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Best Tent Camping near Towanda, PA

520 Reviews

Loyalsock State Forest offers several primitive tent campsites within a 30-minute drive of Towanda, Pennsylvania. The forest's Rock Run Road, Slab Run Road, Dry Run Road, and Yellow Dog Road campsites all accommodate tent camping with basic amenities. Riverside Acres Campground, located directly in Towanda along the Susquehanna River, provides dedicated tent sites with river access. Oh! Pear Orchards, approximately 20 miles east of Towanda, features walk-in tent sites situated along a stream. Lawrence Recreation Area near Tioga, about 45 miles northwest of Towanda, offers tent-only camping with picnic tables and electric hookups in a lakeside setting.

Most tent campsites in the Towanda region feature natural, ungraded surfaces with minimal site preparation. Loyalsock State Forest campsites include fire rings and picnic tables but require campers to bring their own water. Riverside Acres provides drinking water and toilet facilities, with riverfront tent sites on natural surfaces. Sites at Oh! Pear Orchards require a short walk from the parking area, with carts available to transport gear. Reservations are recommended for Riverside Acres and Oh! Pear Orchards, while some forest sites may be first-come, first-served. Seasonal considerations include potential spring flooding along the Susquehanna and limited winter access to higher-elevation forest sites.

Tent campers at Riverside Acres benefit from direct river access, with sites positioned approximately 200 meters from the broad Susquehanna River. According to reviews, the riverfront tent sites offer good shade from trees and spacious areas for setting up camp. One visitor noted that Riverside Acres provides "good tentable spaces on river" with opportunities to watch eagles fishing and enjoy moonlight reflecting on the water. At Oh! Pear Orchards, campers reported peaceful streamside sites with "the best fire pits" and "just enough shade to stay cool." The walk-in nature of these sites contributes to their quieter atmosphere compared to drive-in campgrounds. Lawrence Recreation Area offers tent camping with lake views, which visitors described as peaceful with "amazing driftwood" and good kayaking opportunities.

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Best Tent Sites Near Towanda, Pennsylvania (19)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Towanda, PA

16 Photos of 19 Towanda Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Towanda, PA

520 Reviews of 19 Towanda Campgrounds

  • Janet R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 29, 2024

    Salt Springs State Park Campground

    Unique park with unique natural features

    This park is technically a “state park” because the land for it was donated to the state for public use. However, once the state became the official stewards, there werent funds in the state budget to maintain it as a park. A lical group, the Friends of Salt Springs, stepped up and offered to maintain the park with funds raised by their group. The result is a small but unique property open to the public for day use (picnicking and hiking and fishing) along with 2 small rustic campgrounds. One campground has a large open mowed grassy meadow with level sites for car camping or small campers, no hookups are available but each site has a fire ring and picnic table. On the other side of the parks trout stream are seven secluded primitive hike-in tent sites along with three basic camper cabins. The Friends of Salt Springs makes a good effort to maintain these two rustic campgrounds, however it seems there isnt a ranger on site at night so a camper said the meadow campground can get a little noisy some nights. The hike in sites are relatively quiet and secluded though, and are positioned nicely along the stream, one site actually adjacent to a good swimming hole.

    The camper cabins are basic with bunks, bring all your own gear. They are fairly new and have electricity but no water or heat.

    On the grounds in the day use area are picnic spits, a pavilion, and an activity barn. When I was there, the barn was featuring a local quilt show.

    The special aspect of this park are the hiking trails through old growth hemlock forest, said to be the largest hemlocks in Pennsylvania. The trout stream also cascades through some some waterfalls, and there are gorges with unique geology.

    There is a village nearby with limited supplies, you may want to stock up on groceries before heading out to this somewhat remote park. There is, however, a local brewery, plus an odd coffee shop featuring both donuts and ammo, an unusual combination…..

  • Sophie D.
    Oct. 5, 2016

    Watkins Glen State Park Campground

    Friendly, beautiful, and well organized

    I ended a two-day backpacking trek through the Finger Lakes National Forest at Watkins Glen. After grunting all the way up the long hill to the campground, I checked in with a wonderful and helpful employee. She gave me all the information about the campground and park that I could ever want, and then we laughed a little about the antics of young husky mixes (I had my dog with me on the hike). The campground is dog-friendly, provided that you have a current rabies certificate and keep him/her on leash.

    I stayed at a tent site, which has no electricity. RV sites, which cost a little more, provide electric hookups. My camp site and all the neighboring ones were clean. Water from spigots is easily accessible, as are showers and toilets.

    The campground is situated walking distance from the main attractions of the park; during the summer, a large swimming pool is a popular place to hang out with family. Hiking trails parallel the creek with beautiful falls. I was disappointed to find that dogs are not allowed on the Gorge Trail, which is closest to all of the falls.

    All in all, I loved this campground. It was a very relaxing place to spend the night.

  • Amy R.
    Jul. 16, 2019

    Pine Cradle Lake Family Campground

    RV/tent campground in a beautiful setting

    This is a gated campground that we stayed at 6/30/19-7/04/19. We are NOT an RV. We own a Napier tent that hooks to our truck so that we can sleep up in the bed. However, due to it being a holiday week, the tent sites were completely booked and they only have 4(which also have water& electric). 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. They let us book an RV site and it was rough setting up on a gravel RV site but we understood that we were not within a normal tent element and placed an extra tarp under the tent. The campground is located at the top of some beautiful and scenic driving through farmland in Pennsylvania and you will be 30 minutes from anything like shopping or small town amenities(we drove to Walmart after setting up to get our perishables since we drive up from Virginia). Our site had water and electric, was a drive through spot for a typical RV with a section to the side of the drive through for the fire pit and picnic table. We were located right next to the shower/bathrooms/playground and had some tree coverage and shade. A lot of the RVs in the campground are permanent sites and our neighbors never showed so we had a quiet buffer but it was not a noisy campground. It appeared that they cleaned the bathrooms twice daily and we were impressed with the cleanliness of the bathroom/showers. There were 4 in the building so we never had to wait. The staff were friendly and helpful. They had a store right next to the pool area that offered common items and RV'er might need with a small grocery area as well which included bundles of wood($6 honor system after hours) and Ice($1.78 per bag). We were allowed to run an account which we paid at the end of our stay. Our campsite was required to be paid at check in. The campground is 18 acres with gravel roads, a sports field, fishing, horse shoes, bocce ball, multiple playgrounds, a rec center with some games, claw machines etc. a splash pad and salt water pool. You will be doing a lot of walking or bring your bicycles like we did. They offer scheduled activities for holidays etc and various weekend activities. You can rent non electric boats and they offer catch& release fishing without a PA license in the lake. My son caught 2 sunfish :) They have guidelines for visitors and quiet hours(my cousin came to visit us in the evenings as she lived close by). We enjoyed camping here even if we were on an RV site. We booked site 211 which had the little bit of tree coverage and was located right next to the showers/bathrooms/playground with a quick walk to the lake for fishing. Most of the other available sites in the road ahead of us had no tree coverage but closer to the lake had more trees and shade. OR, just get an actual tent site :) but they are all the way at the back of the campground, furthest from the lake so I actually preferred our site.

  • T
    Aug. 18, 2022

    Ricketts Glen State Park Campground

    Impromptu trip that we don’t regret!

    This trip was a bit impromptu so we assume most of the good sites were picked over. The site we stayed at was the perfect size for two people, not the biggest site in the campground but we had a bit of a buffer between our neighbors so we weren’t on top of other people. We were located at a bit heavily trafficked area because we were near the entrance of the campground and the restrooms. The state park was beautiful and had a lot of things to do. I recommend doing the Falls trail and to get onto Lake Jean. They have a concessions by Lake Jean that doesn’t only sell food and drinks but some ice and bundle of wood. Definitely bring a hammer because it’s near impossible to stake down your tent by hand because the turf is hard. Would definitely come again and do the primitive group camp option if I can. No cell service (Verizon) but if you drive 10 miles north up towards Lopez we were able to get a signal. This was a nice way to end summer!

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 17, 2019

    Ricketts Glen State Park Campground

    Waterfalls!!

    The biggest draw to this state park (which no one in Pennsylvania I spoke with seemed to know about) is the 22 waterfalls! We saw 18 of them on a four-mile moderate hike, but if you want to see the additional four, you could make it a seven-mile hike. The trails are very well marked. 

    We stayed in the large loop, which is a peninsula on Lake Jean. Many of the sites have lake views. The bathhouse was clean but not adequate for 73 sites. The campground was about ¾ full and there was often a wait in the bathroom. Showers looked reasonable but I did not use them.

    There were many tent campers in this loop, which does not allow pets (the other, smaller loop does allow pets). There are no hookups at all in the park. The water had been tested earlier in the season and unsafe levels of manganese were detected. All water spigots were shut off and covered but we were told it was safe to wash our dishes and brush our teeth. However, the water for the dishwashing sink was turned off as well as the water in the restroom at the trailhead. Since we had a reservation, we received a phone call in advance of our stay letting us know about this.

    There are trails to the beach, but we woke to rain the next morning, so we did not explore this. 

    One trash/recycle area a distance away from the campsites which seems typical for PA state parks. Alcohol is strictly forbidden– we were warned that if a ranger saw any alcohol outside of our vehicle, we would be cited. Quiet hours are 9 pm– 8 am, which is more restrictive than other state parks, however, some did not observe these quiet hours (a guitar-playing singing camper thought he was talented, but I disagree!)

  • Jackie F.
    Aug. 22, 2021

    Frances Slocum State Park Campground

    Good stay, great site!

    The goods: We had site 44 in the Stony Point loop and it was by far the largest campsite on the property. We had a thick covered wooded area to our right and a huge grassy area to the left. Was also an easy back in site as there’s an adjacent road (to parking and the amphitheater) right in front of it. All sites only have electric and only certain allow pets. Dump station had easy access and bathrooms, weren’t great but wasn’t the worst I’ve seen either.

    The not so good: mosquitoes and ticks can ruin a good trip, come prepared! Others in the campground were not honoring the quiet hours rules or the no alcohol rules. Some guy walked right in front of our site and threw up in a wooded area close by. Around the lake people leave their fishing bait and tackle on the ground so please be careful with your pups! Also, DO NOT take your pups to the water. There is a weird bacteria or algae currently growing in the lake, it’s completely visible. There are advisories around about it too.

  • Jennifer F.
    May. 10, 2020

    Worlds End State Park Campground

    Great campground

    I've been coming here every year for a while now. Overall, it has everything you'd want in a campground. They have one of the cleanest bathrooms I've seen yet while camping. The campsites are a good size. Certain sites have more privacy than others, I'd recommend the higher loop if you can. However, some of the sites on the lower loop are close to the road but the road noise isn't too bad. They have designated sites for pets. There are also primitive free sites that are first come first serve. In the colder months, they even have cabins you can rent out. Plenty of hiking and swimming nearby. We always hit up the Forksville General Store for breakfast before we leave. The food is sooo good. I recommend getting the sausage links. Also, the stars are incredible here! I usually come in the fall in October/early November. It's my favorite time to come because it's not extremely packed with campers and the leaves are beautiful. If you come in the fall, make sure you bring a cold weather sleeping bag or heater because the temp does drop. Seriously, a great campground you wont be disappointed!

  • Craig F.
    Jul. 9, 2019

    Ricketts Glen State Park Campground

    Great Hikes but RR conditions lacking

    Ricketts Glen State Park has amazing waterfall lined hikes and recreational lake activities. 

    The campground is comparable to many PA State Parks with a variety of different sized sites, some very close& small and some more private. There are no hook-ups in the campground. While Ricketts Glen has a lot to offer, the repeated conditions of the restrooms/bathhouses throughout the campground will be a deterrent in the future. The bathhouses were not maintained throughout the weekend and were very filthy by Saturday evening. Since there are no hookups, the number of bathhouses to camping sites is significantly lacking. Be aware that PA State park campgrounds are alcohol free and quiet hours start at 9:00PM.

  • C
    Jul. 11, 2018

    Ricketts Glen State Park Campground

    Beautiful waterfalls; large lake; great campsites

    I love this campground and have stayed there in both the summer and the Fall. We kayak on the lake ( our own kayaks, but at a beginner level). The Falls Trail is challenging and beautiful, especially in Autumn, and can also be accessed with appropriate ice gear during the Winter. We love to tent camp and choose campsites by the lake. It is a State Park; it’s clean; I feel safe. No alcohol.

Guide to Towanda

Tent camping near Towanda, Pennsylvania provides access to both riverfront sites and forested backcountry options within the Endless Mountains region. The area receives approximately 42 inches of annual precipitation, with summer temperatures averaging 68-85°F and winter lows frequently dropping below freezing. Primitive camping opportunities range from designated forest sites to walk-in tent pads with varying levels of privacy and natural buffers between sites.

What to do

Lakeside kayaking: Lawrence Recreation Area offers calm waters ideal for paddling. "Had a great few days here camped in RV next to lake. Amazing driftwood to be had. Good kayaking. Peaceful. Trees," noted Rebecca E. in her review of Lawrence Recreation Area.

Bird watching: The Susquehanna River corridor provides excellent wildlife viewing opportunities, particularly for birds of prey. At Riverside Acres Campground, the broad river attracts various species. "Eagles fish here. You can too," notes camper Bruce H., adding that the river in front of first-row sites is 200 meters broad.

Explore local farms: Several campgrounds are situated near agricultural operations. Oh! Pear Orchards combines camping with sustainable farming practices. Ashley F. mentions, "Within a half-hour of the campsites are the Merli-Sarnoski Park and the Lackawanna and Salt Springs State Parks—which offer hiking, fishing and other outdoor activities."

What campers like

Fire ring quality: Campers frequently mention the exceptional fire pits at Oh! Pear Orchards. Heather T. specifically highlights "the best fire pits" among the features that made this "one of our favorite spots" after camping throughout the US.

Scenic vistas: Higher elevation campgrounds provide panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. At Belden Hill Campgrounds, Tim W. notes, "Great views of the mts," while Michelle S. states, "The views for the pull through weekender sites are to die for."

Water proximity: Many campers value the ability to camp near moving water. Heather T. describes Oh! Pear Orchards as having "campsites next to a beautiful stream" with a "magical setting," while sites at Riverside Acres offer direct views of the Susquehanna River.

What you should know

Tent site accessibility: Several campgrounds require additional effort to reach tent sites. At Oh! Pear Orchards, Heather T. explains, "It is a short walk in to the sites, but there is a cart provided which made it pretty easy. The hosts also offer valet service to your site."

Variable amenities: Loyalsock State Forest primitive sites lack facilities like drinking water and toilets, while established campgrounds typically offer more services. At Gardner Hill Campground, Avery R. describes it as "No frills but very comfy and nice views."

Seasonal considerations: Many campgrounds in the region operate seasonally. Belden Hill Campgrounds runs from April 1 to October 30, according to their listing, and Jennifer K. mentions visiting "just off season during our trip so sadly we didn't get to try the ice cream."

Tips for camping with families

Recreational options: Look for campgrounds with additional activities. At Belden Hill, Jennifer K. recommends, "Great at&t service. Fantastic animal preserve zoo nearby which is a must visit. Pretty golf course with full bar and food right across the street."

Site selection: For family camping, prioritize campgrounds with spacious sites and natural boundaries. Heather T. describes Hillside Campgrounds as having "lots of wide, open undeveloped space" that worked well for their "family of 4."

Connectivity concerns: Internet access varies widely among campgrounds. Jennifer K. notes about Belden Hill, "Full hook ups and wifi but wifi wasn't working too well. Good enough for web surfing on phone but no streaming on TV."

Tips from RVers

Access considerations: Some campgrounds accommodate larger vehicles better than others. Tim W. reports, "Stayed in 38ft motorhome" at Belden Hill Campgrounds, adding, "Pull thru full hookup, level, spacious. Room for pop up canopy and games."

Weather impacts: The region's precipitation can affect site conditions. Tim W. noted, "Unfortunately we were there after a lot of rain from the hurricane, site was wet but useable, not their fault."

Facility quality: Cleanliness and maintenance standards vary. John P. shared his experience at Belden Hill: "Very nice couple, mostly older campers in year round RV's. Very quiet, good showers, very clean. I recommend and I will return."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Towanda, PA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Towanda, PA is Riverside Acres Campground with a 3-star rating from 2 reviews.

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