Tomlinson Run State Park in WV, Near Pittsburgh, PA

Are you looking for someplace to camp that is within an hour's drive of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania? Well, then I'd like to recommend a beautiful, wild, wonderful campground in New Manchester, WV. It's Tomlinson Run State Park.  I stayed at this park for 3 months at a time because I was caring for older family members who lived nearby. The new online reservation system will limit your stay to 14 days. To stay longer, just select a new site number.  Some sites are shorter than others, so you may want to call the park office before making your reservations if you have a longer rig.  I liked sites 11, 16, 22, 23, 26, and 48.  Here is a link to the park map.

Now, I need to warn you. This will be more rustic camping than RV parks you might be used to staying in. Most of your camping choices are on slightly sloping grass and dirt sites. The state was adding gravel to many of the sites after the 2019 "summer of rain."  Not all of Tomlinson Run's campsites have electric hook-ups, so be sure to check before you reserve the site. You can find potable (drinking) water to fill your RV tanks and a dump station at the entrance by the campground office. There are also bathhouses with toilets and showers. Now, these bathhouses will remind you of summer scout camp, but they can save you the trouble of having to fill your water and dump your tanks too often.  

Don't let the rustic nature of this campground discourage you from staying. The sites are nicely spaced and the natural surroundings are so peaceful. All the sites have picnic tables and fire rings. A few even have places to hang a hammock and a lantern post. Some have nice big "yards" and all have amazing wooded views.  I wish my photos showed how amazing this campground is, but it rained for weeks while I was there.

Even with all the rain, this state park is a beautiful place to stay.  There are plenty of things to do here as well, although many cost extra. For example, there is a very nice pool, miniature golf, a new playground, a fishing lake, paddleboats, rowboats, and hiking trails. And, as I mentioned earlier, you are close enough to Pittsburgh that a day trip is always an option.