6 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Campgrounds near Russellton, Pennsylvania provide varied camping experiences within a short drive of Pittsburgh. Mountain Top Campground in Tarentum offers panoramic valley views from its ridge-top location with sites for tents, RVs, and cabins. Other facilities within 30 miles include Smith Grove, Crooked Creek Lake, and Indian Brave Campground, creating a mix of public and private camping options. Most locations support both tent and RV camping, with several offering cabin rentals for those seeking more comfort during their stay.
Camping in the region follows seasonal patterns, with most campgrounds operating from April through October, though Mountain Top remains open year-round. "Amazing views from this campground! Water and electric available (50 amps), grey sewer available. For the black you can dump here or have someone pump out on Wednesday morning," noted one camper at Mountain Top. Road access varies considerably, with some campgrounds requiring navigation of narrow, winding roads that may challenge larger rigs. Several reviewers mentioned calling ahead for directions to avoid difficult approaches, particularly when towing trailers. Weather conditions impact the camping experience, with spring bringing occasional heavy rainfall and summer temperatures typically ranging from 70-85°F.
Developed campgrounds in the area typically offer water and electric hookups, with some providing full hookups including sewer connections. Campground amenities vary widely - some feature swimming pools, playgrounds and organized activities, while others emphasize quiet natural settings. A visitor to Smith Grove described it as "a quiet family run park" with "clean bathrooms" and "plenty of room at each site." Many campgrounds around Russellton are family-owned operations rather than state or federal facilities, creating a more personalized experience. The proximity to Pittsburgh (typically 30-45 minutes) makes these campgrounds popular weekend destinations, with waterfront sites at Crooked Creek Lake and similar locations filling quickly during summer months. Most campgrounds in the region maintain quiet hours and family-friendly environments.
"What amazing views from this location! It actually does really sit at the mountain top and gives you pretty good views of the valleys and surrounding areas from any of the rim campsites."
"Wide open grass land with sites around the perimeter. Half a dozen of them (premium) are at the edge and have a nice view to the hills beyond. Basic amenities."
from $48 / night
"One tip: each loop does not have its own entrance from a main road. To get to C you drive through or past A and B. Same with E and F. Each loop has its own set of flush toilets and showers."
"All and All great place to camp, good things; 1) lots of deer, turkeys, racoons, owls etc. 2) close to a farmer's market Jankowski's great place to get fresh food, 3) once you have level camp, all good"
Available this weekend
from $22 - $128 / night
"This is a small campground next to Crooked Creek Lake. The lake is manmade and maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers. There is a small beach and picnic tables."
"Nice small, quiet campground near Crooked Creek. Affordable as well. Love the lake, there is even a little beach for the family. Definitely worth a visit."
from $15 - $35 / night
from $30 - $95 / night
"Camped in the Lakeside Loop. This State Park is so Clean! The campground gives you easy access to anything you want to do. Fish, swim, hike, bike, kayak. It can all be done."
"This is our second time staying here - once in Electric site on Lakeside and this time non electric site on Hillside. Love this side of Hillside - quiet and shaded."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $18 - $90 / night
"They have an Olympic sized swimming pool, nature trails, playground, basketball court, recreation hall and walking distance to harmony and all the live music and nightlife that Harmony and Zelienople have"
"Reason for mark down is due to the trains that came through in the night and it must’ve been trash day in Harmony as we heard dumpster being banged around in the early hours of the morning."
Campground full this weekend
from $30 - $55 / night
"The nightly RV sites are close to the park entrance and are relatively flat. The campground hosts themed events, game nights and arts& crafts."
"I always camp near the horses as i like a bit more privacy. The front of the campground is a bit too packed for my liking. They also have a primative area that is quite nice."
from $30 - $300 / night
"We wanted a secluded site and close to Pittsburgh. We arrived around 7pm and there was no check in, we drove around for a while trying to find a spot with a fire ring per some helpful campers."
"My husband and I camped here on a whim, after our original location got rained out. We picked a nice big lot by the dirt road."
from $10 - $20 / night
"It is right next to the bike trail and has access to the lake. I have enjoyed my time at Moraine and will enjoy it every time I visit."
"In fact my family used to own property near by. This park has an awesome trail system for walking or biking"
ScoutThis is our second time staying here. Each time in October. We love it. Unlike most RV resorts this place is small and wooded. Has free Wi-Fi, clean bathrooms and an awesome community hub room for work from home or playing games. The weekends are busy but during the week it’s so quiet and peaceful. Close to so many attractions and parks that are part of the PA Wilds. Would definitely recommend.
ScoutPLEASE DONT GO HERE ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE KIDS AND IF YOUR NOT WHITE..THE OWNER IS A RACIST HYPOCRITE AND SO ARE ALL OF HER CREW AT THIS LOWLIFE CAMPGROUND. JUST BECAUSE SHE DONT DRINK AND LIKE TO HAVE FUN, SHE RUINS IT FOR ALL THE OTHER CAMPERS..YOU HAVE TO BE IN BED AT 10PM..WHAT A FRIGGING JOKE..SHE SNEAKES AROUND IN HER GOLF CART AT NIGHT AND CREEPS IN YOUR WINDOWS TO SEE WHAT YOUR DOING. THATS WHY YOUR NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE CURTAINS CLOSED .SO HER AND HER SO CALLED HYPOCRITE FRIENDS CAN SEE WHAT YOUR DOING..WE USED TO BE UP THERE UNTIL WE SAW HOW SHE TREATED AND TALKED ABOUT THE POOR LITTLE BLACK KIDS..ESPECIALLY ON CHRISTMAS IN JULY, SHE BOUGHT TOYS FOR EVERY WHITE KID UP THERE WHILE SHE WATCHED THE LITTLE BLACK KIDS CRY THEIR EYES OUT BECAUSE THEY WERE 10 MINUTES LATE TO GET THEIR GIFTS..SHE IS A WHICH IN DISQUISE..EVERY KID GOT TO RIDE THE WAGON WITH SANTA AND WHEN SHE SAW YHE BLACK KIDS ,THEY JUST PASSED THEM UP LIKE THEY DIDNT EVEN SEE THEM...HOW CRUEL CAN SOMEONE BE🤬🤬BUT THEN AGAIN, ITS HER ,SHE HATES PEOPLE HAVING FUN UP THERE.DONT DRINK AFTER HER HRS .DONT PLAY MUSIC AFTER HER HRS..DONT DO SHIT UP THERE UNLESS YOU WANT KICKED OUT THE NEXT DAY...I NEVER SEEN ANYONE SO CRUEL AND HEARTLESS
....THERES A FEW OTHER CAMPGROUNDS AROUND THE BEND .PLEASE GO THERE IF YOU DONT WANT TO CAMP IN A PRISON CAMPGROUND....SHE'LL NEVER CHANGE..MAYBE UF YOYR WHITE, SHELL BE NICE 🤣🤣🤣AND YOU WOLNT GET KICKED OUT..
TravelerStayed the weekend for the first time and it wasn’t bad! There were kids playing at sites nearby but that was all the noise, highway noise at all! I like how they have a spot for your tent with a picnic table and fire ring. I was in my rooftop tent on my truck so I wish the parking spot went back a little deeper for a little more privacy. But it was nice that there was bathrooms and showers within a 1 minute walk from the site! Also it says on here there is no AT&T signal, that’s not true…it’s not great but there is a bar or 2 at times!
ScoutThe park is beautiful, unlevel shade sites; is challenging to get the trailer level. unfortunately, the bathhouses are neglected, dark and full of mildew inside the showers. The park really needs to upgrade the bathhouses. The park itself is very nice and offers a lot of opportunities for outdoor exploration and hiking.
GuideThis is more a campground for RVs then tents or even roof top tents. Place is clean and the sites 90% of them are in the open. Very little shade. Travis runs the place and very nice and accommodating. Fire wood is 20 dollars for a massive amount.
ScoutSpent three nights there in August Mid-week. Was pretty quiet but was clean and nicely taken care of. No mosquitos or bugs at night. Nice walking paths. Pool, hot tub, outdoor showers all very nice.
ScoutAdvertised as a family camp but very far from it. I’ve watched this camp progressively get worse as the years go on, over priced camp with zero efforts to make anything worthwhile, run down play grounds, broken toilet paper roll holders in the bathrooms of the shower house, roads that make you feel like your off road. Owner plans “events” and then wants campers to pay for overpriced food. The owner complains nobody comes to events anymore but barely comes to them herself. The owner is VERY money hungry! And most importantly it’s home to a sex offender who the owner cherishes dearly.
It’s a shame to see how many people realized how terrible this camp was and are selling their camps because of it. The owner should open her eyes and realize she’s the reason people don’t want to be there anymore !!!
ScoutWe are here for a month and it feels like we have the place to ourselves!
ScoutCant have no fun or drink.kids get yelled at all the time..owner sneaks around looking in campers at night..they watch every thing you do. Then they throw you out because your having to much fun. Or your up after 10pm..what a joke....please dont do nothing wrong.because.youll be on the shitlist...they are very very racist ,dont ever take a black child or try to get a place to stay or even put a tent up ,cause if your Black ,they tell you their is no room for u or a tent..STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE,ITS A BUNCH OF HYPOCRITES AND THEY DONT WANT NO BLACS IN THEIR CAMP GROOUND AT ALL..GO UP THE ROAD..THEY ARE NICER THERE...
Camping sites near Russellton, Pennsylvania range from ridge-top settings to lakeside locations throughout Butler and Beaver counties. Most campgrounds sit at elevations between 1,000-1,400 feet, creating varied terrain for campers. Winter temperatures typically drop to 20-30°F, while fall camping brings colorful foliage viewing opportunities from mid-October through early November.
Lakeside recreation: Raccoon Creek State Park Campground offers diverse water activities beyond basic camping. "I had the most wonderful time on my first tent camping at Racoon Creek. We made a fire, hiked by the moonlight and swam at the warm lake at night," notes one visitor who enjoyed after-dark swimming.
Trail exploration: Trails through the region range from beginner-friendly to challenging. At Breakneck Campground, campers can access trails directly from their sites. "From our campsite we walked along the creek into McConnells Mill State Park and joined the covered bridge trail. Approx. 30min walk along the creek down into McConnells Mill State Park," reports a camper.
Winter adventures: Some locations remain accessible year-round for cold weather exploration. One visitor to Raccoon Creek State Park shared, "Got out for a couple hours hiking in the snow. It was great. Just what we needed to stretch the legs and enjoy some family time. We did the Palomino Loop. It also was quite interesting getting to the trail. Some nice snow covered back roads."
Mountain views: Mountain Top Campground lives up to its name with elevated sites. "You come up a winding road and emerge atop the mountain. It's cute. Wide open grass land with sites around the perimeter. Half a dozen of them (premium) are at the edge and have a nice view to the hills beyond," notes one camper about the layout.
Creek-side camping: At Breakneck Campground, certain sites provide direct water access. A visitor explained their experience: "We definitely lucked out with one of the best campsites; we were right next to the creek, it was super spacious and super private."
Clean facilities: Smith Grove maintains well-kept facilities despite its smaller size. A camper noted, "Campground is very nice. A lot of sites with plenty of room at each site. Bathrooms were very clean as well."
Seasonal availability: Operations vary by location and season, with facilities ranging from basic to full-service. At Crooked Creek Lake, one visitor observed, "Nice small, quiet campground near Crooked Creek. Affordable as well. Love the lake, there is even a little beach for the family."
Site spacing: Campgrounds differ significantly in privacy levels. A Breakneck visitor mentioned, "My husband and I camped here on a whim, after our original location got rained out. We picked a nice big lot by the dirt road. Though we had neighbors next to us, you could hardly tell they were there."
Shower facilities: Bathroom and shower access varies across locations. At Mountain Top, one camper reported, "The central bathroom, pay shower, and laundry room had ac, a couch and were quite clean."
Swimming options: Family-friendly water access exists at several locations. A visitor to Bear Run Campground shared, "Bear Run offers pull through sites for larger RVs. The pool is smaller but still enjoyable. Tons of activities always planned on the weekend. Family Friendly Friendly!"
Organized activities: Some campgrounds schedule regular family events. One Bear Run camper reported, "This campground is deceptively big! The nightly RV sites are close to the park entrance and are relatively flat. The campground hosts themed events, game nights and arts& crafts."
Park amenities: Facilities for children vary significantly between locations. A Mountain Top visitor noted, "The ONLY downsides at this site (which are really not downsides for anyone else without kids) are: There is no playground or activities for children."
Road navigation: Access roads can present challenges for larger vehicles. A Mountain Top camper advised, "The hardest part is finding it. The roads get narrow so if in an RV call them for the easiest way in."
Site layout: RV site configurations vary across the area. At Indian Brave Campground, a first-timer reported, "They escorted us to our campsite (which was larger than most) and made sure we had plenty of help getting backed in and set up!"
Hookup availability: Water and electric access differs between locations. At Mountain Top, a visitor noted, "Amazing views from this campground! Water and electric available (50 amps), grey sewer available. For the black you can dump here or have someone pump out."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Russellton, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Russellton, PA is Mountain Top Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 7 reviews.
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