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Bush Recreation Area

Loyalhanna Lake — lakeside

Location: Saltsburg, PA, PA

Price: From $25 per night

Price range: $25–$50 per night

Rating: 4.4 out of 5 (135 reviews)

Season: May through October

The Bush Recreation Area is located next to the scenic Loyalhanna Lake. This location provides picturesque views of the lake as well as opportunities for bird watching, boating, fishing, hunting and paddle sports.The West Penn Trail offers excellent hiking and biking opportunities within a short 10 minute drive. Additionally the site of Loyalhanna dam provides interpretive displays of the dam as well as a great scenic view.The Bush Recreation Area offers boating with unlimited horse power.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): strong signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: AT&T. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 100%. T-Mobile 4G: 100%.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Drinking Water, Showers, Dump Station, Electric Hookups

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/bush-recreation-area to be notified when sites open up.

Bush Recreation Area is located next to scenic Loyalhanna Lake, offering picturesque views and opportunities for boating, fishing, kayaking, and paddle sports. The campground provides both tent and RV sites with essential amenities including showers, drinking water, and a dump station.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Bobcat, White-tailed Deer, Groundhog, Tricolored Bat, Wood Thrush, Swainson's Warbler, Acadian Flycatcher, Merlin, and Common Garter Snake documented in the area.

Insider tips for Bush Recreation Area: Book early as this is a popular federal campground Kayak rentals are available on-site at Bush Recreation Area Lake offers unlimited horsepower boating

Skip Bush Recreation Area if: You need RV hookups—most sites have no hookups and are only suitable for self-contained RVs. You plan to camp outside May through October—seasonal operations only.

Best time to visit Bush Recreation Area: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Loyalhanna Lake Pavilions (Saltsburg, PA), Conemaugh Lake Pavilions (Saltsburg, PA), Hancock Bend Boat Launch And Recreation Area (Ford City, PA), Crooked Creek Lake Pavilions (Ford City, PA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Bush Recreation Area

Cell signal at Bush Recreation Area (Saltsburg, PA): strong overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: AT&T.

  • Verizon 4G LTE: 100% coverage
  • AT&T 4G LTE: 100% coverage · AT&T 5G: 100%
  • T-Mobile 4G LTE: 100% coverage

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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CamperWatch›PA›Bush Recreation Area
Bush Recreation Area — photo 1
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Loyalhanna Lake — lakesideLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Bush Recreation Area

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Saltsburg, PA, PA★ 4.4 (135 reviews)From $25/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

The Bush Recreation Area is located next to the scenic Loyalhanna Lake. This location provides picturesque views of the lake as well as opportunities for bird watching, boating, fishing, hunting and paddle sports.The West Penn Trail offers excellent hiking and biking opportunities within a short 10 minute drive. Additionally the site of Loyalhanna dam provides interpretive displays of the dam as well as a great scenic view.The Bush Recreation Area offers boating with unlimited horse power.

Best for:FamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV22 ft
Hookups16 electric sites
ADA sites2 sites
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsShowers
Recreation
Picnic TablesDump Station
Family & Pets
Drinking WaterElectric Hookups

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups—most sites have no hookups and are only suitable for self-contained RVs✕ You plan to camp outside May through October—seasonal operations only

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a popular federal campground

Kayak rentals are available on-site at Bush Recreation Area

Lake offers unlimited horsepower boating

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 100%
Verizon
4G · 100%
AT&T
4G + 5G · 100%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: AT&T.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: American Black Bear, Bobcat, White-tailed Deer, Groundhog, Tricolored Bat, Wood Thrush, Swainson's Warbler, Acadian Flycatcher, Merlin, and Common Garter Snake documented in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
724-639-9013· Loyalhanna Lake
Ryan.D.Smith@usace.army.mil
Getting there →

From Pittsburgh, take I-376 E (12.1 miles) keep left and continue onto US-22 E. Make a left at PA-981 N located in New Alexandria, PA near the Sheets gas station. Make a left onto Bush Road, passing Mannitto Golf Course, make another left into the Bush Recreation Area. 200 Boat Dock Road New Alexandria PA, 15670

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Loyalhanna Lake fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Loyalhanna Lake before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Bush Recreation Area cost per night?+
Bush Recreation Area costs $25–$50 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Bush Recreation Area open?+
Bush Recreation Area is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Bush Recreation Area have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Bush Recreation Area?+
Bush Recreation Area can accommodate RVs up to 22 feet.
How do I make reservations at Bush Recreation Area?+
Bush Recreation Area is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Bush Recreation Area?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Bush Recreation Area is rated strong. Best carrier: AT&T. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Bush Recreation Area open, and what are check-in times?+
Bush Recreation Area is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$25 /night★ 4.4 (135)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Bush Recreation Area cost per night?+
What season is Bush Recreation Area open?+
Does Bush Recreation Area have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Loyalhanna Lake Pavilions

Saltsburg, PA

From $70/night

Conemaugh Lake Pavilions

Saltsburg, PA

From $60/night

Hancock Bend Boat Launch And Recreation Area

Ford City, PA

From $35/night

Crooked Creek Lake Pavilions

Ford City, PA

From $35/night

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