Best RV Parks & Resorts near State College, PA

The camping is great! There are showers, RV hook ups, beautiful views and close to Cougar Bob's which is the best place for pizza!

This campground helped me finally convince my fiance that not all 'campgrounds' are actually waterpark/family fun/RV parking lots, and that there are a lot of secluded, forest, nature-oriented campgrounds!  We came here in mid June so it was a bit chilly  at night and warm during the day - bring layers + raincoats as the PA mountain weather can be iffy! The campground can host tents, as well as RVs/campers, and includes clean bath houses with both toilets and showers. You can also buy firewood at the entrance. Sites have a picnic table + fire ring. There is little to no phone service here and it's not super close to town, so come prepared. It's a short distance to some amazing hikes, as well! The park itself has a playground and lake to swim in (though it was too cold for us to use it), as well as the historical furnace itself to explore.  The campground is also about 30minutes from State College in case you crave a night on the town during your stay.  As typical for campgrounds, some spots are more secluded than others. We stayed in one (forgive me, I can't remember the site #, perhaps 020?) where we were able to plop our tent into a nice tree-surrounded plot. There are also a few tent sites (18A)  right next to a hidden creek in the back corner of the campground which we explored while there - these sites are very secluded and you really feel like you're away from it all. We reserved this site for later this summer and will update with pictures & info afterwards.

Very nice quiet campground.   Level spots.   Large lake to boat and kayak.   Beautiful scenery.  Full hook up spot

We camped here over Columbus Day weekend. We wanted a quiet escape. We had one of the few full hook up sites. Very quiet and peaceful. Lots to do at the lake if you want or quiet enough to just kick back. Bath houses were very clean. Staff was pleasant.

We have stayed at Bald Eagle several times and have enjoyed our stay. The park has basic, water & electric as well as a few full hookup up sites. The sites are very spacious with a picnic table and fire rings and are easy to back into even with a rig as big as ours. We stayed recently and the park office was undergoing rennovations and expanding their camp store. We discovered one of the evening talks about the eagles nesting in the park and the ranger set up binoculars for us to try and see the nest. Very peaceful place to stay with lots to explore. The views are spectacular in the fall with beautiful foliage! If you are not the camping type you can stay at the Nature Inn and enjoy the beautiful lodge in an amazing location! Definitely tops on our list of state parks in Pennsylvania!

UPDATED reviews for rustic and modern cabins.

March 2020, Modern Cabins: Before COVID-19 hit PA we stayed in one of the modern cabins. Wow...everything was seemingly quite new and it was extremely comfortable. Nice bathrooms, nice kitchen, etc. One of the best things about Black Mo is how isolated it feels and it's never crowded in the off-months. The Moss Hanne is still a thrilling trail even in the winter months and there's been a lot of beaver activity since we last visited including a very impressive dam. 

October 2019, Rustic Cabins: We stayed in one of the rustic cabins on a cold October weekend. Very charming small cabins with robust woodstoves. Although we probably could have been more careful, there were unfortunately some very bothersome mice who kept us awake each night...and were seemingly not very afraid of us! The construction of the rustic cabins is such that there probably isn't much you can do about mice getting in. If this doesn't bother you, these cabins are really cute and cozy.

July 2019, Tent Camping: As far as camping goes, the loop area is a bit cramped for my taste, but if that doesn't bother you it's fine. Clean bathhouse and convenient outdoor sink for washing up after dinner. Overall one of the best PA parks and well maintained.

I really have to address some of these other reviews, though:

"Water was thick with weeds& lilies but ok nonetheless." Wow! Pitcher plants, sundews and water lilies are not "weeds." They are unique to bog environments and don't grow in other places. The vegetation in the lake is what makes Black Mo black, so picturesque and unlike other PA parks!

"The overall area has nothing to do. And I mean NOTHING. We drove 45 minutes to Altoona to see the famous Horseshoe Curve but there’s literally nothing else around for miles and miles. Not even an ice cream stand, or not one we could find. And, since there’s no cell service, we couldn’t figure out any options either." Like many state parks in this part of the world there is no cell service, so you need to bring a real map (Purple Lizard) and look a few things up on the internet ahead of time. Black Mo is literally ten minutes from Philipsburg where there is surely an ice cream stand, 25 minutes from State College, which has tons of touristy offerings…I could go on but really this is laughable.

General: 73-site campground; most have electric hookups, and some are FHU. Pets are only permitted at selected sites. There are also 20 (13 rustic and 6 modern) cabins. Cell service is extremely limited to non-existent (Verizon). 

Site Quality: Pads are gravel and most appeared to be level. Site 70 was at the end of the loop which is why we picked it. A picnic table, fire ring, and lantern hook complete each site. 

Bathhouse: As has been our experience in all PA state parks, the bathhouse was pristine, and the shower (for no additional cost) was clean with plentiful hot water and was very much appreciated. 

Activities/Amenities: Coin-operated laundry. A playground is in the campground and there is an additional one at the swimming beach. The swimming beach is open from mid-May to mid-September, from 8 am– sunset. Electric motorboats are permitted on Moshannon Lake. Boat rentals are available in season. Permits are required. 24 miles of hiking trails, including two trails directly from the campground to the lake. In the summer, there is a camper store/concession stand. Hunting is allowed in season. There are 4.3 miles of mountain biking trails. 

I used to think Oregon State Parks were the best, but Pennsylvania State Parks have them beat by a mile. We have yet to be disappointed by the amenities(especially the clean bathrooms) offered at the half-dozen state parks we have visited so far.

My family of 4 tent camped here for the weekend. Everyone at this campground was so friendly and nice. The staff really tried to make our stay comfortable. I noticed there was always a staff member driving around in a golf cart, checking on things. The bathrooms were very clean and maintained the whole weekend. The firewood sold at the camp store was only$5 for a large bundle and burned very well. Some campgrounds seem to sell "wet" wood that is hard to light. My only negative comment would be this is more of an RV park. If you do tent camp you should know you will be out in the open, no trees around your site and NO privacy. I will say the tent sites are huge and you can park 2 cars at each one. We made the best of it. We stayed in site 404

Stayed in Primitive Area with RV which is MUCH QUIETER & MUCH MORE PRIVATE with many trees than the full hookups down in the main park area. The developed Campground is very "exposed" - not private, sites close to each other, no trees. Yuk. But closer to the water. It's a bit of a drive to Primitive Campground on not so good road, but worth it, I think.

Getting to the park had some sharp turns and windy roads.  Small campground but nicely equipped.  2 bath houses were dated but clean.  Nice playground at the campground and also one at the beach.  Small camp concessions with a few camping items as well as ice cream cones.  Great hiking and a beautiful lake for kayaking.  Site 22 is a full hookup.  Utilities worked nicely.  However, our picnic table had seen better days.  The site sat down off the road but once you were backed in the spot it was pretty level.  This site also had a separate tent pad located down a few stone steps.  Verizon and AT&T cell service were basically non existent.  Every once in a while a text would come in or send but very spotty.  Sorry I failed to get a pic of the site in the daylight.  It was spacious and we had plenty of room for our 30' trailer, truck, and easy up over the table.  6+ chairs around the fire pit, cooking ring could have been better.  Grassy area for cornhole or playing.

I found the one star review to be unfair. They didn’t even stay here. We found the host personable and helpful. The park itself is OK for an overnight stay. Not much to offer longer term stays. Sites were well spaced and wooded. Full hookups. Nice play ground for kids. Bathrooms just OK.

Very cool camp. Loops for RVs, higher on the hill, waterfront loops on steeper grounds for tents, and some walk-to sites adjacent to parking right at the point which double as boat-in. Some site right on the water, can walk right into the lake. Beautiful scenery, be prepared to be woken by bass boats and subsequent wake at sunrise 🌄. Spots 51, 52, 53 best waterfront with parking.

Great clean campground, easy to maneuver with a big rig, level sites, clean restrooms and shower rooms. Lots of great hiking, footpath around the park layered with recycled rubber was great to walk on. A shout out to the Army Corps of Engineers for a fantastic park and lake!

I honestly struggled with what to rate this campground. I loved the area. Very peaceful and quite, but close to State College (a must since we were in town for a Penn State game). I also loved historic Bellefonte (I highly recommend eating at the Governors Pub). It had a cute little dog park, nice play ground, bouncy pillow, gem mining, pool, etc.- what you expect to find at a KOA. Once we were in it, I even loved our site once we were in it. It was very secluded, private, quite and woodsy. That being said- getting into the site was almost impossible. We didn't think we'd be able to do it. And as it was, our slide out was about an inch away from a tree on one side and up against a raised concrete pad on the other. For a smaller camper, it was probably perfect, but I really don't think they had any business putting a camper our size in that site. Width wise, the site was large and had some sort of shrub growing in the middle of the entrance which helped with giving it more privacy. Then there was the water pressure… or lack of water pressure. Saying it trickled out would be generous. Though there was a lot about the campground that I liked, I won't go back again just based on the water pressure alone. I've never been that stressed out trying to rinse my hair… It could very well have just been a problem with our site- we were in the very back on the hill. Or it may be a problem everyone was experiencing. I'm not sure which is why I gave it a 4 rating. I liked everything about it but that.

We visited Greenwood Furnace 2 weeks ago! It is one of the most peaceful state parks we have been to in PA. The park is great for kids. Paved roads so they can ride their bikes. There is a nice park for the kids to play. The blacksmith shop was very educational! Great trails to hike! You can pick up a compass at the ranger station and complete a compass course! Beginner course available! Don't bring your electronics you won't need them here! No cell phone reception unless you drive a few miles down the road to a cute little store called Couch's! Great food if you don't feel like cooking on the fire one night, but who doesn't love food on the fire! Close enough to State College if you want to experience or tour! Your are also close to Penn's Cave. Cavern tour in PA in a boat! Right near the Rothrock Forest which also offers awesome trail runs! Happy camping!!

We stumbled upon this brand new campground (was just built this spring) along the Juniata River in Mifflintown PA, fell in love with it, and purchased our first seasonal site! The campground currently has 40 sites but is adding 40 more for 2021. There are water and electric hookups with sewer to be added (currently, a honey wagon comes through to pump out anyone who needs it on Saturdays). Sites are good sized, mostly shaded, and grassy. Campers are friendly, and campground owners are very accommodating. The campground offers direct access to the river for afternoon floats on tubes or kayaks and they’re building a large dock for fishing. Beautiful sunsets on the river! And the campground is literally right next door to a drive-in movie theater! They are talking about adding a splash pad for the kids, and there is a nice children’s playground. No tenting allowed, but a great spot for RV’s, and it’s fun watching things grow and evolve week by week!