Sue B.
Ranger
RangerWawayanda Group Shelter
Appalachian Trail Shelter/Campsite
This is an A.T. shelter and campsite. First come, first served. Privy was nice. Flat tentsites for 6 or more. Good for Hammocking also.
Camping near Shawnee on Delaware, PA
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SUMMARY PRESENTED BY
The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area forms the backdrop for camping near Shawnee on Delaware, Pennsylvania, with options ranging from established campgrounds to primitive riverside sites. Worthington State Forest Campground provides developed camping with tent and RV sites along the Delaware River, while private operations like Mountain Vista Campground and Delaware Water Gap/Pocono Mountain KOA offer more amenities including cabins and glamping accommodations. Several campgrounds in the area feature electric hookups, picnic tables, and fire rings, with most operating seasonally from spring through fall.
Road access varies throughout the region, with some campgrounds easily accessible from Interstate 80 while others require navigation along winding mountain roads. "Sites are picked clean, quiet hours are strongly enforced, which can be a good thing depending upon who you are," noted one camper about Camp Taylor Campground. Seasonal considerations significantly impact camping experiences, with most facilities operating from April through October. Summer weekends typically see the highest visitation, particularly at waterfront locations. Winter camping options are limited, though the Delaware Water Gap/Pocono Mountain KOA remains open year-round. Reservations are strongly recommended during peak season, especially for weekend stays when campgrounds frequently reach capacity.
Campers consistently highlight the natural beauty and recreational opportunities in the area. The Delaware River provides opportunities for kayaking, canoeing, and fishing, with several boat-in campsites available for multi-day river trips. "Of all the places I have ever camped, having an entire island to yourself is a feeling I have never experienced anywhere else," shared one visitor about Namanock Island in the Delaware Water Gap. Hiking trails abound, including access to the Appalachian Trail and numerous waterfall hikes. Wildlife sightings are common, with many reviews mentioning deer, birds, and occasional black bears. Campgrounds near water tend to receive the highest ratings, though some visitors note that sites can be closely spaced at more developed facilities. The proximity to both natural attractions and nearby towns makes the area suitable for both wilderness enthusiasts and those seeking more amenities.
Best Campgrounds near Shawnee on Delaware (205)
1. Worthington State Forest Campground — Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
"The tent camping area was right along the river, some sites with direct access, some you'd have to walk a little more to the larger access areas."
"Full bathrooms are located behind campsite #15 (clean flushing bathrooms, with motion-sensed lighting, showers, dishwashing sink), but easily accessible from campsites nearby."
2. Camp Taylor Campground
"Positives: sites are decent sized with fire pits and picnic tables. easy access to hiking, convenient to a beautiful vineyard, peaceful region, and the most amazing wolf preserve is right next to you. "
"They were knowledgeable about the surrounding towns, their campground, and basically everything nature related. This was our very first night camping in an RV (we were renters at the time)."
from $33 - $42 / night
Check Availability3. Mountain Vista Campground
"Love the Campground except our site is near a fairly busy road which takes away from that beautiful tranquility. They have camouflaged it as best they could. Friendly staff. Lots to do."
"Close to Bushkill Falls which we hiked. 👍"
4. Delaware Water Gap / Pocono Mountain KOA
"We wish there was easier access to bike and hike trails so we didn't have to drive to a location but overall a comfortable and positive experience."
"We were very into socially distancing, and said so when we made our reservation. We were assigned a perfect site for this."
from $45 - $250 / night
Check Availability5. Driftstone Campground
"Driftstone is set on a beautiful location on the Delaware River. River Road on which it is located, is picturesque and quiet enough to run, walk or bike on."
"Driftstone is a gem of a campground at a great location on the Delaware. Easy access to Delaware Gap Recreation Area. Sites are pretty spacious with water and electric hookups."
from $64 - $74 / night
Check Availability6. Thousand Trails Timothy Lake South
"The campsite is beautiful and lovely to walk around, the outside campground cats are the best part though ❣️"
"Had to move to a new site to get away from the trees to get starlink connectivity."
7. Otter Lake Camp Resort
"We are lucky enough to have a lakefront site at Otter Lake for the Winter season, and feel like we have gone to heaven!"
"There is a steam and some wet areas behind the row of sites we were in. I would probably avoid this section in the summer as the bugs will be bad."
8. Cranberry Run Campground
"A shady spot with a creek nearby and good cell service. They have a pool. The surrounding area/town is really nice."
"With my sister in-law leading this adventure I buckled up and made the 500+ mile drive as prepared asi thought i could be."
from $44 - $72 / night
Check Availability9. Jenny Jump State Forest
"The bathroom/shower was only a few steps away which was convenient and clean."
"All the sites are set up nearby the office where people are all day should you ever need anything. The workers are super friendly and regularly make rounds of the grounds."
10. Pickerel Point Campground — Promised Land State Park
"Pros: beautiful new bathrooms -private lakeside walk-in sites -beavers! Far away but exciting nonetheless -the Conservation Walk on the island is short, easy, and beautiful. Well-marked."
"Some sites are right on the lake, just put the kayak on the shore, and you're ready for an early morning paddle."
from $24 - $58 / night
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Drive Time
- 44 min from Scranton, PA
- 46 min from Allentown, PA
- 1 hr 17 min from Kiryas Joel, NY
- 1 hr 26 min from Trenton, NJ
Recent Camping Photos near Shawnee on Delaware, PA
591 Photos of 205 Shawnee on Delaware Campgrounds
Katharine T.
Appalachian Trail- Designated Backpacker Campsite 2
John B.
Walter's Boat In Campsites — Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Ryan
Worthington State Forest Campground — Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Mary M.
Delaware Water Gap / Pocono Mountain KOA
Jojo P.
Mountain Vista Campground
Janelle G.
Camp Taylor Campground
Katharine T.
Wooded Campground
Sarah L.
Cranberry Run Campground
Dan X.
Camp Mohican Outdoor Center — Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Paul J.
Camp Charles Campgrounds
Nick E.
Kirkrige Shelter / Kittatinny Mountain — Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Yamileth K.
Thousand Trails Timothy Lake North
Recent Reviews near Shawnee on Delaware, PA
1105 Reviews of 205 Shawnee on Delaware Campgrounds
- Sue B.Ranger
Camp Mohican Outdoor Center — Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Great lodging options and trails!
I've visited the MOC a bunch of times, and have taken training classes here also. There are campsites for tent camping, cabin stays where you can rent a whole cabin or rent a bunk in a cabin with others. There is a store as well as food options. It's a great place to visit whether you grab a meal, a bunk, or just take a hike. The Appalachian Trail crosses through here also.
- DDaniel O.
ScoutDeerfield Campground — Promised Land State Park
Nice for a quick stopover
Stayed for a quick weekday overnight at a primitive site—fine spot overall. Pros: Restrooms and showers clean and in working order. Pet-friendly. Nice surroundings (though nothing extraordinary). Easy access with a sedan. Cons: most sites are very close to one another with little privacy. Fair amount of road noise. Quiet hours didn’t seem to be enforced—some folks playing music until midnight.
- AAnastasia M.
TravelerTobyhanna State Park Campground
Awesome lakeside camping 🤩
We were looking for a lakeside campground with a spacious campsite that could comfortably fit two large tents and two vehicles. We chose Tobyhanna State Park, and it turned out to be absolutely wonderful.
We stayed at Site 113, which had plenty of space on the right side of the campsite for two large tents, with enough room to park two vehicles as well. While the campsites are fairly close to one another, most visitors come here to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet, and everyone seemed very respectful of each other’s privacy.
Just a one-minute walk from our campsite, there was a very clean restroom, hot showers, and a laundry facility. Right next to it, there was a volleyball court, as well as easy access to the lake with a boat launch and great spots for fishing.
On our very first day, the park rangers warned us that bears sometimes visit the campground, so they recommended storing all food in the car overnight. We followed their advice and had no issues.
Overall, I would give Tobyhanna State Park a perfect 10 out of 10. We had an amazing experience and will definitely be coming back!
- MMakylie P.Scout
Ringing Rocks Family Campground
incredible find
i stumbled on this searching for something almost immediately off the interstate, but with little-to-no booking available for a reasonable price elsewhere local. we detoured about 25 minutes to get here, and it is just incredible. the scenery is gorgeous, they have a camp store with oodles of stuff, there’s a huge playground, and the camping areas are dispersed well and offer beautiful scenic privacy. i wish i could make this place my home. amenities are well taken care of, they have showers in the bathroom, as well as an on-site laundry facility. they have complimentary wifi, which i appreciate with AT&T. signal is slim to none without it. overall, 5/5 stars from my family.
S G.ScoutMahlon Dickerson Reservation
Primitive
The main issue with the sites was that they were primitive -- no water. The campsites were basically just wooden platforms, with a picnic table and fire pit. There were also a lot of bugs, though this may be due to the rain. The location itself was fairly pretty and there were a number of hiking trails of not-overly-serious difficulty. The particular site we picked left is a little farther from our car than we would have liked, but for other sites you can bring your car closer.
- JJohn S.Scout
Quakerwoods Campground
Great place. Friendliest people
The staff is the GREATEST. They are knowledgeable and helpful. The grounds are clean. The shower rooms are clean and large. Laundry room is perfect. They have pull-thrus, back ins and tent sites. Dog stations are placed throughout the park. The campers are also the friendliest. You can always tell the condition of the camp by the quality of the people staying there.. everyone was respectful, courteous and friendly. We stayed in July, 2026 and would DEFINITELY stay again next time we are thru PA.
- MMaybe I.
GuideThe Pines Campground — Promised Land State Park
Good place
We had a great campsite 038, mainly because we booked the site right next to the restroom and hoped no one would reserve the one closest to it, which ended up being the case. The neighboring campsite on the other side also became vacant, so we had plenty of privacy. Otherwise, the sites would have felt a bit cramped. The beach is about a 5-minute walk through the woods. I highly recommend taking a walk there after dark to look at the stars. It’s absolutely worth it. Shower location only near the beach and be ready to pay for it with quarters The restroom is very close from our site and clean, but it’s surrounded by trees, so it’s well hidden and never felt like a disturbance. Our site was much more secluded than most of the others. I would also recommend site 032, as it seemed even more private. Verizon barely had any service, except early in the morning and late in the evening. T-Mobile worked much better. Overall, it’s a nice campground with a beautiful lake. We really enjoyed spending time kayaking, and if you don’t have your own kayak, you can rent one there
Frank J.TravelerSwartswood State Park Campground
The campground is open
The campground was closed in 2024 for renovations. It is now open. I did a tour of the campgrounds but did not stay there. FYI, generators are NOT allowed at all at this campground. I did not see electric or water hookups. There are three loops. Each has it pros/cons. Sites 30-33 are near the bathroom facilities, sites 34-50 are more secluded, sites 52-65 are closer to the lake.
Guide to Shawnee on Delaware
Camping around Shawnee on Delaware sits within the ridge and valley region of the Appalachian Mountains, with elevations ranging from 300 to 1,600 feet. The area experiences distinct seasonal changes with summer highs averaging 80-85°F and winter lows often dropping below freezing. Most campgrounds in this region operate on uneven terrain with a mix of wooded and open sites, requiring careful selection based on equipment needs.
What to do
Hiking at Mt. Tammany: Access this popular trail directly from Worthington State Forest Campground, where the views reward your effort. "We especially enjoied seeing the wolves-- it was really neat and definetly a draw to the area (you can hike from the campsite to the preserve)," notes Molly G. about a nearby attraction.
Kayaking the Delaware: Launch directly from your site at some campgrounds for easy river access. "Our campsite was located along the Delaware river with a short walk down to be able to launch our canoe and kayak," shares Mitchell E. about his experience at Worthington State Forest.
Wildlife viewing: Visit the wolf sanctuary near Camp Taylor Campground for a unique experience. "There are moments by the fire you can hear them howl in the distance. It's one of our favorite places to camp," writes Julie F. The Lakota Wolf Preserve offers discounted tours for campers.
Family activities: Many campgrounds offer structured recreation options. "Defo smaller roads than your usual ones. We have a minivan so we had to take our time on all the pot holes. Campsite was lovely though, and were the only people there! Great hot showers and chilled vibes," reports Christine N. about her visit to Worthington State Forest.
What campers like
Riverside camping: Sites along the water rank highest in reviews for best places to camp near Shawnee on Delaware. "My daughter and I have made Camp Taylor our annual spot for the past 4-5 years and it just keeps getting better. Hiking to the Wolf Preserve, paddleboats, mini golf, swimming in the lake... There are so many things to do," explains Dan B.
Clean facilities: Pickerel Point Campground receives high marks for maintenance. "The lake is crystal clear and the beach is spotless. You absolutely have to bring a kayak/inflatable boat, but if you don't own one, don't worry, you can rent one," writes Debbie W. about the facilities.
Privacy between sites: Campers value separation from neighbors at Mountain Vista Campground. "Set on a hillside, the campground has three levels. The tent sites all have water & electric, and have a picnic table and fire ring. The sites are fully shaded," notes Tori S. about the layout.
Year-round options: Some locations remain open through winter. "This state park Is only 20 minutes from home and we love spending time there. Almost every campsite is close to the water. Our site had kayak access and that was a real bonus," shares Aida K. about Pickerel Point Campground.
What you should know
Access challenges: Some campgrounds have difficult approaches. "Following appropriate health and safety protocols as well. Would definitely visit again," mentions Bill F. about his stay at Mountain Vista, though others note the mountainous roads can be challenging.
Reservation requirements: Book well ahead for summer weekends, especially for waterfront sites. "We have been coming here for years! It's so peaceful up there and the scenery is lovely," explains Katrina Z. about Jenny Jump State Forest.
Noise considerations: Highway sounds affect some campgrounds. "The only negative experience was that we had a lot of noisy neighbors who ignored the quiet hours by playing loud music into the night and yelling in their drunken states," reports Katrina Z. about Worthington State Forest.
Cell service limitations: Coverage varies significantly between providers. "Great water pressure I have seen on the east coast, unregulated it's over 80 psi. Cell service is ok. Verizon is 25 down 10 up. Tmobile is unusable," notes Don C. about Timothy Lake South.
Tips for camping with families
Choose activity-focused campgrounds: Otter Lake Camp Resort offers extensive recreation options. "Otter lake has every amenity imaginable super clean swimming beach beautiful lake with boat rentals available. Tons of activities for kids and adults," recommends Erik M.
Look for playground proximity: Some sites offer direct access to play areas. "Our camp site was located along the Delaware river with a short walk down to be able to launch our canoe and kayak. With the exception of a few noisy campers up from us it was an enjoyable time," shares Mitchell E.
Consider cabin options: For families new to camping, cabins provide comfort. "Having been here on a few occasions I will say it is def a beautiful spot in many regards. Sites are decent sized with fire pits and picnic tables," explains Julie about Camp Taylor Campground.
Swimming options: Look for campgrounds with dedicated swim areas. "My kids explored the playground and found it sufficient. Campground was clean, staff was friendly, sites were decent," shares Ashley O. about Timothy Lake South.
Tips from RVers
Site selection matters: At Driftstone Campground, RVers recommend specific areas. "Driftstone is set on a beautiful location on the Delaware River. The sites are all large, and easy to get in and out of. Sites include water, electric and cable. There is an inexpensive pump out service available daily," advises Kathy G.
Approach directions: Follow campground-provided directions carefully. "PLEASE NOTE: if you are towing or have a motorhome, make sure you follow the directions on the website. Coming in from the wrong road could lead you to a hairpin turn and steep hill," warns Jim G. about Driftstone.
Full hookup availability: Options vary between campgrounds. "This campground is very clean, staff and campers are very friendly. It's a great spot if you have kids because they have many different activities," explains Kylie R. about camping near Shawnee on Delaware.
Level site considerations: Mountain terrain creates challenges. "The driveway is a little hairy- steep with crushed stone on top of pavement. Which led to some tire slippage on the way up with our setup," notes Corey P. about Cranberry Run Campground.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find campgrounds near Shawnee on Delaware, PA?
Where can I find campgrounds near Shawnee on Delaware, PA?
The Shawnee on Delaware area offers several excellent camping options. Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area provides boat-in camping at Tom's Creek, perfect for paddlers exploring the Delaware River. For those seeking amenities, Kittatinny Campground offers riverside sites with clean facilities. Other nearby options include Driftstone Campground near Mount Bethel, Otter Lake Camp Resort in Marshalls Creek, and Thousand Trails Timothy Lake South in East Stroudsburg. Many campgrounds in the region fill quickly during summer weekends, so reservations are recommended, especially for holiday periods.
What activities are available at Shawnee on Delaware during camping trips?
What activities are available at Shawnee on Delaware during camping trips?
The Shawnee on Delaware region offers abundant recreation opportunities. Water enthusiasts can enjoy paddling, fishing, and swimming along the Delaware River, with Namanock Island providing a unique island camping experience. For hikers, the area features numerous trails through the Pocono Mountains. Mount Pocono Campground offers on-site amenities including a huge swimming pool, toddler pool, and a well-stocked store. The surrounding region features opportunities for wildlife viewing, photography, mountain biking, and geocaching. In winter, nearby ski resorts offer downhill skiing and snowboarding, making this a year-round destination.
What are the best seasons for camping at Shawnee on Delaware?
What are the best seasons for camping at Shawnee on Delaware?
Late spring through early fall offers the most pleasant camping weather in Shawnee on Delaware. Summer (June-August) provides warm days perfect for water activities, though sites at popular locations like Worthington State Forest Campground fill quickly. Fall brings spectacular foliage, comfortable temperatures, and fewer crowds. Wawayanda State Park Campground offers beautiful autumn scenery with hiking trails showcasing the colorful landscape. Spring can be wet but rewards campers with wildflowers and wildlife activity. Winter camping is available at some year-round facilities but requires proper cold-weather gear. Be aware that water systems at many campgrounds are winterized from November through April.
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