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Blue Knob State Park Campground provides pet-friendly accommodations across its quiet, shaded sites around the perimeter of the campground. Pets are allowed at multiple campsites throughout the Sproul area, including Lake Raystown Resort, Raystown Lake/Saxton KOA at Four Seasons, and Pat's Primitive Place. The campground at Blue Knob features both drive-in and walk-in access with electric hookups and fire rings at most sites. Bathrooms are clean though some campers note they could use updating. Sites at Blue Knob tend to be rocky, so tent campers should bring a mat for comfort. The campground sits on the flanks of the second highest peak in Pennsylvania, creating cooler temperatures than surrounding areas even during summer months.
Hiking trails directly accessible from Blue Knob campground connect to the mountain peak and extensive state forest lands adjacent to the park. Short rain showers are common as clouds break against the mountain, so campers should prepare for brief rainfall even when not forecasted. Pat's Primitive Place offers creekside camping with easy fishing access, with sites set up right along the water on a mixture of rocks and sand. For RV campers, Raystown Lake/Saxton KOA provides full hookup sites, a pool, and newly remodeled bathrooms and showers that campers praise for cleanliness. Firewood is available for purchase at some campgrounds but not all; Blue Knob does not sell firewood, so campers should bring their own supply. Cell service varies by location and provider, with limited coverage at Blue Knob State Park and good Verizon service reported at Pat's Place.
"it’s small, with shaded sites around the perimeter and two walk in sites just left of the entrance."
"The hiking here is really spectacular with lots of scenery, overlooks, and side trails that extend many miles out into state forest lands which are adjacent to the park."
from $20 - $108 / night
Check Availability"Shawnee State Park is a very large campground (319 campsites with mixed electric and non-electric, some pet friendly, some not) about 10 minutes off highway 76 and 20 minutes from the Flight 93 National"
"The morning drive started early, had several stops and starts, and I was once again glad that my big dog was along for the ride."
from $20 - $110 / night
Check Availability"Both RV sites and lots to rent to pitch your own tent, fishing, huge lake with beach, lots of activities for the kids throughout the summer, one of the nicest parks we have camped at!"
"Fantastic lake side camping resort. Best for campers or using their cabins but it has freeway access to the lake and beautiful views."
"One of the best campgrounds I have stayed at so far the pond is nice and has a 1/2 mile walking path around it with trees and beaches to stop and sit dog park is big and has a place for small or large"
"The campground is nestled on the outskirts of Bedford Pennsylvania and is a very easy location to travel to regardless of your rig size."
"Ridge camp is the furthest away from the marina and the public swimming area. However it's the closest to the Allegrippis Trail system and from the entrance of the camp loop there is a trail head!"
"It’s close to bathhouse and playground if you want those. There is parking at every bath house. There is trash receptacles at the entrance to the loop as well as firewood or sale."
from $28 - $200 / night
Check Availability"The pavilion where all those activities happened were right next to our site (22 with the doggie den)."
"The staff here at Raystown Lake/Saxton KOA are great. They a friendly, willing to help anyway they can, and keep the place spotless."
from $100 / night
Check Availability"We had easy access to things around us but a quick walk along a path brought us to a beautiful spot by the creek. We set up camp right along the creek, as shown in our pictures."
from $25 - $50 / night
"Adjacent huge cemetery site is accessible via a goat path at the back of the campground and provided a great place to walk our dog every day."
"This campground is perfect for people who are looking to get away from busy city life or just want to relax next to a lake."
"We stayed in one of the pet friendly loops of the park. We had a great time in our PUP....bathhouse was clean and well maintained."
from $20 - $57 / night
Check Availability"We wanted to be close to Raystown Lake. Trough is quiet and small. It's really great if you're looking for a spot to "rough" it (not really, but closer than most!) with the kids. Awesome sites."
"Nice small park with gravel drives/roads and plenty of room for big rigs. All sites level with partial shade. Open, but with plently of space between sites. The trails are nice and very sceinic."
from $23 - $25 / night
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GuideOne of the best campgrounds I have stayed at so far the pond is nice and has a 1/2 mile walking path around it with trees and beaches to stop and sit dog park is big and has a place for small or large dogs there is 3 play grounds all different and all well kept
GuideThis campground checks all our boxes. Beautiful scenery, quiet location, spacious campsites, full RV hookups, well-placed fire rings, dog park, nice large bathhouses, polite staff, and Wi-Fi that works.
This is located about an hour away from my home, so we plan on making this our go-to for quick camping getaways throughout the year.
Highly recommended. Definitely worth checking out.
GuidePreface: if your main objective is activities for children, you have come to the right place. This place is loud and full of kids.
We booked a site but chose not to pay to select which one. All the pictures looked great! We ended up on a grassy hill in the back. The spot was so unlevel there were 19 inches between my bottom step and the ground. This site was the same price as level ones closer to activities.
Also bathrooms were outdated. They had older residential toilets that plugged constantly. The day we left 2 of the 3 in our nearest bathroom were out of order.
Aside from all the above, the Dog Park is awesome. It’s the size of a real, normal dog park. The ice cream on site is also a nice perk.
RangerThis may be the first campground I give a 10 out of 10! All the amenities your could want, it's clean, sites are leveled, it's maintained beautifully, there are cows in the distance, fully stocked store, friendly staff. Laundry, bathrooms, fairly spacious sites, a pool, dog park. Very, very nice.
RangerThis is a small campground with about half the sites being rustic electric back-in sites and the other being rustic walk-to tent sites. We stayed in the walk-to section. A lot of them are labeled "waterfront" by the park site but ours did not live up to that criteria so be aware of that. We were hoping to be truly stream-side but were not that near to it. The bathrooms were modern and clean. The park is extremely quiet and peaceful, probably one of the most remote PA state parks we've been to. The camper side was pretty full while we were the only ones on the walk-to side. We enjoyed walking the roads and little trails around the campground and seeing the old stone fireplaces/chimneys. There was a dog park area on the walk-to side which was nice. We liked it here.
TravelerI was the only tenter at the time of my stay; had the whole place to myself. The sites are spread far apart and wooded. Table and fire rings are at each site. They have a brand new bath house which was spotless and a well kept dog park for the furs. If desired, there is a group campsite and the use of a pavilion too. The camp store if beautiful and has everything in it should you forget something. I’ll definitely be back.
GuideWe chose this campground for its proximity to home with the chance to swim in the lake.
The camping did not disappoint. We always try to book “outside” loop sites so we don’t have “back neighbors” but none near the lake were available, so we took our chances on an “inside” site in E loop. It was great, smallish, but plenty of vegetation to make it feel private. (Some poison ivy around the edges, though.) The pull-in sites in general seem a bit small (space for our two 4-person tents and that’s it), but are well shaded and separated from neighbors by small patches of woods or bushes. The pull-through sites in our loop were more exposed to the road, but had a bit more space.
There was some noise from the interstate. There were surprisingly few mosquitoes. The bathhouse was clean, but showers were not very warm.
The swimming was unfortunately disappointing. The roped-off swimming area was 3 feet deep at the most. Warm water in August, nice for kids to splash around, but not really good for actual swimming. Bonus for dog people: pets allowed on the beach and in the lake.
During COVID-19, the bathrooms/bathhouses at the beach area are closed; porta-johns only.
We rented paddle boards and a canoe one afternoon and paddled around to one of the lake inlets, which was actually deep and had a good swim. But this is technically not allowed.
If you feel okay about rule-breaking and have water-safe family members (and no pets), I would absolutely choose a site in I loop close to the lake. The sites in E loop closest to the lake are actually up a fairly steep hill from the lake path.
Hiking trails were nice. My kids especially liked the rock scramble-ish up and down the stream gorge on Evitt’s Mountain trail.
GuideStayed 3 nights because I wanted to be centrally located to the he Flight 93 Memorial and Falling Water (about 30 miles to each). The non pet section is heavily wooded and very shady. The pet section is more of a loop set up with some trees. The no pet section had no, zero, zilch cell service so my stay was super quiet. Site 173 was easy to back into and had a large picnic area with a fire ring next to the brook. There is a lake with a small beach and a boat launch and numerous hiking trails. The park will s very nice pretty and during the week fairly empty. I would recommend
RangerThere are two main loops in this campground. One that is pet friendly and more of a pitch-your-tent-in-the-yard thing and another that is pet-free and wooded. We didn't realize and stayed in the first one. Dogs were barking at all hours and there's no privacy. We drove through the other one and it looks so much nicer. Campsites more spread out with trees in between and way quieter. Will definitely stay there if we return.
Temperature swings can be notable in the mountainous regions near Sproul, Pennsylvania, with summer evening lows sometimes dropping 20 degrees below daytime highs. Even in July, nighttime temperatures at higher elevations like Blue Knob can require extra layers. Most campsites throughout the region require reservations from April through October, with limited first-come availability.
Raystown Lake activities: At Seven Points Campground, lake recreation dominates summer activities. "The lake and the trails around it are beautiful. Great swimming and kayaking/small boating," notes Casey S., who enjoyed both water activities and hiking during their stay. The campground connects to extensive trail systems suitable for various ability levels.
Mountain biking trails: The Allegrippis Trails near Raystown Lake provide IMBA-standard singletrack for mountain bikers. "The mtb trails begin just above the upper camp loops and provide a full day of fast flowing singletrack," explains Travis S. from his experience at Seven Points. These trails remain open year-round and handle wet weather conditions well due to their construction.
Scenic overlooks: Multiple viewpoints provide panoramic perspectives of the region. "We ended up here on the way from the NJ high point to the PA high point... Looks like a ton of trails and skiing in the winter," writes Grant M. about Blue Knob State Park Campground. The area's elevation creates distinctive vantage points for photography and nature observation.
Cooler temperatures: The elevation at Blue Knob provides natural air conditioning during summer months. "It was chillier than surrounding areas due to being on the mountain," notes Laura in her review, mentioning this temperature difference as a welcome feature during hot weather periods.
Privacy options: Some campgrounds offer more secluded sites away from crowds. "Site 5 was slightly sloped. It's listed as tent-only because there isn't really a parking spot for campers, we just parked on the grass," explains Laura about her experience finding quieter spots at Blue Knob State Park Campground.
Waterfront options: Lake Raystown Resort provides direct water access from select campsites. "Some sites are waterfront, but all are close to the water. All sites have fire rings and picnic tables," reports Britt B. The resort offers various accommodation types, including tent sites, RV sites, cabins, and hotel options, all with proximity to the lake.
Cellular service varies: Signal strength differs dramatically between locations. "Limited coverage at Blue Knob State Park... make sure you bring firewood and be prepared for extremely limited cell service (Verizon)," warns Olivia L. in her review. Several campgrounds report spotty coverage, so download maps and information before arrival.
Primitive camping considerations: Pat's Primitive Place offers truly basic camping with few amenities. "There is no electric, water, or a bathroom but that wasn't an issue for us!" explains Sarah C., who appreciated the creekside setting despite the lack of facilities. Plan accordingly with portable water, sanitation solutions, and power banks.
Weather unpredictability: Mountain areas create their own weather patterns. Laura from Blue Knob notes that "Clouds blowing east from the Midwest tend to break on the mountains here at Blue Knob, so short little bursts of rainfall are frequent, and they don't always show up on weather apps." Pack rain gear even for forecasted clear days.
Site terrain challenges: Rocky or sloped sites can complicate tent setup. "Sites at Blue Knob tend to be rocky, so tent campers should bring a mat for comfort," advises an experienced camper. At Trough Creek State Park Campground, Gary P. observes, "All sites level with partial shade. Open, but with plenty of space between sites."
Kid-friendly activities: Friendship Village Campground offers multiple entertainment options. "There are many playgrounds spread out across the property as well as a jumping pillow and a very well-built gaga ball pit," writes Christopher R. The campground also schedules movies and live entertainment, particularly bluegrass music.
Swimming options: Several campgrounds provide swimming areas with varying amenities. "There is a sandy beach which is perfect for swimming," notes Britt B. about Lake Raystown Resort, while Tasha M. mentions multiple playgrounds and a jumping pillow at Friendship Village that kept their children entertained during off-season visits.
Educational opportunities: Wildlife and nature programs enhance family camping experiences. "Rangers were wonderful to work with in setting up teaching opportunities for the girls," reports Nicole F. from her Girl Scout weekend at Prince Gallitzin State Park, mentioning the "Outdoors for Everyone" event that provided structured learning activities.
Hookup variations: Electric and water connections differ widely between campgrounds. "Our site had a gravel pad. But the surrounding area was not level and you had to climb up a 2-3' incline to get to the fire pit area," notes Mary C. about Lake Raystown Resort, adding that sites across the way "had cement pads only as wide as your RV/TT but then the surrounding grass dropped off sharply."
Leveling challenges: At Shawnee State Park Campground, site selection affects the camping experience. "We heeded the advice of other reviewers warning that many sites were not level and did not reserve ahead of time," explains Lee D. They found that "most of the non-electric sites were decidedly not level but many of the FHU and electric sites were fairly level."
Bathroom facilities: Recently updated facilities enhance the camping experience. "They a friendly, willing to help anyway they can, and keep the place spotless. It looks like they have recently remodeled the bathrooms/showers (3 of the 4 look brand new)," reports Chuck M. about Raystown Lake/Saxton KOA, noting the crystal-clear pool and well-maintained grounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Sproul, PA is Blue Knob State Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 10 reviews.
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