Best Campgrounds near Towanda, PA

Camping opportunities in the Towanda area span from established facilities to more primitive setups in the surrounding Pennsylvania countryside. Riverside Acres Campground sits directly on the Susquehanna River, while Pine Cradle Lake Family Campground in nearby Rome offers a mix of tent sites, RV spaces, and cabin accommodations. The region includes several smaller private campgrounds such as Doo Dah Campgrounds and Lake Front Campsite, along with established state park campgrounds like Worlds End State Park and Ricketts Glen State Park within driving distance. Most locations support tent camping and RV parking, with some offering cabin options for those seeking more amenities.

Seasonal considerations affect camping availability throughout the Towanda region, with many campgrounds operating from early April through October or November. Winter camping is limited, though some facilities like Worlds End State Park maintain year-round operations. Cell service tends to be spotty across the area, particularly in more remote locations and state parks. Most established campgrounds provide water and electric hookups, while more primitive sites may require campers to bring their own supplies. Several locations require advance reservations, especially for weekend stays during summer months. A camper noted, "The campground sits atop one of NEPA's rolling hills in quiet, rural farming area. Cell service is spotty."

Waterfront camping receives consistently positive reviews from visitors to the Towanda area. Sites along the Susquehanna River at Riverside Acres provide excellent fishing opportunities, while Pine Cradle Lake offers lakeside spots with private docks. One visitor remarked, "The lakeside spots are gorgeous and the private dock is great when you have kids that love to fish." Several campers mentioned the peaceful atmosphere of the region's campgrounds, noting the opportunity to disconnect from technology as a positive feature. For those seeking hiking opportunities, Worlds End State Park and Ricketts Glen State Park provide trail access directly from their campgrounds. State park facilities tend to be more rustic but offer better access to natural features, while private campgrounds typically provide more amenities like swimming pools, splash pads, and organized activities.

Best Camping Sites Near Towanda, Pennsylvania (122)

    1. Pine Cradle Lake Family Campground

    10 Reviews
    Towanda, PA
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (570) 247-2424

    "The tent sites are located in the back of the campground behind the sports field within the trees. I unfortunately didn’t get a chance to see them but they have them pictured on their website."

    "Great family campground, decent sized sites, many lake side sites, very clean bathrooms/ showers. Several playgrounds, heated pool, pet friendly with shots paperwork."

    2. Worlds End State Park Campground

    28 Reviews
    Forksville, PA
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (570) 924-3287

    $24 - $99 / night

    "The park has some good trails with amazing views, a beach area and Loyalsock creek. The campsite was a bit cramped and right next to the main road going in and out of the park."

    "This is another Pennsylvania state park with excellent recycling facilities."

    3. Ricketts Glen State Park Campground

    68 Reviews
    Sweet Valley, PA
    31 miles
    Website
    +1 (570) 477-5675

    $15 - $150 / night

    "The biggest draw to this state park (which no one in Pennsylvania I spoke with seemed to know about) is the 22 waterfalls!"

    "Many of the sites looked close to the road and not very private but we were in site 63 which was pretty private(though we were lucky neighboring site 62 was empty)."

    4. Riverside Acres Campground

    2 Reviews
    Towanda, PA
    2 miles
    Website
    +1 (570) 265-3235

    $22 - $35 / night

    "If you have wheels, anything can be bought with a run into Wyalusing, or Towanda. When I have been there, if your night life requires things, you should bring your own."

    5. Doo Dah Campgrounds

    1 Review
    Towanda, PA
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (570) 627-0793

    6. Camp Kit Adin Outfitters

    2 Reviews
    Dushore, PA
    14 miles
    +1 (484) 459-2048

    $20 - $125 / night

    "My Camp is close to World's End state park, Ricketts Glen,and numerous overlooks and plenty of hiking, biking and the best swimming hole on the Loyalsock creek! No mud just clear mountain water!"

    "Or cook outside on the big grill. 2 inside showers, porta potty! Lots to do!"

    7. Lake Front Campsite !!!

    1 Review
    Towanda, PA
    13 miles
    Website

    $88 / night

    "This campground has access to a private no motor lake for a calm day on the water.  Check them out and make sure to leave a review on the Dyrt!"

    8. Watkins Glen State Park Campground

    90 Reviews
    Watkins Glen, NY
    47 miles
    Website
    +1 (607) 535-4511

    $24 - $58 / night

    "I absolutely love coming to Watkins Glen Campground, especially when I went to get away from the busy city. This park has gorgeous waterfalls, and great paths to walk and hike on."

    "There was one central bathroom/shower house, so if being close to a restroom is important, choose your site accordingly.  Some of the campsites were quite a walk from the facilities.  "

    9. Pioneer Campground

    12 Reviews
    Laporte, PA
    26 miles
    Website
    +1 (570) 946-9971

    "We own some property near this campground and have stayed here a few weekends as a home base while we clean up our property. The owners are just amazingly nice people, always very helpful!"

    "Our tent site was secluded and quiet, but not too far off the beaten path!"

    10. Sunfish Pond County Park

    2 Reviews
    Granville Summit, PA
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (570) 364-8051
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Recent Reviews near Towanda, PA

534 Reviews of 122 Towanda Campgrounds


  • Andy D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 7, 2026

    West Creek Campground

    Nice Amenities, great location for Ricketts Glen

    I stayed at a tent site here and was the only one in the tent area. The tent plots are a bit small especially if you have a large car. The bath house was really well kept and modern. The camp was clean and looks pleasant. Great location for hiking.

  • Janet R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 31, 2025

    Robert H. Treman State Park Campground

    Terrific Treman Park

    This is a state park centered on the amazing geologic features of Enfield Glen. A waterfall cascades through a gorge here, ending in a beautiful pool for swimming at the base of the falls, with a trout stream flowing out of it towards nearby Cayuga Lake.  For the geologically curious, the trails through the gorge are fascinating and educational. And fossils abound, easily visible in the stream flowing out of the falls. This was a main draw for me about this park, as was the proximity to the paleontology institute and Museum of the Earth just to the north in the hamlet of Trumansburg.  https://www.museumoftheearth.org/

    Within the park itself, there are camping options for both tent and trailer camping. However, even if you usually prefer campground camping, it might be well worth your while to consider the camper cabins. These beautiful rustic cabins are located alongshore and adjacent to the falls in one of the most beautiful parts of the park! Although hikers and swimmers walk the trails nearby to the cabins alot during the day, they are usually done by late afternoon and then your cabin site is peaceful, shady and quiet, with the main sound being wind through the hemlocks and rippling of water over the stones in the brook closeby. Pull up a rocker and ease your way into a peaceful evening! Great location as a basecamp not only to explore the park, but also the nearby Geology museum as mentioned, plus Ithaca, Cayuga Lake, and area vineyards

  • Janet R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 31, 2025

    Pinecreek Campground

    Close to Ithaca and Cayuga Parks

    This is a campground set in a nice forest location, but close by to Treman State Park and Ithaca, so a good base for day trips. They offer mostly RV camping, but do have a substantial area for tent camping and  also have nice some rustic camper cabins as well as cottages and regular full service cabins. For families who enjoy neighbors, this is a good campground. Lots of families, lots of kids riding bikes and doing activities, nice kid-friendly fishing pond, lots of open space for ball games etc. There is even an offleash dog park so Fido can come along and have fun.  This is a busier campground than I ordinarily would have chosen as a tent camper, but I was joining friends for a cabin stay on Labor Day weekend as nearby state park campgrounds were full. The whole grounds are well maintained and well landscaped, they did have some scheduled activities, and the pool looked sparkling clean. The cabin we stayed in was very nice, and set back into the woods along a small river and with good access to hiking trails. The camper cabins looked brand new, and I spoke to a family staying in one and they really liked it. My friends son loved the fishing, swimming, and meeting other kids to play with. The campground was not noisy for the size, and though it was large and nearly full everything was nice and all the campers respectful of each others space. Ithaca is not far for activities and supplies, and there are many local state parks that are easy to get to. I would rather camp right in a state park but this would be a great alternative especially for folks with RVs

  • Rachel C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 30, 2025

    Hickories Park Campground

    Great location

    Beautiful park - some road noise from 17c. Sites are spacious

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 16, 2025

    Pine Crest Campground

    Great place

    Nice private campground. Host was very generous. Used Coin operated laundry facilities. Full hookups for a reasonable price. Would return again.

  • EThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 1, 2025

    Watkins Glen State Park Campground

    Nice campground in a gorgeous state park.

    Nice pretty campground, only electric hookup for the RV sites, tho. The showers were cool, no hot water. Close to some gorgeous hiking tho! And town is about a mile away with shops, restaurants and on the edge of one of the Finger Lakes to make it beautiful!

  • Chelsea B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 27, 2025

    Robert H. Treman State Park Campground

    Good location

    Location: This park is close to Ithaca which was the best part. Trails and Natural Features: We loved the waterfall, swimming area (seasonal so closed when we stayed), and the fall colors. Sites: They have very few electric sites so we decided to boondock. It surprised me that all the full hookup sites were reserved but very people actually showed up for their reservations while we stayed. Lame. And heads up that if you don’t stay in the big clearing for big rigs, there are tight turns between trees to get in and out of the non-electric sites. We ended up making a back-in site into a pull-through site… whoops. Starlink: I work remotely so internet is important. We weren’t camping in the clearing because those sites were booked, but even the Starlink struggled where we were and I ended up working from the library in town. So heads up if you need internet. Bathrooms: They were spacious but older. Temperature in the showers was tricky. Hot is cold and cold it hot. Cool stuff: They had compost bins and provide bags for all campers. That’s cool!

  • c
    Sep. 25, 2025

    Salt Springs State Park Campground

    Worked for me

    I stayed in late September in one of the drive in spots. There were no other campers bc of the season- and it’s mid week. I love this park and it’s close to my house so I just wanted to crash there and wake up early to hike. It was quiet all night. The bathrooms are very far from tne sites and it was visible where some people had relieved themselves in the bushes. There is no potable water anywhere so bring some. I enjoyed it but during the on season or busy times tnere is zero privacy between sites other than sites 13 and 14. Def wouldn’t stay here during summer for that reason.

  • Mindie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 24, 2025

    Pinecreek Campground

    Overnight stay

    The campground is cute and quiet. Staff is friendly and helpful. My only complaint is the condition of the roads. They are in dire need of grading and new gravel. Be careful!


Guide to Towanda

The Towanda region sits nestled in Pennsylvania's northern tier, where the Susquehanna River winds through wooded hills and farmland at elevations ranging from 700 to 1,200 feet. Most camping spots near Towanda, Pennsylvania benefit from this rolling terrain, creating natural privacy between campsites. Cell service remains patchy throughout the region, with campers often needing to position themselves on higher ground to maintain connectivity.

What to do

Fishing access points: Pine Cradle Lake Family Campground offers catch-and-release fishing without requiring a Pennsylvania license. "The lakeside spots are gorgeous and the private dock is great when you have kids that love to fish. Get your reservations in early though weekends for lakeside sites are booked super fast!" notes reviewer Tracey.

Hiking trails: Worlds End State Park Campground features multiple marked trails directly accessible from the campground. "Campgrounds are connected to some very cool hiking paths, very well marked. Do not miss the chance to check out cottonwood falls. Completely stunning location," shares Kate J.

Water activities: Multiple campgrounds offer water recreation options, particularly during summer months. At Pioneer Campground, "We enjoyed fishing and kayaking in the lake, the heated pool and splash pad, spacious sites and clean amenities," according to Jake D.

What campers like

Disconnecting from technology: Many campsites in the Towanda area have limited connectivity, which campers often view positively. "If you are looking for a place to disconnect for a few days this is it. (There is very very little cell reception and only wifi if you pay for it). We had to put our phones and devices down and just relax," writes a Pine Cradle Lake camper.

Cooler temperatures: Ricketts Glen State Park Campground and other higher-elevation sites provide relief during hot summer months. As one Pioneer Campground reviewer notes, "When it is brutally hot, this Campground is always cool. Large shaded sites that you don't feel like your right on top of the next camper."

Peaceful settings: Many camping areas near Towanda offer quiet surroundings away from highways. "It feels like you're in another world, or at least separated from the daily hassles and vexations of society, with a wall of a mountain between you and them," describes a Worlds End State Park visitor.

What you should know

Waterfront site reservations: Campsites along water require advance planning. One reviewer advises about Pine Cradle Lake: "The lakeside spots are gorgeous and the private dock is great when you have kids that love to fish... Get your reservations in early though weekends for lakeside sites are booked super fast!"

Limited amenities at tent sites: Riverside Acres Campground offers varying levels of hookups depending on site location. "Good tentable spaces on river. Second row has water/electric, shade trees and lawn frontage. Inland row has sewer hook ups and the bath house," explains Bruce H.

Shower facilities vary: Bathhouses differ significantly between campgrounds and even within loops. A Worlds End State Park camper notes: "Bathrooms are clean, but only one shower (at least in Loop B). Also a tip- the sites are down the road from the Office, so I recommend arriving during daylight hours."

Tips for camping with families

Private swimming areas: Lake Front Campsite provides access to a motor-free lake ideal for children.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a state park in Towanda for camping?

While there isn't a state park directly in Towanda, several excellent state parks with camping facilities are within driving distance. Salt Springs State Park Campground is maintained by the Friends of Salt Springs group and offers camping options. Hills Creek State Park Campground is another nearby option featuring well-maintained facilities, clean bathrooms, and lakefront sites perfect for nature lovers. These parks provide access to hiking, fishing, and kayaking opportunities within a reasonable drive from Towanda.

Where are the campgrounds near Towanda, PA?

Several campgrounds are located within driving distance of Towanda, PA. Riverside Acres Campground is a modestly sized campground situated along a river where you can fish and watch eagles. For those willing to drive a bit further, Tompkins is located just off US 15 at the New York border with paved roads and parking pads. Other nearby options include Pine Cradle Lake Family Campground near Rome, Salt Springs State Park Campground, and Ives Run, which offers lakefront primitive sites.

What types of camping are available near Towanda?

The Towanda area offers diverse camping experiences to suit various preferences. Worlds End State Park Campground provides traditional campground experiences with hiking trails and creek access, though sites vary in size. For RV enthusiasts, Pine Cradle Lake Family Campground offers gated access with full hookup sites. Those seeking more primitive experiences can explore free backcountry sites at Loyalsock State Forest (permit required) or the primitive sites at Ives Run with water access. The region also features modern cabin rentals at several state parks for those wanting more comfort.