$30 / night

Camper submitted image from Tionesta Rec. Area Campground - 1

Camper submitted image from Tionesta Rec. Area Campground - 2

Nature

Camper submitted image from Tionesta Rec. Area Campground - 3

Camping

Camper submitted image from Tionesta Rec. Area Campground - 4

Roads

Camper submitted image from Tionesta Rec. Area Campground - 5

Buildings

Established Camping

Tionesta Rec. Area Campground

10 Reviews

About

US Army Corps of Engineers

Grapevine Lake

Overview

Half of Forest County, where Tionesta Lake is located, is preserved as public lands. The region is known as one of Pennsylvania's best big game regions and is home to a remarkable variety of wildlife. Campers come to the Tionesta Recreation Area Campground to enjoy the forested area just below the Tionesta Dam. The area is ideal for fishing as well as scenic hiking. Tionesta is a culturally rich region with a long history. The Seneca Indian tribe named this area "where the water separates the land." Nearly a century ago, narrow gauge railways dotted the surrounding countryside, hauling out virgin timber from the hillsides.

Recreation

In-season hunting, fishing, boating, hiking and water skiing, are all available from Tionesta. Visitors interested in wildlife viewing are likely to spot white-tailed deer, porcupine, wild turkey, osprey and opossum. Outside the campground entrance is a beach area for swimming and picnicking along Tionesta Creek. No lifeguards are on duty.

Facilities

A boat ramp and marina are near-by for easy access to water sports. Shower houses and restrooms are located throughout the campground for easy access.

Natural Features

Tionesta Lake winds its way through the rugged hills of northwestern Pennsylvania. Surrounding public areas include the Allegheny National Forest, Cooks Forest State Park, Cornplanter and Clear Creek State Forests, the state fish hatchery and state game lands.

Nearby Attractions

Tionesta Creek Road, which winds through the Tionesta Creek valley upstream of the dam, is an excellent scenic drive with spectacular views. The nearby Allegheny National Forest also makes a great day trip.

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Location

Tionesta Rec. Area Campground is located in Pennsylvania

Directions

From Tionesta, PA: Go 0.5 mile south on SR 36 and follow signs into the campground.

Address

TIONESTA LAKE PO BOX 539
Tionesta, PA 16353

Coordinates

41.4843056 N
79.4490972 W

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Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site

Stay Connected

WiFi
Available
Verizon
Unknown
AT&T
Unknown
T-Mobile
Unknown

Site Types

Tent Sites
RV Sites
Standard (Tent/RV)
Group
Tent Cabin

Features

For Campers

Trash
Picnic Table
Phone Service
Drinking Water
Electric Hookups
Toilets
Pets
Fires

For Vehicles

Sanitary Dump
Sewer Hookups
Water Hookups
Big Rig Friendly

SEE WHAT'S AVAILABLE

$30

/ night

First Come - First Served

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Contact

General Info

Jason J.

Scout

Reviewed Sep. 4, 2022

Should have been 5 star

First time ever at this campground. Site 11 is very nice. It was quiet, peaceful, and just great. Only reason for not 5 stars is the 3 dirt speed bumps with no signs. You hit them pulling a camper and it was horrible. Will definitely be back again but next time back in the woods more

Site11

Month of VisitOctober

MickandKarla W.

Legend

Reviewed Jul. 22, 2022

Nice COE

There was not a real address to set our RV GPS. Waze and Google maps will pull up directions by entering Tionesta Recreation Area. We came in from the west on US-6 to PA-66, and up PA-36. From I-80, take the exit for PA-36 then follow the signs to Tionesta and once you get near you'll see the Tionesta Recreation Area Signs. There are signs to the boat launch area so pay attention and follow the camping signs; the campground(CG) is on the right. If you come in from Tionesta, once you clear the town the CG area is to the left. We arrived on a Sunday afternoon around 3:00 PM and the COE entrance building was not manned, so we took a picture of the CG map and proceeded to back-in site 100 with 50 AMP FHUs. There were no obstacles so our back-in was one and done. The site was just long enough for our 39’ fifth wheel(recreation.gov stated max length 48 ft RV) and we had to park our F450 diagonally in front. We noticed that the site post already had our names and dates of stay. The utilities were about 3/4 the way to the back of the site so no problems with sewer, water, or electric cord lengths. The water pressure was okay at about 42 psi. We did not receive any OTA channels but this site and several others back up to a huge berm so you can get satellite. Most of the sites in the CG have mature trees so the satellite is iffy. We got 2 bars on Verizon. The site lengths vary in the CG and the lengths from the reservation site seemed to be fairly correct. There were quite a few larger rigs here. Most if not all of the sites in this CG are full hookups. We noticed that some were 30/20 AMP. Sites closer to the front of the CG, especially along the river, tend to be close to each other. We found that the 90s- 100s area has the best site spacing with site 100 being one of the most spacious sites. After watching a 40’ 5th wheel struggle to back into site 113, we decided this site is not a good choice for rigs over 35 feet or for someone with below-average backing abilities due to the obstacles getting into the site. The pad angles at 90 degrees, there’s a ditch across the road from the site making it difficult to swing the tow vehicle, and there are trees to avoid. We enjoyed walking our dogs through the CG and watching the groundhogs in the rocks behind our site. We noted during our 4-day stay towards the end of June that restaurants and other sights such as museums may be closed Monday, Tuesday, and/or Wednesday. Get out and explore PA Route 666, which includes the Nebraska bridge, Tall Oaks Gift Shop, and Frog rock.

Site100

Month of VisitJuly

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Amber W.

Guide

Reviewed Jun. 25, 2021

Gangs of unruly kids on bikes

We used to enjoy this campground. Nice paved roads inside, fairly level sites depending on location. Some sites are very private and others are open with no privacy. In the back loop the sites are set up for group camping, so if not traveling with multiple friends/family with campers avoid those sites. I said we used to enjoy this campground. In the past 2-3 years there have been “bicycle gangs” of unsupervised kids roaming. They bully younger kids, will cut through your site, and if you’re walking almost hit you on the road. They just create general havoc. Otherwise the campground is nice. Not all sites have a lot of privacy. Avoid sites near the restrooms and shower houses. People walk right through your site.

Month of VisitOctober

Tim J.

Guide

Reviewed Sep. 21, 2020

It’s was okay

Reserved site 30, which was on a corner and entrance to the loop. The back of our camper was 15’ from our neighbor’s camper, so no real privacy. Our fire pit ring was also just a few feet from theirs. It was a very cramped space. While we had full hookup, there was no room or privacy. The campground had a playground that was at the entrance and the creek was nearby. We drove through the loop and noticed nearly all of the sites were close together. We did not use the public facilities, so no opinion there. 1-2 bars of Verizon coverage. It was okay, but we won’t go back.

Brannon M.

Ranger

Reviewed Jul. 31, 2020

Quiet, close to fish ;-)

So I’ll be honest: Sometimes I camp just so I can get close to flyfishing. This particular review has less to do with the specifics of the site (although this campground is great!), and more to do with the flyfishing in the area (also great!).

Pennsylvania is home to some of the best wilderness trout streams that you’re ever going to find. The area is just plain beautiful! If you like hiking, fishing, and getting it to enjoy some of the pristine wilderness of the Allegheny National Forest, this campground is your gateway to its natural beauty.

The campground near Tionesta (pronounced: “ty-NES-ta” for those out-of-town) is standard, but pretty nice. Everything you would expect for camping near ANF. The sites are well-maintained, and most of the locals seem pretty respectful.

The little town of President (and Porcupine Creek) is just up the road. This is one of the most pristine wilderness brook trout fisheries in the area. You can even find a wild, native Rainbow if you‘re lucky enough ;-)

Quick tip: spend more than a day here. If you like scenic drives, you’ll in for a nice surprise.

(8) View All

Kerrie K.

Guide

Reviewed Jun. 28, 2020

Perfect, quiet spot!

We had a great experience at this site. It’s very dog friendly and everyone with dogs was respectful and had them on a leash. Our site numbers were perfect -sites 46 and 48. They felt much more private than some of the other sites we saw and backed right up to the Tionesta River. We had decent access down to the water so the dogs could swim - they are big dogs and swimming breeds but the current is strong. The site had a lot of great tree coverage and nice well maintained fire rings. A nice guy drive around to purchase firewood.

We took a 30 minute drive to cook Forrest State Park to do a hike and it was great. It was the Longfellow -Kilmer trail and it couldn’t have been more perfect. After the hike we stopped by the quaint little town and bought some veggies at an open air market with some very friendly store owners. The highlight was being two sites away from a group of guitar and banjo playing trio who played some awesome Bluegrass each night - what a treat!!

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Lauren R.

Traveler

Reviewed Jun. 28, 2020

Quiet, Wooded, on the Creek

Beautiful level sites, spaced nicely apart, full hook ups, with big picnic tables and fire rings with multi-tiered grate. We had sites #46 and 48 right above the creek surrounded by tall trees. Incredibly quiet. Great for those traveling with dogs. We had a bluegrass quintet playing two sites down from ours and it was amazing! Within a 30 min drive of Cook Forest State Park, where we did some terrific hiking on well marked trails. A farm stand in the open-air market right by the campground rounded out our dinner with fresh zucchini and tomatoes. Can’t comment on the bathhouses bc we didn’t use them.

(7) View All

Karen R.

Guide

Reviewed Sep. 22, 2019

Beautiful wooded site

This is a beautiful camping site.

Tina L.

Traveler

Reviewed Sep. 9, 2018

Excellent for families!

This campground, given its location along Tionesta creek, spillway, and close to the Allegheny River has a lot to offer. The campground is a basic campground with full hookups (electric, water, sewer), large size sites, nice firepits with built in adjustable grates, two basic bathrooms, and one full bathhouse. Sites were well priced at $35/night for the amenities. The roads within the camp were well paved and traffic truly was not an issue (we were at a site on the main entrance and we were never bothered by the noise/traffic). Our kids were able to ride bikes, skateboards, and roller blade without difficulty. Water activities were mainly in the creek and river but you did not have to pay to access the water. This was the first time we stayed at the campground and we will certainly be back!!

robin B.

Traveler

Reviewed Jul. 13, 2018