Best Equestrian Camping near Tioga-Hammond Lakes

Large camp sites have room for all your horses and horse paraphernalia. Call Finger Lakes National Forest to make sure trails aren’t closed due to weather, spring melt, etc. You need a permit to camp here but the permit and site are free. You can camp without having horses but get ready to smell them.

This is a great little campground with fairly large sites. We were initially going to stay at Blueberry Patch however our tent was too large for the sites available. We see a posting that there were sites at Backbone that were for people with or without horses. More than half of the camp is designated for horses but only one horse trailer came into the camp the entire time we were there. The fire pits and picnic tables are very nice. Sites are first come first serve. Payment of the low fee is on the honor system and check in / out is very flexible. We seen maybe three people pass through the three days /two nights we were there. A Sheriff's truck did drive through Saturday morning just to patrol.

Stayed with my husband last fall for our first camping trip and have zero complaints. This place was perfect has everything you need. The surrounding area is loaded with things to do as well if you feel like venturing out. Cherry Springs Dark Park is just up the road but the view from our tent was just as good. We also stopped at the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. Hiking trails were within walking distance from the tent. Looking forward to our next stay and some more camp food!

Stayed at this campsite, taking our pop-up camper on its maiden voyage to the Grand Canyon of PA. Was able to choose a location that worked best for us. The area we selected was not busy. Campsite appeared to have a lot of seasonal campers. My husband does not like staying in crowded campgrounds with people surrounding you and up all night screaming and singing. We go camping to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet. Not to listen to people pretending to relive their college days....lol. Area is open, not offering a lot of privacy, but we had shade and woods behind us, and the ground was grassy and level. The pool was nice and the rec center had a lot of activities for kids. The pond offered fishing and pedal boat rentals. We chose this campsite due to its proximity to the Leonard Harrison State Park. We had no issues here and would recommend.

Spread out site. Primitive amenities. Nice short hikes.

This is a small, fairly remote campground.  The sites are very small- some don't even have room for a pop-up canopy.  Sites have a fairly level parking pad for campers. Some sites lead you to believe they are on water (stream)- the stream is barely there and there is no access to it.  There are ATV trails all over the park which can get loud.  Tons of great hiking trails and a great beach.  Fishing and boat launch also available.

Sites are close together small  and in wooded areas. Close enough to the lake and beach which is clean but small. Bathrooms are well kept and clean workers keep trash picked up and grounds immaculate. Very close to Cherry Springs International Dark Sky  Park with its amazing views of the stars and Milky Way.

Spent a week here and loved it. Very remote wooded area with small stream. Sites are tight but worth it, gorgeous area. Bathrooms are clean and large, staff keeps the grounds immaculate. Lake and beach nearby.

Sites are pretty level and well kept. The bathrooms are great! Remote, cute little place! They maintain the place well! There are a few trails close by. Nothing crazy but nice to have something close. Not far from cherry spring. We stayed at site 25. We were right next to the bathroom. Convenient, but did hear some traffic from other campers but not bad.

Lyman Run holds a special place for me. It’s nestled within the gold level dark sky area. This means on a clear night and with a waning or new moon, one could see the arm of the Milky Way with millions of stars- more than most people see in a lifetime. The camp sites are a bit rough- there are two loops, with one loop catering to the mostly RV crowds and the remaining one for tents. There are a few really good and shaded tent sites in the RV loop. The location of the park is near Cherry Springs SP, which gets all the attention for the night sky viewing. We were able to use Lyman Run as a way station as we visited Kinzua, the PA Grand Canyon, and other sites in the PA Woods area. There’s even a chance to watch elk nearby. Each site has a fire ring, with wood available nearby. Amenities include a beach at a nearby lake, warm showers, and good hiking trails. There is a general store nearby, but the nearest town is almost 45+ minutes away. But hey, there’s a Fox’s Pizza there, so ... win? Since Cherry Springs (at the time of this writing) does not take reservations, we opted for the sure thing. Tent pads are well taken care of and the bathrooms are clean. This park is worth the time and view- you will not be disappointed.

We stayed at Lyman Run because we needed electricity hookups, and Cherry Springs didn't offer it. Our trip was for astrophotography purposes, and Lyman Run is only a 10 minute drive away from the Cherry Springs viewing area. Totally worth it!

The good: Daggett Loop sites 16 and 17 are pretty solid. They're the last two in the loop and next to 17 is a river trail just to yourselves. It's nice. The bathrooms are modern and clean. Electricity hookups work great and I was able to pull a consistent 80% of max load(~32 amps) the entire time without issue. Sites are well kept. No cell service on site, but a 10 minute drive and you've got it (the best, imo)

The bad: The lake is a bit scummy/stagnant and was jammed pack with people (and since this review is written during COVID, no one was wearing masks or social distancing--disappointing). The sites are really close together with zero trees in-between sites. Bring your own privacy. PA has cross-county firewood ban, but the campsite doesn't have a firewood store. Had to drive 15 minutes off the campsite to find a random house selling firewood for $5 a bundle.

Nice alternative to Cherry Springs. Campgrounds are well maintained. Clean bathrooms with toilets, sinks and shower.
We camped at site #26. Maybe had to walk in about 50ft. to campsite. Has fire rings and picnic table.

https://pennsylvaniastateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/lyman-run-state-park/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=PA&parkId=880115

Was planning on camping at Cherry Springs but it was full for the weekend and decided to say here. Great location to camp with family and friends.very quiet campgrounds, clean bathrooms, and the beach at the reservoir makes for a great day of swimming or fishing. About a 10 or 15 minute drive to the observatory field. Highly recommend taking a night to head up there.

We were at the Lower Campgrounds. It was perfect. It was so quiet and peaceful, did not even notice other campers around. (I can’t speak for the Daggett Run side though). Bathhouse was very clean. Had a good time fishing at the lake and stopping for ice cream at the beach shop is a must!

Stayed for the weekend at site 25 at the lower campground. Site was next to the bathrooms but no problems noise. Nice and quiet overall. Bathrooms were very clean with nice hot water in the showers. There are pit toilets but they are well maintained and there was no smell even though it was hot out. Some good trail for hiking with a great scenic overlook on the Rock Run Trail. The concession stand by the beach only took cash while we were there, no cards. Cherry Springs right down the road. Recommend bringing chairs or a blanket to sit on if you drive over there for stargazing.

What a great park. Was there in order to go to nearby Cherry Springs SP which is a certified Dark Sky area, to see the stars. Cherry Springs is about 8 miles away. We like staying at Lyman Run since Cherry Springs gets filled pretty quickly. Lyman Run campground is great. There are 2 campgrounds, one right by the lake(larger) and one a little further away (smaller). We prefer the smaller one. Bathrooms are newer with a nice, new system for “composting” I guess. No odor at all. And nice and clean. Nice hiking trails, beach area by lake, fishing and then the stars! One of my favs.

This has to be the best campground I’ve ever been to. From the beautiful lake to the stunning views of the vistas, you are always feeling at peace.

The site and facilities were very well kept and clean. The night we arrived there was several other campers but cleared out for the weekend so we basically got the whole lower camp ground to ourselves which was great. Sites are well spaced so you don’t feel like it’s crowded. Would definitely visit again!