Best Tent Camping near Stoystown, PA
Tent campsites in the Stoystown area of Pennsylvania offer access to the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) Trail and nearby waterways, with several primitive tent-only options available. Laurel Ridge State Park Campground provides established tent sites from May to October, while Round Bottom Camping Area at Slush Run offers free primitive tent camping directly on the GAP Trail around Mile 99. The Maple Festival Park near the GAP Trail in Meyersdale also welcomes hikers and cyclists with tent camping options.
Most tent-only sites along the GAP Trail feature basic amenities including fire rings, picnic tables, and vault toilets, though potable water can be limited. At Round Bottom, the hand pump water may be discolored, requiring campers to filter water from the nearby Youghiogheny River. Walk-in tent sites are common, with many campgrounds accessible only by foot, bicycle, or boat. Primitive tent setups at Dravo's Landing include lean-to shelters that can accommodate small tents, with sites operating on a first-come, first-served basis. Train noise is a consistent factor at many of these locations, particularly for tent campers without solid walls to buffer sound.
Areas farther from town provide deeper seclusion but may require more planning for tent campers. The tent-only sites at Big Run State Park Campground offer a more remote experience with sites positioned in wooded areas adjacent to streams. Tent campers frequently use these primitive areas as bases for multi-day hiking or biking trips along the GAP Trail. A visitor commented, "Round Bottom Camping Area is very peaceful and though you can still visually see the GAP Trail, you are not disturbed by passing cyclists." Train traffic on the opposite side of the river can be loud when trains pass through, making earplugs essential gear for tent campers seeking restful sleep in these otherwise tranquil settings.
