Danielle S.

Bradford, PA

Joined March 2018

RN living in the wilds of Pennsylvania. Trying to sleep under the stars as many nights as I can. #FatGirlHiking

Beautiful and crowded

This is a small, popular campground that has newly upgraded bathhouses. We stayed in the ADA site which was apart from most of the other sites. We had a deep fire ring and a separate grill. We had our own paved and gravel path to the view of the lake but we couldn't see it otherwise like the other campsites could. Since this campground is on the Lake Placid trail, there were a few backpackers making an early morning trek on the road above the campsite. We took a drive around the campground and sites were on the small side and close together, but worth it for the views! Recycling is mandatory and the bear policy is strict.

Good amount of space

We stayed here on a busy weekend. The sites are good sized, have a picnic table and fire ring with grill. The bathrooms need to be updated. There are a lot of cracks and crevices where bugs hide and lots of chipped paint. I didn't shower, so no commentary on the warmth/pressure. Look at the campground map before you book your site if being close to a bathroom is important; ours was across the campsite behind us but we had to step in a rock set in the stream to get to it without walking around the loop. Plenty of trees and shrubs for privacy. Lots of firewood both in and outside the park. It's a decent drive to Clarion PA to a Walmart, but there are small camp stores close by.

Can't beat free, but caveats abound.

This tiny gem of a campground is actually quite decent. Each site is furnished with a small fire ring and picnic table. The fire rings do not have a grill grate. The pit toilets in the restroom are "fragrant" when you enter the women's side of the building but not so terribly that they can't be used. My friend did gag upon entering the men's room. There are designated wastewater areas to dump grey water, but you'll have to bring your own water for drinking, washing, etc. There are no electric hookups.

As others have mentioned, there is a gun range nearby and you can hear occasional firing. Helicopter traffic at night was a slight distraction from the otherwise quiet night I spent here.

There is an easy orange-blazed trail behind site 10 but as of this writing, a there are several downed trees blocking the trail a good distance in.

I'd definitely stay again.

5/3/2021 Edited to add:. Well, our second stay here is decidedly less positive. We are at site 9 this time. No fire ring here. The women's bathroom is filthy and it made me gag (there is feces all over one toilet seat and the other smells so bad that I just peed in the woods). It's turkey season so lots of noise in the woods.

Great campground overall

We arrived at our hike-in site just after midnight and was pleasantly surprised that we were one of two groups of campers on that Thursday night. Firstly, the walk to hike in is gloriously short for car camping. We were able to schlep all of our gear in three trips. We had considered taking a wagon but I'm glad we didn't. The check in process the following day was very short, but be forewarned that if you leave the campground and return prior to getting your camping tag you may have to pay the park entrance fee (we did not but were warned).
There is sand everywhere (you are almost at the beach) so a small dustpan and brush will keep your tent tidy. The bathroom and showers are just outside the hike in parking lot, but could use an upgrade. The shower stalls don't have a private changing area, just a long bench on the opposite wall from the row of push-button showers. Also, the drain for the shower isn't in each stall so water tends to flood the area between the bench and the showers; bring a pair of shower shoes.  The water pressure was good and the shower was hot.  It may be a bit too much for little kids, though.  As the campground is usually fully booked, it would be nice to not have to leave my clothes and glasses on a public bench while I shower (I've had my Rx glasses stolen from a campground bathroom before). This is my only reason for the 4 star review. At night, we were able to hear the waves crashing on the beach, but have no ocean views. It was very soothing and I slept like a log! The camp store has wood for purchase, and scavenging dead wood wasn't a very successful for us outside of kindling.
There are plenty of walking and biking trails, a free nature center with a touch tank (tank closed on our visit due to Covid), and historic Fort Miles.
We would definitely stay again.

Overall, nice.

We spent a relatively quiet long weekend here on loop F 97, which is a bit removed from the main campground. It was a bit noisy on Saturday night but nothing disturbing.  This site also is bordered by a small stream so expect mosquitoes and the occasional visit from wildlife (we had raccoons at our site each night, so kept food in the car). Each site has a fire pit and a picnic table.

There is a store just outside the entrance that sells ice, wood, groceries.  There are quite a few roadside firewood sellers that are reasonably priced.  The fire pit does not have a narrow grilling grate so bringing something to ensure your food won't fall through the widely spaced bars is helpful.  

As I said, our site was out of the main population, but it was a bit of a hike to the restroom which is something to keep in mind if you've really got to get to a bathroom first thing in the morning.  

There is a Walmart about 10 miles away in Gloverville, so keep this in mind if you are planning on picking up essentials when you arrive.  

There are no sites with electric.

Field Camping

It's not all bad! It took a while to find our site in the dark as site markers are small. The sites are decent size, the bathrooms are clean but spiders will hang out. Showers are hot. Sites are available with electric and there is an RV dump station if you have one. There are a lot of RVs at this campground, a large playground, and a field with soccer goals (no net). Niagara Falls is 15 or so miles away, and Buffalo NY is a short drive. The bathroom building has an outdoor sink with heated water, and this is also where the trash bins are.  Firewood is available in front of many nearby homes (a couple of miles, max,and $4-5 a bundle). The fire pits are either low or leaning, so we found a camp stove to be essential. It can get quite windy, we saw a tent buckle and our stakes were pulled up from the wind. It can get loud at night and it doesn't seem as if quiet hours are enforced. I'd stay again but only if a more private campground was unavailable.

RV Park with some tent sites

We stayed in the small tent loop at this private, primarily RV resort. First, the good stuff: The tent loop was empty for our 5 night stay with the exception of night 1. We were at site F17.

Bathrooms were cleaned multiple times each day, showers were warm.

There is a laundry facility. It's about $6 to wash and dry a load. There is no change machine that we could find.

If you have kids that are aged 6 and up, they are going to love this place.

Staff were nice and made several trips to the tent loop to make sure all was well.

Electric hookups at every site!

Baby turtles were hatching when we arrived.

And now the stuff we didn't like:

Well, it's an RV resort. The tent loop is crowded, site-wise, and I cannot imagine how packed together you'd be if every site was full.

The signage is almost non-existent. We drove right by the tent loop twice and there are no obvious "Loop A" etc signs. The tent loop is all the way in the back next to the pond.

If you are arriving after office hours, 6pm or so, you have to call to get a gate code. Otherwise, you are locked out.

Everyone has a golf cart and will drive into the tent loop to look at you as if you are a wildebeest and they're on safari.

Parents of small children and toddlers: the tent loop is surrounded by water on 3 sides. There is no safety fence. The water is mostly standing water so expect mosquitoes.

Site F 17 is the lowest point of the tent loop,which won't be a problem unless it rains. Unfortunately, it rained 3 inches one day and I literally dug a trench around the tent to keep it dry. F15 is on the high side and slightly larger site, request it if you can.

On Saturday night, there is a DJ and a dance party from 7-10 pm. It is extraordinarily loud and somewhat impossible to navigate a car through that many people. Plan on staying out of the resort or completely inside if you are up for it.

(I'm sorry for the photos; I didn't have my phone and had to use someone else's phone to take photos.  It was also torrentially raining so I didn't venture outside of the canopy!)

Large, semi private sites

Is there anything nicer than the Adirondacks in late summer?  Buck Pond is a quiet, sublime campground about 20 minutes from Paul Smiths College.  The sites are sandy and our site was mostly flat.  Some sites do have an uphill driveway lined with trees.  If you have an RV, looking at the site on ReserveAmerica.com might be the way to go.  We didn't see any sites with electricity and there is one outlet in the bathroom area (I plugged my coffee percolator into this outlet every morning).  The shower could use an update and definitely bring some shoes to shower in and a mat/towel for the floor as it gets slippery when wet.  The bathroom area has one sink with no shelving so carrying your necessities in a shower caddy especially when you have kids that need to brush their teeth.  Sites are large enough to have an RV, a canopy, and a small tent, or several tents.  There is a canoe/kayak rental at the campground as well as a beach.  A place to buy wood on the honor system is a 5-minute drive from the campground, and there is a Walmart about 35 minutes away.  If you eat dairy, you can't miss a drive to Donnelly's Soft Ice Cream where only one flavor is served each day and standing line is worth the wait.  We're looking forward to staying here again, even without electricity!

Small, Level sites, Pretty and Great easy trails

SB Elliott SP is a tiny campground with quite a few flat places to take a stroll.  The sites are decently sized for the size of the campground itself, and there is a bathroom at the campground and pit toilets across the street at the picnic area.  There are no showers.  Sites offer a picnic table and a fire ring.  There isn't a camp store, but  I-80 is 2 miles down the road and there are places to shop/eat in nearby Clearfield.  The park is a wonderful place to go for walks as they have fields, forested areas, gravel roads and paved roads.  Parker Dam State Park is also a couple of miles down the road if you want more trails to explore.

If you're looking for a quiet place, this is not it.

While I understand that Memorial Day is a very busy camping weekend, I was hoping that due to the coronavirus that this spot would be less crowded given the restrictions in place.  Our loop had approximately 50 sites with roughly 200 people on it, minimum.  The concept of social distancing here is a joke and the only evidence of there being a pandemic was the sign in the bathroom that stated to stay 6 feet apart and masks being a requirement in all park buildings… with no enforcement whatsoever.  That said, sites are on the small side with a fire ring and a picnic table.  All vehicles MUST back into the parking spaces, and all parking spots are blacktop.  There is a camp store and a bundle of decent hardwood will cost $6; they do accept cards with a $10 minimum.  The city of Altoona is about 30 minutes away for more extensive shopping.  There is a marina and boat rental on the lake about a 10 minute drive away.  Bathrooms are very clean and the push button showers have excellent water pressure.  Drinking water is dispersed throughout each loop.  Pets are allowed on certain loops.

Pleasant camping

We stayed at Shawnee for 2 nights Memorial Day weekend just after Covid19 restrictions had been partially lifted. Site 258 on loop D is quiet, but may have been noisy if the yurt and 2 cabins had been rented out. There is a 20 amp plug and 30 amp service at this site. The fire ring is at an angle so cooking on it proved to be a challenge (we bring a grill grate with us just in case, and had to use it). Bathroom and showers were clean, bright, and there is a dish washing sink outside. Showers were push button but pressure was great and the water was hot (make sure you push the button once before you get in so its warm if no one else is showering at that time). Bring shower shoes. We were able to hear a small bit of traffic from the highway, but nothing that disturbed us. There are several stores within a 20 minute drive (Walmart, etc) and a mall an hour away. Camp wood at the entrance is $5 and is tiny; our biggest piece was a foot long, 4 inches wide and 2 inches thick! It was okay to start a fire, but we went into the woods and picked up dead wood that we cut into manageable logs. There weren't any roadside stacks of seasoned wood, so be prepared if it rains. The picnic table was saturated and too heavy to move, so we ate sitting in camp chairs. We would stay again.

Small, well kept

We stayed at site 8 which is creekside. It was a large, beautiful site and the sound of the burbling water lulled us to sleep every night. The bathrooms and showers are very clean and modern (tiled, not concrete block for a change). The only downside to the area is the quantity of timber rattle snakes that we encountered, one at our site and one in the woods nearby. Something to keep in mind if you have pets or small children.

Clean, friendly, beautiful

We stayed here 5/2019 on Loop C #30. While we were right next to the bathroom, we really weren't bothered by noise or traffic, and our site still felt quite private. We could easily see Lake Ontario through the trees, and the air was filled with the sound of birds. The space between our site and the next was a bit muddy, but the sites themselves were dry. Electric power is at every site, and both 30 and 50 amp are available. Pets are welcome in certain loops, and there is a well kept playground. Staff were super friendly, and there is a safety officer who patrols at night. We checked in well after the office closed (it's open until 9pm), but called ahead and it wasn't an issue at all. Plenty of farm stands around, but grocery stores will take about 30 minutes to get to. Definitely looking forward to staying again.

"Modern" Campground

We stayed at site 78 on the Sycamore loop at the end of April in a tent, which isn't the best equipment for this campground. Our site had a blacktop driveway, a very small amount of gravel, and a ton of mud. There was standing water toward the back of our site, and no really solid place to pitch our tent.

It was very windy the night we stayed and the following morning was as well. Because our tent stakes were anchored in mud, our tent blew over and collapsed. Our neighbor's tent did as well.

With the exception of our neighbors, we were the only tents in the loop (the other sites had RVs, and there are 2 cabins and 2 yurts on the loop as well). Firewood is for sale at the camp host site.  Bathrooms are clean and the showers are delightfully warm.

The sites are flat and open. There is a lack of trees, so no real wind break. Each site has a fire ring and a hook to hang food from small animals.

If the primitive sites weren't all booked out (it was the first day of turkey season) we would've stayed there. I'd give this place another chance, but only if we can snag a site at the primitive campground.

Go all the way up the hill

We stayed here 9/2018 at site #10 and can't wait to return. There is a small campground just by the entrance that has a small store and electric sites with RV hookups. Site 10 was at the campground at the top of the hill, sparsely populated, and had beautiful views beyond the trees. There were toilets and drinking water, but no electricity.  The bathrooms do not have lighting so bring a headlamp or flashlight. Each site had a fire ring and a picnic table. Trails were well maintained, but be warned that the overlook is crowded.

Small, rustic, gorgeous

We stayed here July 2018 and found a quiet campsite by the creek. It had been quite rainy and some of the sites were wet and muddy, but for $12, I couldn't complain. While there is an outhouse, it is simply a couple of toilets (bring a lantern or wear a headlamp). Arrive early to get a prime spot, and take advantage of the hiking trails (a bug net for your head will help in the summer as the gnats and deer flies are distracting). Looking forward to staying again.

The camping is always great, but...

After the last bad winter storm we had (2/2018) trees fell all over the park, including on my favorite hiking trails. Hemlock Hollow and Conservation Trails were grueling hikes this week, with a downed tree or 3 every 20 yards or so. There is cleanup going on, but it's going to be a while to make these trails relaxing and enjoyable again (as tough as it was, it was still enjoyable in hindsight… definitely not easy by any means, though).

ETA: 10/2019 The trail has been cleared since this storm and is a very enjoyable hike.  Kudos to ASP staff for trail maintenance!

Gorgeous trails

I live nearby so I'm a bit biased towards the park. Definitely one of my favorite places to day hike. The trails are well maintained, and the scenery changes every few steps. Lush hardwood forest; plenty of shade for summer hikes. Not crowded at all in the off-season.

We stayed in the Indian Cabin #I11.  There are 4 twin sized bunk beds but be forewarned, the springs and mattresses were ancient during our stay.  There is a small table, a refrigerator, electric stove and oven, and there is heat.  The windows do not open very much so bring a fan if you're camping in warm weather.   The bathhouse is clean and the showers are hot. 

The cabins can be difficult to find in the dark, but they are located just behind the campground offices.  If you pull around to the rear of the building and look across the creek that is there, you cannot miss them.