Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Philipsburg, PA has a lot to offer. Discover secluded campsites where you can reconnect with nature. Or maybe you like to bring your family and friends along. Either way, there are Philipsburg campgrounds just for you. Find the best campgrounds near Philipsburg, PA. Read reviews from campers like you and find your perfect campsite.
$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 - $92 / 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."
"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."
$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!!!"
"This campground is located on the east side of Pennsylvania and offers a beautiful view of Lake Raystown. The campground has over 200 sites to choose from, and many of them are right on the water."
$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. "
$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 - $92 / 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.
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.
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).
ScoutThis campground is located on the east side of Pennsylvania and offers a beautiful view of Lake Raystown. The campground has over 200 sites to choose from, and many of them are right on the water. There are also plenty of activities to keep you busy, including swimming, fishing, kayaking, and canoeing and my favorite thing to do Mt Biking. Raystown lake is also a really nice boating lake. The lake is a natural beauty with so many coves and inlets for the biggest of boats to enjoy. They do have a camping resort on the other side of the lake which makes it nice for anyone looking for rustic cabins or cabin rentals.
There are 50 miles of single track mountain biking at this campground. They are some of the best flow trails on the East coast and are the# 1 trail system in Pennsylvania. This is a family friendly campground and has so much to offer. There are volleyball nets, playgrounds, kayak and paddleboard rentals. The kids took a kayak over to an island and spent the afternoon cliff jumping with a 10 ft and 25 ft cliff to launch off of. The sites here are some of the nicest we have ever seen. They are all big and private with stunning views of Raystown Lake. There are steps down from your camper to a pad with a fire pit and area for a tent. You are literally 10 feet away from the water as you enjoy a sunset while sitting around the fire. The lake is a great place to kayak, paddleboard, or just relax and enjoy the view. We love coming here and spending our weekends on the lake. All tent sites are equipped with picnic tables and most sites are electric. looking for other epic reviews check out the top ten campgrounds in PA https://www.longdaycampingco.com/post/10-best-campsites-in-pennsylvania-gorgeous-sites-to-enjoy-the-outdoors
Frequently Asked Questions
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 24 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 17 glamping camping locations near Philipsburg, PA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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