Jeff F.
Scout
Scoutkoa Gettysburg battlefield
Nice spot to experience Gettysburg
Friendly staff, well shaded, good size site 23 with easy in and paver patio and sturdy furniture
Camping near Wells Tannery, PA
157 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
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Camping near Wells Tannery, PA ranges from primitive tent sites to full-service RV campgrounds with hookups, spanning the mountains and lakeshores of central Pennsylvania. Cowans Gap State Park Campground, located approximately 20 miles southwest, provides tent sites, RV hookups, and cabin rentals around a scenic mountain lake. Raystown Lake camping areas include several options like Seven Points Campground, Lake Raystown Resort, and Susquehannock Campground, providing varied accommodation styles from primitive tent sites to full-service RV camping with hookups and amenities.
Most campgrounds in the region operate seasonally, with many opening in April and closing by December. Several state park facilities maintain limited winter camping options. A camper noted, "Cell service is pretty much nonexistent so you definitely get unplugged." Access roads to some of the more remote sites can be challenging, particularly after rain or during spring thaw. Reservation requirements vary significantly between private and public lands, with state park campgrounds typically requiring advance booking during peak summer months. Weather conditions in this mountainous region can change rapidly, and campers should prepare for cooler nights even during summer stays.
The mixed-use campgrounds throughout the area frequently receive high ratings for their combination of natural settings and amenities. Sites near Raystown Lake remain particularly popular for their water access and recreational opportunities. According to one reviewer, "We stayed in Campground B closer to the lake, not sure how A is. Beach does get crowded during the day but by dusk it's quieted down." Most established camping areas offer clean restroom facilities, though amenities vary widely from primitive vault toilets to full-service shower houses. Tent camping areas with more separation between sites can be found at several state parks, while RV-focused campgrounds like Friendship Village offer full hookups. Many campgrounds in the region feature hiking trails, fishing access, and boat rentals during the warmer months.
Best Campgrounds near Wells Tannery (157)
1. Cowans Gap State Park Campground
"Nestled in the mountains of Pennsylvania, this gem of a campground."
"The bathroom is close by,has showers & is very clean. You can walk or ride a bike to the beach. The water is clean with sand on the bottom. Lakeside trail is short and easy."
from $20 - $48 / night
Check Availability2. Lake Raystown Resort
"Fantastic lake side camping resort. Best for campers or using their cabins but it has freeway access to the lake and beautiful views."
"Beautiful lakeside sites."
3. Raystown Lake / Saxton KOA at Four Seasons
"The pavilion where all those activities happened were right next to our site (22 with the doggie den)."
"The staff here at Raystown Lake/Saxton KOA are great. They a friendly, willing to help anyway they can, and keep the place spotless."
from $100 / night
Check Availability4. Seven Points (PA)
"It’s close to bathhouse and playground if you want those. There is parking at every bath house. There is trash receptacles at the entrance to the loop as well as firewood or sale."
"Ridge camp is the furthest away from the marina and the public swimming area. However it's the closest to the Allegrippis Trail system and from the entrance of the camp loop there is a trail head!"
from $28 - $200 / night
Check Availability5. Friendship Village Campground & RV Park
"The campground is nestled on the outskirts of Bedford Pennsylvania and is a very easy location to travel to regardless of your rig size."
"One of the best campgrounds I have stayed at so far the pond is nice and has a 1/2 mile walking path around it with trees and beaches to stop and sit dog park is big and has a place for small or large"
6. Shawnee State Park Campground
"Was pleased by the quiet despite size of campground and proximity to highway. Sites not overly large or private. Has wood vending machine at entrance for firewood."
"The morning drive started early, had several stops and starts, and I was once again glad that my big dog was along for the ride."
from $20 - $110 / night
Check Availability7. Keystone Korner Campground Inc
8. Woy Bridge Campground & Cabins
"The bathrooms are a bit of a walk if you're tent camping but they were clean and well stocked."
from $25 - $150 / night
Check Availability9. Trough Creek State Park Campground
"We wanted to be close to Raystown Lake. Trough is quiet and small. It's really great if you're looking for a spot to "rough" it (not really, but closer than most!) with the kids. Awesome sites."
"Nice small park with gravel drives/roads and plenty of room for big rigs. All sites level with partial shade. Open, but with plently of space between sites. The trails are nice and very sceinic."
from $23 - $25 / night
Check Availability10. Susquehannock
"We ended up with spot 3, which was on a cliff’s edge. So, it looked like it may be near the water, but there was no way down, and the forest obscured any view that may have been there."
"Loops for RVs, higher on the hill, waterfront loops on steeper grounds for tents, and some walk-to sites adjacent to parking right at the point which double as boat-in."
from $25 - $32 / night
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Drive Time
- 47 min from Altoona, PA
- 52 min from Chambersburg, PA
- 59 min from Hagerstown, MD
- 1 hr 12 min from Johnstown, PA
Recent Camping Photos near Wells Tannery, PA
329 Photos of 157 Wells Tannery Campgrounds
Jonathan F.
Raystown Lake / Saxton KOA at Four Seasons
Timber Run Campground
Timber Run Campground
Justin C.
Cowans Gap State Park Campground
Britt B.
Lake Raystown Resort
Megan B.
Trough Creek State Park Campground
RJourney R.
James Creek RV Resort by Rjourney
Michele M.
Friendship Village Campground & RV Park
Anne W.
Point Campground
Travis S.
Seven Points (PA)
Stephen D.
Susquehannock
Sarah C.
Pat's Primitive Place
Gabe
Pleasant Hills Campground
Recent Reviews near Wells Tannery, PA
801 Reviews of 157 Wells Tannery Campgrounds
Patrick H.ScoutHosack Run
Great park, not so great camp site
We stayed at site #146 in Hosack Run. The campground itself is a small, pet friendly loop and has very nice bathrooms/showers that were very clean and appeared fairly brand new. There is a very small playground in the loop (just swings and seesaws) and Caledonia State Park itself has lots of nice hiking and history. It sits about 20 minutes outside of Gettysburg National Battlefield. The campsite itself (#146) was pretty abysmal. It is extremely small and looks like it was once the parking lot for the restrooms. You can still see the remnants of the painted yellow parking lines on the asphalt. Our small, 12 foot pop-up barely fit with just enough room for our tow vehicle. Also, your neighbor (site #144) sits right on top of you. Lastly, we stayed during a rainy Memorial Day weekend and learned that our former parking space of a campsite sits inside of a bowl in which all other campsites drains into creating a small lake around our firepit. The one plus side was that it is extremely close to the facilities. There are lots of other nice camp sites in this loop, but this was not one of them. I would choose this site again if I was extremely desperate to camp here and no other sites were available. 5 stars for the park, trails, and locale. 1 star for the campsite.
MsTrailBlazer 🏔.
RangerColonel Denning State Park Campground
Snakes! 🐍 🥰
Great park, alittle close together than I like. I wish I had picked 1-12 sites by the creek, but I don’t think I had much choice when I booked anyway. Bathrooms were clean. My site was more of an rv and I felt like I was at the neighbors for supper.
- MsTrailBlazer 🏔.Ranger
Caledonia State Park Campground
Great time
Pool, campgrounds area is so great. Don’t forget the bbq place up the street, it is so good! Getting the the bathrooms from my site will be more of a challenge once the campground fills up. Showers were a tad colder than I like but once the summer comes I would t mind it, I guess?
Finished some of the App trail from there
- SSteven W.
TravelerHosack Run
Peaceful Oasis
Well kept, clean facilities, easy to work with camp staff, we stayed at site 51 a full hook up site mostly level with a gravel pad short walk to the restrooms
- MsTrailBlazer 🏔.Ranger
Pine Grove Furnace State Park Campground
App Trail and Store 🙌🏻
Probably my favorite due to the Store, the store employee and the App Trails. Will be back. My site was next to the amp trail which I didn’t particularly like, but my site was beautiful. WiFi available at Camp Store
- MsTrailBlazer 🏔.Ranger
Caledonia State Park Campground
Great Park App Trail 🤌🏼
Great Park, showers were cold and after the App Trail, A hot shower would have been awesome. Beautiful park though. My site was a little bit uneven but it looks like the park has been through an upgrade recently.
- CChris S.Traveler
Happy Hills Campground
Campground In Need of Upgrades!
We stayed one night here (didn't even unhook from the truck). Arrived in the rain and were leaving early the next morning, so I didn't want to disconnect. Our gravel pad was over 6" out of level, requiring me to use leveling pads and a leveling jack to get trailer level. All the short-term gravel sites looked like they needed some love!
Campground is about 80% seasonal, and apparently has no housekeeping restrictions on residents - some sites were pretty full of old dead golf carts and various debris. Not sure I would want to stay for a destination camping experience, but it was cheap and fine for a one night stay.
- CChris S.Traveler
Wrights Orchard Station Campground
Convenient Location for Ukulele Soiree!
This campground (now named "Orchard Station Campground" is under new management, and is open all year (I think). They are in the process of upgrading sites with new utility lines and level gravel pads.
Owner was very friendly & helpful.
Allowed me to charge my Rivian onsite (I paid him for the extra power).
Adjacent huge cemetery site is accessible via a goat path at the back of the campground and provided a great place to walk our dog every day.
We were attending the Alleghany Ukulele Soiree at the Altoona Grand Hotel, and this was a perfect spot (less than 5 minutes away).
Will definitely return!!
Guide to Wells Tannery
The Raystown Lake region surrounding Wells Tannery, Pennsylvania features a mix of state park campgrounds and private camping facilities. Cowans Gap State Park Campground offers tent sites, RV hookups, and cabins around a small mountain lake with beach access. Approximately 25 miles northeast, Raystown Lake hosts multiple camping areas including Seven Points and Lake Raystown Resort, both providing tent camping, RV sites with hookups, and cabin rentals. Most mixed-use campgrounds in the area accommodate both tent and RV camping, with several offering glamping options including yurts.
Access to campgrounds varies seasonally, with many state park facilities operating from April through December. The region experiences typical northeastern mountain weather patterns with cold winters and mild summers. Most developed campsites require reservations, particularly during peak summer months. "Beautiful mountain retreat. Quiet and peaceful! There are many hiking and biking trails and a nice lake for fishing, swimming, and kayaking or canoeing," noted one visitor about Cowans Gap. Cell service can be limited or non-existent at several parks, with Cowans Gap specifically noted for having poor connectivity. Sites at popular locations like Seven Points fill quickly during summer weekends, especially those near water access.
Campers consistently rate waterfront sites higher, with lakes being the primary draw throughout the region. Several visitors mentioned the cleanliness of facilities as a significant factor in their experience. "The bathrooms were very clean. However, the closest bathroom didn't have showers. It also only had cold water," reported one camper at Cowans Gap. Many campgrounds offer firewood for purchase on-site, though availability and quality may vary. Family-friendly amenities like beaches, boat rentals, and hiking trails enhance the camping experience at most established sites. Campers should note that some areas have limited nearby services - several reviews mention the absence of camp stores at certain locations, requiring thorough preparation before arrival.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Wells Tannery, PA?
Which is the most popular campground near Wells Tannery, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Wells Tannery, PA is Cowans Gap State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 31 reviews.
What parks are near Wells Tannery, PA?
What parks are near Wells Tannery, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 19 parks near Wells Tannery, PA that allow camping, notably Raystown Lake and Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park.
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