Pennsylvania's Coziest Winter Campground Has Ice Skating On A Lake Two Hours From New York City

There's a lot to love about winter camping. The fresh and frosty mornings, cozy nights in warm sleeping bags, and ice skating where people usually swim all add to this unique, albeit cold, experience. The United States is also blessed with some of the world's best winter camping destinations. While most campsites in Pennsylvania are only open between April and December, the state also has a bunch of year-round spots. One of these is Pickerel Point Campground, a lakeside winter wonderland with ice skating, cross-country skiing, and snowshoe hiking, only 100 miles from New York City.

Located within Promised Land State Park, Pickerel Point occupies a scenic spot at the point of a peninsula, jutting out over Promised Land Lake. The lake is one of the campground's biggest draws during winter, offering a magical outdoor space for ice skating. The natural ice's thickness isn't checked by the state park, but so long as you ensure it's at least 4 inches thick for a solo session or 7 inches for multiple skaters, you should be good to go. You can also do some ice fishing on the frozen lake, dropping a line to reel in bass, pickerel, or panfish.

The campground is also surrounded by multiple walking trails within the state park. While summer trips call for hiking boots, winter camping may see you strapping on your snowshoes or cross-country skis. Conservation Island, about a five-minute drive from the campground, is one of the best areas for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. You can do both on all the park's trails during winter, with almost 50 miles to explore, including the nearby Delaware State Forest. If you have a registered snowmobile, you can also ride it on over 20 miles of designated trails.

Pickerel Point Campground has a variety of options for campers, including walk-in and electric tent sites, full-hookup RV sites, pet-friendly and lakeside sites, and three rustic cottages. However, only the electric sites and cottages tend to be open during winter. If you can handle the cold and are experienced with winter camping, the electric sites are a great way to embrace the outdoors. Before you embark, you should also remember to plan ahead, choose your clothes wisely, and follow these other important rules for winter camping. If you're not experienced or simply prefer more modern comforts, you might want to book a cabin with heating, power outlets, bunk beds, and a grill. You'll still need to share the communal showers and restroom used by the other campers.

At the time of this writing, a pet-friendly electric site near the lake in January costs $29 a night for Pennsylvania residents and $5 extra for people out of state, plus reservation fees. One of the cottages costs between $44 and $48 a night, sleeping up to five people. The campground probably won't be completely booked out during winter, but if it is, you can look at the nearby Deerfield Campground for additional sites. If camping isn't your thing or it ends up being colder or snowier than expected, you can also find a couple of reasonably priced hotels nearby.

You can drive to Pickerel Point in about two hours from New York City, depending on traffic. It's also about a 1.5-hour drive from Allentown, an artsy Pennsylvania city with world-class bites. Pickerel Point Campground is a great launchpad for visiting some of Pennsylvania's other charming towns, such as Greeley. It's only 20 miles away and has waterfall trails, fishing, and one of America's oldest kids' camps.