Gifford Pinchot State Park

Worst state park I’ve been to… Extremely strict. Park rangers even asked to check our coolers for alcohol. They came by our campsite twice checking for «suspicious activity.» If you can avoid this park do so!

I do enjoy this as a state park to just go and grill. BUT i did have a not so good experience when I camped there which was Aug21−23. It was with my boyfriend, me and his sister’s dog, so we were in a pet friendly location. It was a nice site however there was trash. When I say trash I’m talking, glass, and light bulbs?!? Do these people not check the sites after people leave. It almost looked like it had been there awhile. I mean people come and bring their dogs and kids, because i had seen alot of children and dogs everyone. Anyone of them could be playing in that area and get hurt!!!
Our site had the bathroom’s a little far away, which is normal no problem there. The dumpster’s though where all the way near the vistor’s parking lot?! Which was far. Perhaps that would suggest why no one feels like cleaning up that trash? We had to take our trash all the way to the vistors parking location and at times we would just take it to the bathroom, because we needed to get rid of it, especially when you have a dog and you must clean up after them. It could have been because we were tent campers, and this park only thought of RV’s and that was why the dumpsters were not close by.
I had been camping in other locations before and had no problem with having 2 cars on site. Our friends came to visit us at around 8pm and visitor hours were till 10pm. So if you had an extra vehicle on site you had to pay $ 5. We told the Ranger that our friends were only staying till 12am and they were leaving. Clearly they did not care and told us that we would till have to pay $ 5. He also told our friend that quite time was at 10pm. OKAY!!! $ 5 isn’t that much but when you are so clearly «obsessed» with the rules and «anal» about them but you can’t even keep your site CLEAN there is a problem. So me and my boyfriend were like fine we will just pay the $ 5 but I only had a $ 20 dollar bill and there wasn’t anyone to take my cash that office because it was closed. We had to leave it in an envelope!?! SO HOW ARE WE FORCED TO PAY $ 5 WHEN THERE IS NOONE TO TAKE OUR MONEY?!
So our friends just ended up paying because of these people. They could have easily waived that amount.
I was definitely disapponted in this site. After we cleaned up our things my boyfriend went to the office the next day, when we were leaving and showed them the photos of the dirty site. The lady on duty was nice but who knows if they end up cleaning the site or not.
On a positive, I did enjoy the little scene that we had and all the nice trees that kept things cool during the day and night but that’s nature :)

I came here in January for a polar plunge. Which if you haven’t done one you need to it is awesome and invigorating. Anyway I cannot actually sit here and give a review on the park because I really didn’t see it beyond the ice water that I was jumping into and then running out of to go grab my car and warm up. So check it out it looked nice and come do the plunge it’s fun.

Very nice park and this time of year very peaceful.
Our trip included a row boat rental and a bit of investigating. The rental was 18.00 an hour. Nothing major to report on such as a boat capsizing or ripped pants or lost ore… etc I did discover how non-​graceful I am getting out of a row boat and back on dock. It had my son 11 y/​o gasping for air between chuckles. blahahahahaha!
Just a very nice day enjoying the lovely sky and pre-​autum green trees. It won’t be long these leaves will be turning and it will seem too cold for the lake. Enjoy it while you can :)

Camped here twice. Big lake, lots of beach space, some waterfront camp sites, cabins, yurts, two day-​use areas, boat rentals, etc. It is located among the gently rolling hills in farm country about 12 miles north of York, easy access via Route 83. Pretty area, but not remarkable topography-​wise.
Both times we got a waterfront site with enough space to keep a boat or two. Entering the site you must pass through a ‘check point’, it is hit-​or-​miss whether somebody comes out to check your registration. Sometimes the cars stack up a little here and we had to wait a few minutes to get into the camp sites, but that wasn’t a big deal.
The sites near us all included two paved parking spots, but they charge extra for a second car. You can park extra vehicles next to the ranger station for free, which we did since we had visitors.
Be careful when choosing your site, they are very uneven in size. Some seem big on the map, but in reality they are sloped or rocky and have very little space for much more than a medium-​sized tent. Others are wedged in odd places — next to the restrooms, or in a corner next to a curved driveway. Some are great — lots of waterfront, room for a couple of kayaks and a place to fish. Each features an unmovable fire pit — we brought our own fire pit to get around the site layout problems. Picnic tables are also a hit-​and-​miss proposition — one was so rotted we thought it might collapse under us. Others are fine.
The campground can be pretty noisy, especially on the weekends. Sound just seems to carry here — everything from the unsupervised kids in the sites across the water or at the beach to the constant loud-​pipe motorcycles and truck ‘jake brakes’ on the two-​lane road that cuts through the park. The place empties out Sunday afternoon, so if you prefer quiet, consider starting your visit then.
On the plus side, this park has lots of herons, turtles and other wildlife. The restrooms were decent, and the beach was groomed daily. The rangers we met were friendly (but everywhere — make sure your fishing license and boat registration is up-​to-​date). Kids will have a blast — many bring bikes and spend hours pedaling around the camp site loop roads or hanging around the beach (only the ‘A’ loop has its own beach). Hiking around the park is generally pretty easy, good for families with young children.

Ladies, high-​heels are dangerous here: the ground isn’t flat and is full of rocks, dirt and bugs! That said, Pinchot is a great place to have a wedding…
…though if it is a zombie-​theme wedding, the DCNR conservation officers will drive by the ceremony repeatedly (hopefully to make sure that the undead stay dead)
There are running water toilets and sinks (to clean the fake blood and goo off) but it’s a bit of a hike SORRY I scared you little boy, perhaps your parents should have the zombie talk with you a lot sooner than they’d planned.
Stink bugs were everywhere but were tame. The lake was full of water and within sight distance of most parking lots. Some of the views getting to the park are the best in Pa.

The park had some pretty areas, but overall the campground did not impress me. We were lucky that there were very few campers the weekend we visited, because many of the sites were flooded — understandable, after the summer we had, and considering the fact that many sites are lakeside.
The difficult thing about this campground is that each site is so… random. You might get a brand-​new picnic table, you might get one cracked in half; you might get a fire ring which is on a steep slope; you might have a 9×9′ camping pad and you might get a 7×16′ one! We had a difficult time finding one big enough to fit our 10-​person tent (okay, so it was huge). There were so many empty spots we just moved to a different one, but if it had been summer and the only one left was slanted and unenchanted, I’d have been angry.
The campground hosts were sort of erratic, too. The next area over had some very friendly folks, but ours were M.I.A. most of the week. The ranger, when I spoke with her, was quite helpful and friendly.
Bathrooms are quite clean. Pro tip: bring a bar of hotel soap and just leave it in the bathroom so you don’t have to carry yours back and forth. The floors were somewhat flooded, but again, most of PA was flooded too. The showers had quite large gaps between the stalls, so everyone can watch each other shower. Not a fan of that.
Overall, it’s not a hellish place or anything, just sort of boring and mediocre. It’s not a terribly interesting part of the state. Next time I think I’ll stick to the mountains.

I wish I could give this less than one star. You can find a better spot to spend your weekend.
My fiancé and I arrived on a Friday night, along with our dog. Upon being greeted (gruffly) at the gate, I was handed a Christian Worship bulletin. The park «chaplain» suggested that we attend the Worship service on Sunday. This was a strange way to be greeted at a state park.
After this somewhat odd introduction, the attendant could not find our registration. Luckily, we had printed out the receipt from our reservation online. They told me to park and come in the office to «sort this out.» I’m not really sure why we had to «sort this out» — I’ve camped in other PA state parks and we just pull up to our reserved site and begin camping, while leaving our receipt in the car window in case the ranger comes by while we’re out.
I went inside the office, and the attendant finally found our registration. She (again, gruffly) mentioned that I didn’t look like a female (the registration was in my fiancé’s name), and gave me a stiff look up and down. She then reminded me specifically that there was no alcohol and no fireworks. I’m not sure why she assumed I was going to have a drunken firework-​laced rave at my campsite, but I was off put by this comment.
She then mentioned that there were no pets allowed. Well, we had reserved a campsite that allowed pets. We had looked for specifically for parks that allowed pets. I mentioned that I reserved such a site, and we had a dog. She then gave a long sigh, and asked if I had «remembered to bring proof of immunizations.» Again, we have camped at other PA parks and have NEVER been asked this question. I offered that my dog had a rabies tag on her collar, and the attendant again gave a long sigh and said «well I guess that will have to do…» I was shocked at the attitude given by this attendant toward the mere _​concept_​of having a pet camping. She insisted I bring in my dog’s collar. Upon bringing it in, she handed me a pamphlet of «pet rules» and insisted I «carefully read every rule.» …and then again reminded me about not having alcohol or fireworks.
Come on. I came in, conservatively dressed, in a Prius with my Fiancé and dog. Do I really look like the kind of guy who would pull up and throw a gigantic party with dogs, booze, and fireworks?
…and the anti-​pet attitude didn’t stop there. After reading their pet rules, we realized we weren’t allowed to leave the very small portion of the campground that housed the pet campsites. We couldn’t even walk our pet through the campground or the «day-​use» area — only the trail specifically listed for pets. There were «no dog» signs at every intersection from the pet area.
I can understand that families with pets could be segregated from non-​pet families in a campsite — but in the entire park?
Another strange dog rule: We had to have our dog on a leash no longer than six feet (SIX FEET??) the entire time the dog was in the park. We usually have a 20-​foot rope that we tie to a tree to allow our dog to roam the campsite, but not to leave the borders.
Seems I’m not alone in having an AWFUL time at this park:
For being so obsessed with following the rules, my observation of the facilities indicated that they were not particularly well-​kept. The bathrooms were particularly smelly and dirty, and the grass around the campsites was deeply rutted by large RV’s.
The best part of my specific campsite was that the fire pit was angled _​away_​from the campsite and toward the parking area. There was no way to enjoy the fire without sitting in the trunk of our car. Brilliant.
Wish I could say more about the other trails and the lake, but WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO VISIT THEM.
Look around. You can find a better place to stay. Don’t waste your time at Gifford Pinchot. (We enjoyed Pine Grove Furnace State Park last fall with our dog. The campground was clean and the staff was friendly.)

This is the third PA state park in which I’ve camped (Rickett’s Glenn and Promised Land being the others) and I must say that I was quite pleased with my experience here. I camped on a site that was right on Pinchot Lake and it was absolutely beautiful, especially when the sun set directly over the lake. Each site allows one car for free and an additional for $ 4/​day. A fire pit with a cook rack is also provided. Sites are gravel and fairly level, unlike Promised Land.
There are plenty of activities, including canoeing, kayaking, hiking, fishing, and swimming. My friends and I rented kayaks for $ 15 for the first hour and $ 8 each additional hour. Facilities include running water sinks, toilets, and showers, so it isn’t the most rustic park is you prefer it that way.
A number of sites have electricity and allow for trailers or mobile homes. Some sites even allow pets, but not on sites near the lake. For PA residents, campsite are $ 15/​day. Non-​residents pay $ 17/​day. Additional amenities will add to your charges. Receive one night free if you book a week long stay. Cabin, yurts and Adirondack shelters are also available by reservation.
The PCNR website is quite informative, so use it to your advantage when choosing your site and accomodations. Information on all PA state parks is found on the website also.
If you love camping, I would recommend this park. For first time campers, this park is also ideal. The less rustic conditions are a nice introduction to the activity. Reservations can be made online at
or by phone at 888-​PA-​PARKS. Go, make smores and mountain pies, and relax!

Very well kept park with a good day’s worth of hiking trails in addition to an enormous lake, RV parking, cabins for rent, and campsites. There is also a nice swimming area that is roped off from the rest of the lake. When I went the place was pretty quiet, except for the swimming area that was quite crowded. They have a reasonable concession stand there that sells food as well, nice spot for a day trip.

Pinchot Park is great if you get a bunch of foodie friends together, pack up a gourmet picnic lunch and enjoy a sunny weekend day at the Day Camping area. There’s plenty of parking but get there early to grab the best picnic table (even earlier if you want one of the grills).
there’s plenty of room to play ball or frisbee, swimming in the lake, trails for hiking and biking, etc. Full restroom /​changing facilities, even a snack bar. The beach is grass, but comfortable and well maintained, there is a nice park for the kids nearby.

Gotta agree with Dan, not like hiking up in Northern PA but still pretty good since it’s so close to Harrisburg/​York. We went hiking on a trail that runs along the lake, it was pretty muddy since it had rained the night before. Not too scenic…

Pretty decent state park (2,338 acres) about an hour south of Harrisburg, Pa. Close to York and Dillsburg, Pa it has many activities. You can hike, bike, fish, sail or camp here its main point is its proximity to HBG.. it has a large lake (340 acres) and in the warmer months it has a concession stand with all kinds of goodies.
its admission free and you can just go on a summer day and swim or sunbath. Hiking trails are alright, i have tried several of the advanced onces. There is a decent loop the whole way around the lake, partially exposed, partially wooded. The last time i went there were boats out on the lake, some people swimming and a group of school kids on a field trip fishing. Not like hiking up north, but still not bad.