Three Gettysburg-Area State Parks: Caledonia vs. Gifford Pinchot vs. Codorus State Park
Three parks. Three very different camping experiences.
If you’re camping in or around Gettysburg, you have a LOT of choices.
There are numerous privately owned and commercial campgrounds throughout the Gettysburg area, ranging from large RV resorts to smaller family-owned campgrounds. They can be great options depending on what you’re looking for.
We haven’t stayed in any of those yet, with the exception of Drummer Boy which is lovely. We tend to stay more in state parks and that’s what we love. This blog is comparing three local state parks; the good, the bad and the reasons we love each of them.
When we’re looking for a place to pull in the travel trailer, slow down for a few days, explore the area and enjoy being outside, we tend to gravitate toward Pennsylvania’s state parks.
So rather than pretending to review campgrounds we haven’t experienced, we’re sticking with what we know.
For this comparison, we’re looking at three state parks within the broader Gettysburg/Hanover/York area:
Caledonia State Park
Gifford Pinchot State Park
Codorus State Park
And here’s the interesting part:
They’re all state parks, but they offer three VERY different camping experiences.
So which one fits your camping style? Let’s break them down.
🌲 Caledonia State Park
Mountains, trails, history—and a little less lake
Caledonia is the mountain park of this group.
Located along South Mountain between Gettysburg and Chambersburg, Caledonia has a heavily wooded feel, historic sites, hiking trails, and access to the Appalachian Trail.
The park has about 10 miles of trails, including 1.8 miles of the Appalachian Trail. There are areas where ATVs are allowed, but to be honest, we never take ours there, so we know nothing about that.
For campers who like combining outdoor recreation with history, Caledonia has a lot going for it. The park’s history is tied to the Caledonia Iron Works and the Gettysburg Campaign.
Camping
Caledonia has two campgrounds: We have stayed in both and have had good times every visit.
Chinquapin Hill
- Wooded, hillside setting
- Near the swimming pool
- Non-electric, electric and some full-hookup sites
- 18 full-hookup sites
- Pets are not permitted in this campground
Hosack Run
- More open and moderately level
- Non-electric, electric and some full-hookup sites
- 17 full-hookup sites
- Pet-friendly
The good
- Beautiful wooded mountain setting
- Appalachian Trail access
- Excellent hiking
- Interesting history
- Swimming pool with waterslide
- Some full-hookup RV sites which tend to fill up quickly so plan ahead!
- Convenient base for exploring Gettysburg and surrounding attractions
The downside
- No lake, but there are streams with nice picnic areas, and trails to walk. The creek is a popular place for kids and families. We’ve even seen some low-key tubing going on.
- More hills and elevation changes
- Some areas feel more rustic
- Chinquapin Hill is not pet-friendly
- If your idea of camping is sitting beside a big lake with a kayak, this isn’t your park
Best for:
Hikers, history buffs, couples who like a wooded campground, and campers who want a mountain experience.
🌊 Gifford Pinchot State Park
Lake camping with a little bit of everything
Gifford Pinchot is almost the opposite of Caledonia.
The centerpiece here is 340-acre Pinchot Lake, which is a beautiful lake and is surrounded by more than 2,300 acres of parkland.
And if you’re an RVer, there’s one number that gets my attention:
289 campsites.
Many sites have electric hookups, and some offer full hookups.
The campground also has modern bathhouses, showers, dump stations, a swimming beach and access to trails and the lake.
Water recreation
This is where Gifford Pinchot really separates itself from Caledonia.
Pinchot Lake allows:
- Kayaks
- Canoes
- Paddleboards
- Sailboats
- Rowboats
- Electric motorboats
There’s also a large ADA-accessible swimming beach that’s open seasonally.
Hiking
There are 18 miles of trails, including the 8.5-mile Lakeside Trail.
That gives you plenty of options—from short walks to considerably longer hikes.
The good
- Huge campground
- Many electric sites
- Some full hookups (every time we’ve been there, they seem to be adding more)
- Beautiful lake
- Swimming beach
- Excellent paddling
- Fishing
- 18 miles of trails
- Biking
- Plenty of activities without leaving the park
The downside
- It’s a big state park
- The campground can feel busy
- Popular areas can get crowded on summer weekends (see above regarding full hook up sites)
- Some trails can be wet or rocky
- If you’re looking for a smaller, walk the whole campground kind of vibe, this isn’t it.
Best for:
RVers, paddlers, fishermen and campers who want lots of recreation without having to leave the park.
🚤 Codorus State Park
Big water, big recreation—and a surprisingly different experience
Codorus is the biggest park of the three at approximately 3,500 acres, with 1,275-acre Lake Marburg at its center.
And that lake is a BIG part of the experience.
It has roughly 26 miles of shoreline and supports boating, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding and more.
Camping
Codorus has about 180 campsites for tents and RVs, with many electric sites and new full hook up sites capable of accommodating equipment up to 50 feet. Make sure you do your research and check the maps / videos of specific sites. Some sites are completely wooded, and some are out in full sun. Choose accordingly!
The campground also has:
- Warm showers
- Flush toilets
- Dump station
- Boat launch
- Shoreline mooring
- Pet-friendly sites
Here’s the weird thing about Codorus
Despite having a huge lake…
You can’t swim in it.
Because Lake Marburg’s water level fluctuates, swimming in the lake is prohibited.
Instead, there’s a swimming pool and playground overlooking the lake.
And that pool can get crowded enough to reach capacity on holidays and many weekends.
Recreation
Codorus is the activity-heavy option.
There’s:
- Boating
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Mountain biking
- Horseback riding
- Disc golf
- Wildlife watching
- Scuba diving
- Swimming pool
- Winter recreation
The park has about 19 miles of trails, although some are shared with other users.
The good
- Huge lake
- Lots of shoreline
- Excellent boating and paddling
- Fishing
- Lots of recreational options
- Larger RV sites available
- Pool and playground
- Disc golf
- Horseback riding
- Mountain biking
- Lots of lodging choices
The downside
- You can’t swim in the lake
- Pool requires separate admission
- Pool can reach capacity
- More activity and potentially more people
- The park is spread out
- Some trails are shared with other users
Best for:
Boaters, fishermen, active campers, families and people who want a lot of recreational choices in one park.
What About All Those Private Campgrounds?
This is an important part of the Gettysburg camping conversation.
If you search for camping near Gettysburg, you’re going to find plenty of privately owned and commercial campgrounds.
Some offer amenities that state parks simply don’t—things like resort-style pools, planned activities, playgrounds, cabins, golf carts, entertainment, larger RV sites and more.
Those can absolutely be worth considering.
We just haven’t stayed at them, other than Drummer Boy.
And we’d rather tell you that than pretend we’ve personally reviewed a campground because we’ve driven past it or looked at its website.
Our camping style tends to pull us toward state parks and public campgrounds, especially when we’re looking for:
- A more natural setting
- Hiking and outdoor recreation
- A little more breathing room
- A place where the destination is part of the camping experience
- Good value without needing a long list of resort amenities
That doesn’t mean private campgrounds are better or worse.
It means they’re a different type of camping experience—and that’s something we’re still exploring.
So consider this post a comparison of three state-park options, not a definitive guide to every campground around Gettysburg.
And if we eventually stay at some of those commercial campgrounds, we’ll give you the same honest pros, cons, wins and misses treatment we’re using everywhere else.
So…which one?
Here’s the simplest way I’d describe these three:
| If you want… | Consider |
| 🥾 Hiking & mountain scenery | Caledonia |
| 🏕️ A wooded camping experience | Caledonia |
| 🏛️ History | Caledonia |
| 🚣 Kayaking & paddling | Gifford Pinchot |
| 🏖️ Lake swimming | Gifford Pinchot |
| 🔌 Lots of RV camping options | Gifford Pinchot |
| 🎣 Big-water fishing & boating | Codorus |
| 🚤 Lots of water recreation | Codorus |
| 🏌️ Disc golf & multiple activities | Codorus |
| 🐴 Equestrian recreation | Codorus |
The Chasing 70 Take
These three parks prove something we keep finding when we travel:
“State park camping” doesn’t automatically mean the same experience.
Caledonia is about the woods, mountains, trails and history.
Gifford Pinchot is about the lake and the campground experience.
Codorus is about big-water recreation and having a whole menu of activities available.
And there are plenty of private campgrounds around Gettysburg that offer yet another style of camping.
We just haven’t stayed there yet.
That’s one of the things we like about this whole travel adventure.
We’re not trying to tell you we’ve been everywhere.
We’re showing you where we’ve actually been, what we experienced, what worked for us, what didn’t—and helping you figure out whether it might work for you.
Because the “best” campground isn’t necessarily the one with the most amenities.
It’s the one that matches how you actually like to camp.
Remember, Travel more. Spend less. Chase adventure. And love the life you already have.
