Campgrounds and RV parks near Salisbury, PA

The surrounding highlands are built for outdoor recreation. The 13-acre lake at New Germany State Park sits at an elevation of 2,470 feet and is suitable for fishing, swimming, and non-motorized boating, with about ten miles of multi-use trails looping through the forest. At Big Run State Park, campers get direct access to the Savage River Reservoir for paddling and fishing, plus miles of trails through Savage River State Forest. Cultural and historical stops sit within an easy day trip. The Flight 93 National Memorial, the Great Allegheny Passage rail-trail through Meyersdale, and Fallingwater in the Laurel Highlands are all reachable by RV. Mountain biking, hunting in season, and cross-country skiing round out the options, and Deep Creek Lake State Park in Maryland is close enough for a lake-day detour.

The main camping season in this part of the Alleghenies runs roughly from mid-spring through mid-fall. New Germany State Park's campground typically closes in November and reopens in April, while Big Run State Park stays open year-round and a few private facilities operate through winter. Summer weekends and holidays fill quickly, especially at state park sites, so booking well ahead is standard practice. Fall is a prime window for RV travel here. Autumn visitors have a spectacular view of the changing colors on the surrounding mountain ridges, and cooler nights keep bugs down. Spring brings mud, high water, and stocked-trout activity on the Savage River and area streams. Winter is a different trip entirely. During winter months at New Germany State Park, campsites and driveways are not plowed and may be covered in snow and ice, so winter campers should be prepared to park in the day-use area and walk to their campsite, and vehicles parked in the day-use area must have an overnight vehicle permit available at the ranger station. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are the primary cold-season draws.

Expect a mountain-forest setting with narrow roads, tree cover, and cool nights even in midsummer. Elevations around Salisbury and the nearby parks run above 2,000 feet, which keeps temperatures noticeably lower than in the lowlands. RV drivers should plan for grades, curves, and a few unpaved forest roads leading to the more remote sites. Hookups are limited in the public parks. Camping at Savage River State Forest is a primitive experience, with sites providing a picnic table and fire ring and little else. Big Run State Park offers primitive campsites that accommodate RVs up to about 29 feet, each with a picnic table and fire ring. At New Germany, only two of the campsites have electric service, and roads and driveways are tight for larger rigs. Private campgrounds near Salisbury are the better bet for full hookups, laundry, and family amenities. Bring drinking water, extra layers for evenings, and be ready for spotty cell service in the deeper forest.