The best camping near Presque Isle State Park

Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Presque Isle State Park adventure.

Hit the beach or get on the water at this Lake Erie island.  

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Community favorites near Presque Isle State Park

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Top-rated campgrounds near Presque Isle State Park

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Cabin Off-Grid Camping

1 site · Lodging2 acres · Ashtabula, OH
Enjoy the lovely setting of this quiet spot in nature conveniently located near Geneva on the Lake and surrounding wineries. Propane heater and gas generator for electricity add more comfortable options for your stay. Outside port-a-potty is private and not shared with anyone else. Please bring your own bedding for use on the futon. Limited water is supplied for your use. There is not pre-cut firewood on the premises, but you are welcome to cut down logs. If you plan on having a fire, there is also firewood for sale within 5 minutes at Geneva Lakeside Storage. Any fuel that is onsite when you arrive, you are welcome to use. Plan to acquire fuel if you anticipate using the electric and heating elements. We have fuel canisters onsite if you'd like to use them to transport fuel from the nearest stores back to the site. We do not have a cleaning crew out between each visit, so please be courteous and leave the site the way you left it.
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$40.67
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The Highlander

1 site · Lodging1 acre · Pittsfield, PA
Rustic cabin with some creature comforts. Electric cooking range, microwave, coffee pot, small refrigerator TV and blu-ray player. Outdoor propane grill, charcoal grill and fire ring. There is no running water in the camp. There is an outhouse for toilet facilities. We provide filtered water for drinking and cooking. We also provide fire wood.
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$45
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(19)

French Creek Flood Plain Overlook

1 site · Tent36 acres · Union City, PA
This tent site sits in the woods on a hill just above the corner of French Creek (2022 PA River of the Year!) and a small tributary creek. It faces northwest over the valley providing amazing sunset views. This location is on the high-side of the Union City Dam which is a dry bed, flood control dam. Which means during snow melt, or rainy streaks, the dam will fill up and flood the entire valley. However during dry spells, French Creek will appear as any other creek. At peak flooding, it will make its way all the way up the tributary valley, making a beautiful lake front campsite. Unfortunately, this only occurs a few weeks out of the year (typically early spring and occasionally during wet falls) and is fairly unpredictable (you can compare the high-water vs low-water views from the photos). Most of the summer you can still enjoy the view over both the tributary valley and French Creek valley. (DISCLAIMER: Once or twice a year during the wettest streaks, the water rises high enough to flood the driveway, making it impossible to drive up directly to the campsite. If this happens, you will be notified before so you can choose either to be refunded and not stay or you can park 100 yards up the road and hike into the campsite to enjoy the unique and rare lakefront views. Again, these are natural events that are infrequent and unpredictable, but also provide a truly spectacular setting.) Located at the end of a dead end dirt road, adjacent to 100's of acres of federal protected land, and within sight of agriculture fields, there is an abundance of wildlife. For over 20 years, an active eagles nest has been located 1 mile north providing amazing opportunities to see either adult or juvenile eagles flying over French Creek hunting for fish. Deer can be seen early morning and late evening in the fields, as well as frequently crossing both valleys. All types of waterfowl flock the lake when it's flooded. I've personally seen up to 1000 geese at one time. Beyond relaxing and wildlife watching, there are plenty of other activities to explore in the area. Access to many nature walking trails. The Union City Dam, less than 1.5 miles down the road, provides walking, biking, scenic driving, and picnic opportunities. Kayaks/canoes can be used to float the creek when dry or paddle up and down the reservoir lake when flooded. Centrally located between the 2 small towns of Union City and Waterford with gas stations, grocery stores, great local dinning options, and more. About a half an hour drive to Erie and Presque Isle State Park. Come enjoy this extremely unique stretch of French Creek and Pennsylvania woods! DISCLAIMER: There is an active gravel pit to the North of the campsite. During weekdays from about 7 AM-5 PM, you will likely hear and possibly see some activity from the gravel pit.
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$40.05
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(638)

The Heron Farm & Event Center

86 sites · RVs, Tents300 acres · Panama, NY
The Heron is an Organic Farm, Event & Wedding Venue, and Campground. A place to connect deeply with nature & art, eat real food and create lasting memories! We are the home of the Great Blue Heron Music Festival and the Green Heron Growers. For more information on our farm, our Farm Store and our Events, visit our website, theheron.org You'll notice a handful of weekends that the campground is closed or would appear fully booked; those may be times that we have ticketed music festivals happening, in which case you can find that information on our main website. Our many camping and lodging options allow families to relax, enjoy nature, and create memories. We have around 100 sites throughout our 300 acres, some woodsy, some with views of the rolling hills and some with electric service. The Heron grounds boast a swimming and fishing pond, and over 4 miles of on-site hiking trails. Located on over 400 acres in beautiful Chautauqua County, NY, we are a working organic farm with a shiitake mushroom yard and on-site farm store. We host weddings, educational workshops, retreats, private events, captivating music festivals, and much more! We offer many different options for camping, from tent sites nestled in the woods to RV sites with electric hook-ups (electric site reservations are to be made on that specific listing and are limited). We allow pets, all dogs must on a leash 6ft or shorter in length and held by an adult, there is a $20/stay pet fee for pets that can be paid prior to arrival. Beach/Swimming Rules: Two adults 18 or over are required to supervise when there are children swimming. (Even if only one child is present.) No swimming outside of the designated/roped swim area. No watercraft allowed anywhere in the pond. Do not use soap in the water, we have showers! No alcohol, no glass or open containers. On-site Phone is for Emergencies only (located in the beach hut to the left of the beach area). Creating a reservation is your agreement with this rule. Local Attractions: Panama Rocks, Chautauqua Institute, Chautauqua Lake Overland Trail (The Westside of Trail) over 35 miles of hiking, Chautauqua Gorge, Audubon Nature Center, Rails to Trails, Ellicottville Brewery, Southern Tier Brewery & Distillery, Lake Erie Wine Trail, and much more! Please contact us with questions and inquiries. Come and share the Magic of The Heron! Welcome Home!
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$40
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Flannel Dog Farm

3 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents7 acres · Ashtabula, OH
Flannel Dog Farm is a seven acre homestead on the site of an original 1860's farm. Here you'll find sheep, chickens, ducks, and dogs as well as a variety of wild animals and birds, native pollinators, and fields of wildflowers. Camping and lodging options include a large open camp area, a tiny house, and a covered wagon. Chris Zielski and Alan Block are the wife and husband team that steward the farm. Chris is a metal artist and has a beautiful onsite studio for her business, Copper Leaf Studios. Alan is a sourdough baker, gardener, and fermenter. In addition to Hipcampers, Flannel Dog Farm hosts art shows, classes, and retreats. Much like our farm's name, our place is warm, welcoming, rustic, and a little bit gritty. We believe in inclusion, community, and sustainable living. We love telling and hearing good stories. And, we love to share our part of the world with others. Message us if you have any questions!
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$50
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Steelhead Run Recreation Area

2 sites · RVs7 acres · Westfield, NY
When arriving at Steelhead Run you are greeted by the sounds of Lake Erie in a tranquil wooded setting. Only steps away from beautiful Lake Erie and Chautauqua Creek. Our location offers an array of experiences from walks along the beach, wildlife viewing, relaxing to the view of incredible sunsets and so much more. Cocktails, food, and public boat launching can be found just half a mile up the road. A quick drive inland, the historic town of Westfield provides weekend farmers markets, wineries, eateries, and antique shopping.
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$70
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Chappel Hill Tree Farm

2 sites · RVs, Tents140 acres · Grand Valley, PA
This 140-acre property is an old farmstead last farmed in the 1950's. It lies in the Allegheny Plateau region of NW Pennsylvania and is mostly hardwood forest today. It is surrounded by thousands of acres of private forestland and is very secluded. Our goal is to provide a private and secluded yet accessible camping experience where you will see more deer than people. AANR friendly. There is excellent Verizon and T-Mobile service. The skies are dark at night and the sounds of nature will surround you. Campsite 1 is near where the farmhouse and barn once stood. The site is shaded by large, old maples that once shaded the farmhouse. Old fields surround the farmstead, but the woods are a short walk away.  It is the most popular campsite with an outhouse, fire ring and picnic table available. Campsite 2 is on the other side of the property. There is a fire ring but no picnic table.  Both sites easily accommodate anything from tents to RV's. Each site has a separate, gated, gravel road access. These are the only 2 campsites on the property and they are far enough apart (1/4 mile) to avoid any contact should both sites be occupied. There is a 2-mile loop hiking trail on the property that traverses a variety of habitats which are home to many animals and birds. The trail is well maintained and mowed. The terrain is flat to gentle slopes. The 1/2-mile Narnia Loop trail weaves through a young spruce forest like a maze. It is so cool, literally, even on the hottest days. The Allegheny River is about 10 miles away, near Tidioute, PA, and has excellent paddling and fishing. Titusville, PA is about 15 miles away and is home to Oil Creek State Park which has great trout fishing, an excellent paved bike/hike trail, and Drake Well Museum site of the first oil well ever drilled. Finally, you will be on the doorstep to the Allegheny National Forest with all the outdoor recreation it has to offer. We hope you enjoy the peace and quiet of nature on our property as much as we have. If you are curious about more details of the history and management of the property, please ask your host, Dave Trimpey, and he will be glad to share his knowledge of the land. Learn more about this land: The property was a family farm from the late 1800's to the mid-1950's. Aerial photos of the 1940s and 1950s show much of the surrounding area was being farmed for crops and dairy cattle. Agricultural farming ended around 1956 and the farmer, Mr. Matkovich, planted acorns in many of the fields. An observant hiker may notice rows of red oak trees today in former fields which are now forests. In the 1970s the property was acquired by Lester Noll. He planted some of the remaining fields with spruce and fir for Christmas trees. The old farmhouse was still standing until it burned down in 1975. Mr. Noll sold the property to Dave and Rhonda Trimpey, your hosts, in 1992. We continued and expanded the Christmas tree business for 20 years and one point having nearly 6,000 Christmas trees growing in the fields around campsite 1. The Christmas tree part of the business ended in 2014 and management of the land now focuses on timber and wildlife. We have always used the property for personal recreation - primarily hunting, hiking and camping - and decided to open it up for others to enjoy by camping through Hipcamp in 2020.
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$15
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Steadfast Roots Homestead

7 sites · Tents20 acres · Ashtabula, OH
We are a working homestead trying our best to do right by mother earth. We have 20 acres that offer nice trails to enjoy the peace of nature, duck/goose pond, kayaks, paddleboat, big pond with islands, moss beach, fire pits, picnic tables, meeting room/A frame available if needed. Camping in the forest surrounded by ancient woodlands. So close to I90 our property touches it, don't worry there is a fence at that outer tree line you can see the highway in some areas or edges and car show days are great times to look. You will hear all the noises Ashtabula county has to offer. Including but not limited to the highway, Benetka Rd Covered Bridge is part of the driving trail, there is a cool off road park down that way has events as well vroomvroom, AND we have roosters, chickens, ducks, geese, pigs, rabbits, who knows what that noise was? If you are looking to only hear nature this is not the homestead to choose. Not far from all of the amazing Ashtabula attractions. Super close to harbor and cute small towns, wineries, fun local shops, and Lake Erie beaches. Short drive to Erie PA not far from NY boarder. Lots of online delivery to us options. Outhouse available but no electricity and no bath house yet. Ask about sapling adoption!!! Please ask us anything and everything tell us if you know something we love to learn and we are still learning about this wonderful piece of earth we are trying to survive on.
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$40
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Roller-Coaster Road Ranch

3 sites · RVs, Tents350 acres · Cooperstown, PA
The Roller-Coaster Road Ranch offers many maintained trails, perfect for hiking or horseback riding, The property is mainly forested, but does contain numerous open spaces perfect for a rustic camping experience. The farm has a few large open fields that are plowed and planted seasonally. Various wildlife populates the area; whitetail deer, turkey, black bear, and bald eagles. A stocked trout stream passes through portions of the property and connects to a larger stream with many options for swimming, wading, and crayfish hunting. Many different campsites are available in various uniquely situated sites.
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$17
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Fish Camp

4 sites · RVs, Tents32 acres · Mc Kean, PA
32 acres located 8 miles from Walnut Creek Access and Lake Erie . 2 miles from world famous Elk Creek and steelhead trout fishing . 10 miles from beaches . 3 acres mowed . Excellent Steelhead fishing from the creek! Has electric only . No other utilities . Must have own water and septic holding tanks . Dump station is nearby off of property . Appx 10 miles from Presque Isle Beaches . 15 miles from downtown Erie Pa. Very quiet . Paved road . Lots of deer and wildlife .
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$20
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Elk Valley Creekside

1 site · Lodging70 acres · Girard, PA
This campsite is a wildlife paradise and a fisherman's dream come true on the banks of Elk Creek. We open April 1 each season so campers can take advantage of three months of incredible steelhead, smallmouth bass, lake suckers and stocked browns. There are seasonal fishing ponds on the property as well. Campers will marvel at the incredible nature surrounding this secluded campsite. Watch bald eagles from your tent deck, and keep your eyes open for deer, turkey, seasonal steelhead and beautiful monarch butterflies. Elk Valley Creekside is a perfect getaway for campers interested in wildlife photography - the photo opportunities are endless. This campsite is only 20 minutes from Presque Isle State Park, and 30 minutes from Erie, PA. There are solar lights around the campsite to help you see at night, and plenty of firewood is provided. The Space: Creekside Campsite with Incredible Fishing and Wildlife Guest Access: This was a former Tentrr Signature 5 star campsite. An outdoor toilet (job johnny) and fire wood are provided
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$170
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(22)

May Farms

4 sites · Lodging, Tents97 acres · Erie, PA
Secluded area of field and trees on old family farm. Property is 97 acres. Near Presque Isle state Park and Lake Erie beaches. Hike Wintergreen Gorge near by too. The surrounding area and city offers amusement park, bicentennial tower, shopping and indoor water park. We are only about 10 minutes off I90.
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$45
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The best camping near Presque Isle State Park guide

Overview

About

Tree-lined bays and lakefront beaches await at Presque Isle State Park, Pennsylvania’s closest answer to a seashore. Drive out to the sandy peninsula to spend the day swimming, surfing, or even scuba diving at one of nine swimming beaches, pack a picnic to enjoy lakeside, or bring your own boat, kayak, or water skis and take to the water. For the best views, boat cruises set out from the Perry Monument across Lake Erie, or you can explore the coastal hiking and biking trails. Presque Isle State Park is a day-use only park, but camping options exist on the mainland. 

When to go

Peak season at Presque Isle State Park is May through October, and day-use areas are open from 5 am to sunset. Sunny summer weekends can get busy, so arrive early to snag a parking spot and picnic bench. The state park is open year-round for boating, fishing, and land activities, but swimming beaches and boat cruises are available from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day only.

Know before you go

  • Presque Isle State Park is on an island on Lake Erie, about a five-mile or 10-minute drive from Erie. The island can be reached by car along PA823 or by boat.
  • There are no day-use or entrance fees for Pennsylvania state parks, but reservation fees apply for the picnic pavilions.
  • Facilities at Presque Isle State Park include restrooms, picnic areas, boat launches, fishing piers, swimming beaches, and a public phone. 
  • There are accessible restrooms, picnic areas, fishing piers, and swimming beaches at Presque Isle State Park.

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