Pennsylvania's Blue Mountains create natural boundaries around many rv campgrounds near Tower City, Pennsylvania. Located in the eastern section of Pennsylvania's ridge and valley region, the area has elevation changes of 800-1,200 feet that create challenging terrain for larger vehicles. Winter camping options are limited with temperatures regularly dropping below freezing from December through February.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: 5 miles from I-81 at Twin Grove RV Resort, which has "a pond to fish from, a dog park for your furry friend to play at and a few playgrounds for the kids." Another camper mentioned that "the campground sits in the center of a horseshoe curve of the river, bring tubes and kayaks!" at Thousand Trails Circle M.
Local cultural experiences: Visit Amish communities near Thousand Trails PA Dutch Country. "Not much for amenities, but I loved the surrounding dutch/Amish towns! It was pretty cool to seemingly step back in time," notes one reviewer. The campground is situated about 40 minutes from Tower City in an area where you'll regularly see horse-drawn buggies.
Family activities: Water recreation at Spring Gulch Resort Campground where "heated spa/pool in upper area are a bonus. Lots of sports gear available for free to use within park, has to be returned by 5 when main office closes." Lake-In-Wood Campground features "a big lawn in the middle which rolls down to the lake" and activities like hayrides around the grounds.
What campers like
Clean facilities: Many campgrounds maintain high standards for restrooms. At Pinch Pond Family Campground, reviewers appreciate that "the bathhouses were heated, and okay" and note "super-clean and well-kept restrooms with convenient dishwashing stations." Another camper mentioned "clean bathrooms and showers" at Sun Valley Campground.
Family entertainment options: Campgrounds offer structured activities for children. "They had a chicken dinner. It was actually very good. We experienced the hayride around the campground," reports one camper at Lake-In-Wood Campground. Another notes, "they had Halloween ever at every weekend of October and we spent Halloween weekend here. The kids loved it!!"
Swimming pools: Multiple locations maintain pool facilities with extended hours. "The pool was very nice and refreshing. I liked how the kid area wrapped around and connected to the deeper end," mentioned a camper at Robin Hill Campground. At Pinch Pond, "unlike most campgrounds, the pool stayed open pretty late so that was a huge bonus for me."
What you should know
Road noise levels vary significantly: Sites near highways experience considerable traffic sounds. At Appalachian Camping Resort, a camper noted "VERY loud noise from the Interstate. Our campsite is number 86, unkempt." Similarly, at Pinch Pond, "you're not going to get away from all of that highway traffic noise."
Site leveling challenges: Many campgrounds have uneven terrain requiring significant adjustments. "The sites are pretty uneven," reported a camper about Thousand Trails Hershey, while another noted at Robin Hill that "our site was a bear to park in but once situated we were very happy."
Seasonal operations: Most campgrounds follow similar schedules. "Check in is as 3pm, we showed up at 2:45 after a 7 hr drive and they made us pay $15 extra," notes one Appalachian Camping Resort camper. Many facilities have reduced services during spring and fall shoulder seasons with pools typically open only from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Tips for camping with families
Playground accessibility: Choose sites near play areas for convenience. At Twin Grove RV Resort, "the playgrounds are great and well-maintained with seemingly new equipment." Another camper noted about Appalachian, "the playground was luckily right across from us up on the hill."
Organized activities: Look for scheduled events that provide entertainment. "We happened to be there on the weekend a magician came, my kids loved it," notes a camper about Thousand Trails Circle M. Another mentioned that Twin Grove "accommodates a large family reunion with plenty of space."
Noise considerations: Some areas have unexpected sound issues. At Pinch Pond, "there's a shooting range near the property, so at all hours you will hear target practice going on, especially in the wee early hours." Another noted that Spring Gulch has a "near by Gun Range can be annoying and tough on pets."
Tips from RVers
Site selection strategy: For better privacy, choose specific areas within each campground. At Thousand Trails Hershey, "the campground itself is very tight, cramped, and hard to navigate. The sites are so small that many tow vehicles have to park partially on the narrow access roads making it difficult to get in and out of with a big rig." Another camper suggests at Pinch Pond to select "sites #102–120, again, in the far rear or sites #308–317 along Angler's Way."
Hookup quality varies: Water and electrical services differ between locations. "Water pressure is pretty low and the sewer pipe is a little high but all around a really solid experience," reports a camper at Thousand Trails PA Dutch Country. Another noted at Robin Hill that "many sites were trashy and their rigs very dirty!"
Satellite and cell reception: Tree coverage affects connectivity at most locations. "Definitely got lucky with site F03 for Starlink. The rest of the campground has a lot of tree cover," notes a Thousand Trails PA Dutch Country camper. At Pinch Pond, "WiFi service (at a cost)" is available, while Sun Valley has "excellent cell and gateway service. Cell is AT&T and our gateway is T-Mobile."
