Camping in Chapman State Park: Peace and Quiet Camping

Chapman State Park is a small Pennsylvania state park nestled in between PA Game Lands and the Allegheny National Forest.  The park has a small lake for fishing and boating as well as a fairly large campground with several ways to stay.  

Whether you are looking to tent camp, park your RV or stay in a cottage, Chapman State Park might just be the perfect weekend getaway for you!

In this article we’ll discuss the location, the details of the campground, the ways to stay, and of course do a price comparison for all these ways to stay.  So let’s jump right in with a few important links to get you started.

Important Links

Chapman State Park website

Chapman State Park Camping – Make Reservations Here

Campground Map

Trail Map

Location

Chapman State Park is a little patch of paradise if you are looking for some peace and quiet.  This small state park is strategically placed in between some game lands and a national forest, giving all of it’s campers a wilderness vibe.  

Chapman is just 1.5 hours southeast of Erie, PA, 2.5 hours northwest of Happy Valley, PA and about 3 hours north of Pittsburgh, PA.  So if you are looking to escape into the mountains, without breaking the bank, you’ll love booking a stay here!

A quick word of caution about Chapman, there is NO AT&T SERVICE here.  My phone read SOS the entire week that we were here.  

Booking Window

When should you book your stay at Chapman State Park?  Like most campgrounds, there is a booking window.  Chapman allows you to book your reservations up to 11 months in advance.  

In other words, if you are like most people, and plan your vacations within a calendar year, you can book your dates as soon as you know them.  

Campground Season

Because Chapman State Park is so close to the mountains in northwestern Pennsylvania, there is a season for this campground.  With the higher chances for snow, access to the campground cannot be guaranteed past December.  

2024 Season

-April 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024

2025 Season

-April 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025

Time to Spend Here

Chapman State Park is made up of 862 acres and with only a few hiking trails and a small lake for fishing or boating, this is a great place for a weekend stay.  

Some state parks might have you feeling like you’ll need more time than just a weekend, but Chapman is perfect for just a couple days.  

Sample Weekend:

• Friday: Arrive in the evening after work and set up camp.  Cook some hot dogs and marshmallows on a fire as the sky grows black.
• Saturday: Wake up, have a hearty breakfast, and hit the trails!  With over 14 miles of trails, Chapman State Park has something for everyone who stays.  The Nature Trail, Lowlands Trail and the Old Railroad Trail can all be picked up from the campground. Come back for some lunch before heading to the beach on the banks of Chapman Lake, or grab a kayak/boat for some time on the water.  Head back to your site for dinner and some relaxation around a fire.
• Sunday: Cook your final camping meal and once you are packed up, park your car on the other side of Chapman Lake so you can hike some of the other trails, or get your last cast/paddle in if you want some more time on the water

Our Itinerary

My husband and I camped here for a week in August of 2024.  A week felt a little too long for us to spend here, but it allowed us to relax and get caught up on some work we had been putting off.  We spent most evenings walking the trails, or paddle boarding on the lake.  

The trails of Chapman State Park were all fairly flat and it made it easy for us to stretch our legs without getting out of breath.  The lake also leads into a stream system that we were able to explore from our board.  But if we had to come back again, a weekend would be the perfect amount of time to camp here.  

Campground Details

• 54 Electric Sites
• 13 Non-Electric Sites
• 2 Rustic Group Camping Sites
• 13 Walk-To Campsites
• 3 Camping Cottages
• 2 Yurts
• 2 Playgrounds
• 2 Bathhouses in Campground
• Potable Water
• Dump Station
• Dog Friendly Campsites

Campground 

Chapman State Park has a little bit of everything for nature lovers.  From hiking to boating and fishing, to swimming, staying here is never boring!

With nearly 80 sites, Chapman offers plenty of elbow room for their guests.  And from tent camping to the camping cottages, there are plenty of options for you to stick to your budget.  Plus, the bathrooms were some of the nicest we have seen at a state park!

Walk-To Sites

Let’s start with the most rustic way to stay.  A walk-to campsite (or what can be called a walk-in site or hike-in site) is a way for people to stay in a more quiet area.  Unfortunately, it means that you will have to carry in all of your gear and park in the designated parking area.  

Up to 5 people can camp here, but these sites are tent-only.  These sites provide you with a fire-ring and a picnic table, as well as walking access to a nearby bathhouse.  The one thing to be aware of, is not all of these sites are dog friendly, so be sure to pick your site accordingly if you plan to bring Fido.  

While typically Walk-In sites are a good bit cheaper than the modern campsites, at Chapman State Park there is only a $2 savings compared to the non-electric sites where you can park your car right next to your tent.  So take that into consideration.  

Group Camping Sites

The group sites at Chapman State Park can accommodate up to 40 people in tents.  However, PA State Parks require that the group using these is an established club or group with leaders, such as a youth group, Rotary Club, etc.  If you are not part of these groups, you will want to choose another camping option.  

Non-Electric Sites

Next up we have the Modern Non-Electric Sites mixed throughout the campground.  These sites are slightly cheaper than those with electric hook-ups and still have easy access to the bathhouses, the trails, and the lake.  

Again, not all of these types of sites are dog friendly, so make sure you pick accordingly!  These sites are for tents, RVs and Trailers, but make sure you read the description before booking.  Many of these non-electric sites are very small and they won’t fit your rig if you don’t book an appropriately sized site.

Electric Sites

Then we have the most common way to camp at Chapman State Park, an electric site.  There are 54 campsites that have electric hook-ups, but some have 30AMP and others have 50AMP.  You can either book the proper amount of amps that you need, or you can bring a dog-bone that will convert the amps to run properly for your rig.

These sites are gravel and they vary in size, so make sure you read the description for each site you are considering.  Not all of these sites are dog friendly, so again, make sure you read the website carefully.  These sites DO NOT have a water or sewer hook-up, so don’t expect to have endless water available to you.  

Camping Cottages

Now let’s step it up a notch…both in luxury level and price range.  The camping cottages can sleep up to 5 with 2 sets up bunk beds where one set is 2 single beds, and the other is a double bottom bunk with a single on top.  

There is a small table in the cabin, as well as a ceiling fan and electricity for all of your devices.  However, you will need to be prepared to cook outside as there is no kitchen in the cabin.  Nor is there a bathroom, so you will be using the bathhouse within the campground.  

You will have to bring bed linens, towels, dishes, pots and pans, as they are not provided for you.  And while this might sound like a lot to pack, at least you will be dry if it rains, unlike those in tents.  

Yurts

Finally we have reached the nicest, and most expensive, way to camp at Chapman State Park.  The yurts are very nice and can sleep up to 6 people via a double bed, and 2 sets of twin bunk beds.  There is a small kitchen inside the yurt with a refrigerator, a microwave and a stove top.  

A small table is located inside, and there is a picnic table on the deck that is attached to the yurts.  However, you will still be required to bring bed linens, towels, dishes, pots and pans, as they are not provided for you.

And while this all sounds well and good, we all know that the largest contributing factor for how people stay anywhere is their budget.  So let’s compare prices!

Price Comparison

These were the prices listed in 2024, so the amount might be slightly off.  And remember that weekends and holidays often come with a surcharge.  But these numbers will give you a rough idea for you!

Walk-To Sites

• Daily Price: $24
• Weekly Price: $133

Group Camping Sites

• Daily Price: $43.00

Non-Electric Sites

• Daily Price: $26.00
• Weekly Price: $147.00

Electric Sites

• Daily Price: $33.00
• Weekly Price: $196.00

Camping Cottages

• Daily Price: $48.60
• Weekly Price: $259.40

Yurts

• Daily Price: $79.90
• Weekly Price: $354.30

Our Camping Experience

Camping at Chapman State Park was a very relaxing stay for my husband and I.  We camped at site 22 for a full week in our 25 foot travel trailer.  The campsite was well shaded and a perfect corner spot away from too much noise.  

We had easy access to the trails, the very well-kept bathhouse, and we were less than half a mile walk away from Chapman Lake.  Overall, the campground was perfectly spread out, even with the weekend crowds.  

While there isn’t much to do in the immediate area, this is a great place to relax around a campfire.  The largest negative is that there is ZERO service if your provider is AT&T.  I have AT&T and my husband has Verizon, so fortunately he had 3 bars and was able to work and communicate with family, but I was stuck in SOS mode for the week.  

Conclusion

If you are looking for a peaceful state park where you can go boating, do some easy hiking and relax around a fire, Chapman State Park will be perfect for you!

While this isn’t an action packed state park, it’s a great place to unplug and enjoy the peace and quiet on a weekend.  

As always, feel free to reach out to averagewildexperience@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Happy Camping!