2 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area offers equestrian camping options near Springtown, Pennsylvania. Located in Elkton, Maryland, this 5,600-acre park features several horse-friendly camping areas with access to an extensive trail system. The campground accommodates both tent and RV camping with electric hookups and water hookups available at select sites. While Fair Hill does not have dedicated horse corrals, it provides ample space for portable corrals or highline setups. The campground maintains toilets and trash collection for visitors. Sites include picnic tables and fire rings where campfires are permitted. Many equestrians choose Fair Hill for its proximity to multiple trail networks and the ability to camp with their horses in a natural setting.
The extensive trail system at Fair Hill connects riders to over 80 miles of maintained paths through varied terrain. These trails wind through forests, meadows, and alongside streams, providing diverse riding experiences for all skill levels. Water crossings are available for horses throughout the property, and several trail loops can be accessed directly from the camping area. Trail maps are available at the park office. While reservations are recommended for equestrian sites, especially during peak seasons from April through October, some sites may be available for walk-ins during weekdays. The trails remain accessible year-round, though conditions vary seasonally with spring often bringing muddy sections. Many riders appreciate the well-maintained bridle paths and the convenience of overnight camping with direct trail access.
"We were looking for someplace close to the city but away from the hustle and bustle of our city life, this was the perfect little steal-away; relatively close by, great car camping spots, nice easy hikes"
"Campground Review: French Creek State Park Campground is located in Elverson, Pennsylvania and sits adjacent to Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site."
Available this weekend
from $20 - $90 / night
"There are some equestrian and tent sites as well. Lots of boating (electric motors only) and kayaking on the pond and a decent amount of hiking."
"I took her older cousins to the fishing pier, and we didn't even get a nibble, but I think it was too cold for panfish that close to shore."
Available this weekend
from $27 - $45 / night
"We were kindly escorted to our site (a nice refreshing change from having to wander around to find the sites ourselves), which was the one farthest away from the entrance."
"Close by to a couple of nice state parks. Cute sheep and goats that wander about during the day! Sweet little spot, we'll definitely be back!"
"This campground has 2 small loops, the Lake Loop and the Fiddler's Loop. Lake loop is the bigger of the two, however the “sites” are smaller and it's more open. It is popular with group tenters."
"Large campsites at the Lake Loop. Map is a little deceiving- the sites are farther from the lake than I expected and there are no running water bathrooms. Very clean and wooded sites."
from $15 - $50 / night
"Campsite decent size, but some don't have clear boundaries to neighbors, and sometimes not optimally configured (e.g., the site next door's fire pit was placed on the edge of its site/right next to my"
"First off, I will start by saying you have to drive a good amount of distance to get into the campground and that is something I really enjoyed!"
from $3 - $60 / night
"Park employees and park police drive around through the day. Some big groups of campers got a little rowdy at night. The bathrooms were absolutely disgusting."
"The actual site was nice and was close to the bathrooms. There was plenty of shade as the sun moved throughout the day."
"Starlight is a nice campground to relax or explore central Pennsylvania."
"The campground is in a great location with easy access to Lancaster, Hershey and many other places to explore."
ScoutRestrooms are filthy with mold and mildew.
Water puddled on the restroom floor.really gross.
Cabin was mostly clean. The windows were full of dirt and bugs on the tracks.mattresses were terrible.The fireplace was nice. Kitchen was clean.
Can t wait to move on to a cleaner park.
GuideBeautiful campground but made the mistake of going on a holiday weekend, the campgrounds next to us were screaming and blasting music all day and throughout the night so we ended up leaving early. A beautiful campground when there aren’t noisy capers ruining it.
ScoutFirst time at this campground really like it a lot will be returning. The bathrooms are always clean. The grounds are always kept up. Just a really nice place to stay. Most of the sites have some kind of shade.
LegendWe spent a weekend at French Creek State Park as our home base for the Chester County Balloon Festival. We stayed for 2 nights at a full-hookup paved site, which ran us $55.25 per night.
WHAT I LIKED:
Peace& Quiet: The state park itself was lovely, serene, and felt nice and spacious.
Prime Location: At just 30 minutes away from the balloon festival, this is the closest campground.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE SO MUCH:
The"Leveling" Challenge: We were at site#C-241, which had a pretty significant slope. It took a few boards under the rear wheels and fully extended jacks just to get us anywhere near level.
Tight Fit for Big Rigs: Even though there was plenty of open space behind our site, the actual driveway pad was too short to comfortably fit our motorhome and Jeep together. Compared to other state parks we’ve visited, the interior roads and layouts felt a bit on the tight side.
WOULD WE COME BACK?
LegendOverall, this is a nice, small (about 65 sites) state park with plenty of recreational opportunities inside the park. There is nice separation between sites so you don’t feel like you are on top of your neighbor. Tall trees are scattered about which provide shade at some sites but overall, the park is pretty open. Roads getting to the park are easy to navigate with any size RV. Within the park, roads are paved and free of potholes and there are no low hanging branches. Since the roads are one-way they are not very wide so backing in big-rigs can be a little tight and you might have to run over the grass.
All RV sites are full hook-up and there is a separate area for tents and there is one canvas yurt for rent. The tent sites are nice in that they are tucked along the wood line slightly away from RVs with more privacy and shade. The only downside is that they are pretty far away from the centrally located bathroom and showers. The bathroom has separate rooms for showers which is nice and private. They were tended to daily and very clean. Also, located in the center of the campground is a playground, camp store and laundry. The dumpsters and recycle bins are located in a separate area on the way out of the campground and were frequently full and overflowing. Campsites are paved and some have wide enough that the patio is paved but others have a narrow pad for the RV and gravel patio. We discovered that most sites are level but a few are not (like 22 and 24). The campground is very clean and camp hosts were diligent about picking up trash and cleaning out fire pits every day.
Across the pond (north of the campground) is where most of the amenities are located such as concessions, ball fields, horseshoe pits, disk golf, and more. For those wanting to fish there is a pier in the campground and a self-serve vending machine with bait in it. There are additional fishing piers located in other parts of the park and there are boats, canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards for rent. We stopped in at the Nature Center but it was a bust– just a few taxidermy specimens and not much information. One of the most popular areas of the park is Go Ape which is a ropes/zip line course through the canopy (which does require admission fee). There are nice trails that leave right from the campground– some 17 miles in all. There is a boat launch about a quarter mile from the campground entrance which is suitable for trailerable boats and paddle craft but there are no docks so you can’t leave your boat tied up there. There is an off-leash dog area but it is located far from the campground so it’s best to drive.
ScoutBathrooms are clean and staff is nice
TravelerThe camp site was amazing. Everything is neat and clean and really beautiful place so quiet.
GuideThis campground has everything. Conveniently located, short drive to Dover, Wilmington, Annapolis and Baltimore. The sites were very large and spacious. Sites can accommodate any type of trailer or vehicle. Plenty of site hookups, areas for tents. There is a camp store, several washer and dryers. The best private, individual shower booths and even a pond to go fishing in.
ScoutThis is our 3rd time at this park, it is one of our favorites. Well maintained, very quiet. We stay in Loop A (full hookup) pet friendly. Sites are spacious, generally large but they are all back-in sites.
Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area in Elkton, Maryland sits 5 miles from the Pennsylvania border, providing equestrian camping near Springtown, Pennsylvania. The 5,600-acre park maintains multiple trail networks through varied terrain that aren't visible from camping areas. Many sites accommodate both tent and RV campers with modest hookup options for electricity while offering direct access to horseback riding paths.
Fishing excursions: Scotts Run Lake and Hopewell Lake at French Creek State Park contain diverse fish species including "northern pike, chain pickerel, bass, walleye, muskellunge and several types of panfish." One camper noted, "Ice fishing is also allowed at both lakes and the ice thickness is monitored."
Hiking trails: Varying difficulty levels accommodate different abilities with marked paths. At Brendan Byrne State Forest, trails provide pine barrens exploration where "there are probably hundreds of miles of trails through the woods and bogs to explore. Can't tell you how much I love it. Could spend a whole vacation just with these trails."
Kayaking: Multiple waterways offer paddling opportunities with boat rentals available seasonally. "We also tried keeping the wet out. We went to an amusement park and went on the Sploosh ride... WE WERE SOAKED! It was a lot of fun and our phones and money were safe and dry!" shared one visitor at Mountainview Campground.
Privacy between sites: Campgrounds with natural vegetation barriers provide seclusion. At Hibernia County Park, "the sites are heavily wooded which means plenty of hammock hanging opportunities. The sites are mostly grass, and not very well defined which means the distance between you and your neighbor can vary depending on how you set up camp."
Well-maintained facilities: Clean bathrooms and showers rate highly among visitors. A camper at Lums Pond State Park mentioned, "The bath house was absolutely immaculate, and the design made even my public-bathroom-phobic sister-in-law comfortable and at ease."
Spacious sites: Many locations offer ample room for equipment setup. "Our site was a nice size for the two of us it was the perfect size for our ten inch high queen size air mattress and some minimal gear," noted a visitor at French Creek, while another praised, "All sites have a paved level area which made set up a breeze. Sites were not on top of each other."
Reservation requirements: Book early for peak season access. At Lums Pond, campers advise to "Book early because it fills up fast!"
Hookup limitations: Water and electric connections vary by campground and site. A visitor at Mountainview Campground noted, "The price is good and there is electricity and a small shower and the surroundings are very quiet."
Noise considerations: Some locations experience highway noise or weekend crowds. At Spruce Run Recreation Area, "you can hear 78, especially at night once the campground settles down," while another camper observed it "was very loud and rowdy into the late night. There were campers making lots of noise, arming/disarming their car alarms, slamming doors, cars driving in/out, bright lights flashing, etc. all PASSED 2am!!"
Fire regulations: Restrictions apply at certain parks and during dry periods. At Brendan Byrne State Forest, "fires can only go from 6pm till 7am which was odd but wasn't a deal breaker."
Playground access: Kid-friendly areas provide entertainment options. A visitor to Starlite Camping Resort appreciated that it "offers a wide variety of amenities such as a community pool, general store, snack bar, playground area, toilets, indoor shower stalls, daily activities, pets permitted, water/electric utilities and laundry units."
Children's fishing ponds: Designated areas for young anglers at certain parks. One camper at Hibernia County Park mentioned there's a "Great children's pond for 12 and under. Brandywine creek and Chambers Lake are there too. Great playground."
Educational activities: Some parks offer ranger programs and nature walks. A French Creek visitor shared, "They hold a Sunday morning 'Church at the Park,' which we were planning to go to, but then it rained, and we didn't know there was a rain location (the park office), so we ended up missing that."
Site leveling: Terrain varies across campgrounds, affecting setup. At Starlite Camping Resort, "it is quite hilly throughout the campground, but the individual sites are very level to park the camper with almost no blocks needed."
Access routes: Some parks have challenging entry roads. Mountainview Campground requires careful navigation where "the drive to our site had some inclines and was relatively rocky and some vehicles would surely struggle."
Hookup placement: Utility connections can be awkwardly positioned. A camper at Lums Pond found "what seemed more like a large field! Very few trees, not much shade at all! The site offered electric and water but they were on 2 different sides. This made it difficult to set up."
Larger rig limitations: Size restrictions exist at several campgrounds. At Hibernia County Park, "If you have a large camper or 5th wheel you may need to double check what sites can accommodate your RV to ensure you have enough room."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Springtown, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Springtown, PA is French Creek State Park Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 84 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Springtown, PA?
TheDyrt.com has all 8 equestrian camping locations near Springtown, PA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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