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sorcha A.
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TravelerShady Oak Campground
Easy access to Lancaster and Pennsylvania Dutch areas. Friendly, welcoming staff and plenty of colorful trees in the autumn. The only RV park in the area that is open year round.
Camping near Summit Station, PA
6 campgrounds with availability this weekend
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The area surrounding Summit Station, Pennsylvania includes a variety of established campgrounds catering to different camping preferences. Several developed facilities operate in the region, including Appalachian Camping Resort in Shartlesville and Mountain Springs Camping Resort, both offering full-service amenities for RVs and tent campers. Within a 30-mile radius, campers can find accommodations ranging from primitive tent sites to fully-equipped RV hookups, cabin rentals, and even glamping options. Many campgrounds in this part of Pennsylvania feature wooded settings with access to recreational activities like fishing ponds, swimming pools, and hiking opportunities.
Most campgrounds in the Summit Station area operate seasonally, typically from April through October, with a few offering year-round access. Developed facilities like Twin Grove RV Resort and Blue Rocks Family Campground provide electric hookups, water, and sewer connections, while several state parks offer more rustic experiences. Road access to most established campgrounds is generally good, with many sites accessible via paved roads near major highways including Interstate 81. Campers should check individual campground policies regarding advance reservations, which are strongly recommended during summer weekends and holidays. According to one visitor at Appalachian Camping Resort, "Easy check-in. Tent site was very spacious and clean. Kids loved fishing in the pond. Restrooms/Bath House very well maintained."
Several campgrounds in the region receive mixed reviews regarding noise levels, particularly those situated near major highways. Proximity to Interstate 78 and other thoroughfares can impact the camping experience at certain locations. Camp A While features a stream running between tent and RV camping areas, but as one camper noted, "Right off the highway with lots of loud trucks and bikes." Family-friendly amenities are common throughout the area's campgrounds, with many offering swimming pools, game rooms, playgrounds, and organized activities. Seasonal campers occupy portions of many private campgrounds, creating established communities. Campground stores and markets are available at most developed sites, providing convenience items and camping supplies, though prices and selection vary considerably. State park campgrounds like Locust Lake offer more natural settings with fewer amenities but typically provide better isolation from highway noise.
Best Campgrounds near Summit Station (174)
1. Locust Lake State Park Campground
"We had lake front access to put kayaks in and fish which was awesome. Great walking path around lake for kids to ride bikes to parks or beach. Beach area was nice."
"Had a site close to the lake. Many sites (including mine) were not level. The sites sizes were a bit small and i would book during peak season. I would definitely return again off season."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $20 - $43 / night
2. Blue Rocks Family Campground
"According to hikers on the AT, this is what they call Pennsylvania, as they hike through this section of the state. And Blue Rocks Campground doesn't dissapoint."
"Blue Rocks family campground is close to I78 however it is still off the beaten path. It is very peaceful to camp here as you have different types of environments."
3. Appalachian Camping Resort
"It was a nice size and was in a good location - near the ponds, pool, office, and bathhouse - but was still quiet! There were scheduled activities for kids and adults."
"We started our trip Friday afternoon, we pulled into the campground and they had a table set up outside to “check in.” We did not wait in a mile long line to park and go into the office."
4. Mountain Springs Camping Resort
"Close to other stores and camping center."
"Large size pool for the bigger folks and a walk in pool for the toddlers. Fun activities for all to enjoy. All the campers that were there when we there are super friendly."
Check Availabilityfrom $60 - $73 / night
5. Jonestown/Hershey KOA
"Love the close proximity to the highway and gas. We didn’t eat there but they had a restaurant! Lots of activities for the kids. Wooded sites and very clean bathrooms."
"Pet friendly and you can access the Appalachian trail from campground. Lots of great food and places to go in the area. They have a river that is great for kayaking or tubing."
6. Camp A While
"Not to much to do in the area but it is somewhat close to the Appalachian Trail if you’re into that. It seems like the camp ground always has something fun going on."
"The only reason for not giving five stars is because it’s very close to a freeway. There’s quite a bit of truck and car noise from the freeway."
Check AvailabilityAvailable this weekend
from $26 - $44 / night
7. French Creek State Park Campground
"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."
5 Sites AvailableAvailable this weekend
from $20 - $90 / night
8. Twin Grove RV Resort
"There are 2 dog parks right next to each other, which is great for your furry friend to be able to run around and play off leash."
"Needs a pond and more shade but still is one of the nicer parks around. Twin Grove is also one of the cheaper ones, and that is hard to believe because of all the offer."
9. Camp Swatara
"There's lots to do for the whole family: hiking to the rock pile, fishing and boating in the lake, swimming, mini golf, a splash pad, ball fields, and creeks to play in, and more."
Check Availabilityfrom $30 - $85 / night
10. Echo Valley Campground
"There are gardens with walkways to walk to the pool or the office. Our site 24B was a pull through with full hook up. We had cable and WI-FI. There wasn't any shade yet were only here one night."
Drive Time
- 29 min from Reading, PA
- 31 min from Lebanon, PA
- 47 min from Allentown, PA
- 59 min from Lancaster, PA
Recent Camping Photos near Summit Station, PA
391 Photos of 174 Summit Station Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Tentrr Signature Site - The Algonquin Gitigaan
Appalachian Camping Resort
Camp A While
Tentrr Signature Site - Peaceful by Pigeon Creek
Locust Lake State Park Campground
Blue Rocks Family Campground
Twin Grove RV Resort
Jonestown/Hershey KOA
Stoevers Dam Park
Tentrr Signature Site - GoldMine Hideaway
Cocalico Creek Campground
Tuscarora State Park Campground
Recent Reviews near Summit Station, PA
1011 Reviews of 174 Summit Station Campgrounds
- RRussell A.
Scout100 Mile View Camping
What a great place. So unique! Love the view, and a great experience! There are no hook ups, so be prepared but if you are looking for the dispersed camping experience you have found it. What a gem!
Nancy W.
LegendHickory Run State Park Campground
Peaceful State Park Camping in the Fall
This is a large campground with a wide array of campsites so be careful attention when you book online, especially if you have a pet because some sites are not pet-friendly. Some are 50-amp full hook-up and some are primitive with no hook-ups.
There is a nice nature center with interesting interpretive exhibits and lots of informational brochures including ones about the hiking trails, bears, scat and tracks of local animals, and fishing. Our site was at the edge of the campground and backed up to Route 534 which resulted in a bit of road noise at our site. Other than the road noise the campground was pretty quiet and was not very crowded when we camped there in October.
Not all sites are level and we happened to book one that was not and we had to live with a slant for our stay. The roads in the park are gravel/dirt and since it rained the day we arrived the roads were a muddy mess which made the roads slippery and there were lots of potholes. Unfortunately, some campers were disrespectful and left bags of trash in the fire pit and scattered around their site which was totally unnecessary because there were dumpsters plenty of dumpsters in the campground. Since we camped at Hickory Run late in the season, there were no camp hosts and the trash never got picked up.
The campground is open from mid-April to mid-December; however, the shower facilities and dump station are not available after the third week of October so plan accordingly. We really like the hiking trails which are of varying degrees of difficulty and lengths. The Hawk Falls is a nice easy walk (1.4 miles round-trip) to a waterfall but is extremely popular so don’t think you will be admiring the falls alone. The parking lot at this trail head fills up fast so you better get there early if you want to get a spot.
You can enter the park from two different directions. If you have a big-rig, it is best to approach from the east side. We made the mistake of coming in from the west side as we dropped down from I-80 and came down 534 and the road was really windy with no shoulder. Luckily, there was very little traffic so we could go 10 mph and safely navigate the roads.
Be aware alcohol is not allowed in PA state parks. This park does allow hunting in certain sections of the park. The no-hunting areas are clearly marked with white no hunting signs on trees and you can also pick up a brochure from the office that designates hunting and no-hunting sections.
Peggy C.TravelerCountry Acres Campground
Lovely campground!
Country Acres is a lovely, well maintained campground. Sites are level and bath house facilities clean and modern. Friendly staff in the office. Dog friendly. Local to all the Lancaster attractions. A complimentary farmland tour is offered by bus and it was great. They take you out into an area of Amish farms and shops and make a stop at 2 of these. The fresh Amish pretzels are amazing!
Tony F.
Guide100 Mile View Camping
The best views
This is a hidden gem, as close to dispersed camping you can get with dirt, gravel roads, large stone fire pits, a amazing views with the added benefit of a five gallon jug of non potable water and very clean port-a-potties. The owner regularly patrols the site and makes sure everything is okay.
Roger V.TravelerBake Oven Knob
solid parking place for vans and RVs. road is dirt gravel but not terrible. nice hike nearby
Troy P.TravelerShikellamy State Park Campground
meh
i mean meh with the most enthusiasm as you can live your entire life & be oki not going here. the trails are small & the overlook is fenced high for falls. it’s about as much scenery as going for a walk deer hunting. it’s beginner friendly if anyone wants to start getting into parks but i feel there’s more focus on pavilions & playgrounds than calling it a state park. for anything boating or canoeing on the river it’s a good place to be but your in town so it take it for what it is
- LLynn C.Scout
Old Mill Stream Campground
Never Again
The advertisements for Olde Mill Campground were disingenuous. The campsite was 20 yards from a roller coaster. The NOISE of the roller coaster and children on it screaming was as relentless and unnerving as any train we have ever slept near. There was no quiet until almost midnight. The “pull-through” site left my truck almost in the road and our 25’ Airstream slightly over the road on the backside. The site was not level. The sites were close enough to hear a neighbor’s snoring.
- jjeanne A.Guide
Council Cup Campground
Better than nothing
Small campground with rude owner. Everything I asked about was putting her out. It was cheap though at $36 for water and electric with a military discount.
Guide to Summit Station
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Summit Station, PA?
What camping is available near Summit Station, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Summit Station, PA offers a wide range of camping options, with 174 campgrounds and RV parks near Summit Station, PA and 3 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Summit Station, PA?
Which is the most popular campground near Summit Station, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Summit Station, PA is Locust Lake State Park Campground with a 4-star rating from 32 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Summit Station, PA?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Summit Station, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 3 free dispersed camping spots near Summit Station, PA.
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