The best camping near Raccoon Creek State Park

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

The best camping near Raccoon Creek State Park

Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Raccoon Creek State Park adventure.
90% (10 reviews)

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

Wildflowers, wetlands, and woodlands provide photo-worthy views through every season.  

Popular ways to camp

Community favorites near Raccoon Creek State Park

Top-rated campgrounds reviewed by the Hipcamp community.

Public campgrounds in the park

Stay at a public campground in Raccoon Creek State Park

Top-rated campgrounds near Raccoon Creek State Park

96%
(244)

Runnin Crazy Farm

5 sites · RVs, Tents20 acres · New Brighton , PA
Growing up and building on the back of our Family Farm is the best goal I ever set for myself! My Off-Grid 20 acres has raised my 2 kids and all the animals we could rescue! We run a Horse Boarding Facility along with Freezer Meat of all sorts. It's a small Hobby Farm but we love it all the same! Family environment that's down to earth! Learn more about this land: Sites 1 and 2 are for campers/tents. Sites 3 and 4 are tent only spots. No shade. Top tent spots up in field (3 and 4) need a higher vehicle to get to them. A bit Off Road. 3 has privacy with Antique Trailer but 4 is wide open. Fire ring at all of them/with wood. Horse stalls/guided trails available for the campers bringing their own horses. If advanced notice, an hour Lesson or Ride can be scheduled. Our animals are friendly and love attention. Dogs welcome but need a leash. Our Family run Farm is willing to accommodate your needs. Book a stay with us as you pass on thru. (Totally Off Grid livin my dream. Remember to burn burnables and take non burnables with you. Generators welcome) Thanx!
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from 
$15
 / night
98%
(64)

Sunnyday's Forest

2 sites · Lodging25 acres · Tarentum, PA
Sunnyday's farm and forest was  a Christmas tree farm in the 1950's. I've owned it for the last 30 years and it is now a horse farm with pastures and  woods.Rustic area of 25 acres of pastures and forest bordering a hundred of acres of railroad and municipal forest. Great for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking. 1.5 miles from Deer Lakes park which has fishing, hiking, mountain biking and a great playground. The Allegheny river, judged to be one of the cleanest in the country, is just 6 miles away.  Harrison Hills park offers great hiking along the river and an occasional river otter. The Rachel Carson Trail and Baker trail are just a few miles away. It is a secluded log cabin in the woods on top of a hill overlooking a pasture. It is a very primitive cabin with a fireplace, brick floor, large porch, fabric interior and no chinking in the logs.  We provide a bunk bed and cots and 2 picnic tables.. There is a large grassy area in front of the cabin for tents.  There is no vehicle access, no electricity and no water at the cabin, but LOTS of downed wood for fires. There are horses, goats, chickens, ducks and a pig that roam the pastures. The cabin is about 300 yards from the parking area up a fairly steep hill, but the location is worth the walk!   If you're stopping with an RV or trailer we have ample parking near the road and have overnight accommodations for horses Great place for a stopover. 
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$40
 / night
100%
(7)

Sycamore Island

1 site · Tent14 acres · Blawnox, PA
Camp on an island only accessible by boat/kayak/canoe or however you want to get across the river! Please read the full description. The island is open to visitors from dawn to dusk to enjoy the trails and wild scenery. Camp reservations secure your overnight visit to stay at the designated campsite area, which has a fire ring for cooking, a picnic table, and room for a tent or hammock. Sycamore Island can only be reached by canoe, kayak, or rowboat. You are required to have a permit for an overnight stay: Please sign this form before submitting your stay request. https://alleghenylandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Camping-at-Sycamore-Island-Rules-and-Regulations-4.5.16-Fillable.pdf Please plan your visit in advance- requests to camp the same day or day before may not receive a timely approval. Acquired and protected by Allegheny Land Trust in 2008, Sycamore Island is a floodplain forest with a ranking of “high significance” within the Allegheny River Biological Diversity Area (BDA) Natural Heritage Area. Before the island was protected by ALT, the island had periodic interludes of recognition and appreciation by humans as a natural refuge. In 1936, both Sycamore Island and Nine Mile Island were leased from the Pennsylvania Railroad by the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, making these islands the first bird sanctuaries in the Pittsburgh region. The Harbor Isle Boat Club was in existence on the island during the late 1960s but was later abandoned leaving behind several significant features; including a barge that remains embedded in the sand at the island’s southern tip, a partially installed swimming pool, docking platform, and a series of offshore pilings in the back channel.
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$10
 / night
72%
(18)

Tent camping along the Yough river.

10 sites · RVs, Tents10 acres · Perryopolis, PA
READ BEFORE BOOKING. WE STRICTLY ENFORCE ALL RULES. YOU MUST ADHERE TO ALL RULES OR YOU WILL BE REMOVED FORM PROPERTY BY STATE POLICE. All the sites are located with in walking distance next to the famed boat rental Hazelbakers! Our sites are on or near the Yough Riverbank. Although the train runs near by a few times a day, it will hardly be noticed while you are enjoying the beauty of the area. The Allegheny Passage bike trail runs nearby across the river. You can access it using the Layton bridge that crosses the river over our property. We have a very strict no asshole policy. If you are an asshole or plan to bring an asshole with you please go camp at the KOA. Camping is not an all night or two day tailgate party, hooping it up, drinking or doing drugs all night on your weekend off with 20 of your friends. Camping at our sites should be calm and relaxing. Other campers and people in general should not have to hear you, your music, or your fun and you should not have to hear theres. We have a strict no generator rule, no guns, no fire works, no amplified or loud music and again no assholes. Your neighbor may not like your music. If you must listen to music use head phones. Please do not leave any thing at the site when leaving and leave it better than you found it. The boat rental store sales snacks, ice and bait. It does not sell wood or large water bottles. Campers should bring water. We do not have showers but do have running hot and cold water in the change rooms at the boat rental. Port-a-pottys are near by. Please use them. Do not poop in the woods and leave your shit paper laying there. That's gross.
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$35
 / night
100%
(10)

Bending Oak Permaculture Farm

20 sites · Lodging, Tents25 acres · Youngstown, OH
Bending Oak Farm is an educational farm on 25 formerly clear cut acres. We are committed to our mission creating a more sustainable world by showing people what is possible. Through classes, workshops, school tours, community programs and hands-on experiences, we look to demonstrate attainable practices to better the lives of all people. We invite you to come and experience how you can create a more sustainable life for you, your family, friends and your community. To ensure an environment that is family friendly and mitigate the risk of injury Bending Oak does not permit alcoholic beverages or recreational drugs at the farm. Guests who stay in one of our permaculture cabins are participating in a permaculture design process where the goal is to create a system of abundance. During your stay, you will be challenged to think differently about how you go about meeting your daily needs. By design, you will encounter limits to the typical expectations of your living space, which grants you the opportunity to think deeply about what really is important to you and join us in exploring effective possibilities in meeting these expectations. After all, necessity is the mother of invention. This is our first study of building a sustainable living environment. We started with a blank slate, a new system designed with the permaculture principles in mind and the intention of ultimately creating a living space with the creature comforts we have all grown accustomed to. Eventually we will be building the next round of accommodations (principal: Small & Slow Solutions). When staying in one of our cabins, you are participating in this process by sharing with us your experience (principal: Observe & Interact), letting us know what you have discovered you can and can not live without, and possible solutions to efficiently address those needs and wants (principal: Apply Self Regulation & Accept Feedback).  We look forward to your stay with us and your participation in creating abundance in this living space!
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from 
$40
 / night
100%
(168)

Memory Park Campground

25 sites · RVs, Tents16 acres · Mineral City, OH
Memory Park is a primitive, beautifully maintained family-owned private campground located near beautiful Atwood Lake State Park. First developed in 1968, Memory Park offers peace, quiet, and tranquility for you and your family for that perfect weekday or weekend getaway . There are plenty of primitive sites to choose from, including Murphy Meadow, Outback Bend, Honeymoon Point, and Shady Rest, just to name a few. Each campsite includes a picnic table and fire pit. Firewood is available ($10 through hipcamp or cash on-site per full wheelbarrow load). Memory Park is the ideal rustic environment to restore the soul, including simple activities like sitting around a fire, reading or taking a nap, hiking, cooking over the fire, observing nature, and enjoying fellowship with friends. Memory Park can be your 'go to' camp spot, especially for Buckeye Trail hikers! Water is available from two hand pumps on the property. Electricity is not available. Quiet generators are welcome. A clean port-a-jon is maintained for our campers.
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$27
 / night

The best camping near Raccoon Creek State Park guide

Overview

About

Blankets of bluebells, violets, and red and white trilliums set the landscapes ablaze each spring and summer at Raccoon Creek State Park. The 314-acre wildflower reserve is the park’s crown jewel, with 4.5 miles of trails and more than 700 plant species to spot, but the outdoor adventures don’t stop there. Head to Racoon Lake to boat, fish, or swim in summer, explore 27 miles of hiking trails, or bring your mountain bike, horse, or snowmobile—there are 11 miles of multi-use trails, too. Campers can choose from cabins, rustic camping, or modern electric hookup campsites.  

Notable campgrounds

  • Best for family campers: The main Racoon Creek State Campground has tent and trailer campsites, many with electric hookups, plus warm showers and flush toilets. 
  • Best for tent campers: Sioux Rustic Campground has primitive camping open through winter, but facilities are limited (non-flush toilets and potable water only). 
  • Best for backpackers: Pioneer Backpacking Area has walk-in tent-only primitive camping—bring everything you need with you, including drinking water.

Tips for snagging a campsite

  1. You can reserve one of 172 campsites and 10 cabins via the Pennsylvania State Parks website. 
  2. Campsite reservations open 11 months in advance, and sites can be reserved up until noon on the day of arrival.
  3. Campsites can book up fast, especially if visiting during peak season (April-October) or on holiday weekends. Aim to book at least three months in advance, especially for cabins.

When to go

The spring and summer wildflower blooms are the star attraction at Racoon Creek, and the season peaks in late April and late August. Fall foliage is equally spectacular, and typically peaks in mid-October. It’s warm enough to swim at the lake from late May through mid-September, while winter visitors can enjoy snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and ice skating. Camping is possible year-round at Sioux Rustic Campground, but the main campground closes from mid-October through mid-October.

Know before you go

  • Raccoon Creek State Park is west of Pittsburgh, about a 40-minute drive away. Entry points are located along PA 18, which runs through the park.
  • There are no admission fees for Pennsylvania State Parks, but campsite booking fees apply. 
  • Facilities in the park include restrooms, picnic areas, food concession stands, boat rentals, boat launches, an electric car charging station, and a playground. 
  • Fires are only permitted in grills and fire rings.
  • You can bring your own boats (electric motors only). Swimming is permitted at the swimming beach only.
  • There are ADA-accessible campsites, cabins, and restrooms at the park. The swimming beach is also accessible.

Top points of interest near Raccoon Creek State Park

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