State Offers First-Time Camper Program

The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has teamed up with Gander Mountain to offer camping to first-time campers at participating parks.

For $20, campers get two nights of camping, equipment rental and hands-on instruction on how to camp by state park expert campers. 

This program is for people who have never camped in a Pennsylvania State Park before. If your name is in the reservation system database on a campsite you are not eligible for the program.

The following camping equipment is provided for one-time use by Gander Mountain: a four person tent, a tarp, a flashlight, a lantern, a camp stove, two sleeping pads, two camp chairs and four hotdog/marshmallow cookers.

Participating parks are: Black Moshannon, Caledonia, Colonel Denning, Gifford Pinchot, Hickory Run, Keystone, Laurel Hill, Little Pine, Locust Lake, Ohiopyle, Ole Bull, Parker Dam, Pymatuning and Raymond B. Winter.
 
For more information about the program, see the DCNR website.