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!
Tent Camping near Temple, PA
2 campgrounds with availability this weekend
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Tent camping options surround Temple, Pennsylvania with established sites primarily in county and regional parks. Shambala at Mystic Hollow offers creekside tent sites along with Boulder Ridge Farm providing a more secluded experience. Several campgrounds including Deep Creek at Green Lane Park and Hibernia County Park accommodate tent campers within a 30-minute drive of Temple.
Most tent sites feature fire rings and picnic tables, though amenities vary widely between locations. Green Lane Park provides clean restrooms but limited privacy between sites, while Hibernia County Park offers more wooded surroundings with primarily pit toilets and no hookups. Walk-in tent sites at Shambala require campers to carry gear short distances from parking areas. Water availability is inconsistent across campgrounds, with Hibernia having just one spigot at the bathroom facilities. Campers should verify seasonal operation as many parks close during winter months or operate weekends-only during spring and fall.
The tent camping experience near Temple emphasizes natural settings over amenities. Boulder Ridge Farm features wooded sites among large rock formations where visitors can disconnect from everyday stress. Deep Creek Campground sites lack privacy with one camper noting "the sites are lined up next to each other with absolutely no privacy." Hibernia County Park offers a more secluded experience with a reviewer describing it as "heavily wooded which means plenty of hammock hanging opportunities." Walk-in tent sites generally provide more seclusion than drive-up areas. Several parks prohibit alcohol consumption including Green Lane and Hibernia, though fires are permitted at most locations. Areas farther from main roads offer quieter camping experiences, with some sites positioned near water features like creeks or lakes for added ambiance.
Best Tent Campgrounds near Temple (28)
1. Shambala at Mystic Hollow
"Shambala at Mystic Hollow offers great creekside campsites for anyone looking to pitch a tent and enjoy some time by the water. Check them out and share your experience on the Dyrt!"
Check Availabilityfrom $40 / night
2. Rolling Hills Retreats
"Her boyfriend and I wanted to plan an outdoor camping trip but we’re completely over having no privacy, worrying about my reactive dog, feeling like we had to follow ridiculous rules when going camping"
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
from $160 - $380 / night
3. Deep Creek Campground at Green Lane Park
"Clean restrooms, lots of open space!"
"Large sites, clean bathrooms, lots of hiking trails"
Check Availabilityfrom $20 - $30 / night
4. Hibernia County Park
"Inexpensive $15 a night, but you only get picnic table and fire ring. No hook ups. Great children's pond for 12 and under. Brandywine creek and Chambers Lake are there too. Great playground."
"We loved the lake campground. My kids are age 3-12. There’s running water available, porta potties are very clean and don’t smell and are lit with a street lamp. Very quiet at night."
Check Availabilityfrom $15 - $50 / night
5. Mauch Chunk Lake Park
"Our first time tent camping was here and it set a great tone."
"Easy drive from Philly area, courteous staff, very wooded and quiet at night. Has many sites right along the lake edge, some very large."
Check Availabilityfrom $20 / night
6. Evansburg State Park Campground
"Lots of tree cover running along a small running creek"
"You need a license to fish, and if you plan on catching Trout you need the Trout endorsement on the fishing licence, currently$9.90.The restroom facilities we're clean."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $43 / night
7. Boulder Ridge Farm
"We'd like to welcome Joe, your host, to our platform! This property is close to town yet so serene. 2WD is fine but 4WD will make your experience getting to the property a bit more smooth."
"Plenty of fire wood, really cool huge rocks and waking up to owls was awesome."
Check AvailabilityAvailable this weekend
from $20 - $30 / night
8. Brandywine Meadows Family Campground
9. AT Group Campsite near Lehigh Gap
"The only downside was my sleeping pad sprung a leak, so it wasn't the best night's sleep. But the site itself was great and I would camp there again."
"A bed of pine needles creates a padded comfortable area that is perfect for a large group backpacking in the area."
10. Group Camp — Ridley Creek State Park
"Terrific space for exploring"
"well marked trails great for hiking. pet friendly! we love walking here with our dog. there are even a few great spots to get a small creek swim in! It also has a greag picnic area with grills."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $57 / night
Drive Time
- 8 min from Reading, PA
- 37 min from Lancaster, PA
- 39 min from Allentown, PA
- 42 min from Lebanon, PA
Recent Tent Camping Photos near Temple, PA
39 Photos of 28 Temple Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Tent Camping Reviews near Temple, PA
954 Reviews of 28 Temple 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.
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.
- 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.
Adam and Suzanne B.GuideBeacon Hill Camping
Great location
We stayed here to go to the Hershey RV show—about 55 min drive. Right in the center of Amish country. Campground is adults only. It was very clean. The bathrooms were very clean with great water pressure. The roads are tight for getting into sites. Site 5 was not level side to side. We met great people there.
- jjeanne A.Guide
Echo Valley Campground
Big sites with lots of trees
We only spent the night and didn't look at the amenities. The manager was very friendly and accommodating.
Thomas B.
RangerTohickon Family Campground
Simple, peaceful FHU
We stayed just a couple nights here on our way north. The camp host was helpful before our stay and during check-in. Our site was pretty isolated from the others, so it was very quiet (no complaints here). There is a decent mix of sunny sites by the river and shady sites under the trees. The weather was perfect mid September. There wasn't anything spectacular for me, but it was a good experience and it was a nice taste of fall PA scenery. Beware that the roads are tight for a big rig. Side note, it did seem like most campers lived there.
Guide to Temple
Temple, Pennsylvania camping areas offer tent sites on both public parklands and private farms within a 35-mile radius. The region sits between 300-500 feet in elevation with humid summer temperatures typically ranging from 75-85°F during peak camping season. Most tent camping sites remain open April through October, with several locations closing during winter months due to freezing temperatures.
What to do
Paddle sports access: Mauch Chunk Lake Park provides lakefront sites where campers can launch kayaks and paddle boards directly from their campsite. One visitor noted, "You can get sites right on the water that are nice size. If you go during the week, it's quite calm... I like that I can launch my paddle board from my sight and the water is so clean and clear."
Disc golf courses: Deep Creek Campground at Green Lane Park features a disc golf course among its recreational options. A camper mentioned the "phenomenal disc golf course, hiking, and fishing" available at this location, making it suitable for visitors seeking active outdoor pursuits.
Trail hiking: Evansburg State Park Campground offers numerous well-marked trails along creeks. According to one review, "Since he was 2 years old I've taken my son, and we always have an amazing time, either hiking the trails to wandering in the woods looking for 'adventures'." The park has varying terrain but tends to be muddy after rainfall.
What campers like
Natural formations: Boulder Ridge Farm provides camping sites among impressive rock features. A reviewer appreciated the "really cool huge rocks and waking up to owls was awesome," highlighting the unique geological formations that differentiate this site from others in the region.
Secluded settings: Rolling Hills Retreats offers a private camping experience just an hour from Philadelphia. A visitor reported, "We are so thankful for the host as he was very accommodating but also gave us privacy... we were able to ground our energy from the earth which is hard to do in a concrete city."
Wildlife encounters: Several tent camping areas near Temple feature diverse wildlife. At Evansburg, a camper shared videos showing his young son interacting with the natural environment: "He's taking to fishing, and wanting to do everything himself, from baiting the hook, to casting the line to throwing rocks at the trout."
What you should know
Seasonal limitations: Best tent camping near Temple, Pennsylvania has restricted availability. A reviewer at Hibernia County Park noted, "This campground is only open on the weekends, in season. Sites can be reserved on line, by phone, or by 'first come, first served' self-registration."
Water availability: Many tent camping sites have limited water access. At Hibernia County Park, "There is one spigot at the bathroom," requiring campers to plan accordingly. Multiple sites lack water hookups, making it essential to bring adequate supplies.
Vehicle access: Some campgrounds require walking to reach tent sites. A visitor to Boulder Ridge Farm mentioned, "2WD is fine but 4WD will make your experience getting to the property a bit more smooth," while Shambala at Mystic Hollow requires carrying gear from parking areas to creekside sites.
Tips for camping with families
Child-friendly fishing: Hibernia County Park offers dedicated fishing areas for younger visitors. A camper shared, "The children's pond is a short ways away for well stocked fishing," which provides an activity specifically designed for kids under 12.
Playground access: Several parks include playground equipment. At Group Camp — Ridley Creek State Park, visitors appreciate the "great picnic area with grills" along with playgrounds that keep children entertained between hiking excursions.
First-time camping locations: Sites with basic amenities serve as good introductions to camping. One reviewer at Mauch Chunk Lake Park said, "I believe it is a great spot to go with people who haven't camped much before. It has flat tent spaces, generally clean bathrooms, and access to tons of things to do on the campground and nearby."
Tips from RVers
Limited hookup options: Most tent camping areas near Temple provide minimal RV accommodations. At Hibernia County Park, a camper with a 28-foot fifth wheel noted, "There are NO HOOKUPS, and water is not easy to come by if you are in an RV. If you are coming in an RV, you should come with a full water tank."
Site leveling challenges: RV campers should prepare for uneven terrain. The same Hibernia reviewer mentioned, "They aren't level, but nothing a little creative positioning can't fix," suggesting that blocks or levelers would be helpful equipment.
Dump station planning: No dump stations exist at several campgrounds. As one RVer warned, "There is NO DUMP STATION. There are a few nearby campgrounds that will let you dump for a fee, otherwise, you'll have to look for a truck stop on the way home," making advance planning essential for longer stays.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent
campsite near Temple, PA?
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Temple, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Temple, PA is Shambala at Mystic Hollow with a 5-star rating from 1 review.
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tent camping near
Temple, PA?
What is the best site to find tent camping near Temple, PA?
TheDyrt.com has all 28 tent camping locations near Temple, PA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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