Great park and campsites within an hour drive from PGH. We stayed in the Hillside campground which was pet friendly. The bathhouse was close by and well maintained. They had a large family bathroom which was great for the little one. However, I think our campsite may have had some poison oak/ivy plants so be cautious. The campsite was also a close hike to the entrance of Keystone state park and the lake. Beautiful views all around!!! read more

Keystone State Park - Parks Near Me - Derry, Pennsylvania

According to Keystone State Park's website, the park traces its history to the early 1900s. The Keystone Coal and Coke Company built a lake here and transported its water to a facility to wash coal. The executives used the lake also for recreational activities such as boating and fishing, and they built lodges for meetings, vacations, and hunting. In 1945, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania acquired the land. Today, the park is about 1,200 acres in size. Its amenities include the lake and sand beach, visitor center, picnic tables, lodging (i.e., cabins, cottages, and yurts), campground for tents, modern restrooms, hiking trails, ball field, boat rental, and fishing pier. Visitors may choose to go swimming, watch wildlife, attend educational programs, hunt in certain areas during hunting seasons, etcetera. This past weekend, a group of my friends and I visited Keystone State Park. I arrived around 11 AM on a Sunday, and I easily found a parking space in a lot. I explored a farmers market that had been set up in nearby tents. We found picnic tables under mature trees for shade. The lake and beach were within walking distance. In June, the water surprisingly felt cold. A friend went fishing. We enjoyed each others' company and the activities at this park, and we feel interested in returning again in the future. read more

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This is a great spot for hiking trails, wild life peeping, or just to enjoy the great outdoors. Many species of wild birds and animals can be seen as well as a great deal of wild mushroom species. I highly recommend getting out here to enjoy this park! read more

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We took our family of six for an overnight trip. It was three of the kids first time sleeping in a tent. Was a great time! Bathhouse was great and not too far from our site. Only a few minutes walk. We went the next day to the beach area and playground. Was just wonderful. We look forward to going back soon! We brought a camp stove to cook on and some firewood. Did s'mores over the fire. Hammock was nice to have and some chairs for the fire. Great spot for families it seemed to us! read more

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We live within five miles of Keystone State Park. It is one of the many nice lake/park areas in Westmoreland County, but to put this one in perspective, this particular park was one of the key selling points that prompted us to purchase the house we did when moving back to Pennsylvania after being away for 4+ decades. Keystone State Park is conveniently accessed from most of Westmoreland or Indiana Counties. It is large enough to offer a great experience without being so large that it is overwhelming. The lake has as wide of a variety of fish as any lake I can think of in this part of the state. The swimming at the beach area that the park has is an extremely popular spot for many in the summer, with lots of convenient parking, clean restroom and shower facilities, lots of picnic benches, and a snack bar. The park allows small boats (no gasoline motors), kayaks, paddle-boards, etc... and has boat rentals on site. There are camp sites available to accommodate trailers, campers, and tents as well as having some cabins rental options available. The park has hiking trails and is pet friendly. As for the scenery, we make a point to take the back way when going to/from Latrobe just to see the view of the lake on the drive. It is a stunning view that was voted by USA Today as the #1 spot in the country to see fall foliage. Bottom line, this state park offers something for just about everyone from locals to out of town visitors. read more

Keystone State Park brings back fond memories of when my sons were little. I would bring them here during the summers to swim and fish. I haven't come back that often since the boys have grown and moved away. What is nice to see are significant improvements made throughout the park. Hiking trails have been expanded and improved. The beach and snack bar are remodeled and more accessible. There are rustic cabins and yurts for rent. (Love the yurts.) The lots for campers and tents aren't as crammed together. What really sparked my interest to pay a visit here are different events being held through the season. I read that there was a sunset stroll around the lake and the group would be escorted by one of the park rangers. She would talk about the history of the park, points of interest, floral and fauna. There was no charge which is how I enticed my husband to do the approximate 2 1/2 miles around the lake. I took my dog and we joined a small group on a very pleasant evening. It turned out to be a great way to spend a Saturday evening. I learned from the ranger that during the summer season, free kids movies will be shown at the beach area every Saturday night. I saw a great many families taking advantage to see "How to Train a Dragon." They bring chairs, blankets, and food to make a few good memories. Others events on tap are eagle watching, farmers market, yoga on the beach, kids day, geological stroll. The website for the park or Facebook page will have all information. This park gives families, fishermen, kayakers, campers and hikers a great opportunity to enjoy nature. PS: I wanted to say that during the walk my husband had a slight episode of heartburn and had to slow down and sit awhile. The ranger was concerned and offered to get another ranger to pick him up, but husband said he was fine. We both appreciated the concern and assistance from the park rangers. read more

Our family absolutely loves visiting Keystone State Park! In the summer they have the beach open for swimming. Nearby there is a bathroom shower house and they also have concessions. We love grabbing an ice cream after swimming in the lake. There is also a playground on the one side of the bathhouse. In the fall months it is so beautiful with the changing leaves. The state park has a nice walking trail that goes the whole way around the lake. read more

Great park for a day at the beach. Plenty of grass to spread your blanket on if you prefer that instead of the sand. The lake water was pleasantly warm. There are many picnic tables available. Showers and restrooms are modern and clean. Nice playground at the beach. Canoe/kayak rentals are available. The beach food concession is operated by a catering company this year. Food is very good. Soft serve and hand scooped ice cream available. read more

Great fishing and hiking. Camping was strange bc campers love to knock on doors looking for swingers or orgies. Camping there with the kids wasn't safe. All weird people read more

Love this place! It's the perfect spot to take your kids, friends, family or even just go solo. My mom used to take me here when I was little and I plan on taking my future children one day. read more

Sunday in August, but Keystone Lake State Park is large and open enough that it never feels crowded. There are kayak/canoe rentals, bike trails, fishing areas, bathrooms, a snack bar, and plenty of picnic tables and/or covered pavilions for everyone. We've camped here too. The sites were private and the facilities were clean. The only thing that would make this five stars is if there were more sandy beach areas, but I'm getting used to not having those in PA. read more

Keystone State Park - October in Keystone State Park. Only a couple fisherman on the other side of the lake, so it's amazingly peaceful and quiet. - Parks Near Me - Derry, Pennsylvania

My girlfriends and I hadn't been hiking in awhile and we were looking for a place we hadn't been to before. Sure, Frick Park, Schenley Park, South Park,etc. are all closer to were we live, but hey, gotta try someplace different. Gotta keep it fresh, y'know.. Located near Derry, PA, Keystone State Park is a 1200 acre gem that's got an 8 mile system of hiking trails. We started our hike on the park's longest trail, the Davis Run Trail. This looping trail forms a sort of figure 8 and after the short spur from the lot, we hiked in a clockwise sort f direction, past the upland hardwood forest. The conifers at one point form a scenic tunnel. We hiked the entire figure-8, doubling back on the lower half because we wanted to hike every bit of every trail. We picked up the Strawcutter Trail, which leads to the Strawcutter Day Use Area, just off its namesake road. Heading back towards the parking area, we took the McCune Run Trail. This half mile path passes meadows and abandoned beaver ponds. We worked our way to the south end of Keystone Lake and hit the Lakeside Loop Trail. The Lakeside Loop completely encircles the lake and is the only trail on which bicycles are permitted. It also passes the park's campgrounds and cabins. We took a bit of a snack break before hitting the Stone Lake Trail. I wanted to fuel up before this next segment, which features some of the park's more difficult terrain. The climb up here is fairly steep up to the ridge top. Like the Davis Run Trail, this is also a figure 8 and we did counterclockwise loops on both halves. This area also features conifer forests. We then hiked along Stone Lodge Road before we came to the ballfields. Here we made a restroom stop and took another snack break at the picnic tables. We then did a detour on what I found to be the most interesting park of the park, the AMD Trail. AMD stands for "Abandoned Mine Drainage". AMD runs from the abandoned Salem #2 Mine, damaging McCune Run. Per the DCNR website, four agencies have worked together to put in an AMD Wetland Treatment System. Heavy metals and sediment are removed from the AMD as it flows through limestone-lined pipes and several ponds. Trailside exhibits explain the process and sow the history of the mine Well we put in almost 10 miles of hiking, including some doubling back and hiking laong some park roads. Keystone State park is fantastic and it also features camping, boating, fishing and hunting. It's a bit of a drive from the 'Burgh but it's well worth it. read more

The selling point: Keystone has a natural swimming hole where the water's warm enough that you don't have to enter it inch by painful inch before you get used to it. It also has something close enough to a real beach to suffice. It's a bit of a drive from Pittsburgh, but if you're going to make a day of it, it's worth it. read more

Beautiful scenic park, calm and tranquil. Quiet little park with a place to swim, can kayak or fish, hike or camp. Serenity at its finest.

A nice family friendly park. The lake is an oval and has very little structure or cover to cultivate large native fish, but it accomidates and pleases thousands of trout fisher persons every year. The lake is for use with non-powered or electric water craft only. All three of my daughters learned the basics of canoeing and kayaking here. Very friendly water for the novice. They have a limited number of mooring spots (maybe around 30), that allow you to keep a boat at the lake for the summer. I can't remember the cost right now, but when considering transporting them every time, it is extremely affordable. The facilities are fairly new and well maintained. Plenty of room for events ranging from a two person picnic to a family reunion. Some of the tent campsites are not ideal, but they are safe and quiet. read more

Went for a hike in the state park this afternoon. We hiked about 4.5 miles with our dog. The paths were well marked, easy to follow and overall an enjoyable experience. I must say we will be taking our dog back again- I'm excited to hike the trails in different seasons. read more

Keystone State Park - Boys on the hiking trail - Parks Near Me - Derry, Pennsylvania

What a great, free, state park! It is large, well marked, and has easy access to swimming, picnic tables, and kayak rentals. I can only imagine how busy this place must get on a weekend though. Great fun for the whole family though! read more

My boyfriend and I stayed here on the hillside area over the weekend and it was awesome! The shower house was very clean and easily accessible. There are two shower stalls with hot and cold water, 4 toilets including a handicapped accessible , and 3( i think) sinks with mirrors. Our site was very nicely kept and was a reasonable distance away from the neighboring sites. It included a large picnic table, parking spot and a fire pit with a grate over part of it. I would definitely stay here again and plan to later on in the summer. If you want to be near the beach i would recommend staying in the lakeside area because it is a bit of a walk from the hillside are. read more

First time camping here. We stayed in cabin #3. Cabin was very clean when we got there and check in was easy. We arrived after 3, so the keys were already in the cabin and unlocked! We had to stop at the office to find where the cabin was though. It is a very short walk to the lake and you can see the lake through the trees. The cabin gets very hot during the day/at night. Very humid inside the cabin as well. The air conditioner was not working. We loved the space though! Not much traffic and the neighbors in the cabin next to us were very friendly! We needed something at the camp store and they were closed and seemed to be always closed when we went there. We went to the lake store the one day, which was nice. Needed to go again, called to make sure the store was open and they said it would be closing shortly, we hopped in our cars and drove 2 minutes there and they were already completely closed and gone, pretty upset about that. The pricing is fair though! Would come back again and recommend to friends! read more

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Well-maintained park with ample hiking trails though the one we accessed (stone lodge) was not well-marked and provided some confusion as we went off track several times. The canoeing is fun and affordable ($15 per hour). Kayaking is $10 per hour. Lots of picnic tables around for a relaxing time of snacking and lunching. There is also a nice beach for swimming complete with a children's playground to allow for a variety of family-friendly activities. read more

Nice campground but having to listen to a movie on the other side of the lake is ridiculous! I came to get some nature, not some Disney movie. Had to close our windows in our camper and run the AC to drown out the noise! So much for smelling the wood smoke wafting thru the camper tonight! read more

For a long stay not great cause of water / sewage not at sights. Fewer nights wiold work better. For a long stsy seek another place with full hookups. read more

This 1,200-acre park offers a wide variety of year-round recreational opportunities and educational programs in a scenic setting. Keystone State Park is a very family-friendly park featuring a lake for canoe/kayaking, fishing and swimming. Overnight accommodations include tent/trailer sites, yurts and modern cabins. read more

The sand on the beach area was one of the best sand/dirt mixture i've come across in quite some time! Always great when you come across such a well defined texture. The sand was quite soft and didn't hurt to walk in. The moldable yet stiff composition made it enjoyable and trustworthy on my many endeavors into the water. My only complaint is the rocks mixed into it. In one of my descents into the water, I felt many sharp pebbles in between my toes which left a quite unpleasant mess. If it weren't for the pebbles, this sand would be in my top 3 sand combinations. read more

We were here to camp for a night while on the road. The odd thing about this campground is that the tent camping sites (the one's on the perimeter, without power hookups) are nice and secluded but there really are no flat areas to pitch a tent, they are all on a slope. OK the campground itself was called "Hillside" but still, we didn't anticipate this. Also, these sites, while cheaper, also do not allow you to park your vehicle right by where you are camping...it's not far but you do have unload about 30-60 feet rather than being able to drive right up. The camp host was very accommodating as the weather was insane with rain and let us move to an electrical hookup area which was more expensive, less secluded, but better flat spots for a tent but well worth it. I know I am starting to sound like a prude while reviewing all these campsites but you will see a common thread, all we need are a flat spot, a table, a fire pit, and some shade. Give us that and we are in business. Again, the whole freaking non alcohol part is crazy out here on the east coast. I'm not an alcoholic, I promise but we are adults and Americans...the prohibition era has passed. Anyway, there seemed to be plenty to do for those wanting to hike and enjoy nice green areas. I am sure this would be a fine camp for a family. read more

Both the beach, and the water was littered with trash. It was so dirty that I only let my son go in up to his ankles. There is no designated smoking area, so everyone just lights up were they please, I go to State Parks for fresh air. There were a lot of park employees there, but they didn't really seem to do anything. I actually watched an employee look down at a piece of trash, and just walk away from it. There was a lot of load profane music, and once again it seems like no one really cared. The only reason I gave it two stars is because the concession stand, and the playground were both nice. I read many reviews on this park, and I realize that every person has a different experience. I almost could have lived with the smoke, and profane music, if the water and beach weren't so filthy! I think I will go to many of the other clean, nice State Parks in western PA. read more