Black Moshannon State Park Campground offers luxury glamping accommodations amid Pennsylvania's serene forest setting. Located near Philipsburg, this established site provides comfortable glamping options with modern amenities including electric hookups, hot showers, and flush toilets. Ridge Top Retreat, another notable glamping destination in the region, features a more secluded experience with its single glamping site that includes drinking water, picnic tables, and shower facilities. Both locations maintain high cleanliness standards while providing access to natural surroundings. One reviewer noted, "The sites are spacious, bathrooms clean and air fresh. Decent beach on the lake and plenty to do within the park for the nature lovers."
Visitors staying at these glamping sites can explore extensive trail systems directly accessible from the accommodations. Black Moshannon features 24 miles of hiking trails through pristine wilderness, plus a 250-acre lake perfect for kayaking and wildlife observation. The lake's unique dark water creates a distinctive ecosystem with water lilies and other bog plants. According to a camper, "There are plenty of well-maintained, well-marked trails for all experience levels. The lake is lovely with a very nice swimming beach." Some locations offer seasonal amenities like camp stores and boat rentals from spring through fall. Most glamping facilities in the area operate from April through October or mid-December, depending on the specific location, with limited or no cell service enhancing the disconnected luxury outdoor experience.
$20 - $87 / night
"The section we were in was “no pets allowed”. My kids loved the beach, swimming was not deep. Beach was big with adjacent playground. Lots of pavilions all over."
"Nice bathrooms, nice kitchen, etc. One of the best things about Black Mo is how isolated it feels and it's never crowded in the off-months."
$20 - $57 / night
"We could sit and eat breakfast and watch the deers. Very relaxing place. Clean bath houses and friendly staff. The lake was beautiful. Very nice park to relax."
"Almost every campsite was decorated for Halloween and there was plenty of Trick or treaters. If you are into Halloween then this is the place to go. Overall the park was clean and well taken care of."
$22 - $62 / night
"Easy access to camp ground. The check in process was just to drive to the site and set up which was different but very easy. The sites are private on the sides with some green space to play on."
"The distance between spots was good. Roads were a little narrow but manageable. Everyone was very friendly and with the exception of one neighbor, dogs were kept mostly quiet."
$20 - $29 / night
"The campground can host tents, as well as RVs/campers, and includes clean bath houses with both toilets and showers. You can also buy firewood at the entrance. Sites have a picnic table + fire ring."
"We stayed at one of two walk-in sites at Greenwood. The highlights were a spacious camp site, nice bathrooms, little light pollution (we saw the Milky Way!) and hearing screech owls at night. "
$28 - $200 / night
"Easy access to the lake from your site. Bath house is up at the top of the hill. Be prepared for that walk. Get water at the dump station on the way in!!!"
"We set our chocks and started our setup. The picnic table had a new seat on one side and was in great shape."
$25 - $32 / night
"This primitive campground is located a few miles from Seven Points Recreation area, but far enough away to enjoy a real camping experience without electricity and running water."
"We ended up with spot 3, which was on a cliff’s edge. So, it looked like it may be near the water, but there was no way down, and the forest obscured any view that may have been there."
"Both RV sites and lots to rent to pitch your own tent, fishing, huge lake with beach, lots of activities for the kids throughout the summer, one of the nicest parks we have camped at!"
"Nice waterfront at the lower edge of the resort. The cabins were set up above and kind of overlooked down to Raystown lake."
$22 - $29 / night
"Learn about this buildings green construction (LEED)geo thermal heat, rain water harvesting system, recycled materials and more! Step inside to view elk bear birds and other wildlife!"
"There are a few nice scenic trails that go to the lake and through the woods. Some are kid bike friendly. The nature center is great! Kid friendly and fun!"
GuideNice clean and quiet campground. The address online took us to the ranger station. Turn left BEFORE bridge. Couldn’t see sign from the road. The section we were in was “no pets allowed”. My kids loved the beach, swimming was not deep. Beach was big with adjacent playground. Lots of pavilions all over. The area was a little crowded for my liking.
GuideFound this location while going to Elk State Forest for the elk bugling. Was very happy to find this location. Had clean bathrooms with running water and showers. Campground was tucked away between two mountains and sat next to a creek. Staff was friendly. Plenty of camp sites. Have yearly campsites which is apparent since some of the campers have more permanent structures around or attached to them. Pets allowed. Not the best place for hammock camping but have a few sites with good trees. Out of the main path but nice place to stay.
GuideStayed in the modern camping section. Easy access to camp ground. The check in process was just to drive to the site and set up which was different but very easy. The sites are private on the sides with some green space to play on. Lots of extra places to park extra cars or bring a second vehicle with a boat.
The kids had fun riding the bikes around the loop and taking the short cuts cut in around the loop. We had fun walking to the foot bridge to go fishing.
The camping area was very quite both mornings and evenings. We saw the park rangers drive through multiple times per day.
The bathrooms were clean. There are no shelfs in the showers (except for a bar of soap) but they had hooks to hang your clothes.
The racoons were a fun surprise on our last night! We left the grease trap from the Blackstone out and the they found it. We did not see any bears though we heard they are there.
We had smoke from Canadian forest fires so haze in the pictures is smoke not haze or rainy days! The walking trails are great. You can see the largest white swamp oak in Pennsylvania!
Definitely check out Penns Cave too.
LegendPROS
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
TravelerLove staying at Seven Points CG. This Corps part got a spruce up in 2022. The roads on the point loop were upgraded.
Tough to get waterfront spot during main season, but fall is beautiful here.
Chipmunks are fun to watch. Point loop is my favorite. Sites 128, 126 126a, 154 are perfect. Easy access to the lake from your site. Bath house is up at the top of the hill. Be prepared for that walk.
Get water at the dump station on the way in!!! Easier than trying to attach to the spigots on the loop.
Trough State Park nearby is a great place to hike!!
RangerUPDATED reviews for rustic and modern cabins.
March 2020, Modern Cabins: Before COVID-19 hit PA we stayed in one of the modern cabins. Wow...everything was seemingly quite new and it was extremely comfortable. Nice bathrooms, nice kitchen, etc. One of the best things about Black Mo is how isolated it feels and it's never crowded in the off-months. The Moss Hanne is still a thrilling trail even in the winter months and there's been a lot of beaver activity since we last visited including a very impressive dam.
October 2019, Rustic Cabins: We stayed in one of the rustic cabins on a cold October weekend. Very charming small cabins with robust woodstoves. Although we probably could have been more careful, there were unfortunately some very bothersome mice who kept us awake each night...and were seemingly not very afraid of us! The construction of the rustic cabins is such that there probably isn't much you can do about mice getting in. If this doesn't bother you, these cabins are really cute and cozy.
July 2019, Tent Camping: As far as camping goes, the loop area is a bit cramped for my taste, but if that doesn't bother you it's fine. Clean bathhouse and convenient outdoor sink for washing up after dinner. Overall one of the best PA parks and well maintained.
I really have to address some of these other reviews, though:
"Water was thick with weeds& lilies but ok nonetheless." Wow! Pitcher plants, sundews and water lilies are not "weeds." They are unique to bog environments and don't grow in other places. The vegetation in the lake is what makes Black Mo black, so picturesque and unlike other PA parks!
"The overall area has nothing to do. And I mean NOTHING. We drove 45 minutes to Altoona to see the famous Horseshoe Curve but there’s literally nothing else around for miles and miles. Not even an ice cream stand, or not one we could find. And, since there’s no cell service, we couldn’t figure out any options either." Like many state parks in this part of the world there is no cell service, so you need to bring a real map (Purple Lizard) and look a few things up on the internet ahead of time. Black Mo is literally ten minutes from Philipsburg where there is surely an ice cream stand, 25 minutes from State College, which has tons of touristy offerings…I could go on but really this is laughable.
TravelerThis primitive campground is located a few miles from Seven Points Recreation area, but far enough away to enjoy a real camping experience without electricity and running water. Not to worry, the showers are located at Seven Points. There aren't many waterfront sites, so book early. Some sites not listed as waterfront can be used for boats (with a permit from the campground office).
LegendGeneral: 73-site campground; most have electric hookups, and some are FHU. Pets are only permitted at selected sites. There are also 20 (13 rustic and 6 modern) cabins. Cell service is extremely limited to non-existent (Verizon).
Site Quality: Pads are gravel and most appeared to be level. Site 70 was at the end of the loop which is why we picked it. A picnic table, fire ring, and lantern hook complete each site.
Bathhouse: As has been our experience in all PA state parks, the bathhouse was pristine, and the shower (for no additional cost) was clean with plentiful hot water and was very much appreciated.
Activities/Amenities: Coin-operated laundry. A playground is in the campground and there is an additional one at the swimming beach. The swimming beach is open from mid-May to mid-September, from 8 am– sunset. Electric motorboats are permitted on Moshannon Lake. Boat rentals are available in season. Permits are required. 24 miles of hiking trails, including two trails directly from the campground to the lake. In the summer, there is a camper store/concession stand. Hunting is allowed in season. There are 4.3 miles of mountain biking trails.
I used to think Oregon State Parks were the best, but Pennsylvania State Parks have them beat by a mile. We have yet to be disappointed by the amenities(especially the clean bathrooms) offered at the half-dozen state parks we have visited so far.
GuideWe looked at this campground in early August, but I wasn’t too sure about the elevation. I booked our site #6 in Ridge Camp. From the time we arrived and filled up the fresh water tank at the ultra-cool 4 lane dump station, I knew we were in for a great weekend. The signage was very well marked and the fresh water spigot was more like a little tank, super-solid, clean and modern. We pulled into Ridge Camp (RCAM on Recreation.gov) and drove a little bit down a hill to our site. One backup attempt into the site and (according to our LevelMatePRO app) it was perfectly level...that was definitely a first for us. We set our chocks and started our setup. The picnic table had a new seat on one side and was in great shape. Our pad was limestone and very flat and level, so setting out our rugs was easy and comfortable underneath our feet. The campfire ring was in great shape with a fully functioning adjustable grill plate....we even had a lantern pole. Looking at some of our neighbor’s sites, depending on where the camper site was located, some had their picnic table and fire ring either above or below them. Definitely worth looking at the pictures. Our site in Ridge, along with most others from #6-24 were very well shaded. One thing to note is Ridge is on an incline with a loop at the end. Perfect for turning around to head out. With the slope, however be aware of the kids and adults riding around on bicycles and skateboards. With the many bike trails in Seven Points, there were a lot of adult mountain bike riders.
We took a drive around through the other six campgrounds and decided Point was our favorite, but obviously crowded because it is right on the lake. Senoia camp was (our) tied with Ridge, but only the lower portion. Once you go up the hill to sites above #231, it gets very steep and far away from the water. Probably not too safe for kids on bikes, although the only playground appeared to be at the top of the hill..again, probably too steep for kids. We drove through Meadow Camp (MCAM) but it was too open for us with not many trees for shade. Bay camp (BCAM) was a bit nicer than Meadow with ample trees, but it wasn’t close to anything except for one portion that had access to the lake/bay below. Finally, Valley Camp (VCAM) was a single in/out with a loop around the playground, but the sites appeared too small for our 28’ TT.
We liked this campground so much that I tried booking (and cancelling our reservation at Red Bridge in Kane, PA) for our last seasonal weekend in October, but there was nothing in Ridge or Point. Later that day, I received an email from Reservation.gov that our Oct 23 booking at Red Bridge was going to be refunded because Red Bridge was under construction. I quickly opened the reservation.gov website and a site across and up the hill a few sites from where we stayed was suddenly available, so I booked it. Another item worth noting is Ridge has a laundromat at only 25¢/load. Also, the restroom at Ridge has 4 shower stalls which were very clean with hot water at a great water pressure. On our way out, we visited the dump station again and got in one of the 4 lanes with no wait. The dump station, as noted above had wide lanes and made the experience an easy and clean one. We can’t wait to go back to Ridge again next month. I took pictures of our site #6 plus several other sites in Seven Points. Each site is sequentially numbered, depending on which of the seven campgrounds - reference the map for the actual locations.
Philipsburg, Pennsylvania sits at approximately 1,900 feet elevation in Centre County, providing a temperate forest camping environment with notable seasonal temperature swings. The region's campgrounds typically experience cooler nights even during summer months, with morning temperatures dropping into the 50s during peak camping season. Many campsites in this area offer direct access to state game lands and the Moshannon State Forest.
Wildlife viewing at Seven Points: The Raystown Lake area provides excellent opportunities for animal observation. "The lake has lots to offer. Swimming, boating, fishing, wildlife watching and a big sky view for star gazing," notes Denise D. about Black Moshannon State Park Campground.
Mountain biking on Allegrippis Trails: This trail system features over 36 miles of purpose-built mountain biking paths accessible from campgrounds. A visitor at Seven Points explains, "The mtb trails begin just above the upper camp loops and provide a full day of fast flowing singletrack."
Primitive camping near water: For those wanting a more rustic experience, lakeside options exist. "This primitive campground is located a few miles from Seven Points Recreation area, but far enough away to enjoy a real camping experience without electricity," shares Deanna B. about Susquehannock Campground.
Pontoon boat tours: Free ranger-led lake excursions available with reservation. "They offer a free pontoon boat tour of the lake, reservations needed because spots fill up fast," mentions Amber N. about Sinnemahoning State Park.
Off-grid disconnection: Many sites in the region provide a true escape from technology. "No phone service, no problem! This campground helped me finally convince my fiance that not all 'campgrounds' are actually waterpark/family fun/RV parking lots," writes Diane T. about Greenwood Furnace State Park Campground.
Historical features: Several parks preserve Pennsylvania's industrial heritage. "Very interesting history of the old furnaces. Gorgeous park - very PA-scenic!" notes Melanie Z. about Greenwood Furnace.
Secluded tent sites: For those seeking privacy while glamping close to Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, tucked-away spots exist. "These sites are very secluded and you really feel like you're away from it all," explains Diane T. about certain tent sites at Greenwood Furnace.
Clean facilities: Many reviews highlight campground maintenance. "The sites are spacious, bathhouses clean and the firewood was cheap," shares Travis S. about Seven Points campground.
Seasonal considerations: Most campgrounds operate on limited schedules. "Sinnemahoning is definitely an excellent spot for car campers to enjoy the Elk State Forest/PA Wilds region... Wish it had a nicer playground and picnic area for the kids to enjoy. We would have liked to hang around longer but it was soooo buggy," explains J K. about Sinnemahoning State Park Campground.
Cell service limitations: Expect minimal connectivity at most sites. "There is zero cell service/WiFi at the park, or for at least 5-10 miles from it," notes Shayna about Sinnemahoning.
Water conditions: Some lakes have distinctive characteristics. "The Iron Ore mines from the past have left the creek water stained red which is why its called the Red Mo with the locals," explains Travis S. about Black Moshannon.
Reservation timing: Popular waterfront sites book quickly. "Make a reservation way ahead of your date as this campground is very popular and sites book early," advises Denise D. about Black Moshannon.
Navigation challenges: Some areas can be difficult to find. "Our only trouble was our GPS brought us in the most difficult way. We suggest avoiding heading south from I80 on Casanova road," recommends Sandi G. about Black Moshannon State Park.
Educational opportunities: Visitor centers offer programming for children. "The park also runs a ton of classes for different things like fly fishing, hiking, etc," shares Lisa L. about Black Moshannon.
Playground options: Several campgrounds include play areas. "Ridge camp...has a playground near the sites at the entrance," notes Travis S. about Seven Points.
Kid-friendly activities: Beyond standard camping, special features exist for children. "Great place for kids! We love staying at crooked run campground. Has a beach on the lake. Affordable boat rentals. Bmx track for kids," explains Jackie W. about Prince Gallitzin State Park.
Site selection considerations: Not all campsite configurations work equally well for RVs. "Definitely look at pictures of your site before reserving. The distance between spots was good. Roads were a little narrow but manageable," advises Greg J. about Bald Eagle State Park.
Water hookup variations: Infrastructure differs between parks. "I'm not sure about other sites, but we did not have a water hookup, just a spigot we could fill from. The dump station worked fine and was clean," shares Greg J. about Bald Eagle.
Site leveling: Terrain varies significantly between campgrounds and individual sites. "We pulled into Ridge Camp and drove a little bit down a hill to our site. One backup attempt into the site and it was perfectly level...that was definitely a first for us," explains Tim J. about Seven Points.
Electric concerns: Some maintenance issues may arise. "Power pole was in rough shape but worked," notes Greg J. about his experience at Bald Eagle State Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Philipsburg, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Philipsburg, PA is Black Moshannon State Park Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 25 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 17 glamping camping locations near Philipsburg, PA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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