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Facilities

Established Camping

Hearts Content Recreation Area

Hearts Content Recreation Area, near Warren, Pennsylvania, is a peaceful campground tucked away in the Allegheny National Forest. This spot is perfect for those who crave a quiet escape, with spacious sites that offer a good amount of privacy thanks to the dense tree cover.

The campground features clean drinking water available at several spigots and well-maintained pit toilets, which visitors have noted are surprisingly odor-free. Campers appreciate the fire rings and picnic tables at each site, making it easy to enjoy meals outdoors and gather around the fire at night. One visitor remarked, “We could barely see our ‘neighbors’ through the trees,” highlighting the sense of seclusion you can find here.

For outdoor lovers, the area boasts several hiking trails, including one that transforms into a cross-country skiing path in winter. The nearby town of Warren offers essential supplies and a few dining options, so you won’t be completely cut off from civilization. Just keep in mind that cell service can be spotty, so it’s a great chance to unplug and soak in the natural beauty around you.

While there are no showers or electric hookups, the serene atmosphere and well-kept amenities make Hearts Content a solid choice for anyone looking to unwind in nature. Whether you’re camping in a tent or an RV, you’ll likely find this place to be a refreshing retreat from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Description

USDA Forest Service

Allegheny National Forest

Overview

Hearts Content Campground is a semi-primitive family campground bordering the Hickory Creek Wilderness Area and surrounded by native hardwoods and a patch of planted pine forest. There is a large open field and amphitheater that is suitable for other games near the campground entry, and another large field at the back of the campground that serves as both group camping sites and a helispot. Hearts Content Campground is operated under a concession permit by Allegheny Site Management.

Recreation

Cross-country Ski Trail: This 6.4 mile (10.5 km) trail utilizes old railroad grades, roads and existing trails to form several loops for your skiing pleasure. The Wheeler Loop Trail goes through the campground and connects to the Tom's Run and Ironwood trails in the Hearts Content Scenic Area. These trails are marked with blue plastic diamonds on the trees. Hickory Creek Wilderness: The trailhead is located approximately 1/4 mile north of the campground entrance. This 8,663-acre area provides opportunities for solitude and a primitive and unconfined type of recreation as a refuge from our highly modified and technological world. No motorized equipment of any kind and no mechanical transports are permitted. A 13-mile loop hiking trail weaves its way through the rolling terrain, climbing in and out of the valleys. It is sparsely marked and maintained to promote a feeling of wildness and the unknown. It may not be suitable for novice hikers - please know your limitatons and do not add markings to help with way-finding. Orienteering Course: Enjoy this self-guided course that allows you or your group to follow, at your leisure. It is a permanently marked route as an introduction to the sport of orienteering. It starts in the Hearts Content Scenic Area.

Natural Features

North of the campground, Hearts Content National Scenic Area is located next to the picnic area across the road. Here stands the remnants of a 300 to 400 year old stand of white pine, hemlock, and beech. Time, insects, and disease are changing the look and nature of this stand. The Interpretive Old Growth Trail starts at the north end of the east side parking lot and winds about one mile through the timber stand before returning to the picnic area. All facilities in the day use area are universally accessible to people with disabilities. Facilities include a picnic area, pavilions, toilet and interpretive materials. South of the campground is Hickory Creek Wilderness, an 8,633 acre second-growth forest of dense trees and ferny undergrowth. This area is managed to let natural processes determine what it will be in the future. Wind, insects, disease, and drought are all shaping the species composition of the trees and understory, which will in turn determine what species of wildlife will inhabit this area. A roughly 13-mile trail traverses the plateau of the area, with the trailhead located approximately 1/4 of a mile north of the campground entrance. The trail is only occasionally marked and may not be suitable for novice hikers.

Contact Info

For facility specific information, please call (814) 363-9090.

Charges & Cancellations

Cancellations and changes must be made through Recreation.gov

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Location

Hearts Content Recreation Area is located in Pennsylvania

Detail location of campground

Directions

Hearts Content Recreation Area is located 15 miles southwest of Warren, PA. From the Mohawk exit of U.S. Route 6, take Pleasant Drive south for 11 miles. Turn left onto State Secondary Route 2002 (Hearts Content Road) and go south for four miles to Hearts Content. The Hearts Content Recreation Area is split by State Route 2002, with the campground on the west side of the road and the scenic area on the east side. Coming from the east, take PA-6 to Sheffield and turn left at the stop lightonto PA-666. Cross the railroad tracks and turn right after 1 block onto Bull Hill Road and cross Tionesta Creek on the iron bridge, heading up the hill to the left. This road changes names several times (Bull Hill, Austin Hill, Hearts Content), but is State Secondary Route 2002. Follow it for 13.3 miles to Hearts Content. The campground will be on the left (west) side of the road and the scenic area will be slightly further ahead on the right.

Coordinates

41.6955556 N
79.2577778 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.
  • Hike-In
    Backcountry sites.

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
    Unknown
  • Verizon
    Available
  • AT&T
    Unknown
  • T-Mobile
    Available

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Group
  • Equestrian

Features

For Campers

  • Trash
  • Picnic Table
  • Firewood Available
  • Phone Service
  • Reservable
  • Drinking Water
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Sanitary Dump
  • Water Hookups
  • Big Rig Friendly

Contact

General Info

Reservations

Drive Time


Reviews

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4.0

out of 5

9 Reviews

Reviewed May. 12, 2024

Peace and quiet

Just stayed the weekend very big and private sites. Very few people so easy to show up and pick a site. Bathrooms were kept very clean for pit toilet. Water spigot throughout camp no elec

Site12
Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of Hearts Content Recreation Area by Joe I., May 12, 2024
  • Review photo of Hearts Content Recreation Area by Joe I., May 12, 2024
Reviewed Sep. 3, 2023

Good for young kids and new campers

Camping during Labor Day holiday weekend. Like most have said there is some connection but limited at least for Verizon. Taking my three oldest boys camping 8, 6 and 5. So far it has been enjoyable. The camp host seamed pretty nice. Not a lot of privacy was a bit of a downer but better than many I’ve stayed at.

Site7
Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Hearts Content Recreation Area by Ian B., September 3, 2023
  • Review photo of Hearts Content Recreation Area by Ian B., September 3, 2023
  • Review photo of Hearts Content Recreation Area by Ian B., September 3, 2023
  • (9) View All
Reviewed Jul. 22, 2022

Quiet, Fairly Remote, Pleasant National Forest Campground

Allegheny National Forest is Pennsylvania's only National Forest and a gem of a location for outdoor recreation. Hearts Content itself is a well-maintained, very quiet campground with some of the most private sites we've experienced in 15 years of regular car camping.

Site A02 is very nice for privacy, one of the three front sites which means a bit of road traffic for other arriving campers, but covered by dense old-growth forest on all three sides and well set off the road. Ample tree coverage means an excellent shade canopy, but not-so-great if you're powering your rig with solar.

Clean, good-tasting drinking water at several community water spigots are available, and the central grassy area even contains a clean and well-maintained playground.

The campground itself is actually across the road from the Recreation Area. The Recreation Area is home to 3 nice hiking trails, including one all-season trail that converts to a cross-country skiing trail in the snowy months, as well as some picnic tables and a restroom.

The campground has a couple pit toilets that have been very well maintained by campground hosts each year we've been there. Zero smell or problems here, they appear to be looked after daily. They are still pit toilets so this is not exactly a luxury affair, but as pit toilets go, these definitely suffice.

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INTERNET: One bar of usable Verizon 4G LTE and T-Mobile 4G LTE suitable for slow web browsing and e-mail, but little else. Because of the very dense tree cover here, Starlink is not really a viable option. The most southern facing sites have more of a clearing which may work for Starlink, but are smaller, less private, and also face the group campsite which is well trafficked by Boy Scout troops and other summer camp gatherings, so you're upping your noise quite a bit.

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MAJOR PROS: This is a great campground to just enjoy camping. Set some 15 miles back in old growth forest, the most private of the campsites provide a very pleasant wilderness experience but still some well-maintained amenities like fresh drinking water and good pit toilets. In our experience camping here several times over several years, weekdays are very quiet at this location, perhaps the quietest of any campground of this size and caliber we've experienced anywhere. It's only really Friday evenings and Saturdays where you'll see more than 3-4 other campers in this place.

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The closest nearby town is Warren, PA a small but service-rich town set on the Allegheny River that provides all the necessary stuff - a Wal Mart,  a Lowes, and plenty of restaurants and little shops. Warren is the longtime home of a refinery of some sort and on days when the downwind is blowing especially strong, you can catch the faint whiff of a funky but ambiguous smell of…something?

Cell service kicks up to 5G on T-Mobile in Warren itself, but you're still stuck on 4G with Verizon, as of summer 2022.

Back to the campground, I would highly recommend this place for people who can get out there on weekdays and enjoy peace and quiet. Firewood is available for sale at the Camp Host campsite, but there's so much downed wood behind just about every site that purchasing wood really isn't necessary: you can keep a hot fire going all night, for free, just by cleaning out the underbrush.

This is such a pretty, quiet campsite that during weekdays the area deer will often approach from the woods behind the campsites to feast on low hanging leaves. We've seen dozens of them who will get within 10-20 yards of you for a snack later into the night. While never getting too close, it does make for a pleasant wildlife viewing opportunity.

We really like this place. No showers or other running-water facilities and limited internet service prevent this place from being a perfect 5. It is also a bit of a drive into town for provisions or daily ingress if you need these amenities. That aside, tent, trailer or RV, you are likely to enjoy your experience here if you enjoy camping at all.

SiteA02
Month of VisitJune
Reviewed Jun. 14, 2022

Great quiet little campground

Very nice quiet small wooded campground. No hookups, about 3-4 fresh water spigots, 1 dump station and dumpster. Water pressure was very low and took a while to fill tank. 26 various sized sites, some large with plenty of space for our 22 foot tow behind and truck + some for extra vehicles. Other smaller sites for tents or vans. Self serve ice $2 wood $10. Vault toilets. Fire rings and picnic table at each site. AT&T spotty 0-1 bars. Host camper. Quiet time 10pm-6am. 1 Xlarge site for groups.

Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Hearts Content Recreation Area by Jennifer K., June 14, 2022
  • Review photo of Hearts Content Recreation Area by Jennifer K., June 14, 2022
  • Review photo of Hearts Content Recreation Area by Jennifer K., June 14, 2022
  • (11) View All
Reviewed Aug. 23, 2020

Peaceful and beautiful

Easy to find a site. Nice size sites that are not on top of each of. We could barely see our ‘neighbors’ through the trees. Well shaded spots.

  • Review photo of Hearts Content Recreation Area by Heather M., August 23, 2020
  • Review photo of Hearts Content Recreation Area by Heather M., August 23, 2020
Reviewed Jun. 18, 2020

Simple and serene

Hearts Content is best described as a way station. The sites are nestled within a grove of immense pines. Some are large enough for large RV’s . There are no showers. Bathrooms are vault toilets. Two of the sites include Adirondack type shelters. A picnic table and fire ring are within each site. I used this site as a staging area to explore Allegheny National Forest for a week. Used a camp shower. The closest town is Warren, PA. Firewood is available at the camp host site. Across the road is an hiking area with picnic tables and the like.

Reviewed Sep. 10, 2018

Minimal offering for maximum relaxing

This campground is within Allegheny National Forest near the town of Warren and Tidouette. The sites are few but spacious. Good for car camping, though I’m sure a smaller RVcould get by. Each site has a fire ring. Two sites have Adirondack type shelters. The night sky is promising but light pollution from Warren inhibits a truly awesome night sky. There is a vault toilet. No showers. No water either. Bring what you need! The closest town is about 30 minutes away. Lots of critter life. My dogs loved it here. We spent all days exploring the nearby trails and creeks. Price was cheap. No frills but a quiet respite for sure.

Month of VisitSeptember
Reviewed Jul. 31, 2018

Central to everywhere within Allegheny National Forest

Small and limited, Hearts Content offers serene quiet evenings.i was lucky enough to get a site that provided an additional shelter that provided cover from the extensive rain we received one night. The canopy is dense here. The tent sites are moderately sized and there would be no problem bringing the largest of tents. Though I stayed here alone with just me and the two dogs, there is enough room at some for entire families. Water is available. Showers are not. Bathrooms are if the privy type but are well kept by the host. Firewood and ice is also available from the host. The great thing about this site is it lends availability to the rest of the National Forest. I spent a week here and barely scratched the surface on what was available for hiking and discovering. Go to nearby town of Warren or Tidouette for supplies. (Stop at the store just outside of Tidouette just across from DG- they have the best deli sandwiches around)

Site4
Month of VisitSeptember
Reviewed May. 24, 2018

quiet,basic,clean

clean,basic campground. sites are fairly level there is a park for kids vault toilets water is available as well as a dump station great place to camp with everything from a class a to a tent

  • Review photo of Hearts Content Recreation Area by James K., May 24, 2018
  • Review photo of Hearts Content Recreation Area by James K., May 24, 2018
  • Review photo of Hearts Content Recreation Area by James K., May 24, 2018
  • (7) View All

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How much does it cost to camp at Hearts Content Recreation Area?

    Camping at Hearts Content Recreation Area can cost between $60.00 and $100.00 depending on the site.

  • Does Hearts Content Recreation Area have RV hookups?

    According to TheDyrt.com, Hearts Content Recreation Area has water hookups.

  • What is the max vehicle length at Hearts Content Recreation Area?

    Hearts Content Recreation Area allows vehicles up to 45 feet.

  • Are fires allowed at Hearts Content Recreation Area?

    Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Hearts Content Recreation Area, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

  • Does Hearts Content Recreation Area have wifi?

    No, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, Hearts Content Recreation Area does not have wifi.

  • How hard is it to get a campsite at Hearts Content Recreation Area?

    Some campers book as far as 6 months in advance, so on high-demand weekends it can be very difficult to get a campsite at Hearts Content Recreation Area. If you want to get a last-minute campsite at Hearts Content Recreation Area, try setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts

  • Why is it so hard to get a campsite at Hearts Content Recreation Area?

    There are 27 campsites at Hearts Content Recreation Area and over 80 million Americans who camp! Try snagging a cancellation by setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts