R
Russell A.
Scout
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!
Camping near Tafton, PA
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Campgrounds in the Tafton area of Pennsylvania offer established sites across several state parks and private facilities with varied accommodation options. Promised Land State Park features multiple camping areas including Pickerel Point, Deerfield, The Pines, and Lower Lake campgrounds with options for tent, RV, and cabin camping. Several campgrounds provide waterfront access to lakes in the region, particularly Lake Wallenpaupack, with Keen Lake Resort Campground and Secluded Acres Campground offering additional amenities for visitors seeking more developed facilities.
The camping season in northeastern Pennsylvania typically runs from April through October, with most campgrounds closed during winter months. Electric hookups are common at established sites, though water hookups vary by location. Many campgrounds in the Promised Land State Park area feature electric hookups but may not offer drinking water directly at sites. Bathroom facilities with showers are standard at most established campgrounds, though some locations charge small fees for shower use. Reservations are strongly recommended, especially for summer weekends when waterfront sites fill quickly. A camper noted, "The park itself is excellent. The trails are plentiful and scenic. The forest is thick and beautiful throughout the park."
Wildlife sightings, particularly black bears, are frequently mentioned in camper reviews of the area. The Pocono region's forests provide abundant shade at most camping areas, with mixed reviews about site spacing and privacy. Several campers highlight the hiking opportunities, particularly at Promised Land State Park where trails connect to lakes and small waterfalls. Lake activities dominate recreational options, with swimming beaches, fishing, and boat rentals available at multiple locations. Promised Land State Park offers environmental education programs that receive positive mentions in reviews. Cell service can be limited, with one reviewer noting "No reception anywhere" at Promised Land State Park. Tent campers sometimes report feeling that RV sites receive preferential treatment at some private campgrounds, with more spacious sites and better amenities.
Best Campgrounds near Tafton (226)
1. Pickerel Point Campground — Promised Land State Park
"Pros: beautiful new bathrooms -private lakeside walk-in sites -beavers! Far away but exciting nonetheless -the Conservation Walk on the island is short, easy, and beautiful. Well-marked."
"Some sites are right on the lake, just put the kayak on the shore, and you're ready for an early morning paddle."
2 Sites AvailableAvailable this weekend
from $20 - $44 / night
2. Keen Lake Resort Campground
"I stayed on a lakeside electric/water site for 5 nights in August 2020. It was SO BEAUTIFUL. We had SUPs and kayaks to take on the lake and our sites were right next to the boat launch. "
"We didn’t have a view of the lake, instead we were in someone’s back yard lol. It wasn’t a big deal. The site was well maintained and flat which were the most important."
3. Tobyhanna State Park Campground
"We were looking for a lakeside campground with a spacious campsite that could comfortably fit two large tents and two vehicles."
"Breathtaking views from nearby trails and nearby Big Pocono State Park. The park staff were very helpful and knowledgeable about nearby trails and best places to get the most out of the views!"
4 Sites AvailableAvailable this weekend
from $20 - $43 / night
4. Deerfield Campground — Promised Land State Park
"Nice surroundings (though nothing extraordinary). Easy access with a sedan. Cons: most sites are very close to one another with little privacy. Fair amount of road noise."
"Recommend Little Falls Trail. We also explored Conservation Island. Many more trails to explore and not enough time. The surrounding town is small and very cute."
Check Availabilityfrom $22 / night
5. The Pines Campground — Promised Land State Park
"We had a great campsite 038, mainly because we booked the site right next to the restroom and hoped no one would reserve the one closest to it, which ended up being the case."
"The trails are plentiful and scenic. The forest is thick and beautiful throughout the park. We loved the little falls trail for hiking and splashing around in the water."
Check Availabilityfrom $16 / night
6. Lower Lake Campground Northwoods Area — Promised Land State Park
"Lot of things to do around, from enjoying a day at the lake beach, to hiking on one of numerous hike ng trails, to dining in one of the nearby spots. Highly recommend."
"Access points to several trails are very near the campground. As with all PA state parks, alcohol is prohibited."
Check Availabilityfrom $29 - $43 / night
7. Lower Lake Campground Beechwood Area — Promised Land State Park
"3 hour drive from NYC, and a wonderful campsite with good weather in the summer - not too hot during the day and nice and cool overnight."
"We stayed in lower lake beechwood site 323. Was decent site only downside was fire pit area was very un-level for camping chairs, otherwise it’s a nice wooded site with privacy."
Check Availabilityfrom $27 - $29 / night
8. Lower Lake Campground Rhododendron Area — Promised Land State Park
"There's a small trail called Little Falls Trail, that helped us get close to nature. Well maintained area. Although there were scares of Bears but we didn't find any to our luck."
"Spent 5 days at Promised Land- we were in the Lower Lake section and had a loop and bathhouse to ourselves once the weekend was over! The camp hosts were friendly. Lots of trails to go on."
Check Availabilityfrom $20 - $29 / night
9. Secluded Acres Campground
"The site itself isn't bad, a lot of woods to tuck into if you camp rite."
"Also saw RV sites that were very close to each other. Our tent site is perfect. An area of the lake is to swim and the other to fish in. Catch and release only. Lots of tress for great shade."
10. Wilsonville Rec Area
"This is a family campground right in the middle of everything there is to do around the lake and in the area ."
"Right on Lake Wallenpaupack. Boat slips available if you own a boat. Pretty quiet. Bathrooms old but well kept. Water and electric."
Drive Time
- 39 min from Scranton, PA
- 1 hr 5 min from Kiryas Joel, NY
- 1 hr 28 min from Binghamton, NY
- 1 hr 31 min from Allentown, PA
Recent Camping Photos near Tafton, PA
606 Photos of 226 Tafton Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Wilsonville Rec Area
Secluded Acres Campground
Owego Roadside Campsites — Delaware State Forest
Ironwood Point Rec Area
The Pines Campground — Promised Land State Park
Lower Lake Campground Rhododendron Area — Promised Land State Park
Lower Lake Campground Beechwood Area — Promised Land State ParkS
Pickerel Point Campground — Promised Land State Park
Deerfield Campground — Promised Land State Park
Tentrr Signature Site - Lakeview Glampsite "Lakeside Lounge" (G2)
Wake in The Woods Aqua Park and Campground
Edgemere Roadside Campsites — Delaware State Forest
Recent Reviews near Tafton, PA
1005 Reviews of 226 Tafton Campgrounds
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.
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.
- WWill W.Guide
Lackawanna State Park Campground
Car camping
Stayed October 14 without reservations because website showed lots of availability. Office was closed (M-F 8-4) so submitted honor system envelope with cash and stayed at Site 041 on Carpenter loop. Shower building was a short walk and was spacious enough. Water temp didn’t quite reach hot but was warm enough.
Electric kept on tripping breaker.
Leo C.ScoutWinding Hills Park
Nice but dated
Nice campground, bathrooms are clean but dated, first come first serve for the sites.
Daniel C.ScoutHillside Campgrounds
Stay away... Unless you like 70 y/o men acting like high schoolers
This clothing-optional campground has a highly toxic, intrusive, and vindictive environment. During my stay, the seasonal permanent residents('perms') subjected me to intense harassment, inappropriate sexual advances, and severe social retaliation/rumor-spreading when those advances were rejected. The situation escalated to the point where an employee had to intervene for my safety. Furthermore, despite management allowing my photo to be taken in costume at a party, I was intentionally blocked from the community group where the photos were posted, leaving me unable to monitor how my image was being used. Avoid this place if you value your privacy, personal boundaries, and safety.
Thomas B.
RangerNeversink River Resort
Cool Riverside Campground
I'll start by saying this is a site-specific review (C20). I booked using Campspot and didn't select my own site but put in the criteria for my rig (30ft TT plus truck) and got a 50A back-in spot. The site was big but abnormal. Between the picnic table placement and the trees, I ended up right around 50ft from the electric and water, and the water spigot was so low I could barely put on my camco filter. With the uneven dirt roads, I had to unhitch with my truck in a gigantic puddle (lol). The site was otherwise fine aside from my gate code not working on Day 2. As for the campground as a whole, I thought it was pretty unique place by the river that offered several good amenities and activities, like downstream river tubing, an arcade, bathroom/shower facilities, a small store, little trails, and more. I would say this place borders the more primitive side.
- eedgar V.Scout
Black Bear RV Park
Super clean and quiet
Past reviews has mentioned that the office seems to be closed often, while I found that to be true I had no reason to contact anyone. This is definitely one of the cleanest quiets site I’ve ever visited
Kathy L.RangerHickory Run State Park Campground
Beautiful forest
Gorgeous forested area in the Poconos. We stayed on the Rattlesnake Loop which was lovely. Sites not super private but most nestled in trees. The only bummer was that that Campground Loop didn’t have any direct links to the trail network and was far from it. The other Campground Loop was closer to trails and office. Would return!
Guide to Tafton
The Tafton area sits within the scenic Pocono Mountains region of northeastern Pennsylvania at elevations between 1,200-1,800 feet. Campers can access multiple lakes within a 15-mile radius, with Lower Lake and Upper Lake in Promised Land State Park offering contrasting experiences—Lower Lake maintains a more natural shoreline while Upper Lake features developed swimming areas. The camping season typically runs mid-April through mid-October, with many sites offering electric hookups but limited water connections directly at campsites.
What to do
Hiking trails with water features: Little Falls Trail at Promised Land State Park offers a relatively easy hike with scenic water views. A camper at Pickerel Point Campground noted, "The trails were beautiful, recommend little falls trail. The bathrooms were clean with nice hot showers." Another visitor mentioned exploring "Conservation Island" which features a well-marked, short nature walk.
Kayaking from campsites: Some waterfront sites at Lower Lake Campground Rhododendron Area allow direct water access. "This campground was nice. The campsites themselves were a bit small, but the lake and boating were great," explained one visitor. Several campgrounds offer boat rentals if you don't bring your own watercraft.
Swimming beaches: The public beaches have varying conditions depending on recent weather. A visitor at The Pines Campground observed, "The public beach has nice amenities but is a little rocky and the water wasn't very clear when we were there." Keen Lake offers both lake swimming and a pool, which families appreciate during busy periods.
What campers like
Wildlife viewing: Bear sightings are common enough that campers should prepare properly. A visitor to Lower Lake Campground Beechwood Area shared, "Eagle watching. Blueberry picking! Totally recommend." Another camper mentioned seeing beavers from their campsite: "Beavers! Far away but exciting nonetheless."
Educational programs: The state park operates seasonal programming worth planning around. As one camper at The Pines Campground described, "We were impressed that they offered environmental education programs. We took the boys to learn about fish and then took them later to an amazing bear presentation given by an old timer who knows everything there is to know about bears."
Fall camping: The area offers excellent shoulder-season camping with fewer crowds. "This was my second visit in the cold months. Sites have electric but no water. Spigot close by. Heated cozy bathhouse with clean showers," reported one visitor to Pickerel Point who appreciated the extended season camping options.
What you should know
Campsite proximity varies: Many campgrounds have closely spaced sites with limited privacy. A camper at Keen Lake Resort Campground observed, "You won't have a ton of privacy but you'll have space for your stuff. Most of the sites seem to be on the smaller size when compared to other campgrounds we've been too."
Bear safety: Bears are active throughout the region, requiring proper food storage. One visitor recounted, "Just stayed 2 nights with my 7 yrs. old daughter we had a blast. Everyone was very nice camp host and DCNR were very helpful. We were warned at check in that there have been a lot of bears in the area but never really thought that we would see one. As soon as we got to our site one came right up as we were setting up our tent."
Alcohol restrictions: State park campgrounds prohibit alcohol consumption while private campgrounds typically allow it. This regulation affects many campers' experience, as one noted about their favorite site at Pickerel Point: "The only drawback is no alcohol allowed, but most State Parks are like that I think."
Tips for camping with families
Beach comparison: The two main swimming areas offer different experiences. A camper at Keen Lake Resort Campground shared, "My kids really loved having a pool to swim in, in addition to the lake." For state park beaches, arriving early on summer weekends helps secure parking and beach space.
Kid-friendly activities: Scheduled programs can enhance the camping experience. "We had a great time despite cold wet weather. Our site was probably one of the worst in the place but we were able to scope out others that we would prefer for our next visit," noted a visitor at Keen Lake who still enjoyed their stay due to the available activities.
Paved areas for biking: Some campgrounds feature paved roads ideal for young cyclists. A Pickerel Point camper commented, "Loved camping on Pickerel Point. Kids had a great time! Love that the road is paved, it makes it easy for the kids to ride bikes, skate etc... We will definitely be back."
Tips from RVers
Loop selection: For RV camping, specific loops offer better sites. A camper at Deerfield Campground advised, "If you are in a camper or RV, I think that the Beechwood loop looked best. We stayed in the northwoods loop, which was ok but more conducive to tent camping." The Beechwood area typically provides more spacious sites with water hookups.
Dump station timing: Plan departure timing to avoid lines at dump stations during peak checkout periods. "Big line at dump station when we were leaving," reported one RVer, suggesting mid-morning checkouts can mean longer waits.
Water fill logistics: Be prepared for water access challenges. "All spigots to fill camper with water were situated just off main driving lanes resulting in a lot of congestion of cars behind us when attempting to fill tanks," noted a visitor, recommending filling tanks during off-peak hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Tafton, PA?
What camping is available near Tafton, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Tafton, PA offers a wide range of camping options, with 226 campgrounds and RV parks near Tafton, PA and 6 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Tafton, PA?
Which is the most popular campground near Tafton, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Tafton, PA is Pickerel Point Campground — Promised Land State Park with a 4.5-star rating from 34 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Tafton, PA?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Tafton, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 6 free dispersed camping spots near Tafton, PA.
What parks are near Tafton, PA?
What parks are near Tafton, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 9 parks near Tafton, PA that allow camping, notably Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and Upper Delaware National Scenic and Recreation River.
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