Searching for the best camping near Pittsburgh, PA? Discover secluded campsites where you can reconnect with nature. Or maybe you like to bring your family and friends along. Either way, there are Pittsburgh campgrounds just for you. Get the dirt on all the best camping near Pittsburgh. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.
$22 - $128 / night
"This campground is an easy drive from Pittsburgh. Nice hiking trails. Other activities available like boat rental and swimming at the beach."
"Raccoon Creek is half an hour from Pittsburgh, and it's a big park with lots to discover."
$48 / night
"gravel lots with wood boarders
lots of grass on each site as well
full verizon coverage lte
30 + 50amp services
grey water dump on most sites
water
open year round
cons
no kids park
no dog"
"Great scenic routes and close to the spot you want to see in Pittsburgh."
"This campsite is a nice reward for west-bound riders on the GAP trail (it's the last one before Pittsburgh!)"
"Access from the Allegheny Gap trail. There were a few shelters, nice campsite. It’s close to an old cemetery which is useful in telling ghosts stories around the campfire"
"We're staying in the winter for a few nights to visit friends who live outside Pittsburgh. Friendly and cozy spot."
"They have a pool, fishing pond and a cloud pillow with the playground next to it along with two small dog play areas.Every week they organizes different themes for bingo, and other games."
"Very conveniently located off the interstate. Follow the signs to the campground NOT the GPS in order to avoid some narrow and sharp turn roads. Staff were super friendly!"
"Easy highway access great for overnight travel"
$24 - $72 / night
"Ohiopyle is a well-known location to any outdoor enthusiast in the Pittsburgh area, in fact it’s probably the most popular"
"This camp was laid out very well and had plenty of maps and trails, as well as daily activities. They have a small amphitheater with easy access, a dump and recycling area."
$25 / night
"It’s very military positive, even includes a reserved place for the fallen soldiers. Some sites are a bit close, the pull through sites are very ample. Gravel roads and level sites."
"Tent site was nice and conveniently located next to the bathhouse"
$22 - $117 / night
"The campground was family and pet friendly on the hillside section. For the whole family enjoy."
"Park itself is gorgeous with a large lake and designated swimming area. Place attracts a lot of people in the summer as its basically in the Pittsburgh suburbs along a major road artery. "
$28 - $40 / night
"We hiked but there is also rental boats and kayaks, a very nice pool, a mini golf, and many short hiking trails. Just over an hour from Pittsburgh. Restrooms and park very clean."
"Pets are welcome. Facilities are older but well kept. Bathhouse is heated with showers that have a fiberglass tub surround, not concrete. Nice hiking trails that connect through the campground. "
TravelerThis campground is an easy drive from Pittsburgh. Nice hiking trails. Other activities available like boat rental and swimming at the beach. Closeby is Janoski's farm market - huge with everything from chocolates to a floor with gifts. Also worth visiting for the short hiking trails is the Wildflower Reserve. Downside is bathhouse compared to other state parks not as clean. But overall very nice time.
GuideExcellent clean park and easy to get to from Pittsburgh. The campsite and bathrooms were clean when we arrived and when we left. The site numbering is a bit wonky on the door loop so make sure you look at your map before you start driving the loops.
The electrical hookups are not played out well like an expensive RV park with the shared power post on the entrance side of the camper. You may want to have an extension for your power cable.
The park ranger drove through multiple times a day. Overall the dog loop was quite and at night we could hear the coyotes in the distance.
The lake provides a great place to fish and the walking trail has some less used fishing spots if you are willing to walk. We enjoyed the easy walking lake trail with the kids because it was wide and flat.
Kayak rental of $15 for an hour was the cheapest we have seen and allowed us to explore more of the lake.
GuideSimple wooded beauty in southern PA, an hour or so from Pittsburgh not far off 76. Pros: nice swimming, short trail, great XC skiing (here and nearby), nice green area with rolling hills, cabin options, hot showers, a few tent-only sites, creek by campground, wildlife (turkeys and deer right by the tent), lots of other parks nearby (plus skiing, golf). Cons: one-way road was a little frustrating, mostly open style campground (not a lot of privacy for many sites), road close to park.
TravelerGetting used to our new travel trailer so visiting alot of local state parks. This one is clean with a majority of spots shaded. Much to do to occupy a few days. We hiked but there is also rental boats and kayaks, a very nice pool, a mini golf, and many short hiking trails. Just over an hour from Pittsburgh. Restrooms and park very clean.
RangerWe met with friends from Pittsburgh here, they visit often and consider this a hidden gem. We enjoyed the waterfront camping and snowshoeing. We got a site by the water and with good tree cover. They also have cabins but we were just in a tent (I don’t know if the cabins are open all year). Great place to camp for simple beauty.
GuideRaccoon Creek is half an hour from Pittsburgh, and it's a big park with lots to discover. In addition to 7,000+ acres of woods, Raccoon has pretty much anything a camper could want: good scenery; a nice little lake with a beach and concession stand (in summer); more than 20 miles of trails; a backpacking loop with primitive camping and Adirondack shelters; picnic areas; cabins; fishing; hunting in the late fall; a canoe rental shop… The campground is enormous and has all different kinds of campsites--sunny, wooded, solitary, tightly packed, dog-friendly, dog-free. It's even got a few dismal little sites that are open year-round, except that the road to them may be snowed over in winter. Make sure you check out the online map and reserve a good campsite in advance, because a lot of them are crowded too close together. Raccoon is great, a fun, woodsy place. It gets really crowded and doesn't exactly have the wilderness feel that I like. Hiking here is more like "taking a walk in the woods," which is better than no walk in the woods. Raccoon is the # 1 "go-to" for Pittsburghers who don't pre-book at Ohiopyle or some wilder place in time for Memorial Day or Labor Day weekend.
LegendRound 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:
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.
LegendThis state park review is of the state park itself, not the related Kentuck campground. We have stayed at Kentuck, and I have written a separate review of the campground itself. I also wanted to post a review of the park, however, because we have visited many times and it’s one of our favs!
Ohiopyle is a well-known location to any outdoor enthusiast in the Pittsburgh area, in fact it’s probably the most popular destination within a few hours of the city. There are great hiking trails including the Laurel Highlands hiking trail (70+ miles) which is popular with backpackers, fantastic white-water rafting opportunities on ‘the Yough’, and the Great Allegheny Passage or ‘GAP’ biking trail (150+ miles from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, MD) runs right through town. In the winter, you’re near the best ski mountains in the Pittsburgh area, and many of the hiking trails become snowshoeing and cross-country skiing trails. No matter the season, there really is something for everyone if you like being outdoors. The town of Ohioyle itself is also a cute (though very small) area to spend some time, with a couple of nice outfitters, mostly focused on white water rafting and kayaking. Paddler’s Pizza and the nearby bakery + chocolate / candy shop make for great stops after a hike, bike or paddle, or if you just want to pick up some picnic stuff and head down to the waterfront in town for a relaxing lunch.
Something I didn’t know until the spring of this year (after heading down to this area for years) is how close it is to another gem: the Youghiogeny River Lake and dam area (about 15 minutes outside of town, up the road towards Baughman’s Rocks). This is a beautiful lake for boating or kayaking with great fishing. It’s a little weird to find, as you have to take a side road (there are signs pointing the way to the lake) and you actually end up driving on top of the dam itself (which is crazy! great view though) into the parking area on the other side where the boat launch and beach area is. The dam outflow area (which is in a separate location closer to the main road) is cold water release and offers some of the best trout fishing in the greater Pittsburgh area, along with the resulting start of the Youghiogeny River.
In general, this area is one of the most relaxing, outdoor-focused locations in the greater Pittsburgh area, with a ton of stuff to see and do!
TravelerI started camping at Raccoon back in the 60's as a little person with my family. Hadn't been for several decades, but finally got back with my husband and cats the past couple of years. Great park ony a 1/2 hour outside of Pittsburgh. The campground has something for everyone - RV sites with electric (although I wouldn't recommend bringing your 40' rig...sites can be a tad on the smaller side) or secluded sites just for tenting. Restrooms are clean and well maintained. Two loops allow pets F and B, but only some sites in F have electric, so be sure to check if that is what you need. There are many hiking trails that are not too strenuous or you can take a 10 mile trip around the lake. Lots of birds for viewing, particularly near the beach. You can put in your kayak or fish on the shore at the fairly large lake. Boats do require a launch pass which you can obtain from the park office. And don't miss the Wildflower Preserve if you are there in May or late summer! Great place to take the family and relax in nature!
Pittsburgh offers a variety of pet-friendly camping options, allowing you to enjoy the great outdoors with your furry companions. Here are some top choices for camping with pets near the city.
Frequently Asked Questions
What pet-friendly cabin camping options are available in Pittsburgh?
The Pittsburgh area offers several pet-friendly cabin options for campers with four-legged companions. Kooser State Park Campground features cabins in a wooded setting about an hour from Pittsburgh. This hidden gem provides pet-friendly cabin accommodations with beautiful surroundings and waterfront views. Rose Point Park Cabins & Camping also offers pet-friendly cabin options with the bonus of a dedicated dog park on the premises where your pet can run off-leash. When booking, always confirm the specific pet policy for cabins as they may have additional cleaning fees, weight restrictions, or limits on the number of pets allowed.
Where are the pet-friendly campgrounds near Pittsburgh?
Several excellent pet-friendly campgrounds can be found within a short drive from Pittsburgh. Raccoon Creek State Park Campground is just 30 minutes outside the city, offering 7,000+ acres for you and your furry friend to explore, with multiple hiking trails and pet-friendly campsites. Tomlinson Run State Park Campground is about an hour away with shaded spots and multiple short hiking trails perfect for walking your pet. Both parks welcome leashed pets at campsites and on designated trails, though they're typically not permitted in swimming areas or public buildings. Always check specific pet policies when making reservations, as rules may change seasonally.
What dog-friendly activities can we do while camping near Pittsburgh?
The Pittsburgh area offers numerous dog-friendly activities for camping enthusiasts. At Ohiopyle State Park, you can enjoy miles of pet-friendly hiking trails with your dog on leash, exploring the beautiful Laurel Highlands. Swimming with your dog is possible at designated areas in many parks, though always check local regulations first. For a unique experience, visit nearby Janoski's farm market when staying at area campgrounds for a dog-friendly shopping excursion. Many campgrounds have dedicated pet exercise areas - for example, Mountain Top Campground offers space for your dog to stretch their legs after a day of adventure. Always pack waste bags, portable water bowls, and extra leashes for enjoyable outings.
How do I find pet-friendly RV campsites in the Pittsburgh area?
Finding pet-friendly RV campsites near Pittsburgh is straightforward with several excellent options available. Laurel Hill State Park Campground offers clean facilities and electrical hookups for RVs, welcoming pets at designated campsites. The park is easily accessible from Pittsburgh with well-maintained roads. Fox Den Acres Campground near New Stanton is another pet-friendly option that accommodates big rigs. When searching for pet-friendly RV sites, use campground reservation systems to filter for pet-friendly options, or call directly to confirm current pet policies, any breed or size restrictions, and whether there are designated pet walking areas or additional pet fees.
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