Five peaceful nights, two happy pups, a little fishing, and absolutely no bugs with a personal agenda.
Our original plan was to try the Army Corps of Engineers campground at Raystown Lake, but instead of making the whole drive at once, we decided to break up the trip with a stay at Bald Eagle State Park.
It turned out to be a very good decision, and not just because it gave us an excuse to camp twice.
Our Campsite and Our Crew
We arrived on Tuesday, August 25, and stayed through August 30. Our traveling party included the four of us: Shawn, me, and our pups, Cooper and Penny. We had a very spacious full-hookup site in a dog-permitted area, so everyone had room to settle in. The view from our site was beautiful, and the campground felt nicely maintained from the moment we arrived.
Trails, Weather, and the Sound of Silence
The park has many really nice trails. Some wind through the woods, but the paths are fairly wide and well beaten down, which made them easy and enjoyable to walk. The forecast kept threatening us with storms, but apparently the storms had other plans. Our stay was dry and mostly sunny, with only a couple of humid days to remind us that it was still August.
One of our most memorable “trail” moments started as what we lovingly call the dogs’ routine “poop walk.” We were just heading out for the usual Cooper-and-Penny business trip when we got distracted by what looked like a trailhead. Naturally, we thought, “Sure, let’s just see where this goes.” Eighty minutes later, we returned to the campsite thirsty, tired, hot, and much wiser. It was a really nice adventure, but it was definitely unplanned, with no water, no bug spray, and no idea where we were going. So basically, we accidentally took ourselves on a guided tour, except we were the guides and we were not qualified.
And the quiet, wow. It was so peaceful that we actually felt like we needed to whisper.
A Dinner Out and a Few Familiar Stores
A friend I worked with at Coca-Cola lives nearby, so we met up for dinner at Four Ways Pub & Eatery in Bellefonte. It was nice to add a little catching up and restaurant food to the camping schedule.
We were also only about a half hour from a few of my favorite stores: Walmart, Sam’s Club, and Lowe’s. Some people collect souvenirs; apparently, I collect the comforting knowledge that a big-box store is within reasonable driving distance.
Fishing, Fellow Campers, and the Bug Report
Shawn found a couple of fishing spots, which gave him a chance to explore the water while the rest of us enjoyed the slower pace. We didn’t really meet anyone during our stay. Most campers kept to themselves, and honestly, that was perfectly fine with us. Sometimes a camping trip is less about making new friends and more about pretending the rest of the world has temporarily misplaced your phone number.
As for the all-important bug report: thankfully, there were no bugs bugging me. That alone earns a very enthusiastic five-star review from my ankles.
Would We Stay Again?
Absolutely. Bald Eagle State Park gave us a spacious site, beautiful views, pleasant trails, fishing options, and the kind of deep quiet that makes you lower your voice without even realizing it. It was meant to be a stop on the way to somewhere else, but it became a memorable part of the trip all on its own.
Our Rating
4.5 out of 5 campfire chairs. We would definitely stay here again. The spacious site, quiet campground, pretty views, nice trails, and lack of ankle-attacking bugs all worked in its favor. We’re holding back half a chair only because our “quick poop walk” turned into an 80-minute survival-lite adventure, and apparently that was on us.
Photo Gallery
Here are a few favorite views from our stay at Bald Eagle State Park, including our spacious campsite, the marina, and the lake views that made this little detour feel like a destination of its own.
Main Points
- Spacious full-hookup site in a dog-permitted area.
- Beautiful views right from the campsite.
- Quiet, peaceful campground, as in “should we be whispering?” quiet.
- Nice, well-maintained trails, though apparently some may turn a quick dog walk into an 80-minute mystery adventure.
- Mostly sunny weather, despite the forecast trying to be dramatic.
- Good fishing spots for Shawn to explore.
- Not buggy during our stay, which my ankles greatly appreciated.
- Close enough to Walmart, Sam’s Club, and Lowe’s for anyone who likes a little civilization near their nature.
- Overall, we would definitely stay here again.
If you’re planning your own camping trip, check out our Amazon store for some of our favorite camping and RV must-haves. Because if there’s one thing we learned from our accidental 80-minute “poop walk,” it’s that being prepared is always better than pretending you meant to do that.