Campgrounds and RV parks near Hughestown, PA

Water access dominates the local recreation. The horseshoe-shaped, 165-acre lake at Frances Slocum is popular for boating and fishing and is home to many species of birds, fish, and wildlife. Lackawanna State Park's 198-acre lake supports boating, fishing, and paddling on kayaks and canoes, and the park has an extensive network of multi-use trails shared by hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders. Families also have swim options at the parks. Frances Slocum has an ADA-accessible swimming pool with a shallow-entry area, and Lackawanna has a seasonal swimming pool near the campground. For whitewater and rail-trail riding, head south to Lehigh Gorge State Park, minutes from Lehigh Gorge Campground, known for its river gorge, waterfalls, hiking and biking trails, and whitewater rafting, with the D&L Trail running through the gorge.

Public campground seasons are compressed. At Frances Slocum State Park the campground opens in mid-April and closes in mid-October, and the Lackawanna State Park campground follows the same mid-April to mid-October window. Outside that window, day-use areas may stay open but overnight state-park camping is not available. Private options like Lehigh Gorge Campground and Highland Campgrounds typically operate on similar spring-to-fall calendars, so confirm dates directly with the campground before booking a shoulder-season trip. Summer weekends are the busiest stretch. Sites at both state parks fill quickly on Fridays and Saturdays from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and holiday weekends often book to capacity months out. Weekday arrivals and mid-September visits offer better site selection with cooler nights and thinning bug pressure. Beginning in 2027, the campground at Lackawanna State Park is undergoing a major shower house renovation project. Portions of the campground will be temporarily closed while other areas remain open as work is completed in phases, with impacted sites blocked for reservations. Plan accordingly if targeting Lackawanna.

Public sites offer modern basics without full hookups. Frances Slocum has 85 tent or trailer sites, some ADA accessible and some with electric hookups, plus 15 walk-in tent sites for added privacy. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring, and the campground has flush toilets, showers, drinking water, a sanitary dump station, and a boat launch. Lackawanna's modern campground features forested sites with electric hookups and walk-in tent sites, warm showers, flush toilets, and a sanitary dump station near the entrance. For full hookups, private parks are the pick. Lehigh Gorge Campground offers 30-amp and 50-amp full hookup RV sites plus tent camping, with fire rings, picnic tables, water, sewer, cable TV, and Wi-Fi. Cell service can be spotty in and around Pennsylvania state parks, so downloading the park map before a visit is recommended. Quiet hours run 9 p.m. to 8 a.m., and pets are only allowed at designated sites at the state parks.