8 campgrounds with availability next weekend
Dispersed tent camping options surround the St. Marys, Pennsylvania region with several primitive sites located within the Allegheny National Forest. Forestry Road Dispersed Campsite and Loleta Road Dispersed Campsite offer tent camping opportunities approximately 30-40 miles from St. Marys. These sites provide basic, undeveloped tent camping areas with minimal amenities in heavily wooded settings. Patterson State Park Campground, located near Coudersport, serves as another tent camping alternative with slightly more developed facilities while maintaining a rustic camping experience.
Tent campsites in this region typically feature flat, natural surfaces with varying degrees of vegetation. Most dispersed sites have established fire rings but lack amenities such as drinking water, toilets, or trash service. Campers must pack in all supplies and pack out all waste. The primitive tent setups require self-sufficiency, as one camper noted, "If you don't mind roughing it a bit, it's really quite nice." Access to these tent camping areas varies seasonally, with some sites becoming muddy or overgrown during spring and summer months. Road conditions generally accommodate standard vehicles, though some areas may require higher clearance during wet conditions.
The tent camping experience near St. Marys offers solitude and natural immersion. Forestry Road sites provide access to hiking trails, including the trail to Hector Falls, approximately a mile from the main camping area. Loleta Road Dispersed Campsite features several pull-off spots along forest roads that balance accessibility with privacy. Wildlife sightings are common, with reviews mentioning black bears in the area, particularly at Forestry Road sites. A camper advised, "Be sure to pack up all food and trash at night. The bears are skittish, but they will find you if there's food in your camp." Cell service is spotty throughout most primitive tent areas, with occasional connectivity in higher elevation sites.
"Some you can drive your car in and tuck it back. Other spots you cant take your car at all. There are tons of logging roads that split off the main forest road."
"Big open spots with established fire rings. Quiet except for the distant rumble of a train passing the town down in the valley."
"This one was close enough to the road to feel safe but far enough away to have privacy."
"Great little roadside campsite to get away. We spent the night during a tropical storm and got the pleasure of hearing the rain on the tent out in this peaceful spot!"
"Not much privacy from site to site but that’s fine. You can still observe the stars, but difficult for telescopes since trees cover Polaris in most of the sites."
"Many consider Patterson State Park an over flow Park for when the famous “Dark Skies” Cherry Springs State Park or the large Lyman Run State Park with its lake for swimming, boating and fishing gets full"
from $10 / night
"It took me roughly an hour to get camp fully set up."
from $10 / night
"Allegany State Park is nearby for hiking, snowshoeing, XC skiing, leaf peeping,etc."
"After the last bad winter storm we had (2/2018) trees fell all over the park, including on my favorite hiking trails."
Available next weekend
from $229 / night
from $10 / night
from $10 / night
"Firefly Acres is a great spot to setup camp with tons of activities nearby including trails for hiking & mountain biking. Check them out and share some pics of your stay!"
from $35 - $89 / night
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.
Scoutbeautiful site and campground ground. peaceful. quite. and the showers were excellent!
TravelerWe had difficulty finding our original site so stopped here. Decent road access from the pavement, wide open campsite with a picnic table and fire pit. Good views of the night sky.
TravelerWe wasted a couple of hours looking for the site. The directions sent us in circles. Finally just grabbed a random spot for the night.
ScoutChose this campground as a quick overnight before boondocking up into NY. Wish we’d planned for a longer stay. Very nice campground. It is huge, but we were passing through off season so we had it more or less to ourselves.
The bathhouse was very clean. Laundry facilities as well.
Will definitely try to stay here again!
GuideHere is a polished version of your campground review that improves grammar, clarity, and flow while keeping your observations and friendly tone: We stayed at Site #2 over Labor Day weekend for three nights and had a wonderful experience. The campsite is spacious and features a large open area with picnic tables and plenty of room for kids to run and play. Each campsite is surrounded by trees, which provides a nice sense of privacy. Even though there are approximately 25 campsites in the campground, it was very quiet and peaceful. There are several pit toilets located throughout the campground, all of which were very clean and well maintained. The campground also has four water spigots; however, during our stay they were not functioning due to storm-related issues. The camp hosts were very friendly and helpful, and firewood was available for purchase on-site. Surprisingly, there were not many bugs, especially considering the heavy rains before our arrival and during our first night. Several beautiful hiking trails can be accessed directly from the campground. Some sections were wet and muddy, with a few fallen trees from recent storms, but the trails were still enjoyable. For hiking enthusiasts, the Ministry Creek Trail, located about 16 minutes away, is a must-see and absolutely worth the visit. Overall, this is a quiet, scenic campground with excellent privacy, friendly hosts, and great access to hiking. We would definitely stay here again.
ScoutStayed on a Thursday, found a spot late at night. Some spots you park and walk down to camp others you park and they have a fire ring and grass area above the river
TravelerBeautiful gravel and wood chip site right along a small slow moving creek. At night when the sun sets and the fire burns it creates a wonderful camping experience. And they are very dog freindly.
TravelerVery nice and well kept. great campground for families with kids. has a playground, heated pool. they also had rock painting activities. the store is cute- they also have a little shop in there.
Restrooms/showers are super clean!
Dispersed camping around St. Marys, Pennsylvania offers backcountry experiences within the northern Allegheny Plateau region, where elevations range from 1,500 to 2,300 feet. Seasonal weather variations significantly impact tent camping conditions, with mid-summer temperatures averaging 75°F during the day and dropping to 55°F at night. Winter conditions often make many camping areas inaccessible due to snow and mud.
Hiking to nearby falls: Access the Hector Falls trail approximately one mile from the main camping area at Forestry Road Dispersed Campsite, offering a moderate 2-mile round trip hike. "It's about 3/4 a mile hike into the woods. The falls are really cool to look at, and has some cool rock formations. Be careful the cliffs are about a 20 ft straight drop," notes Bob J. from Forestry Road Dispersed Campsite.
Winter recreation opportunities: Winter camping allows access to seasonal activities though requires proper preparation. "It was freezing, quite literally, with nights in the low teens. The melting and refreezing had made the roads and surrounding trails a little slippery so I would be cautious if traveling alone," warns Ian B. from Forestry Road Dispersed Campsite.
Exploring trail systems: The Susquehannock Trail System connects with several camping areas. "The STS trail system runs right through it. On one side of the road (they must allow horse back riding on that section of the trail as we saw trailers of horses pull in to trail ride)," shares Paula L. from Patterson State Park Campground.
Solitude and space: Many sites provide isolation from other campers, particularly during weekdays. "At any given time you may have the whole park to yourself. If you are camping with children this can be a plus! They will have plenty of room to play," explains Paula L. about Patterson State Park Campground.
Established fire rings: Most dispersed sites feature basic fire containment. "Big open spots with established fire rings. Quiet except for the distant rumble of a train passing the town down in the valley," reports Ian H. from Forestry Road Dispersed Campsite.
Wildlife viewing: Animal sightings are common but require proper precautions. "There's black bears that live in the several caves in the area. I was meditating in my car one evening and a bear stood up and pushed against my window," warns Mystic S. from Forestry Road Dispersed.
Variable accessibility: Road and site conditions fluctuate dramatically with seasons. "When we went, the grass was growing tall, we only stayed for a night. And it was a lil muddy," notes Excelsior X. about Loleta Road Dispersed Campsite.
Navigation challenges: Finding specific tent camping sites near St. Marys can be difficult without clear directions. "A little hard to find, decided not to stay. On the same road as hector falls," shares Evan from Forestry Road Dispersed.
Limited visibility in spring/summer: Vegetation affects site quality seasonally. "Apple Maps brings you way far away, follow the pin and it will bring you. Way too grown in as of August. Didn't end up staying here. May be a good spot in the fall once the grass dies," advises David B. from Forestry Road Dispersed.
Seek larger clearings: Some areas provide more open space for children. "I pulled off about a half mile past the noted google maps pinpoint. Great time for the dogs and I," recommends derek O. from Loleta Road Dispersed Campsite.
Consider alternatives during peak growth: Tent camping in St. Marys area becomes challenging during summer months when vegetation overtakes sites. "A few dispersed spots on this road a bit overgrown but fine for setting up a tent," reports Caitlin from Forestry Road Dispersed.
Pack for weather fluctuations: Rapid temperature changes occur even in summer. "Great little roadside campsite to get away. We spent the night during a tropical storm and got the pleasure of hearing the rain on the tent out in this peaceful spot!" shares Brittney W. from Loleta Road Dispersed.
Length restrictions: Most dispersed sites accommodate only smaller recreational vehicles. "I have a 25 foot travel trailer. I found numerous spots on SF-160. It rains a lot so keep your slip-ons near the door," advises Mark M. from Forestry Road Dispersed Campsite.
Look for pull-offs: Forest roads offer sporadic suitable parking areas. "Living in a van looking for spots to stay this wasn't a bad one at all, good bit off the road, couple trails," notes brent from Loleta Road Dispersed.
Cell service considerations: Connectivity varies across the region. "The campsite next to the hiking trail has WiFi about 70% of the time," reports Eliezera M. from Forestry Road Dispersed about connectivity in some sections of the forest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near St. Marys, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near St. Marys, PA is Forestry Road Dispersed Campsite with a 4-star rating from 11 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near St. Marys, PA?
TheDyrt.com has all 17 tent camping locations near St. Marys, PA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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