Rothrock State Forest

About

Rothrock State Forest, named after Pennsylvania's first forestry commissioner Dr. Joseph Trimble Rothrock, encompasses approximately 97,000 acres in the Ridge and Valley province of central Pennsylvania. The forest offers 8 primitive roadside campsites designed for tent camping, small RVs, or trailers. Sites are located along dirt and gravel forest roads and feature configurations including pull-through, back-in, and pull-off designs. Each site includes a picnic table and fire ring, though no modern conveniences are provided. This is dispersed-style camping with minimal development. Vault toilets are available at some site locations, but campers must bring their own water and pack out all trash. No electric, water, or sewer hookups exist on state forest land. Maximum occupancy is 10 people per site, and at least one occupant must be 18 or older. Camping is limited to 7 consecutive nights with a 48-hour vacancy required between stays. Beyond the motorized campsites, primitive backpack camping is permitted throughout most of the forest without a permit for single-night stays. Restrictions apply near Natural Areas, roads, trails, and streams. The forest also offers limited primitive camping along the Juniata River Water Trail at designated sites.

Directions

From Huntingdon, head north on PA-26. Various forest roads provide access to individual campsites throughout the forest. Contact the district office at 814-643-2340 for specific site directions.