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Quemahoning Family Recreation Area permits pets across all accommodation types including tent sites, RV spots, and cabins. The campground provides electric hookups, drinking water, and clean facilities with two shower stalls each for men and women. Campsites feature fire rings and picnic tables, and the pet-friendly environment extends throughout the grounds with no designated pet-free zones. Blue Knob State Park Campground similarly welcomes pets and offers electric hookups with sites that vary in levelness—tent campers should select carefully as some sites are notably uneven. Bathrooms remain clean throughout the camping season, which runs from the second Friday in April through the third Sunday in October. Campground staff at Quemahoning are consistently responsive to requests and manage any disruptive campers effectively, maintaining a peaceful environment for all guests including those with pets. Campground data and reviews near Windber, Pennsylvania is regularly updated on The Dyrt.
Shaded tent sites in the woods at Quemahoning provide comfortable spaces for dogs and their owners during summer months when temperatures rise. Several hiking trails loop around the Quemahoning Reservoir where leashed dogs can enjoy shoreline walks with their owners. Most campsites sit within easy walking distance to the beach area and boat launch, allowing convenient access for pets that enjoy water activities. The second highest peak in Pennsylvania at Blue Knob offers challenging hiking trails through beautiful forest terrain with rocks and moss—dogs should be prepared for rocky conditions and occasional short rain showers even in summer months. The mountain elevation creates cooler temperatures than surrounding areas, a benefit for heat-sensitive breeds during summer camping trips. Wildlife encounters require keeping dogs leashed on trails, and park quiet hours are strictly enforced to prevent disruptive barking.
"Shawnee State Park is a very large campground (319 campsites with mixed electric and non-electric, some pet friendly, some not) about 10 minutes off highway 76 and 20 minutes from the Flight 93 National"
"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 Availability"Quemahoning Family Recreation Area offers great fishing, some nice trails and generally wonderful weather during the summer season. "
"Easy walk to beach area and boat launch. Very clean."
from $20 - $50 / night
Check Availability"it’s small, with shaded sites around the perimeter and two walk in sites just left of the entrance."
"The hiking here is really spectacular with lots of scenery, overlooks, and side trails that extend many miles out into state forest lands which are adjacent to the park."
from $20 - $108 / night
Check Availability"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"
"The campground is nestled on the outskirts of Bedford Pennsylvania and is a very easy location to travel to regardless of your rig size."
"Stayed 3 nights because I wanted to be centrally located to the he Flight 93 Memorial and Falling Water (about 30 miles to each). The non pet section is heavily wooded and very shady."
"The pet loop was essentially a field with trees around it. The none pet loop was in the trees and so you sometimes had more space and sometimes were right beside you."
from $20 - $64 / night
Check Availability"Dog friendly. -$5 firewood bundles at the entrance. -Cleanest bathrooms/showers -Crystal clear stream with beautiful trail to the lake. Both stocked with fish. -Lots of picnic tables at the lake."
"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."
from $22 - $70 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $15 - $35 / night
Check Availability"It has a huge back yard and easy access to the creek. Close by is Ligonier, Idlewild, and St. Vincent (where the Pittsburgh Steelers training camp takes place.)"
"Not only were the staff super friendly and helpful, but we were lucky enough to get a full-hookup site right on the lake. Quiet, peaceful, everything you want on a spring trip."
"We always try to book “outside” loop sites so we don’t have “back neighbors” but none near the lake were available, so we took our chances on an “inside” site in E loop."
"The best loops for families with pets are Dogwood and Elm. No pets? Go to Ironwood loop and get a site close to the water. Water is readily available. The bathrooms are clean and the showers warm."
from $23 - $29 / night
Check Availability"This camp was laid out very well and had plenty of maps and trails, as well as daily activities. They have a small amphitheater with easy access, a dump and recycling area."
"Aside from the rock water slide, which is burned into the kid's memories, there's great, easy hiking trails and a pet-friendly campsite."
from $20 - $54 / night
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GuideOne 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 dogs there is 3 play grounds all different and all well kept
GuideThis campground checks all our boxes. Beautiful scenery, quiet location, spacious campsites, full RV hookups, well-placed fire rings, dog park, nice large bathhouses, polite staff, and Wi-Fi that works.
This is located about an hour away from my home, so we plan on making this our go-to for quick camping getaways throughout the year.
Highly recommended. Definitely worth checking out.
GuidePreface: if your main objective is activities for children, you have come to the right place. This place is loud and full of kids.
We booked a site but chose not to pay to select which one. All the pictures looked great! We ended up on a grassy hill in the back. The spot was so unlevel there were 19 inches between my bottom step and the ground. This site was the same price as level ones closer to activities.
Also bathrooms were outdated. They had older residential toilets that plugged constantly. The day we left 2 of the 3 in our nearest bathroom were out of order.
Aside from all the above, the Dog Park is awesome. It’s the size of a real, normal dog park. The ice cream on site is also a nice perk.
RangerThis may be the first campground I give a 10 out of 10! All the amenities your could want, it's clean, sites are leveled, it's maintained beautifully, there are cows in the distance, fully stocked store, friendly staff. Laundry, bathrooms, fairly spacious sites, a pool, dog park. Very, very nice.
GuideNew Germany State Park is situated in Garrett County Maryland. The park has a small lake, a few trails, and two camping loops. The Hemlock loop- the only loop that allows pets, is smaller and is mostly made for tent camping, though one site has electricity, but only big enough for a teardrop camper. There is a bathroom with a hot shower. The problems with the Hemlock loop is the proximity to the other campers. Our neighbors were loud, their kids were louder and their dog was ear- splitting loud. The tent pads are varied in size with sites 52, 53 and 57 being just big enough for a large tent and not much else. Every site has a large picnic table ( that is impressively hard to move) and a fire ring. Some sites are not very level, not not as much that your rolling out of bed in your sleep. There is water, but just at the bathroom area. This makes sense since the loop itself is very small. Deer are dense in these parts, and bears frequent the area. Summer temps usually do not get as nice 85max most of the summer. There is also cross country skiing in the winter. Despite the smaller sites, the Hemlock loop is frequently full, as is the non pet loop, which can accommodate larger tents and RV’s., but no pets.
TravelerI was the only tenter at the time of my stay; had the whole place to myself. The sites are spread far apart and wooded. Table and fire rings are at each site. They have a brand new bath house which was spotless and a well kept dog park for the furs. If desired, there is a group campsite and the use of a pavilion too. The camp store if beautiful and has everything in it should you forget something. I’ll definitely be back.
GuideStayed 3 nights because I wanted to be centrally located to the he Flight 93 Memorial and Falling Water (about 30 miles to each). The non pet section is heavily wooded and very shady. The pet section is more of a loop set up with some trees. The no pet section had no, zero, zilch cell service so my stay was super quiet. Site 173 was easy to back into and had a large picnic area with a fire ring next to the brook. There is a lake with a small beach and a boat launch and numerous hiking trails. The park will s very nice pretty and during the week fairly empty. I would recommend
GuideWe chose this campground for its proximity to home with the chance to swim in the lake.
The camping did not disappoint. We always try to book “outside” loop sites so we don’t have “back neighbors” but none near the lake were available, so we took our chances on an “inside” site in E loop. It was great, smallish, but plenty of vegetation to make it feel private. (Some poison ivy around the edges, though.) The pull-in sites in general seem a bit small (space for our two 4-person tents and that’s it), but are well shaded and separated from neighbors by small patches of woods or bushes. The pull-through sites in our loop were more exposed to the road, but had a bit more space.
There was some noise from the interstate. There were surprisingly few mosquitoes. The bathhouse was clean, but showers were not very warm.
The swimming was unfortunately disappointing. The roped-off swimming area was 3 feet deep at the most. Warm water in August, nice for kids to splash around, but not really good for actual swimming. Bonus for dog people: pets allowed on the beach and in the lake.
During COVID-19, the bathrooms/bathhouses at the beach area are closed; porta-johns only.
We rented paddle boards and a canoe one afternoon and paddled around to one of the lake inlets, which was actually deep and had a good swim. But this is technically not allowed.
If you feel okay about rule-breaking and have water-safe family members (and no pets), I would absolutely choose a site in I loop close to the lake. The sites in E loop closest to the lake are actually up a fairly steep hill from the lake path.
Hiking trails were nice. My kids especially liked the rock scramble-ish up and down the stream gorge on Evitt’s Mountain trail.
RangerThere are two main loops in this campground. One that is pet friendly and more of a pitch-your-tent-in-the-yard thing and another that is pet-free and wooded. We didn't realize and stayed in the first one. Dogs were barking at all hours and there's no privacy. We drove through the other one and it looks so much nicer. Campsites more spread out with trees in between and way quieter. Will definitely stay there if we return.
Camping near Windber, Pennsylvania sits at elevations ranging from 1,200 to 3,000 feet in the Laurel Highlands region, creating temperature variations that can be 10-15 degrees cooler than surrounding lowlands. The mountainous terrain features creek-fed campsites where summer temperatures typically range from 55-85°F, with higher elevations experiencing more frequent brief rain showers even during dry spells elsewhere.
Hike mountain elevations: Blue Knob State Park offers challenging terrain on Pennsylvania's second-highest peak. "The hiking here is really spectacular with lots of scenery, overlooks, and side trails that extend many miles out into state forest lands which are adjacent to the park. Clouds blowing east from the Midwest tend to break on the mountains here at Blue Knob, so short little bursts of rainfall are frequent," notes Brian S.
Fishing without licenses: At Friendship Village Campground, fish the on-site ponds without extra permits. "There are multiple ponds on the property however only one of them can be fished in. No license is required for fishing here," according to Christopher R. The campground also features two swimming pools with lifeguards.
Bike the Great Allegheny Passage: Access this major trail directly from Kentuck Campground at Ohiopyle State Park. "Awesome campground right on the Great Allegheny Passage trail. We loved being able to access the GAP trail right from the campground," writes Bounding Around. The trail connects to numerous outdoor opportunities in the surrounding area.
Private wooded sites: At Rocky Gap State Park Campground, sites offer excellent spacing. "Can't believe how much space is between each site. You're close enough to see other campers but far enough away to feel you have your own sections of woods," reports Jeff H. This makes it ideal for pet-friendly camping near Windber when seeking more privacy.
Creek-side tent camping: Mirror Lake RV Camping & Fishing offers prime waterfront spots. "Our site was easily accessed and had a nice view of the campground. The lake is gorgeous and has a large, sandy beach," notes Gerard. Site 26 is particularly spacious with "a huge back yard and easy access to the creek" according to Mathew H.
Family-friendly amenities: Friendship Village Campground provides extensive facilities for children. "The jumping pillow, playground and gaga ball pit" are positioned conveniently near sites 145-171, making these locations ideal for families with kids according to Christopher R., who adds there are "two pools at each end of the campground... well-maintained and have lifeguard supervision."
Seasonal operations: Many campgrounds in the region operate on limited schedules. Blue Knob State Park Campground is only open "2nd Friday April to 3rd Sunday October" according to their official listing, while Kooser State Park operates from "April 15 to October 15."
Uneven terrain: Many campsites require careful setup. At Laurel Hill State Park Campground, "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," reports Kate D.
Varied noise levels: Highway proximity affects some parks significantly. At Kooser State Park Campground, "Route 31 is nearby" according to Kevin E., though he notes "it wasn't all that noticeable." Friendship Village experiences more substantial noise as "it is located by 2 major highways and truck traffic and Jake brake are constant all night long" according to Aaron S.
Bring extra water containers: While most sites offer drinking water, access points may be limited. At Shawnee State Park, campers noted that "water is available but not at every site. There is water at the dump station," as Olivia L. observed during her stay.
Consider cabin options: For families new to camping, Shawnee State Park offers multiple accommodation types. "300+ site campground with a mix of FHU, 30 and 50-amp electric, and non-electric tent sites, yurts, and cabins. Select loops allow pets but not all do," writes Lee D., providing options for families with varying comfort needs.
Pack rain gear year-round: Mountain elevations create unpredictable weather patterns. At Blue Knob, "short little bursts of rainfall are frequent, and they don't always show up on weather apps. Come prepared for short rain showers, chilly air even in the summer," advises Brian S.
Check site dimensions before booking: Many campgrounds have challenging sites for larger rigs. At Shawnee State Park, "We absolutely loved our stay at this park once we changed sites. We have a 35' TT and there was no way it was going to fit in the site we originally booked," warns Brittany V., emphasizing the importance of verifying site specifications.
Bring leveling equipment: Mountainous terrain creates uneven sites throughout the region. At Kooser State Park, "many of the sites are not level at all and take some serious work to get your rig level," according to Kevin E., making substantial leveling blocks essential equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Windber, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Windber, PA is Shawnee State Park Campground with a 4-star rating from 27 reviews.
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