The best hot spring campgrounds in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is a land of contrasts. Historic cities and industrial towns give way to the patchwork farmlands of Amish Country and the rugged hills of the Appalachian Trail. Dramatic canyons and forested mountains sweep through the heart of the Keystone State, providing endless terrain for hiking, kayaking, and mountain biking. Pennsylvania weather is notoriously changeable, but the best season for camping is May through October. Snow covers much of the state from December through March, so swap tent camping for a heated RV, replace your hiking boots with snowshoes, and head to one of 22 ski resorts.

99% (32) • 2 campsites

Top-rated campgrounds near Pennsylvania

Ranger's Retreat

1. Ranger's Retreat

99%

(39)

23 sites · Tents, RVs · Jennerstown, PA

Nestled in the Laurel Mountains the property offers a secluded, quiet getaway from the hustle and bustle of life! Nearly unlimited activities nearby as well! 1/2 mile from the Laurel Highlands hiking trail, 2 golf courses within 5 minutes, Jennerstown speedway 2 miles away! Three Vail resorts nearby, Seven Springs, Hidden Valley and Laurel Mountain! Swimming, fishing and canoing 10 mins away at the Quemahoning dam! 9/11 memorial 20 minutes away! 9 for 9 miners rescue memorial 10 minutes away! Public Game Lands 2 miles away! 30 minutes from historic Johnstown "The Flood City" which is home to the steepest incline plane in the world! Historic Ft. Ligonier, Linn Run State park and Idlewild theme park is a 15-20 minute drive over the mountain! Pittsburgh Airport 90 minutes away! Latrobe airport "offering Spirit airlines" 25 minutes away! Mountain Ridge ATV park located off hwy 160 is a 20-25 minute drive! We offer water fill and sewage dump for a small fee! We are committed to the continued development of our property and have plans to add more amenities in the future for guest convenience!

Pets

Campfires

Full hookups

from

$35

/ night

The Meadow

2. The Meadow

100%

(3)

1 site · Tent · Jersey Shore, PA

Great location nestled in the woods but close to lots of recreation. You have full access to a stream, forest and meadows. Dry camp only, no hookups.

Campfires

Potable water

Picnic table

from

$25

/ night

Pennsylvania is a land of contrasts. Historic cities and industrial towns give way to the patchwork farmlands of Amish Country and the rugged hills of the Appalachian Trail. Dramatic canyons and forested mountains sweep through the heart of the Keystone State, providing endless terrain for hiking, kayaking, and mountain biking. Pennsylvania weather is notoriously changeable, but the best season for camping is May through October. Snow covers much of the state from December through March, so swap tent camping for a heated RV, replace your hiking boots with snowshoes, and head to one of 22 ski resorts.

99% (32) • 2 campsites

Top-rated campgrounds near Pennsylvania

Ranger's Retreat

1. Ranger's Retreat

99%

(39)

23 sites · Tents, RVs · Jennerstown, PA

Nestled in the Laurel Mountains the property offers a secluded, quiet getaway from the hustle and bustle of life! Nearly unlimited activities nearby as well! 1/2 mile from the Laurel Highlands hiking trail, 2 golf courses within 5 minutes, Jennerstown speedway 2 miles away! Three Vail resorts nearby, Seven Springs, Hidden Valley and Laurel Mountain! Swimming, fishing and canoing 10 mins away at the Quemahoning dam! 9/11 memorial 20 minutes away! 9 for 9 miners rescue memorial 10 minutes away! Public Game Lands 2 miles away! 30 minutes from historic Johnstown "The Flood City" which is home to the steepest incline plane in the world! Historic Ft. Ligonier, Linn Run State park and Idlewild theme park is a 15-20 minute drive over the mountain! Pittsburgh Airport 90 minutes away! Latrobe airport "offering Spirit airlines" 25 minutes away! Mountain Ridge ATV park located off hwy 160 is a 20-25 minute drive! We offer water fill and sewage dump for a small fee! We are committed to the continued development of our property and have plans to add more amenities in the future for guest convenience!

Pets

Campfires

Full hookups

from

$35

/ night

The Meadow

2. The Meadow

100%

(3)

1 site · Tent · Jersey Shore, PA

Great location nestled in the woods but close to lots of recreation. You have full access to a stream, forest and meadows. Dry camp only, no hookups.

Campfires

Potable water

Picnic table

from

$25

/ night

Recent reviews from the Hipcamp community

P

Pedro

September 2025

Tent

With pets

29 nights at Ranger's Retreat

Beautiful property owned and operated by an amazing family. Eric and Vicki go above and beyond to make sure any campers: Tent, RV, camper van, etc. are well taken care of. You can find full 30/50amp hook ups on site, full water and sewage hook ups with easy access (and a heated water spigot for colder months) and full trash service. There are beautiful trails through the property for small hikes that lead to a small river where we spent a lot of time. Foraging is plentiful and encouraged, from culinary mushrooms to berries and more. Our pets loved exploring the property and were able welcomed warmly with treats regularly by Vicki! Eric and his son keep the property clean and protected, we never felt anything less than fully safe while staying here. The surrounding hiking trails, views, and attractions are worth the trip if you’ve never been to Somerset county. It was our first time and we found plenty to do and explore from farm stands to waterfalls and everything in between. With only 1.5hrs from Pittsburgh, it’s a great day trip to visit and explore as well. Local towns we loved include Ligonier (great active town center) and Somerset/Johnstown for medium city amenities and grocery shopping. We cannot wait to come back and visit in the future. Anytime we are coming through the state it will be a must stop stay for us.

R

Rebekah

September 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to Ranger's Retreat

We enjoyed staying at Eric's. We tent camped with our dog. The site had a firepit and picnic table. Eric has a large property that we were able to explore if we wanted to. He and his wife were very welcoming. It is located in a small town but there are attractions nearby like the Speedway and Filght 93 memorial. Thanks for your hospitality!

Bob

June 2025

Tent

With pets

3 nights at Ranger's Retreat

Eric and his family were very friendly and helpful for anything that we needed or wanted. Immediate upon our arrival they gave us and our puppies treats. We’re definitely planning on a return visit.

Autumn

June 2025

Tent

1 night at Ranger's Retreat

We enjoyed the solitude offered by Eric’s property. He and his wife have a large portion of land, and we were essentially allowed to go anywhere to camp. There are spots that are closer to the entrance where picnic tables are provided, but we preferred something further away, so we ventured out to the rest of the property. It really is what you make it. We enjoyed the birds in the morning and the bats at night. There are many trails on the property and even creek access, which I believe is also the property line. Super close to Linn Run SP, Laurel Mtn. SP, Forbes, and Laurel Hill SP. Amazing central location to access the parks. Eric’s wife was our main point of contact during our stay, and she is beyond lovely. So sweet and big on communication. There was firewood offered, and the morning of our departure she gave us breakfast bars and treats for our two dogs. She made sure our fire ring was safe and completely extinguished, which I thought was very responsible. Overall, we had a wonderful stay. I would say the only thing I would change is I usually prefer somewhere with forest and field. Soft grass the dogs can play fetch on, this land is largely raw it seems like. Eric and his wife do a good job maintaining a path and it is of no fault of their own.

Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

The best hot spring camping in Pennsylvania guide

Where to go

Pennsylvania Wilds

The evocatively named Pennsylvania Wilds blanket the north and boast some of the state’s best camping and hiking. Views of Pine Creek Gorge, the “Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania,” can be enjoyed at Leonard Harrison and Colton Point State Parks, and there are primitive tent sites and RV sites in the surrounding Tioga State Forest. To the west, the Allegheny National Forest covers more than 500,000 acres, with kayaking, ATV and mountain biking trails, and a national scenic byway.

Pittsburgh & the Great Lakes

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s second-largest city, is the first stop in the state’s southwestern corner, and several state parks lie within easy reach. Top of the list is Ohiopyle State Park, where adrenaline seekers go to raft or kayak along the white-water rapids of the Youghiogheny River. In the north, camp resorts and RV parks with full hookups dot the shores of Lake Erie, and you can hop over to the Presque Isle State Park to hike, windsurf, and bird-watch.

South-Central Pennsylvania

West of the Philadelphia region, the state capital, Harrisburg, is the gateway to the southern stretch of Pennsylvania’s Appalachian Trail. Just to the south, a day trip to the chocolate capital of Hersey is a must to stock up for all those s’mores around the campfire, and there’s back-to-basics camping in Amish Country around Lancaster. The Allegheny Mountains rise to the west, where campers can hike in the backwoods, paddle along lazy rivers, or hit the ski slopes.

East Pennsylvania

All roads in eastern Pennsylvania lead to Philadelphia, where you can dive into US history and take a peek at the Liberty Bell. For a wilderness camping experience, head north into the Poconos Mountains—there are more than 100 miles of hiking trails in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, including 28 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Further west, Ricketts Glen State Park has waterfall hikes and a family campground with yurts, cabin rentals, RV camping, and tent sites.