Loleta Recreation

Allegheny National Forest

Loleta Recreation Campground sits along the east branch of Millstone Creek in the southwestern corner of the Allegheny National Forest, offering a peaceful getaway that is popular with families.

April 2022 *** Water will be turned on May 1st. Electric will be turned on for Lower Loop April 1st***

The lower loop of the campground has spacious campsites that are surrounded by mature trees. The upper loop sites are smaller and tucked into the forest for a more intimate feeling with nature. Each campsite has a parking spur, fire ring, and picnic table. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided in the camping loops while the Day Use area supports the bathhouse with flush toilets, hot showers, and changing rooms.

Notifications and Alerts

Aerial spraying of insecticide (Bacillus thuringiensis, subspecies kurstaki or Btk is a naturally occurring soil bacteria) to kill spongy moth caterpillars will occur on the Allegheny National Forest from May 18th to June 11th. Recreation sites will remain open, with notices posted on-site the day of spray operations. For updated information on daily treatments and a map showing the areas that will be sprayed please visit the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources map - https://maps.dcnr.pa.gov/SpongyMoth/.

Need to Know

There is no dump station in the campground. Waste material in trailers must be hauled to another state-certified dump station for disposal.
Pets must be on a leash at all times and cannot be left unattended. Pets are not allowed on the beaches or in the water. Please clean up after your pets.
Don't move firewood: To limit the spread of invasive tree-killing pests, firewood from outside the area is not permitted. Some states have quarantines and may confiscate your firewood. Please help protect our forests from invasive species by obtaining your firewood at or near your camping destination and burning it on-site. Visit dontmovefirewood.org for more information.
It is illegal to discharge weapons, firearms, or fireworks within the Recreation Area.
Please build fires only in the fire ring or grill provided. Dead material down on the ground can be used for fires but live trees, shrubs, and plants must not be cut or damaged.
Interagency passes are accepted at most sites and are valid for the pass holder and any accompanying passengers in a private vehicle. Pass holder must occupy the site.
Check out time is 1:00 pm. Camping fees must be paid by 1:00 pm - don't forget to put your site number and license plate number on your fee envelope.
Please place trash in provided receptacles. Do not burn trash or waste food in the fire ring. This invites wild animals into the campground and no one wants to cook their dinner over your rubbish.

Natural Features

Loleta is a small opening in the forested hillsides around Millstone Creek. Native tree species in the area include red oak, white pine, black cherry, red and sugar maples, and a variety of others. Millstone Creek is a cold water fishery with a thriving population of native brook trout, and it is also priodically stocked by the Pennsylvania FIsh and Game Commission. Wildlife in the area include whitetail deer, black bear, turkey, raccoon, oppossum, fox, and smaller mammals, birds, and reptiles.

Nearby Attractions

The Buzzard Swamp Hiking Trails, a 9.6-mile network of trails that wind through an area of 15 man-made ponds, make for an enjoyable day trip just north of Loleta, while driving down a dirt road extending south of the campground leads to the beautiful Clarion National Wild and Scenic River. The paved road along the river is popular for bike riding, and the river offers access for canoes, kayaks, and tubes as well as fishing opportunities and large boulders for picnicking or just watching the water roll by. Cook Forest State Park is an easy drive for hiking, marveling at the grove of Old Growth Hemlocks, or climbing an old fire tower for a view of the river.

Recreation

Camping is available in both the primitive upper loop and the more developed lower loop. The Day Use area with picnic tables and grills centers around a Civilian Conservation Corps dam across Millstone Creek, which creates a small swimming/wading area. Fishing the stream is permitted with a legal PA fishing license, but the swimming area is off-limits between Memorial Day and Labor Day. There is a 3-mile hiking trail that starts and ends at the campground, passing a rock outcrop on the edge of the Millstone Valley at its furthest point from the campground.

Contact Information

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131 SMOKEY LANE MARIENVILLE PA 16239

Phone Number

For campground inquiries, please call: 814-927-6628

Rental Options

Learn more about gear rental options for your trip

Driving Directions

From the west, take I-80 east to Clarion, Pennsylvania. Turn left onto State Route 66 and continue northeast to Marienville. Turn right on South Forest Street and go south 6 miles to the Loleta Campground entrance sign. From the north, take State Route 66 to Marienville, turn left on South Forest Street and go 6 miles south to the Loleta Campground entrance sign. From the east, take I-80 west to the PA-36 exit towards Sigel/Brookville. Turn right onto PA-36 and take it to PA-949. Turn right on PA-949 to Bridge Road and cross the Clarion National Wild & Scenic River. Turn left onto River Road then right onto Gregg Hill Road. At the end of Gregg Hill Road, take a slight left onto Loleta Road/SR3002 and follow it to the campground entrance sign.

Available Campsites

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