Best Tent Camping near Vanderbilt, PA

Recent Tent Reviews near Vanderbilt, Pennsylvania

487 Reviews of 18 Vanderbilt Campgrounds

• 

  Kevin C.

  Ranger

  

  Feb. 25, 2024

  Yough Lake Campground at Tub Run

  Nice place to stay near Ohiopyle

  My wife and I tent camped here for a weekend to go rafting. The whole campground sits in kind of a valley along a creek running into the reservoir. It's kind of spread out but seemed nice. Our tent sites were very nice sitting on raised mounds so you would stay fairly dry if it rained. It looks like it may have been a state park at one time, judging by the layout and bathrooms. Not a bad camp at all.

• 

  Indy A.

  Traveler

  

  Dec. 25, 2021

  Donegal Campground

  Small and close to the road

  Campground owners were very nice and helpful. We went there for tent camping and were directed to the very top part of the property. The tent sites are in a large open field with sites around the perimeter of the field.

  The campground is situated right off of the main road so the road noise can be an issue if it bothers you. We personally, didn't sleep well because of the road noise.

  The campground is pet friendly, even for our bully breed, whom is a gentle giant. That was one kf the reasons that we chose this campground.

• 

  Elena J.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 12, 2022

  Scarlett Knob Campground

  beautiful but needs work

  This campground is very nice for tent camping and roof top tent camping. There’s a fishing pond and a huge rec field. Some camp sites have more privacy than others. The only thing that I was unimpressed with was the bathrooms/showers. I felt dirtier after showering ..

• D

  Denise P.

  Traveler

  

  May. 16, 2018

  Kentuck Campground — Ohiopyle State Park

  Great area

  Ohiopyle is located in a beautiful area of Pennsylvania we've camped there a couple of times and have been able to get last minute tent sites. Lots of outdoor activities nearby.

• 

  Brandon O.

  Scout

  

  May. 25, 2022

  Kooser State Park Campground — Kooser State Park

  Tent sites are nicely secluded

  I love this park, and for tent camping, I think this is one of the best. Their tent camping sites are a very good distance from other sites, so you feel much more secluded. Nothing bothers me more than when I have to set up my tent 15 feet away from someone else's that I don't even know. This park does not jam you in like others do, they give you the space you need to enjoy it the best way possible. Love this place!

• 

  Timothy M.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 9, 2018

  Quemahoning Family Recreation Area

  Swimming, fishing, biking, hiking

  On the lake. Good private tent sites in the woods.Rv sites too.

• 

  Joanne H.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 9, 2020

  Fox Den Acres Campground

  Awesome

  Awesome owners,quiet place to relax. Tent site was nice and conveniently located next to the bathhouse

• A

  Abra L.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 31, 2019

  Big Bear Lake Camplands

  Great place for quiet and fun. Place you can find community and solitude.

  Privately owned. Golf carts for rent. Fabulous mtb trail network - worth paying for a pass to ride. Beautiful tent camping...mossy but not too buggy. Bring your own toilet paper.

• 

  Bradley B.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 23, 2020

  Scarlett Knob Campground

  You get what you pay for

  We spent a couple nights here tent camping.

  Pros: It’s very cheap and rustic. The sites are pretty spread out and full of trees. So for tent camping it is fantastic. Each site feels very private and the atmosphere is great. The store is quirky and cool and the staff were very pleasant.

  Cons:

  Facilities are not kept up so they are dirty and need some love. There is one spot with a flushable toilet and it’s a bit of a walk. The pit toilets are actually pretty ok. The showers could use some TLC as well. Also there is no hand soap in any bathroom (so b.y.o.s)

  Overall it’s great if you know you are roughing it with some luxuries. We really enjoyed are stay.

• 

  Indy A.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 24, 2022

  Tall Oaks Campground

  Private mini getaway

  There are a LOT of sites to choose from. They offer tent sites, van life/electric sites, RV sites, pavilions and even field sites for huge groups (75 people). The stargazing opportunities are amazing here. We stayed in a tent site and they accommodate up to 10 people, so they are very large. Our site was secluded enough to have privacy, which is what our goal was.

  The owners are very friendly and personable. The campground is dog friendl, which is always a plus. They just added a disc golf course to the campground as well.

  We are already planning another trip back!

• L

  Laura

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 17, 2021

  Laurel Hill State Park Campground

  Forested State Park in the Laurel Highlands

  August 2020 Stay

  We camped for 1 night.  We chose site 102 because it looked decent in the picture and seemed a little apart and more private than other areas.  Unfortunately, it was not great for tent camping as there wasn't really a spot to set up our 4-person tent.  We squeezed it in by the fire pit, but if we had wanted to use the fire pit it would have been a fire hazard.  Elsewhere in the site it was rocky or uneven ground.

  Looking around the rest of the campground, the loop up near the cabins was a typical RV area with sites lined up with little privacy in between.  I would look at the other loops for our next tent-camping visit.

  We were hoping to do some hiking in the morning but got rained out.  However the trails looked nice and we hope to be back soon.

• 

  John C.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 18, 2023

  Yough Lake Campground at Tub Run

  Primarily RV camping

  Caters mostly to RVs & people with boats. The walk-to tent sites are mostly in an open grass field with some trees for shade but clear visibility to adjacent sites. Site 9A is a pleasant tent site with a bit more privacy & located along the creek. It is connected to 10A by a short little path & separated from 8A by a small grassy area. Thick vegetation around 9A & 10A with dense poison ivy encroaching on both camp sites. Seemed to be a periodic sewer gas smell, maybe from septic outfall or the RV dump station a little ways off. Camp store & staff were nice. Bathrooms were fine. Easy access to the lake & nearby marina.

• 

  Dale O.

  Traveler

  

  Apr. 29, 2020

  Kentuck Campground — Ohiopyle State Park

  Very nice campground

  I stayed in a tent site, but had friends that brought their 5th wheel camper. I had my son and nephew with and we all had a great time at both sites. I will definitely be back.

• 

  Dena L.

  Scout

  

  Apr. 26, 2022

  Fox Den Acres Campground

  Review for tent campers

  Mostly an RV campground, but several tent sites. Each site was very spacious and well shaded. Fire ring and table at each sight. Restroom were a short walk away. Firewood available for purchase. I would stay again.

• K

  Kathryn G.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 27, 2022

  Swallow Falls State Park Campground

  Great camping near falls

  Clean, beautiful and quiet (occasional barking dog or children playing loudly). The basic tent sites each have a picnic table, fire pit w/ grill, and lantern post. The trails to the beautiful falls are a short walk from the campgrounds.

• M

  Matthew D.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 3, 2020

  Laurel Hill State Park Campground

  A Pretty Typical Pennsylvania State Park Campground

  The pet loop mixes tent camping with RVs, which isn't our preference. The sites are arranged around a big field, which means many of them have no trees or shade. If you planned to hang a hammock at some of these sites, you would be in trouble.

  But it's a good park. They've got firewood at the contact station.

• M

  Matt R.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 20, 2019

  Kooser State Park Campground — Kooser State Park

  Park super small, some great sites hidden among some junk

  My son and I tent camped here in July to escape the head down in Pittsburgh.  Sits up high in the mountains close to 3000ft elevation.  Park and campground are very small and almost desolate during the week.  There is a main road nearby and you hear industrial trucks rolling by constantly.  There are some great private tent only wooded sites that sit above the main park of the campground so you really feel secluded.

• 

  not S.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 5, 2022

  Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Mill Run

  Kid Heaven

  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.

• 

  Jonathan B.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 6, 2016

  Kooser State Park Campground — Kooser State Park

  Small but fun

  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.

• C

  Candy

  Traveler

  

  Jan. 27, 2022

  Tall Oaks Campground

  Spacious and Quiet

  Very large tent site and surrounded by woods. Not close to your neighbor like most campgrounds. Peaceful! Van Life sites are tucked away in the woods for privacy. Open fields for large groups. A great place to relax and disconnect from the everyday hectic schedules, phones, computers, etc. It's close to many outdoor activities and historical places.

• 

  Simon S.

  Ranger

  

  Jan. 1, 2022

  Deep Creek Lake State Park Campground

  Deep Creek Lake is beautiful

  Camp site(Tent camping)

  Camp site was pretty small and close to each other. The forest where the camp site was situated was beautiful. We were lucky enough to witness a spectacular light show put up by thousands of fireflies at night.

  It is Maryland so watch out for poison ivy when walking through bushes.

  Facilities/ Amenities

  Bathrooms were clean.

  Surrounding area

  Walking distance to the huge beach / lake. The area was overcrowded but maintained well and clean.

• 

  Ian B.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 21, 2023

  Camp Sherwin

  Great for small family or camper

  Plenty to do with it’s ups and downs. Has a pool but it isn’t the cleanest and with small children you have to be within arms reach of them. Fine for one not so much with two. For 37 dollars a night you have check in at 3 and have to be checked out by 12. 5 dollars per hour before or after those times. The saving grace to this place is the back primitive tent site and the private beach.

• 

  Kevin E.

  Ranger

  

  Sep. 1, 2020

  Kooser State Park Campground — Kooser State Park

  Nice small campground

  The campground is small but it is quiet and clean. Route 31 is nearby but it wasn’t all that noticeable. There was a nice playground area for kids and some nice overflow tent sites nearby. Several pull thru sites are available along with some nice sites near the creek. My only complaint is that many of the sites are not level at all and take some serious work to get your rig level. The campground is close to many places in the Laurel Highlands which makes it convenient. Firewood is available 24/7 for $5 a bundle.

• 

  Tina L.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 9, 2018

  Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Mill Run

  Best place for family fun!

  We visited this campground 3 years ago and had an absolute blast!! We ended with a very private tent site with no amenities but around the corner from a pavilion with an outside washing station and flush toilets. There were multiple bathhouses in the upper and lower camp. This is a great RESORT type location for families with store, restaurant, pools, slides, mini golf, picnic basket wagon rides, yogi bear fire truck rides, and snowless snow tubing! We stayed for 4 days and 3 nights! I encouraged everyone from PA to book a few nights there with their kids/grandkids! My children still talk about the fun we had!!

• 

  Ashlee L.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 19, 2018

  Outflow Camping

  Serviceable campground

  Pros: Reasonably priced, fairly quiet campground with full shower and bath houses. The tent site I was in was also nicely designed, with a tent 'pad', as well as full campfire ring, picnic table, and lantern hanging hook. There are tent, RV, and group sites at this campground.

  Cons: The bath/shower houses could've used a much better cleaning (but were not the worst I've encountered). Also, I'm not from the area, and the drive to get to this out-of-the-way campground was awful. It's really far from a main highway (which isn't so bad), but the roads to get to the campground are hilly, winding country roads with 55 mph speed limits that I found way too fast if you're not a local. And the locals are really aggressive drivers.

• b

  bryndy

  Scout

  

  Oct. 12, 2023

  Kooser State Park Campground — Kooser State Park

  Beautiful area but on a highway

  Loved this campsite. I was the only tent site in a 3 tent space so I had my privacy as I was the only one booked. They had beautiful hiking trails in the area that I did not have to drive. The kids from the camp grounds came to play on the playground while I was in and out. Only thing that was disappointing was the fact it was on a highway and all night I could hear the trucks driving. Over all it was beautiful just not the peaceful getaway from trafic you need. Major plus for the showers though. I want to add the call center after 5, help was so amazing and she took care of me so well after I was having a rough time getting there. Very genuine people.

• 

  Kate D.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 12, 2020

  Laurel Hill State Park Campground

  Easy going, relaxed camp

  We had a really nice camping experience here. Tent camping at an electrical site. We were on the outside edge of the pet loop so there was some nice shade there. Everyone was friendly. And what a lovely state park. The beaches were great. We went canoeing on the lake. And had fun just hiking around a bit. No luck fishing, but there was one fella who found a good spot. Note: sites can be a bit small or awkward for campers. Our neighbor had a bit of a rough time accessing our shared electric box and we had to put our tent right on the edge because the rest of the campsite was a little muddy and there were roots sticking up—minor issues! Some of the sites were on an incline or i the middle of a field—which is good for some. Just make sure you check the pictures so you know what you’re getting!