Best Cabin Camping near Vanderbilt, PA

From white water kayaking and guided rafting trips, natural waterslides, to hiking and biking trails - this park has it all! This beautiful park has something to offer for everyone. The campground is nice with several camping options such as tent, camper, yurt and cabin rentals. They also have hot showers, electric options, and pet friendly areas. They have several seasonal events and festivals that are fun for the whole family. Must respect quiet hours here, rangers patrol frequently. For those who want to have a good time and be noisy and share some adult beverages Scarlett Knob campground May be a better option.

We booked this state park last minute to go away for memorial day weekend. We were not sure what to expect but were pleasantly Surprise. It's a beautiful park with hundreds of campsites and amazing lake and huge swimming beach area bike rentals boat rentals hiking trails and you can even see some very Old groupcamping cabins. They even have some very adorable cottages for rent.

I stay in MD State Parks many nights a year, and I probably have the most nights spent in New Germany. It feels like another world. Towering ancient hemlocks, a lake, historic buildings, and miles of meticulously maintained trails. In the summer come to hike, fish, and swim in the lake. Winter offers snowshoeing and cross country skiing (rentals on site). There is even a huge round fireplace to warm yourself up in the lodge. Camp sites are small, and the road is tight, but they aren’t packed in close together. No hookups, but bathrooms are adequate and clean. If you are a cabin person the selection here is incredible. The historic cabins are the star of the show. Also, come for zero cell service (there is a pay phone!). Do not skip over this park for your next adventure.

Booked a cabin for thanksgiving and it was almost entirely empty but for the other couple cabins. Snow on the ground and the Canton Falls hike was super busy. The outdoor sink has been removed (freeze prep I imagine) which was the only trouble we had. Our first cabin experience was otherwise excellent. So many stars were visible on clear nights. Weekend hunting could be heard every morning. If we needed a supply the camp store was open 8-4 with minor provisions but small towns were about 25 minutes away. Not super far from Deep Creek so we may try again in warmer weather.

We met with friends from Pittsburgh here, they visit often and consider this a hidden gem. We enjoyed the waterfront camping and snowshoeing. We got a site by the water and with good tree cover. They also have cabins but we were just in a tent (I don’t know if the cabins are open all year). Great place to camp for simple beauty.

My family stayed in one of the cabins while friends were in their campers. The cabin was great, very clean and cozy. The campgrounds are very nice they have a pool as well as a community building and camp store. We had 8 kids and 8 adults who all had a blast playing on the playground, floating down the creek, swimming in the pool, riding bicycles etc. All in all we will definitely be returning

There are many tent sites at this location, as well as RV lodging.  There is a pond you can swim and or fish at.  There are both, modern and rustic cabins to rent.  The rustic cabin has a double bunk, stove and fireplace but no running water or shower or sink.  There is a shower house a short walk away.  the modern cabin is 3 bedrooms with microwave, shower, sink, relax room....there is also the Klaer Lodge built by park enthusiasts in the late 60's made of stone and can accomadate over 50 people.  All made of stone, as 20+ bunk beds upstairs -- huge facility.

There are XC trails, an old school house and even a stage for the weekend music series performances.  Dog friendly as long as on a leash and a little shop where you check in and get necessary supplies, wood bundles...etc..very fun place.

We have NOT stayed in or photographed the cabins at Herrington Manor state park, but I wanted to provide some photos of the lake and a brief review of the park and facilities as we’ve been there several times.

This lake (the main attraction of the state park) is one of my husband’s favorite fishing spots, especially on the kayaks. Even if you’re not kayaking, it’s just a beautiful place to spend an afternoon. The few times that we’ve visited, we’ve caught a bunch of chain pickerel, panfish, and a few bass. A few summers ago, there was a bald eagle nest on the far side of the lake and you could see them circling and hunting every once in a while. There is a really great beach area for the kids (or adults!) to play at, and a general over-abundance of creatures in and around the lake. There are TONS of salamanders along the shore, literally clouds of tadpoles near the launch docks (if you time it during the right part of the year of course), and the ranger showed us where a couple of snakes were currently making their homes near the main building.

The main park building on the lake itself is great, with clean restrooms, a food concession and small store with HM souvenir items, boat rentals with safety vests, and a cozy little viewing room with seating, a view of the lake, and a huge fireplace in the middle. We’ve never visited HM in the winter, but I’m sure it’s awfully cozy when that thing is roaring.

We love this area, and if we ever end up staying in the cabins (which sound like a great deal), I’ll post another review - we love it so much we come back down every other year or so. It’s beautiful!

It has it all.. primitive sites and cabins. Hiking, biking, rafting, kyaking and canoeing, fishing, etc.

General: Large campground in four loops with a variety of sites ranging from tent-only, 30-amp electric, 50-amp electric, and 30/50-amp electric, along with eight camper cabins. 

Site Quality: All sites are gravel; most appeared level, but some did not. All sites are wooded but some have more separation than others. Our site backed up to the creek but surprisingly, there was not a lot of water flowing in the spring, 

Bath/Shower house: Basic and dated, but reasonably clean. Did not use the shower.

Activities/Amenities: Many include fishing, swimming, boating, bicycling, hiking, geocaching, and hunting. The lake is separate from the campground, but it is less than a mile away and a reasonable distance walk. There is also a playground, volleyball, shuffleboard, and a large picnic area at the end of one of the loops. Bike and boat rentals are available in the summer season; the season was set to open the day after we left so aside from hiking, we could not avail ourselves of any of the activities (and my husband had a foot injury so even hiking was out for us). There are also laundry facilities, but I did not check these out. 

We were surprised that just a few days before Memorial Day, only a handful of sites were occupied. We’ve been very impressed by the pristine conditions of many Pennsylvania state parks, but this one had a more rustic feel and had not been modernized. Fleeting cell at best on Verizon.

I've rented cabins up here, biked, hiked, and swam! So exciting and such friendly people and great food everytime!

Swallow Falls has a great loop trail where you see four waterfalls. You can walk to the loop from the campground. It ma be adds a third of a mile to the hike. 

We stayed in cabin 58, which has a short, easy path to the bathhouse and even shorter to the mud sink. This was very handy when traveling with two young kids. Prior to going, I wished I could have seen the inside of the cabins, particularly to know how big the mini fridge was. I couldn't find any pictures, so here they are.

It is a one-room cabin, was impressively clean, and the beds were very cozy. There are blackout curtains on the windows, so we slept late and it was glorious. There is one small window in the door that does not have a curtain. I taped aluminum foil up over it.

Each bed had a mattress pad on it when we arrived, as pictured. One minor note is that the bunk bed mattresses seem to be a bit too big for the bunk beds. This caused them to not lay perfectly flat and also made me feel uncomfortable having my roly-poly kids sleep on the top bunk, where there were only a couple inches between the mattress and the top of the railing.

I have Verizon and could make calls, but could not reliably send or receive text messages and there was no data access.

Great park. Great cabin. Great stay.

The cabins were exactly what we needed. Cheap, easy to reserve, and ability to have a nice fire outside. Great park with beautiful falls!

Nice little park& campground. Very Clean, cozy and quiet, except for the road noise. Right off Route 31, minutes from I-76 makes it a very convenient place to stop along your travels. Bathrooms are clean, grounds very well kept. The park area is lovely, but the lake is currently very low. Trout stocked but I wouldn’t count on fishing here right now. Short walking trail along a creek. Very lovely cabins and cabin areas and tent sites. RV sites are small but adequate and most are pull though. Honestly some of the best attention and details we’ve seen at a state park. We would stay again.  We stayed at site 12E and site 1E.  Be aware that site 1E is not very level on pull through gravel surface.

Thisis s very nice park with primitive, powered and cabin sites available. The falls are available via a short trail from the camping area. Camping here also gets you accessto the Herington Manor area also.

My family has been camping here for generations. There are charming rustic cabins, toilets and showers nearby. Outdoor spigots for water. They’re all right next to a shady crick, near a sliding rock, and some nice hikes. Great spot for kids.

Great place to camp at the staff is the best. They will go out of there way to help guests. The cabin and sites are clean and the grounds are well maintained. They have actives for the kids and the pool is great.

We stayed in a Ranger Smith Cabin in the upper campground. I give this 3 stars because I'm a state park camper at heart: I prefer more room between sites,  more relaxation and nature when camping. But your kids will love it here: two pools, splashgrounds, fire truck rides, arcades, meeting Yogi and friends, nightly movies...the list goes on. Be prepared for an endless parade of golf carts during your stay. We were underwhelmed by the expensive cabin as it had dorm room furniture and uncomfortable beds. The walk-in tent sites were in a hilly area without pavilions, but reservable tent sites in the lower campground had pavilions and more level ground. This is a great base camp for exploring area attractions in the Laurel Highlands such as Idlewild,  Fort Necessity and the beautiful Ohiopyle State Park. If you go to Idlewild, then stop by Gino's pizza in Ligonier; order the sampler pizza (includes pierogi,  taco, white and margherita)--you won't be disappointed.

Kooser State Park sits on the border of Forbes State Forest in the Laurel Highlands. It has a mix of camper & tent sites around a central clearing, and offers a few cabins. There is a central bathroom with showers, flush toilets and a sink to wash your dishes.

This park is extremely popular for its waterfalls, and access to the mighty Youghiogheny river with its world class white water. This park has a nice campground but no hookups. Cabins are also very nice and well kept. There is lots of trail access and the “Rock Maze” in the state forest a few miles from here is a fun afternoon.

We love this park! We have camped and stayed in a camper cabin. We love camping in the trees that provide some privacy. At night time, the owls hoot away. The bathhouses are pretty good, not the best but are always clean. I like that the campground is dog friendly, but didn’t realize the park is not. The waterfall trails are beautiful and a sight to explore. Definitely recommend this park!

This park is just down the road from the much more popular Swallow Falls. But other than the falls, this park has everything the other does, and even a lake. Most come here for the cabins. They are very nice, and easier to get a reservation here than the more popular parks. There is access to endless trails in the State Forest, and good fishing in the lake.