Located next to the Tuscarora State Forest and known as a fantastic home base to explore the exciting natural attractions in the area, Fowlers Hollow State Park is an excellent choice for your next RV getaway. Comprised of 104 acres, Fowlers Hollow State Park is one of the smaller parks in the Pennsylvania system, but that doesn't mean you won't be entertained during your visit.
The park is the result of Fowlers Hollow Run, which is a small part of the enormous Susquehanna River and a tributary of Shultz Creek. Fowlers Hollow Run flows through the park and is the source of excellent trout fishing, which is one of the most popular activities in the area. In the summer, you can enjoy many recreational activities that range from mountain biking and horseback riding to picnicking and hiking. The park is also open in winter, and during this time, you will be able to go hunting, skiing, and snowmobiling.
Though small, Fowlers Hollow State Park is favored among RV campers for a comfortable, serene, and relaxed camping atmosphere. There is one campground within the park that has a total of 18 campsites, 12 of which also come equipped with electric and water hookups. While there is no designated tent-only section, five of the sites are also suitable for tent camping. Initially operating as a seasonal camping destination, Fowlers Hollow State Park now offers year-round camping with peak season running from April to October.
Fowlers Hollow State Park is easy to find since it is less than a 15-minute drive from Blain, which is a borough in Perry County. The park is located about halfway between Harrisburg and Altoona, so if you need to pick up any last-minute supplies, you can stop in these cities. The area is beautiful but mountainous, so when you are driving, pay extra attention to the winding and narrow roads, and slow your speed or drop into a lower gear when necessary.
You can freely drive your RVs, trailers, motorhomes, campers, or campervans on the park roads everywhere inside the park. Be mindful of the speed limits and park your vehicle only in a designated campsite or marked parking lots. Since the park is open in winter, make sure you check for road closures before hitting the road if you do plan to travel during this time.
The park occupies just 104 acres, so everything is tightly packed together. You will quickly reach any desired location within the park. Clear road signages also offer significant help in getting around the park. If you are just visiting for the day, you will find many unpaved parking options inside the park that you are free to use.
Fowlers Hollow has one campground within the park that is known for being a great place for RVers who are wanting a quiet place to relax. The campground is on the smaller side and contains a total of 18 pet-friendly campsites. Twelve of the 18 sites come equipped with electric and water hookups, while the remaining sites are all of the primitive variety. One site boasts a 50-amp connection, whereas the rest offer a 30-amp connection. The maximum RV length varies from site to site, with the largest sites accommodating RVs up to 50 feet long. The amenities within the campground feature flush toilets, an ADA-accessible restroom, water collection points, pet walking area, and a dump station. Please note that there are no showers at the campground. The campground operates year-round, but April through October is considered peak season. Reservations are accepted and can be made up to 11 months in advance. Unreserved sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
While it is recommended that you reserve a site in advance due to the limited number of sites in the campground, all sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis if they are not reserved in advance. Additionally, all of the non-electric sites are walk-in, and you can also enjoy tent-camping in sites one, two, six, eight, and nine.
Since the campground is so small, all of the sites are located within the same central area. This means that if you do choose to stay at one of the tent sites, you will still be located close by to the restrooms.
Many visitors travel to Fowlers Hollow State Park during the offseason to go hunting in the neighboring Tuscarora State Forest. Hunting is not permitted within Fowlers Hollow State Park since the park is so small, so if you are interested in going hunting, you will need to stick to the Tuscarora State Forest and make Fowlers Hollow your home base. The most popular species to hunt in the forest are turkey and deer, and the hunting season follows the standard Pennsylvania season. Openly carrying firearms and archery inside the park is prohibited, so keep all your weaponry inside your trailer when you are not hunting.
Once the weather starts to change at Fowlers Hollow State Park, the park transforms into a winter paradise for RV recreation lovers. Fowlers Hollow provides its campers the luxury of snowmobiling across the unimaginable lengths of the Tuscarora State Forest. Snowmobiling begins at the end of the deer hunt season in December and continues through the winter, depending on weather conditions. If you are more interested in cross-country skiing, you can get out of your RV anywhere and start gliding. There are also two miles of skiing trails towards the southwest of the campground for visitors who want to explore proper trails.
Fowlers Hollow State Park is well known for its hiking opportunities thanks to its location to the neighboring Tuscarora State Forest. Many hikers choose to travel into the Tuscarora Forest area since the forest has 96,000 acres waiting for visitors to explore. There is a trailhead that leads from Fowlers Hollow State Park to the forest, so you will have no trouble reaching the longer trails that run throughout the forest. Remember to take a map with you if you decide to go hiking since the area is so large.
While there isn't a huge picnic area at Fowlers Hollow State Park, there are a few picnic tables located in the dense woodlands for you to enjoy. Most of the picnic tables also come with a complimentary grill so you can cook up a hot meal for you and your friends. If you have a larger group, there is also one picnic pavilion available that can be reserved up to 11 months before your arrival. If the pavilion is not being used, it is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you love to fish, you will have to pack your rod and reel for your trip to Fowlers Hollow State Park. Fowlers Run is a fresh-water stream that flows in parts of Fowlers Hollow State Park. This is the best place to fish in the area due to the stream providing visitors with spectacular trout fishing opportunities. While you can fish at any time during the warmer months, mid-May is the best time to cast out a line as the stream receives a stocking of brook trout.
For RV travelers interested in doing some mountain biking, you will be pleased to know that there are several mountain biking opportunities available within the massive Tuscarora State Forest. Tuscarora’s Alfarata and Beaston trails have portions inside Fowlers Hollow that are perfect for mountain bikers of all skill levels—if you are looking for a more smooth riding surface, you can also use your bike on any of the park roads within Fowlers Hollow State Park.
