Federal Campgrounds in Pennsylvania
Federal coverage only. This directory lists campgrounds on federal land (Forest Service, Park Service, BLM, Corps of Engineers and other agencies) from the Recreation.gov RIDB export. State-park, county and private/KOA campgrounds are out of scope.
Pennsylvania has 53 federal campgrounds offering 2,351 overnight sites. These facilities are managed by three federal agencies: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates 37 campgrounds, the U.S. Forest Service manages 12, and the National Park Service operates 4. The majority of federal camping in Pennsylvania is centered around Corps-managed reservoirs and lakes, while Forest Service sites are distributed across the state's national forests. Most federal campgrounds in Pennsylvania accept advance reservations through Recreation.gov.
This directory covers federal campgrounds only. State park campgrounds and private or commercial facilities like KOA are outside the scope of this resource. For the most current information on site availability, amenities, and to make reservations, visit Recreation.gov, which lists all federally managed campgrounds in real time. Reservation policies and facility details vary by campground and managing agency, so checking the specific listing before planning your visit is recommended.
How to read the Pennsylvania directory
Use this page as a starting map of federal camping in Pennsylvania: the agency split tells you whether you're mostly looking at national-forest sites, park-service grounds or Corps-of-Engineers lakeside camps, and the busiest rec areas below point to where the campgrounds cluster. Every name links to its live Recreation.gov page for current site counts, photos and booking.
| Rec area / forest | Campgrounds |
|---|---|
| Bradford | 7 |
| Hesston | 6 |
| BRADFORD | 3 |
| Saltsburg | 3 |
| Ford City | 3 |
| Tioga | 3 |
| Hermitage | 3 |
| HESSTON | 2 |
Common questions
How many federal campgrounds are in Pennsylvania?
53 in this directory, with about 2,351 overnight sites, across national forests, parks, Corps of Engineers and other federal land. State and private campgrounds are not included.
Are these campgrounds reservable?
51 of the 53 take reservations through Recreation.gov; the remainder are generally first-come, first-served. Confirm on the facility's Recreation.gov page before you travel.
Largest federal campgrounds in Pennsylvania
- Shenango Rec Area Campground · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 328 sites · Hermitage
- Seven Points (Pa) · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 267 sites · Hesston
- Tracy Ridge · U.S. Forest Service · 200 sites · Bradford
- Ives Run · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 184 sites · Tioga
- Tionesta Rec. Area Campground · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 125 sites · Tionesta
- Tompkins · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 122 sites · Tioga
- Kiasutha · U.S. Forest Service · 117 sites · Bradford
- Woodcock Lake Park · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 111 sites · Meadville
- Willow Bay · U.S. Forest Service · 108 sites · Bradford
- Buckaloons · U.S. Forest Service · 100 sites · Bradford
- Outflow Camping · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 94 sites · Confluence
- Red Bridge (Pa) · U.S. Forest Service · 84 sites · Bradford
- Dewdrop · U.S. Forest Service · 80 sites · Bradford
- Susquehannock · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 64 sites · Hesston
- Twin Lakes (Pa) · U.S. Forest Service · 58 sites · Marienville
- Nancy'S Boat To Shore Campground (Pa) · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 50 sites · Hesston
- Bush Recreation Area · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 45 sites · Saltsburg
- Crooked Creek Lake · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 45 sites · Ford City
- Loleta Recreation · U.S. Forest Service · 42 sites · Bradford
- East Branch Campground · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 32 sites · Wilcox
- Hearts Content Recreation Area · U.S. Forest Service · 27 sites · Bradford
- Outflow Recreation Area (Pa) · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 26 sites · Tionesta
- Kellettville Recreation Area (Pa) · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 19 sites · Tionesta
- Kelly Pines Campground · U.S. Forest Service · 9 sites · Bradford
- Alosa Campsites · National Park Service · 6 sites · Bushkill
Ranked by overnight-site count from RIDB; “n/a” means the site count isn’t published (often a first-come or dispersed area). Each name opens the Recreation.gov facility page.
Compare every managing agency → · Reservable vs first-come in Pennsylvania → · Choosing a Pennsylvania campground →
Compiled from the federal RIDB export, verified June 2026. How we compile this. Confirm current details on Recreation.gov.