Camping at Lake Pymatuning, Pennsylvania
Lake Pymatuning is a reservoir that straddles the states of Ohio and Pennsylvania. Waterfront campsites are available, and boating and fishing activities are favorite activities.
Since the lake exists in two states, there are two state parks available to campers. We stayed on the Pennsylvania side of the lake and camped at the Jamestown Campground. There are many private campgrounds to visit in the area as well.
Google Maps, @2021, United States
The Jamestown campground offers sites for tents, small trailers, and full hookups for larger RV units. The area is heavily wooded and would be fantastic for hammock camping, though our boys elected to stay in the tent trailer for this trip.
Our campsite was rather narrow and it was a little difficult to maneuver the pop-up camper, but we did get everything situated. The dirt pad was level - each site came with a picnic table and a campfire ring. We did not request a site with hookups, though full hookups are available for those with larger RV's.
Google Maps, @2021, United States
Some sites are located directly on the water, and would be an excellent location to launch a kayak or paddleboard. I would highly recommend reserving a lakeside site for the views and for the watersport possibilities. The campground is very large and it was fun to bike throughout all of the different loops.
The boys really enjoyed cycling throughout the campground, and spent a lot of time exploring various trails and riding down to the lake for a swim. The water did leave a yellow stain on Nolan's white swim shirt, so be aware that the algae in the water may stain clothing.
Several hiking trails connect directly to the campground and offer level hikes through the forest and marshland surrounding the lake. We took the Log Cabin Trail - we didn't see any wildlife, but did enjoy our walk in the woods.
There are flush toilets and showers in the shower houses. The shower facilities here are not as nice as those in other campgrounds, as the shower itself is private - but the dressing area is communal. There is no real dry area to store clothing while showering. In addition, we camped here during the summer of 2020 and maintaining social distance was difficult in a shower house with a communal dressing area. Hopefully the shower houses will be updated at some point to include showers with private dressing vestibules.
The campground was quiet and was dotted with fireflies in the evening. We were appreciative for the silent nights and found the trip to be very relaxing.
We did take a day trip from Jamestown, Pennsylvania to Meadville to ride on the Ernst bike trail. We rode the 7 mile length of the trail, then turned around and returned to our vehicle. The bike trail is level and paved, making it an easy ride for people of all ages and abilities. The kids especially liked riding through the covered bridge on our ride.
Pymatuning was a fun lake to explore, and we would like to return to get a pontoon boat rental the next time we camp. We would also like to explore Lake Conneaut, which is located very close to the Meadville and Jamestown area in Pennsylvania!