The best camping near Colonel Denning State Park

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

Discover the natural allure of Colonel Denning State Park.

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Public campgrounds in the park
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Stay at a public campground in Colonel Denning State Park

Top-rated campgrounds near Colonel Denning State Park

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Fiddlers Green Farm

3 sites · RVs, Tents107 acres · Taneytown, MD

When you come here you are experiencing the rebirth of farming in this country while getting to connect with the natural world. This historic piece of preserved farmland has been in our family for 5 generations. The property is just over 100 acres with about half in forest conservation. We have two streams that join one another and create an amazing habitat for all kinds of wildlife. Our farm has always been a fun and healing place for our friends and family to gather. We love sharing the peaceful seclusion here with folks who enjoy and respect nature. We are a certified organic farm in the early stages of transforming it into a fully regenerative, permaculture operation. We grow hemp, medicinal herbs, and small grains as well as keep bees and a small tribe of goats. We'd love to have you!

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Beespoke Farms

11 sites · Lodging25 acres · Sabillasville, MD

A small, startup farm focused on regenerative agriculture and producing environmentally friendly products through environmentally friendly processes. With roughly 15 acres of grazing and forested space, and another 9 acres developing projects and orchard planting, we're located along the Blue Ridge Mountains. There is both A-frame camping and 'pitch your own tent' camping space available.

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Chiques Rock Base Camp

2 sites · Tents1 acres · Columbia, PA

Learn more about this land:Rustic tent sites on the Northwest Lancaster River Trail and the Susquehanna River. Close to the towns of Columbia, Marietta, Bainbridge and the River.

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Free Spirit Campground

6 sites · Tents66 acres · Landisburg, PA

We're a family campground in south-central Pennsylvania, just 25 minutes from Carlisle. Our relaxed environment and varied recreation offer something for everyone, & we'd be glad to have you as our guest! We offer fun for those of all ages: * Fishing in our stocked lake * Paddle boats and kayaks * Mini golfing * Axe throwing * Live events * A playground for children * Swimming in the pool * Hiking trails * A fully stocked campground store * Weekend live entertainment * Themed weekends/activities * Concerts in the field * Crafts and fun activities * A bath-house with heated showers * Ice sales & propane exchange * Brand-new horse-shoe pits & more!

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Old Soul Farm

3 sites · RVs, Tents11 acres · Gettysburg, PA

We are a small, working farm and apiary. Located back a gravel farm lane, Old Soul Farm is the perfect place to getaway from it all and still be within 10 minutes of the Gettysburg Battlefield. Learn more about this land: Site Option 1: The Point - A beautiful view of the farm and surrounding farm properties. It is the furthest away from the barn and owner housing for privacy but an easy field walk in and out. Site Option 2: The Barn Site - Closer to the barn. It is a level area with a great tree for shade and climbing. This location also has a stone fire circle. Site Option 3: The Riding Ring - Formerly used as a riding ring for horses, it can now be used to accommodate larger groups.

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Private Farm Near Gettysburg

5 sites · RVs, Tents14 acres · Littlestown, PA

This property existed as a farm prior to the Civil War. The house building is stone and the old horse barns are a little worn. Clean, friendly and very secure site. The stone building has an old school bell on top and may have been a school at one time. Otherwise the history has been lost ...The property has nice open and shaded places to wander. Access to small pond and creek. There are fossils in the limestone by the pond. Feel free to collect!Learn more about this land:The site offers a quiet, secure and private location for your campsite. It is currently only one private campsite site offering an electric hook-up. The farm is located one block off the main road and is 12 minutes from the Gettysburg Battlefield and Visitor Center. There are two old barns next to the site and a pre-Civil War stone house.Site is a few minutes from amenities such as gas stations, restaurants, fast food, supermarket, etc.

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Cosey Cabin

2 sites · Lodging2 acres · Greencastle, PA

This is a 160 square foot tiny house/cabin in a small wooded area at the rear of my 2 acre property. A separate 90 square foot bath house is also provided. Both are primitive, ie, no electric or running water. The are some solar lights and candles for nighttime. Enjoy laying in the hammocks with a nice camp fire in the evening. The house is heated with a small wood stove but there is no air conditioning. Cook either on the wood stove or over the fire outside. In the summertime it is nice and private with the surrounding vegetation

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Paradise By The Pond

1 site · RV, Tent200 acres · Martinsburg, PA

Learn more about this land: A large 2 acre pond you are free to fish in. A small row boat with life vests is provided. We recently added two kayaks! Large mouth bass and sunfish/bluegills mostly. Down a lane about 1/3 mile, large field, by the woods. No hookups, No electricity, No neighbors very private! Large field for pets to romp. We are very flexible on check-in and check-out times. 30 Minutes to Raystown.

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About Tyme Farm

2 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents26 acres · Westminster, MD

About Tyme Farm is a 26 plus acre privately owned farm used for crops such as corn, soy beans and sunflowers. The property includes a 150+ year old stone farm house, large historic barn on the barn quilt tour in Carroll County, renovated camping cabin for those not into rough camping, fields, streams , woods for hiking, plenty of wild life and lots of quiet. The farm is surrounded by other farms in the agricultural preservation program yet you are only 5 miles from stores, movies, antiques and other aspects of civilization or entertainment if needed. Enjoy watching the deer come out of the woods and meander along the stream and fields at dusk and return in the morning. Electric, water, fire pit and a Port a Pot is available even for rough campers. Pets welcome but must be on a leash or exercise pen or with their owners in some way while here for their safety. There is a large fenced yard for dogs that just have to run if needed. Glamorous camping with a furnished heated/cooled cabin is available for rent by the night for those who do not have camping equipment or do not want to rough it. For those that have been camping before and have all the equipment there is plenty of room for a tent or camper near the buildings or by the stream or woods. For RV owners there is 50amp electric service in the barn. You will need an RV extension cord to access it. I have a 100 ft RV ext. cord but it can be farther than that depending on where you park. Bring one of your own to be sure. It is a farm and not set up like an RV park with numerous outlets.

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Wilson’s Hollow Boondock

3 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents140 acres · Ramblewood, PA

If you're in search of a camping location that's perfect for unwinding, offering privacy and seclusion, then this is the destination for you. We have many extras that you can add to your stay like fishing our private spring fed pond. PSU Football fans we can accommodate your group! We do welcome golf carts. Latest updates on weather, photos and videos can be found on our Instagram @wilsons_boondock Tucked away in the heart of the Stone Valley Forest a secluded 150+ year old family farm bordering Penn State University Forest and near Rothrock State Forest. Abundant wildlife and scenic hiking, biking trails on site and nearby with Greenwood Furnace and Whipples Damn State parks only a few minutes away. The area has some of the finest trout fishing with the streams and lakes nearby such as Standing Stone Creek, Juniata River, Little Juniata and the famous Spruce Creek. We are centrally situated between State College PA, and historic Huntingdon PA home of Juniata College, and Belleville PA (Home to the second oldest Amish community in the country) where you can attend the famous sale every Wednesday. Local Restaurants: Doan's Bones BBQ (eat in & carry out, 5 min drive) Couch's Subs and Groceries (eat in & carry out, 10 min drive) McMurtrie's Tavern (eat in & carry out, 15 min drive) Local churches: Manor Hill Methodist, service every Sunday at 11am to noon (3 min drive) St. Stephens Lutheran Church (5 min drive)

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Wilbur's Shed

1 site · RV, Tent60 acres · Blairs Mills, PA

Let your children and dogs roam free without a leash. This property is remote and private. There are no neighbors nearby. This location is; twenty minutes north of I-76 Turnpike Willow Hill Exit forty-five minutes from Raystown Lake one hour and thirty minutes north of Gettysburg one hour and thirty minutes south of PSU three hours east of Pittsburgh three hours west of Philadelphia five hours west of NYC There is some cell service, but it is limited. Can you hear me now? Be sure to save site information on your phone before you leave, in case you lose cell-service. This is not Alaska, but it is not a KOA campground, either. We recommend you print of bring a paper map. Your GPS will not bring you to the exact driveway location. You need to be personally observant. This is the top of a mountain ridge. The access lane is steep, rocky, and has water erosion ditches you must drive over. Do not attempt this if you have a low profile car or a new/fragile camper. 4WD/AWD is highly recommended. Low profile and fancy cars are not recommended. This is not Alaska, but it is not a paved KOA campground, either. This camping site is for those who want to live ruggedly like Lewis & Clark, or Teddy Roosevelt. It is NOT for those who like their campground to be like The Villages of Florida where everything is flat, paved over, and you drive golf carts. This location is in a mix of farmland and mountain Appalachia. You will see common species such as chipmunks, squirrels turkey and deer. Many bird species. There are also porcupines, skunks, and black snakes around. You may also see black bear - it is rare, but possible. You are visiting wildlife species in their natural habitat. Please be self-aware of your own level comfort with wildlife. Once again, this is not an RVs park where you will socialize with a hundred other campers. This is primitive and isolated. This is an ideal camping spot if you want to escape from people. Nearby is the Tuscarora Creek which is excellent for trout fishing. The Tuscarora has a small but lovely window for kayaking from mid-March through the end of May. Please contact the host if you would like help to plan some paddle logistics. Twenty minutes south is Big Spring State Park which has an abandoned RR tunnel form the late 1800s. Forty-five minutes away is the 1,000 steps near Mt. Union which is part of the Standing Stone Trail that runs from Cowan’s Gap State Park to PSU. The Steps provides and amazing view of the Juniata River, and is a strenuous heart work-out. If you are interested in historic trains, East Broad Top Railroad is in Mt. Union. If members of your party would like a more pampered camping experience that includes real beds and hot showers, there is an adjoining property for rent on air b and b. Google search for The Crowe's Lounge.

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Circle S Farm Camping

3 sites · RVs, Tents35 acres · Grantville, PA

The camp sites on our farm are dry (for now) but we DO have a toilet that is cleaned regularly right by the sites. We have three leveled gravel RV/Camper spots, which are large compared to most campgrounds. The sites are pull through for most RVs and Trailers. We provide fire rings and campfire wood (assuming we have it available). Our farm is an operational farm with livestock and you will be camping right by our horse pasture. Our location is convenient. We are right off of I-81 and State route 22. Minutes from Hersheypark, Hollywood Casino and Penn National Race Course, The PA Renaissance Faire, as well as Ft. Indiantown Gap and Memorial Lake State Park. If you are a hiker, the Appalachian Trail is minutes from our farm. Our sites are easy access off the main road. We are in a friendly agricultural neighborhood with very little traffic or noise other than the light hum of I-81 in the distance. Wildlife is plentiful in our area and you can hike from our farm to Levitz Community Park (or drive if you prefer) to interact some great nature or have a picnic. Our goal is to be accommodating and provide our guests with the best experience possible while here. Got questions? We can help! Just ask!

The best camping near Colonel Denning State Park guide

Overview

About

Dotted with picnic tables, perfumed by the familiar clouds of burning charcoal, Colonel Denning State Park is a niche-like paradise for the backpacker―who fancys midnight reruns on the Food Network. While not geared toward the motor boating enthusiast, the park’s expansive lake is a favorite among canoers and kayakers, offering a safe, scenic experience for the paddling-minded ilk. Even the seasoned angler will be well catered to with Doubling Gap Lake’s healthy populated trout schools. And, if you’re not one to partake in water-going activities, Colonel Denning State Park is snaked with eighteen-miles of hiking trails that carve the Cumberland Valley. However, make sure your smartphone’s fully-charge; Colonel Denning State Park’s campsites offer little amenities (aside from the one electrically-fed campsite), allowing all it’s campers to experience Mother Nature in all her well-groomed beauty.

When to go

The ideal time to visit Colonel Denning State Park is during the spring and fall when the weather is mild and the natural scenery is at its peak. Summer brings warmth perfect for water activities, though it can be crowded. Winters are quiet but can be quite cold, so ensure you're prepared if you venture during this season.

Know before you go

Check the weather forecast and dress appropriately for the season to ensure a comfortable visit.
Be aware of park hours, typically from 8:30am to 5pm, and plan your trip accordingly.
Stay informed about any trail closures or area restrictions before you arrive.
Remember to pack essentials like water, snacks, and a first-aid kit for a safe and enjoyable day.
Take advantage of the available facilities, but always leave the park as you found it, respecting the Leave No Trace principles.