Army Corps of Engineers · Pennsylvania
Bush Recreation Area
Army Corps of Engineers · Pennsylvania, United States
- Sites
- 45
- Hookups
- 16 electric, 10 with water, 27 no hookups
- Season
- May 6 to September 13
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 948 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 4
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile weak · AT&T good · Verizon good (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Lake
- Loyalhanna Lake
- Nearest town
- Saltsburg
- Address
- 440 Loyalhanna Dam Road, Saltsburg, PA, 15681-2206
- Phone
- 724-639-9013
- Activities
- Amphitheater, Camping
45 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
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.
Recreation
The Bush Recreation Area offers boating with unlimited horse power. Visitors to the area can kayak or canoe the lake as well, and take advantage of kayak rentals located in the Bush Recreation Area.
The Loyalhanna Lake offers great fishing opportunities, with multiple bass tournaments each year. This lake also has some of the best channel catfishing in Pennsylvania, with multiple fish stockings each year. If you like fishing from shore there are plenty of opportunities to fish both moving and still waters.
Those that like to go bike riding can find the West Penn Trail located at our sister project just 10 minutes away.
Facilities
This campground has a variety of sites available from full RV hookup to primitive tent camp sites. Picnic tables and campfire grill rings are equipped at every campsite.
Patrons at the campground will have access to flushing toilets, drinking water, showers and a dump station.
Natural Features
The campground is located in a beautiful valley overlooking Loyalhanna Lake. Among terrain characterized by its diversity, visitors will discover rolling foothills of the Laurel Highlands, from which the headwaters of the Loyalhanna Creek flow.
Nearby Attractions
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.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 34° | 21° | -10° | 63° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 40° | 26° | 0° | 67° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 50° | 33° | 9° | 74° | 10 of 11 |
| April | 66° | 43° | 20° | 81° | 5 of 11 |
| May | 72° | 55° | 36° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 76° | 59° | 47° | 88° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 83° | 67° | 54° | 94° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 80° | 66° | 52° | 91° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 78° | 60° | 45° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 61° | 44° | 34° | 80° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 48° | 33° | 20° | 66° | 9 of 10 |
| December | 39° | 29° | 5° | 62° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Keystone State Park · Pennsylvania State Parks · 5 mi · 100 sites
- Crooked Creek Lake Pavilions · Army Corps of Engineers · 19 mi · 6 sites
- Crooked Creek Lake · Army Corps of Engineers · 19 mi · 51 sites
- Kooser State Park · Pennsylvania State Parks · 28 mi · 35 sites
- Quemahoning Family Recreation Area Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 31 mi · 58 sites
All public campgrounds in Pennsylvania · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.