HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s state parks are booming in the wake of Trump administration cutbacks to federally managed campgrounds and recreational facilities.
With some federal campgrounds closing due to staffing shortages, Pennsylvania state parks and forests are seeing a surge in camping reservations and are gearing up for a busy summer season, the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) reports.
“We’re seeing a 30 percent increase in campground reservations over this time last year, highlighting a growing demand for outdoor recreation in Pennsylvania state parks and forests,” DCNR said in an April 3 statement.
As other agencies scramble to fill the vacuum created by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), DCNR has launched a new tourism campaign to encourage residents and visitors to choose state parks and forests for their next outdoor adventure.
“Still Open, Still Awesome” is enticing RV campers, fishermen and even dog lovers to visit the state’s 124 state parks and 2.2 million acres of state forests.
With 7,100 campsites, including tent sites, modern cabins and yurts, there’s an option for every level of camper, the campaign says. Many state parks also welcome pets and some locations, like Promised Land State Park, provide overnight accommodations for horseback riders.
“From breathtaking hiking trails to peaceful lakeside campsites, Pennsylvania’s parks are the perfect escape for those looking to unwind and reconnect with nature,” said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. “With warmer temperatures on the way, now is the time to plan your next outdoor getaway.”
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A fisherman spends the day on Lackawanna Lake at Lackawanna State Park in North Abington Twp. Friday, April 4, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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A woman runs along the trail at Lackawanna State Park in North Abington Twp. Friday, April 4, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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A fisherman spends the day on Lackawanna Lake at Lackawanna State Park in North Abington Twp. Friday, April 4, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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Federal cuts
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District, which manages recreational sites in the Susquehanna River basin, announced in March that it will close several campsites and beaches due to staffing shortages.
The shortages will prohibit safe operation of the facilities in the 2025 recreation season, the corps said.
Seven Points, Susquehannock and Nancy’s Boat-To-Shore campgrounds will remain closed until further notice, the corps announced. Scheduled recreation and stewardship events will be reduced or canceled.
All three facilities are near the 8,300-acre Raystown Lake. the largest within the state’s borders, in Huntingdon County.
Raystown is the only lake in Pennsylvania where houseboats can be rented. Many have docked at Nancy’s Boat-To-Shore Campground, which is closed.
Raystown Lake’s beaches, picnic pavilions, walking trails, boat launches and a mountain bike skills park will remain open.
Tompkins Campground in Tioga County, including its swim beach and boat launch, will remain closed until further notice, the corps announced.
Located on Tioga-Hammond and Cowanesque Lake, near Lawrenceville on the border with New York, Tompkins has 109 traditional campsites, 16 hike-in sites and a boat launch and beach for use by campers.
Cowanesque Lake day-use facilities, such as picnic pavilions, walking trails and boat launches, will remain open.
Updates on the facilities will be available on the Raystown Lake, Tioga-Hammond and Cowanesque Lake websites and Facebook pages.
Water flows downstream along Falls Trail at Ricketts Glen State Park in Benton on March 29, 2025. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTGRAPHER)
Ready or not
Should there be an influx of campers due to federal cutbacks, as DCNR predicts, state parks could be in high demand come summer.
A DCNR comparison of campsite reservations in March 2024 compared with March 2025 shows a 37% increase in state parks in northeastern Pennsylvania, the largest in the state. Included are Ricketts Glen, Hickory Run and Tobyhanna state parks.
Reservation increases in the other three state park regions range from 14 to 36%, DCNR calculates.
As of March 31, 24% of campsites in the state’s 124 parks and 20 forests have been reserved for the peak season between Memorial Day and Labor Day, DCNR reports. The most popular locations include Bald Eagle State Park in Centre County and Greenwood Furnace and Trough Creek in Huntingdon County.
As state parks in northeastern Pennsylvania open for the season, managers say it’s too early to predict the impact federal cutbacks will have on the summer season.
Lackawanna State Park, a 1,445-acre facility in North Abington Twp., has a campground within walking distance of the lake and swimming pool, and features forested sites with electric hook-ups and walk-in tent sites.
Lee Dillon, park manager, expected the usual heavy turnout Saturday for the opening of the fishing season, dependent on weather conditions.
Come July and August, though, Dillon suggests things could get a bit tight.
“If we see decreases elsewhere,” he says, “we’ll see increases here.”
With 13,200 acres in Luzerne, Sullivan and Columbia counties, Ricketts Glen State Park has one of the highest occupancy campgrounds in the state park system.
“We’re used to operating at a high capacity, regardless of external factors,” said park manager Scott J. Wilson. “Many of our weekends are already being booked at a high rate as part of the normal demand we encounter every year.”
Locust Lake State Park in Schuylkill County is not accepting camping reservations temporarily due to several construction projects under way. The park will resume accepting reservations as the projects conclude.
The Shapiro administration has allocated $112 million for infrastructure improvements to state parks and forests, including Bald Eagle State Park, and has reopened the Tuttle Point campground at Pymatuning State Park. The governor has also launched the Office of Outdoor Recreation to promote growth in the state’s $19 billion a year outdoor economy that supports 168,000 jobs.
Campsites and lodging at state parks can be reserved online at visitPAparks.com or by calling PA-PARKS (888-727-2757).