Gaslight Campground - Northwestern Pennsylvania Allegheny River Valley Camping

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NEARBY ATTRACTIONS

Gaslight Campground provides easy access to a region full of history and natural wonders! Explore the Great Lakes Region of Northwestern Pennsylvania and you’ll be surprised to discover a travel destination truly unlike any other. From the lush and unspoiled expansive wilderness of the Allegheny-Clarion Valley to the soft sand beaches of Lake Erie to the North, it’s easy to see why this tranquil region of farmland, lakes, streams, and forests is often called “The Quiet Northwest.” The Allegheny River Valley of Northwestern Pennsylvania is also recognized as the Oil Region, “The Valley that Changed the World,” and the Victorian Region, thanks to the remarkable architecture in historical mining towns like Foxburg, Emlenton, Franklin, Titusville, and Oil City.

Prime Outlets - Grove City

The Allegheny River at Brady's Bend

Foxburg Country Club

Explore on your own or take a guided tour of the area’s historical neighborhoods to take in views of the colossal Victorian homes and old-fashioned storefronts that dot the streets. The Oil Region’s architecture speaks volumes about the oil boom, which began in Pennsylvania when the first successful oil well was struck in Titusville, now part of the Oil Heritage Region State Park. A great way to soak in the history of the Oil Region is to take a historic train tour. The Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad takes travelers through “the valley that changed the world,” and back 150 years into the heart of Oil Country history.

Once a prominent trading center, Emlenton is known today for its antique shops, historic sites, and museums. Built primarily with oil money, Emlenton once had the reputation of housing more millionaires per capita than any other place in the world. Without ever really booming or busting during the oil craze, Emlenton prospered because of its earlier days as an economic center for lumbering, iron furnaces, and river traffic. Emlenton has done well to preserve and celebrate its rich history, and traces of its past can be found at every corner. Just meander down to Main and Second Streets, where America’s first steam-powered grist mill stands, built in 1875, or marvel at the Emlenton Bridge, the largest bridge East of the Mississippi.

There are plenty of other fine attractions within easy driving distance from Gaslight Campground. Visit Punxsutawney Phil and his family in their natural habitat at the Groundhog Zoo, located off Barclay Square at the Punxsutawney Memorial Library, or take a day trip to Pittsburg. From breathtaking natural beauty and unbeatable outdoor recreation, to intriguing historical sites, one-of-a-kind galleries and museums, and the quaint and exquisite remnants of the Victorian era, Northwestern Pennsylvania offers hundreds of ways to relax, adventure, and have fun. Use our list of suggestions, below, as a starting point for your great vacation!

Allegheny National Forest

Located in the northwestern Pennsylvania counties of Elk, McKean, Forest and Warren, the Allegheny National Forest consists of over 513,000 acres. It is the only National Forest in Pennsylvania. Its major features include: Nationally designated trails and rivers; Allegheny Reservoir; road based recreation; a premier ATV / trail bike riding system that draws users from a nine-state region; and heritage sites and stories. The Allegheny National Forest includes the Allegheny River Islands Wilderness. This unique 368 acre wilderness area is comprised of seven islands located between Buckaloons Recreation Area and Tionesta. Created by Congress in 1984 as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System, the Allegheny River Islands Wilderness stands as one of the smallest wilderness areas in the United States.

Allegheny Valley Trails Association

The Allegheny Valley Trails Association is an all volunteer, non-profit organization which was founded in 1990. The AVTA’s mission is the acquisition of abandoned railways in the Allegheny River watershed and their rehabilitation into multipurpose, non-motorized recreational trails. Over the past decade the organization has had a good measure of success in fulfilling that mission. As of the spring of 2005, the AVTA has taken title to a total of 55 miles of abandoned railway and has completed the construction of two trails, the 20 mile Allegheny River Trail and the 8 mile Sandy Creek Trail. Additional trails are scheduled for construction in the near future.

Drake Well Museum

Drake Well Museum tells the story of the beginning of the modern oil industry from the location where in 1859 Edwin L. Drake drilled the oil well that launched the modern petroleum industry. The museum features orientation videos, exhibits, operating oil field machinery, and historic buildings in a park setting. Visitors enjoy a variety of special events, educational programs, membership, volunteer, and shopping experiences on site. Recreational opportunities provide family adventure when combined with Oil Creek State Park bike and hiking trails which begin at the museum.

Foxburg Country Club

Foxburg Country Club was founded in 1887. It is listed in The National Register of Historic Places and is the oldest golf course in continuous use in the United States. Tucked into a grove of ancient oaks, on an escarpment high above the gentle Allegheny River, a beautiful log clubhouse commands an imposing view of the valley below. Built in 1912 as a private residence, it was acquired by the Country Club in 1942 for the sum of $5,000. It houses The American Golf Hall of Fame on the second floor, where visitors will find a priceless collection of golf clubs and other exhibits depicting the 400 year history of golf. Visitors are invited to play this historic nine-hole course. The fairways are narrow, the rough is deep, and the greens are small and fast.

Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad

Travel back in time through the “valley that changed the world” on the Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad. From the home station, at 1892-vintage freight station in Titusville, a three hour trip will take you to where oil history began. Tour guides describe the people and places that make up Pennsylvania’s Oil Country. You’ll travel down the winding rails, alongside scenic Oil Creek, where your family can share the fun of train travel and relive history. In addition to round trips, bicyclists can enjoy a 10-mile return trip along the bike path through Oil Creek State Park.

Pittsburgh

The City of Pittsburgh has so much to offer … from sports to festivals to museums and cultural events. Just a few of the many possibilities for exploration include the world-class Carnegie Museums, the Frick Art & Historical Center, the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Pittsburgh Opera, the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts, the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball, and the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.

Presque Isle State Park

Presque Isle State Park is a 3,200-acre sandy peninsula that arches into Lake Erie. As Pennsylvania's only “seashore”, Presque Isle offers its visitors a beautiful coastline and many recreational activities, including swimming, boating, fishing, hiking, bicycling and in-line skating. A National Natural Landmark, Presque Isle is a favorite spot for migrating birds. Because of the many unique habitats, Presque Isle contains a greater number of the state’s endangered, threatened and rare species than any other area of comparable size in Pennsylvania.

Prime Outlets - Grove City

Rated as one of the “Top 20 Outlet Malls in the U.S.” by Value Retail News, Prime Outlets – Grove City is the area’s #1 shopping destination, home to 140 brand-name outlet stores. Here, you’ll find tax-free shopping on clothing and everyday savings of up to 65% at COACH Factory, Juicy Couture, Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store, Calvin Klein, and many more. The center is conveniently located at the intersection of I-80 & I-79 – the “Crossroads of America.”

Pumping Jack Museum

Industrial progress has a way of leaving a clean sweep in its wake. Sometimes it creates ghost towns, other times it expands over the ashes of its origins. Rarely does a small community retain many vestiges of its vital past, while still remaining alive and well - and small. Emlenton has been unique in the important part it played in the early stages of the nation’s oil and gas industries - without ever really booming - or busting! It prospered because of its earlier days in the midst of lumbering, iron furnaces, and river traffic. A business-savvy generation of the late-1800s learned the oil and gas industries first-hand, and they soon saw ways to become involved in organizing what was a still-chaotic industry. Emlenton today has preserved and displays much of its history, while remaining a picturesque and surprisingly vital little village. The Pumping Jack Museum’s mission is to collect, protect, and display the unique heritage of the town of Emlenton and the surrounding area. The Museum is located in the Crawford Center in the former Crawford Memorial School Building. Current displays include memorabilia from the early oil fields in western Pennsylvania and the Emlenton refinery. In addition, documents and personal effects capture the local vitality of the community through its evolution. The displays provide insight into a typical American rural river community that had the pleasure of hosting some of the earliest formations of the oil industry, while yet maintaining an active farming community.

Local Businesses & Services


Canoeing goes Great with Camping. Riverview Canoe and Kayak

Berry’s Beverage, Inc.

Beer, snacks & ice
YupYup Blvd.
Emlenton, PA
Open Monday-Thursday - 10:00AM - 8:00PM
Friday & Saturday - 10:00AM - 8:30PM
Sunday - Noon - 3:00PM
(724) 867-9480


The Emlenton Mill Company
201 Main Street
Emlenton, PA
Food and antiques in an historic setting.

Divani Chocolate Boutique
9 Main Street
Foxburg, PA
(888) 763-4826
Fine chocolate.

Riverview Canoe Rentals
Just 2 miles away in Emlenton
(724) 867-9480 or (814) 335-5433

Dale Smith’s Camper Sales & Service
Brookville, PA
(814) 849-2911

Dennis Trailers, Inc.
Harrisville, PA
(814) 786-7959
Sales, service, parts and accessories.

Little It Deli
615 Main Street
Emlenton, PA
(724) 867-8000

Go Foxburg!
Additional things to do in Northwest Pennsylvania

Gaslight Campground, 6297 Emlenton Clintonville Road, Emlenton, PA 16373 - (724) 867-6981 - Discover, Visa and MasterCard Accepted