Shenango Rec Area Campground

SHENANGO REC AREA CAMPGROUND

Overview

The Shenango Recreation Area is situated within the broad, flat, meandering valleys of the Shenango River and Pymatuning Creek. Sharon, Pennsylvania is approximately 7 miles southwest and Youngstown, Ohio is about 21 miles west. Visitors to the area enjoy camping, boating and fishing.

Facilities

This large campground contains over 300 campsites, many of which have electric hookups.
Flush toilets, drinking water, showers and a dump station are provided. Playgrounds, a horseshoe pit and boat ramp are on-site.
The campground is reservation only. Reservations can be be made on the day of arrival.

Natural Features

Shenango River Lake stretches 11 miles up its namesake river, covering over 11,000 acres. The shore is lined with a northern hardwood forest of shady and colorful trees such as Black Cherry, Beech, Maple and Hemlock.

Deer, turkey and other small game animals are plentiful, with excellent opportunities to observe osprey and eagles in the area.

Recreation

The lake provides an attractive setting for picnicking, camping, boating or simply enjoying nature's beauty. Anglers fish for bass, walleye, muskellunge and a variety of panfish. The lake is shallow and water levels generally drop throughout the summer, especially after the Fourth of July, depending upon rainfall. The Coonie Trail is one-half mile in length. This self-guided interpretive nature trail invites visitors not only to experience the beauty of Shenango River Lake but also to learn about its varied habitats and relationships between plants, animals and humans. Shenango Lake is an unlimited horsepower lake and has six free boat launches for access. The Lakeside Picnic Shelter is located on site and can be reserved for reunions or other large gatherings.

Nearby Attractions

The Shenango Water Trail provides 7.5 miles of scenic river corridor for paddlers, with three access points between Kidds Mill Park and Big Bend. Personal Floatation Devices must be worn on all canoes and kayaks. The historic Kidds Mill Covered Bridge features the unique "Smith-Truss" design from the 1800s. Remnants of the Erie Extension Canal can be found nearby in Sharpsville below the Shenango Dam. The Shenango and Mahaney Recreation Areas feature restoration chestnut tree orchards that are managed through a partnership with the American Chestnut Foundation for research and education, with the goal of developing blight resistant American chestnut trees. The nearby Bayview Off-Road Vehicle Area provides over 200 acres of riding trails for ATV's and dirt bikes (3.5 miles from the campground) The Chestnut Run Swim Beach is only 3 miles from the campground and offers a great area for swimming and sunbathing (NOTE: no lifeguard on duty) "The Pines" Disc Golf Course in the nearby Mahaney Recreation Area (6 miles from the campground) offers a challenging course that hosts PDGA sanctioned events The nearby Trout Island Trail in Sharpsville is a 5 mile paved trail that accomodates walking, running and cycling The Shenango Hiking Trail, on the east end of the lake, is 7.5 miles through wooded areas adjacent to the Shenango River Boat Rentals are available at the nearby RC's Marina in Clark, Pa. (1.4 miles) An ADA Fishing Pier is available in Clark, Pa. 1.4 miles from the campground.

Important Notices

Campsites #1 - 330 opens May 10th, 2024. Starting Labor Day through September 23, 2024, only sites #1-90 are available for reservations. Golden Loop (#1-26) is open all year round with limited amenities.
The maximum vehicle length indicated on the site description is actually the total length of the site; keep this in mind when determining if your equipment will fit on the site. Cars or trucks with vehicle passes that won't fit on the site can be parked in visitor parking.
Two camping units are allowed per site, one wheeled unit and one tent OR two tents
Alcoholic beverages are prohibited
Golf carts are prohibited.
Quiet Hours are from 10:00pm to 6:00am. Generators may not be used during this time and visitors must leave the campground by 10:00pm.
A picnic shelter is available for reservations; call 866-444-6777 to reserve
Pennsylvania state law requires children under 13 to wear a personal flotation device; all people on boats less than 16 feet in length and all canoes and kayaks must also wear a PFD
Pets must be caged or on a leash not exceeding 6 feet in length. Leashes must be attached to the campers own equipment. Pets may not be left unattended or make excessive noise. All waste must be cleaned up and disposed of properly.
Don't Move Firewood: Protect your forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. Visit Dontmovefirewood.org for further information.
A sewage dump station and freshwater fill station are available on site
If you have any questions about the rules and regulations for the Shenango Recreation Area please call the Ranger Station: 724-646-1124

Notifications and Alerts

Starting September 2nd 2025 Old Duck Loop will be open all year round.

Old Duck Loop (Campsites 192-225) will be open all year.
- Electric sites are provided but encouraged to bring a generator.
- Potable water is available at the entrance station and at the dump station.
- Dump station will be available
- Shower house will be available.
- Generators will be able to run at all hours starting Sept 26th 2025 through May 8th 2026

Available Activities

Camping - Camping
Boating - Boating
Day Use Area - Day Use Area
Fishing - Fishing
Kayaking - Kayaking
Canoeing - Canoeing
Amphitheater - Amphitheater

Directions

Take Exit 4B (formerly Exit 1) off I-80 and follow Route 18 north about 6 miles until you cross the lake's causeway. The park is on the left, but this is a divided highway. Continue north about 1/4 mile, take the Birchwood Drive exit, make the turn-around and go south on Route 18. Before you cross the causeway again, make a right onto West Lake Road and travel approximately 1/4 mile to the park entrance on the left. Shenango Recreation Area address: 492 West Lake Road, Transfer, Pa. 16154

Cancellation Policy

A $10.00 service fee will be charged if you change or cancel a reservation. If a customer does not arrive at the campground by check-out time the day after arrival or does not cancel the reservation by the day before or day of arrival, the customer will be considered a "no-show" and may be assessed a $20.00 service fee and also forfeit use fees. If a customer cancels a reservation the day before or day of arrival they will be charged a $10.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation). Cancellation for a single night's reservation will forfeit the entire use fee but not be charged the $10.00 service fee. For more information on cancellations or refunds, please visit the recreation.gov site or call 877-644-8777.

Contact Information

Phone: 724-646-1124

2442 KELLY ROAD
HERMITAGE, PA 16148

Rental Options

Learn more about gear rental options for your trip

Available Campsites

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