Sinnemahoning State Park Campground

It was fun trying to use maps along with gps to find our way to the campground. There is zero cell service/WiFi at the park, or for at least 5-10 miles from it. The sites are clean, flat, and spaced nicely on the northwest end, but a little too open and feels crowded on the eastern end. Bathrooms are clean and functional, with one shower stall in each, so there could be a line for the showers. The fire rings are showing their age (and the regular high humidity of the area), but functional. There is not an actual tent pad, so you’re going to need sturdy tent pegs for guy lines. It’s rocky and covered with gravel. Plenty of trees in the northwestern end for hammocks, and from our hang we were able to watch squirrels, chipmunks, fireflies, and a variety of birds. It’s a fairly flat mile-long walk to the park office and a quaint discovery area with benches, streams, and encourages little wildlings to enjoy the forest. On the way out, we saw elk grazing around homes and nicely mowed lawns. Great end to a lovely weekend.

The park itself is among the best in the entire PA state park system, offering unparalleled opportunities for wildlife viewing, but unfortunately, the campground is altogether too small — only 35 sites wedged between Rte. 872 and State Park Road — for the crowds it pulls. The walk-in sites are just inside the campground entrance and site 17 abuts several private hunting cabins so expect road noise and light pollution at night. Tent pads are of rocky packed earth which makes staking and guying out your tent a bit of a challenge. A decent amount of forest canopy also creates a microclimate that retains/amplifies humidity after it's burned off in other, more open sections of the park.

All that said, this is still a perfectly nice, clean, well-maintained campground probably best visited off-season, mid-week, and (eventually) post-pandemic. You certainly don't have to travel far to get a glimpse of the wildlife: I had a close encounter with a massive bull elk just walking from my campsite to the restrooms at dawn!

Adults and Children alike will love the park office / Wildlife Center at Sinnemahoning State Park. Learn about this buildings green construction (LEED)geo thermal heat, rain water harvesting system, recycled materials and more! Step inside to view elk bear birds and other wildlife! Learn about the building of the dam and the early days of the CCC camps. If you can get the children out of the office or bring yourself to leave ... make a souvenir penny on your way out before walking across the parking lot and around the corner to visit the arch tree. This park is a long narrow park with a road running through it that is perfect for a bike ride or stroll. On one end is a wildlife viewing area, the other end offers great fishing and a boat launch. Between is a picnic day use area and a 35 site campground with a dump station, a modern restroom with flush toilets and showers. The restrooms and some campsites are ADA accessible. Electric hookups are available and each pet friendly camp site has its own picnic table, lantern hold and fire ring. Elk, eagles deer and many other varieties of wild life can be seen here on a regular basis! There is much to explore here during any season and even on a rainy day the kids will have the opportunity to learn about the world around them! 5 stars Sinnemahoning! What a treasure in the PA Wilds!