At 1,000 feet above sea level, Summit Station sits in Pennsylvania's Ridge and Valley physiographic province with camping options situated between Blue Mountain and Mahantango Mountain. Summer temperatures average 75-85°F with higher humidity, while fall brings temperatures around 55-65°F with drier conditions. Winter camping requires preparation for temperatures that can drop below freezing with occasional snow accumulation.
What to do
Hiking the Pinnacle Trail: Access the Appalachian Trail from Blue Rocks Family Campground where trail heads begin inside the campsite. "It's right at the base of one of the most popular hiking trail, The Pinnacle. It's nestled in the woods and is very rustic. Really gives you that camping feel!" notes Darrien K.
Paddling opportunities: Rent canoes and kayaks at French Creek State Park Campground with two lakes available for water activities. "There are two lakes, Scotts Run Lake and Hopewell Lake that you can fish, kayak, canoe or just relax by," reports Dan N. The park has "a nice flat trail around the lake, which is great for young bikers," according to Katie M.
Boulder field exploration: Experience the unique glacier rock field at Blue Rocks Family Campground. "Our campsite had a great view of the glacier rock field and the corn field," says Jen R. The campground's standout feature is "our children loved to climb all over the rocks, that is where they spent most of the time," according to Terri S.
Rail trail biking: Connect to the Swatara Rail trail at Jonestown/Hershey KOA for a family-friendly biking experience. "Campground is connected to the Swatara Rail trial which is great for biking. The Swatara creek runs right next to it so it is great for kayaking, tubing, etc," says Bobby S.
What campers like
Wooded, secluded sites: Locust Lake State Park Campground offers heavily forested camping areas. "Some camp sites are along the lake or along the small creek, all are very wooded," reports Dan N. The campground provides "nice flat trails on site. Tons to do in the surrounding area, don't just limit yourself to this one park," according to Amber A.
Creekside camping options: Many campgrounds feature water access directly from sites. At Camp A While, "the campground is beautifully laid out with a stream running between the tent and RV camping," says Jen. Jonestown/Hershey KOA offers "some creekside sites along with access to creek from your campite," notes Amber R.
Evening entertainment: Campgrounds in the region offer organized activities after dark. Twin Grove RV Resort has "Saturday nights they usually have a band playing on the stage which is really neat," says Tiffany S. Another visitor mentions, "On Saturday evenings, they typically have a band on stage."
Bathroom facilities: Despite mixed reviews, many campgrounds maintain clean facilities. "Bathrooms were very nice and clean with large showers. Nice area to wash dishes," says Jen R. about French Creek State Park. At Jonestown/Hershey KOA, "bathrooms were very clean as well, though kind of far from these sites," according to Kasumi.
Ranger
