Poe Paddy State Park

If you're searching for a primitive pet-friendly campsite with excellent trout fishing, look no further than Pennsylvania's Poe Paddy State Park.

Located where Big Poe Creek and Penns Creek meet, this 23-acre park is renowned for its trout fishing and is home to the Green Drake Hatch, which occurs in May or June each year. Angling is the main attraction that draws visitors to the park, but it also offers several other features to suit the right visitor.

Some are drawn by the promise of a pristine and primitive campground. With 34 tent and trailer campsites along with two Adirondack-style lean-tos, it's a small and cozy place to spend the night.

However, please keep in mind that this is a fairly rough-and-ready campground, so those who enjoy all the creature comforts will prefer to stay elsewhere. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided, but if you want a shower (for a fee) or a dumping station, you'll need to make the trip to nearby Poe Valley State Park.

Other visitors stop by because the park sits along the route of the Mid State Trail. If you want to take a closer look at the 250-foot long expanse of the Paddy Mountain Railroad Tunnel, you can follow this trail upstream beside Penns Creek.

Poe Paddy State Park also boasts picnic pavilions and tables, a boat launch, and snowmobiling opportunities. The campground opens the second Friday in April and closes mid-December. Pennsylvania state parks do not charge an entrance fee, but make sure you check the full cost of camping before booking a site.

You'll also need to ensure that you book a pet-friendly campsite, as pets are only allowed on designated sites for an additional fee. Your pooch will also need to be kept on a leash of six feet or shorter and you must dispose of their waste.

Poe Paddy State Park won't be everyone's ideal camping destination. But if you like trout fishing, hiking or just "ruffing it" in the wilderness, this is a campground you and your pooch can enjoy together.