Campers seeking sites near Skytop, Pennsylvania can explore several options along the Delaware River and in the surrounding forested landscape. The region sits at elevations between 1,200-1,800 feet, creating cooler summer temperatures compared to nearby urban areas. Winter camping opportunities are limited in most locations, though Pickerel Point Campground offers some sites with electric hookups year-round.
What to do
Kayaking on multiple lakes: Tobyhanna State Park features a 5-mile trail around its lake with easy water access points. "You absolutely have to bring a kayak/inflatable boat, but if you don't own one, don't worry, you can rent one," notes a visitor to Tobyhanna State Park Campground.
Hiking to waterfalls: Several short trails with moderate difficulty lead to scenic water features. "The trails were beautiful, recommend little falls trail," reports a camper who visited Deerfield Campground, adding "We also explored Conservation Island. Many more trails to explore and not enough time."
Off-season wildlife viewing: Fall and early spring visitors often spot diverse wildlife including eagles. One camper at Tobyhanna noted, "We even got to see an eagles' nest near our campsite," while another mentioned, "Just stayed 2 nights with my 7 yrs. old daughter we had a blast. Everyone was very nice camp host and DCNR were very helpful."
What campers like
Private lakefront access: Many sites provide direct water access for both swimming and launching small watercraft. At Lower Lake Campground Northwoods Area, visitors appreciate the proximity to water: "Access points to several trails are very near the campground... the park is centered around the lake."
Spacious campsites: Wooded and well-separated sites are available at several campgrounds in the region. At Worthington State Forest Campground, "The spots are huge, and mostly private. When we go camping we don't want to be right up against our neighbors and at Worthington we pretty much had our own little island."
Clean facilities: Bathhouses and showers receive positive reviews at most campgrounds. "Cleanest campground bathouse I've ever used!" reported one camper at Mount Pocono Campground, while another noted, "The whole place is very pleasant, quiet, wooded, well-landscaped, and cared for."
What you should know
Weather preparation: The higher elevation creates variable conditions even in summer. "This was my second visit in the cold months. Sites have electric but no water. Spigot close by. Heated cozy bathhouse with clean showers," notes a winter visitor to Pickerel Point, adding "The only negative is that I had almost no cell reception with Verizon."
Road conditions: Many smaller campgrounds have rough access roads requiring careful driving. "Careful on the roads to the campsite, they're a bit on the bumpy side. Defo smaller roads than your usual ones. We have a minivan so we had to take our time on all the pot holes," warns a Worthington Forest visitor.
Bear activity: Bears are active throughout the region, particularly in summer. A visitor cautions, "We were warned at check in that there have been a lot of bears in the area but never really thought that we would see one. As soon as we got to our site one came right up as we were setting up our tent."
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly activities: Organized programs available during peak season at select campgrounds. "This state park is only 20 minutes from home and we love spending time there. Almost every campsite is close to the water," notes an Otter Lake visitor, while another mentions, "We've tried to camp at least one weekend a month from spring through fall and try different places,but we always come back to Mountain Vista! The staff is friendly and helpful and they have a ton of great activities from kids carnival, craft beer tastings,farmers market, bingo...the list goes on!"
Playground accessibility: Several campgrounds feature play areas within walking distance of sites. At Dingmans Campground, "Big space - we had around 40 people for a group event and there was plenty for everyone to do. Well kept facilities," while Mount Pocono offers "Take a walk to the nature trail, go fishing or hiking. Take the kids to the arcade. play pool billiards."
Off-peak benefits: Camping outside July-August reduces crowding at beaches and swimming areas. "Evan in August it was not crowded," shares a Pickerel Point visitor, while another at Deerfield notes, "Not crowded this time of year, serene, and perfect weather. We collected our own firewood as there is none for sale in the state park."
Tips from RVers
Hookup availability: Most state parks offer limited electric but private campgrounds provide full hookups. "We had full hookups (20/30/50 amp, water & sewer). There's no cable but we were able to pickup about 6 channels with our digital antenna," reports a Pickerel Point RVer.
Site layout considerations: RV sites vary significantly in size and privacy across campgrounds. At Otter Lake, "Sites are very well shaded but some can be tight," while Northwoods Campground offers "Big sites with 30 amp service available for RVs and trailers. Each site has a large picnic table and a fire ring with an adjustable grate. The pull-through sites don't offer much in the way of privacy, but that's the trade off for convenience."
Laundry facilities: Limited laundry options exist at select campgrounds. "The bathhouse offers warm showers, 2 dishwashing sinks, and a coin-operated washer and dryer. The facilities are kept very clean," notes a visitor to Northwoods Campground in Promised Land State Park.
