As an avid camper I hate to admit that I have only had the RV out once this Spring. My oldest son was getting married so I’ve been a little busy. The one trip I was able to take was over Mothers Day Weekend and our travels carried us to Raystown Lake, in the heart of Central Pennsylvania. Raystown Lake is by far one of my favorite camping spots especially before Memorial Day and after Labor Day because during those times, it’s first come, first serve and that means that you have the opportunity to camp right on the water!
Raystown Lake has been referred to as the Crowned Jewel of Central Pennsylvania; 126 miles of shoreline on 28 miles of lake and is operated by the Army Corps of Engineers. Raystown has beautiful campgrounds with electric hookups at every sight, hot showers, and if you get there at the right time of year you can step out of your RV and cast your line into the lake.
Our campsite was located within the Point Campground Loop at 7-Points. We were lucky that we were able to get a site right on the water. John my husband and Mike my son were able to fish all day and the dogs were able to swim all day, which didn’t make the anglers very happy but the fish were delighted.
If you like to fish, even if you don’t have a campsite on the water, then you really need to come to Raystown. This lake is known for its stripped bass. Anglers from all over the country come to this fresh water lake for competitions that are held year-round.
There are also loads of hiking and biking opportunities at Raystown. The newest trail just opened. The Allegrippis Trail is 33 miles of buttery smooth single track bliss built on the hills that surround Raystown Lake. The trail is owned and maintained by the Friends of Raystown Lake.
One more thing you’ll need to look for at Raystown Lake are the Bald Eagles. There are currently five nesting pairs on the lake. The easiest pair to spot are the two that sit at the spillway located closest to Huntingdon. You can learn more about Raystown Lake by visiting www.raystown.org.
Now that the wedding is over, we plan on getting on the road a few more times this summer. Who knows, we might run into you. Tell us where you’re next trip takes you by responding to this post. Have a great summer!
