friendly.

  There's so much to do here--hiking, swimming, rafting, biking, disc golf, etc. There's also a really nice playground and a great little beach at the entrance of the campground (water is always cold though!) Plus plenty of picnic shelters.

  This is also a great place to go year-round for kids interested in learning about nature. There is a nature museum. Seek out Ranger Susanne--she is a really great teacher!

• 

  Indy A.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 27, 2022

  Silver Canoe Campground

  Excellent time

  I'll start by saying that I have been here multiple times. Each time we are greeted by friendly people. We always stay at a tent site.

  It's very clean and well maintained. All campers have been respectful each time. It's not loud and crazy once 10pm hits. Family friendly and there's a little fishing lake. You can rent paddle boats or canoes to paddle around the lake.

  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.

• 

  Kevin E.

  Ranger

  

  Sep. 1, 2020

  Kooser State Park Campground — Kooser State Park

  Nice small campground

  The campground is small but it is quiet and clean. Route 31 is nearby but it wasn’t all that noticeable. There was a nice playground area for kids and some nice overflow tent sites nearby. Several pull thru sites are available along with some nice sites near the creek. My only complaint is that many of the sites are not level at all and take some serious work to get your rig level. The campground is close to many places in the Laurel Highlands which makes it convenient. Firewood is available 24/7 for $5 a bundle.

• 

  Jay B.

  Ranger

  

  Sep. 5, 2017

  Crooked Run Campground — Prince Gallitzin State Park

  Labor Day 2017

  2 night stay in a tent site. Sites were small, but doable. Very clean and spacious showerhouses/bathrooms in each section. Some sections do not allow pets, even for walking. Lake was large with 26 miles of shoreline. The lake was virtually empty, especially for a holiday weekend. There is a swimming area, also empty. The only boats we saw were pontoons and kayaks. Check their website, maybe that is all that are allowed. We don't have a boat, so didn't ask. Some hiking trails around the park. Surprisingly, we saw NO wildlife, and had no campsite "visitors". The park offered many family friendly programs.

• 

  Casey L.

  Ranger

  

  Apr. 13, 2022

  DuBois / Treasure Lake KOA

  Large Open Campground

  This campground has a ton of sites and a lot of permanent camper trailers. The tent sites were open and close together so there wouldn't be much privacy during the busy season. We went in the beginning of May so luckily, we mostly had the vicinity to ourselves. There wasn't an established tent pad but it was pretty level. The bathroom was clean. You can get firewood delivered to your site which is nice. I wouldn't stay there during the summer but it was the only place we could find open with availability. It was also fairly expensive in my opinion but that could just be me. I think it would be nice for a family stay but not if you're looking for peace and quiet.

• 

  Travis S.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 13, 2019

  Clear Creek State Park Campground

  Big woods feel

  Long drive (almost a mile) into the campground from the main road. You follow the creek into the campground where it also meets the Clarion River. Lot of crayfish to catch in frigid cold Clear Creek and great tubing in the Clarion River. Cabins, RV and tent sites available. I’ll be honest, the tent only loop l, sites 43 and higher are not that great. Nothing flat and very difficult to find a good spot on them for a tent. But they are also the most private sites. Clear Creek State Forest is just next door and offers lots of hiking and biking trails. Farmers Inn is just outside of the campground with great food and Cooks Forest is a short drive away with go carts tubing and canoeing and kayaking.

• 

  Ruth .

  Guide

  

  Jun. 14, 2021

  Lake Raystown Resort

  Decent

  Camp site was a little awkward when tent camping. We stayed in Birch so not sure about the other sites but it seemed better suited for an RV. Our site had hardly any space for a tent if you didn’t want to sleep on rocks it was nice to be near the lake but glad we had a shaded spot. The showers and restrooms were pretty clean. There was a lot of late night music which we didn’t mind but if you have smaller children it might be tough getting them to sleep. Overall it was a nice spot but seemed overpriced and overrated from what I was told was an amazing campground. We did not try the water park and the “beach” tiny and super slick from all the algae. I did enjoy it but most likely would not camp there again.

• b

  bryndy

  Scout

  

  Oct. 12, 2023

  Kooser State Park Campground — Kooser State Park

  Beautiful area but on a highway

  Loved this campsite. I was the only tent site in a 3 tent space so I had my privacy as I was the only one booked. They had beautiful hiking trails in the area that I did not have to drive. The kids from the camp grounds came to play on the playground while I was in and out. Only thing that was disappointing was the fact it was on a highway and all night I could hear the trucks driving. Over all it was beautiful just not the peaceful getaway from trafic you need. Major plus for the showers though. I want to add the call center after 5, help was so amazing and she took care of me so well after I was having a rough time getting there. Very genuine people.

• 

  Britt B.

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 27, 2020

  Lake Raystown Resort

  Great Waterfront Camp Ground

  This campground offers tent sites, RV Sites, cabins and hotel accommodation. The campground is relatively flat and on the shore of Lake Raystown. The amenities are great and located centrally in each section of the park. Lots of trees which adds to the privacy of the sites. 

  Some sites are waterfront, but all are close to the water. All sites have fire rings and picnic tables. WIFI is available. There is a boat hire place located on the grounds that hires pontoon boats and jet skis in season. 

  The lake is beautiful and sunsets from the campground are stunning. There is a sandy beach which is perfect for swimming. Note there are minimum nightly stays over weekends during peak periods. They welcome furry friends!