Can you reserve a site at South Shore Recreation Area?

Yes, South Shore Recreation Area is reservable through Recreation.gov.

Are pets allowed at South Shore Recreation Area?

Yes, pets are allowed at South Shore Recreation Area.

South Shore Recreation Area, Pennsylvania — 3 sites, fees and cancellation alerts

Overview

South Shore Recreation Area is located on the south side of the Cowanesque Lake along State Route 49, just five miles west of Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania. The area is easily accessible from Route 15 and offers a great location for boating, picnicking and fishing.

Recreation

Cowanesque Lake offers a variety of outdoor activities including boating and fishing. A variety of native fish inhabits the area's streams and lakes. The North and South Tailrace areas provide access for fishing below the dam.

The fields and forests around the lake are popular destinations for hunters looking for large and small game species that inhabit the eastern hardwood forests.

Many miles of hiking trails circle the lake, including the Mid State Trail, which travels through the recreation area. It links the trails at Cowanesque and nearby Hammond Lake into a long path that extends all the way through Pennsylvania from Maryland to New York.

Facilities

The recreation area offers three group shelters. The Iroquois and Oneida Shelters have electric and water hookups; the Mohawk Shelter has water hookups only. All three sites are fully accessible and comfortably accommodate groups of up to 100 people in a lovely lakeside setting.

Natural Features

Cowanesque Lake is situated in the Endless Mountains region of Pennsylvania, along the Allegheny Plateau in the Appalachian Mountains. The surrounding land paints a scenic picture of rolling terrain and open fields.

The facts

3 bookable sites
3 sites for day use only
3 accessible sites
Up to 100 people per site
Loops: Day Use

Site types

2 Group Shelter Electric
1 Group Shelter Nonelectric

Amenities

Electric hookups
Water hookups
Picnic tables
Grills
Shade
Pets allowed

Not recorded upstream: sewer hookups, campfires allowed, fire pits.

Book on Recreation.gov

3 campsites at South Shore Recreation Area

Check-in 8:00 AM · Check-out 9:00 PM

Accessible only

Site	Loop	Type	Entry	Surface	Max rig	People
Iroquois	Day Use	Group Shelter Electric	—	—	—	100	♿ 🐾
Mohawk	Day Use	Group Shelter Nonelectric	—	—	—	100	♿ 🐾
Oneida	Day Use	Group Shelter Electric	—	—	—	100	♿ 🐾

Getting there

From US 15 South, take the Lawrenceville Exit. At the bottom of the ramp, turn right onto State Route 49. Recreation Area will be on the right approxmately 5 miles.

From US 15 North, take the Lawrenceville exit. At the bottom of the ramp turn left. Recreation area will be on the right approximately 5 miles.

41.97444, -77.20889 · 41°58'28.0"N 77°12'32.0"W

Directions (Google Maps) · Directions (Apple Maps)

Typical weather

Typically 81°F in Jul, down to 32°F in Jan.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °F	32	35	44	57	69	77	81	80	73	61	48	37
Low °F	15	15	22	33	44	53	58	57	50	39	30	22
Precip in	2.2	1.7	2.7	3.2	3.1	4.3	3.5	3.7	4.0	3.4	2.7	2.5

1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 2.9 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.

Map

Fees and stay limits

All reservations must be made on www.recreation.gov or by calling (877) 444-6777 prior to arrival. Shelter Weekdays-$40.00 (Reservations can be made as well as first come first served) Shelter Nonelectric Weekends $75.00 Shelter Electric Weekends $100.00

From Recreation.gov, which is not always current. The operator's own page is the authority on what you will be charged.

Common questions about South Shore Recreation Area

Can you reserve a site at South Shore Recreation Area?: Yes, South Shore Recreation Area is reservable through Recreation.gov.
How many campsites does South Shore Recreation Area have?: 3 sites.
Are pets allowed at South Shore Recreation Area?: Yes, pets are allowed at South Shore Recreation Area.
Does South Shore Recreation Area have hookups?: Electric, Water.

Camping near South Shore Recreation Area

Tompkins 1.1 mi · Campground · we watch it
Lawrence Recreation Area 2 mi · Campground · we watch it
Ives Run 6.2 mi · Campground · we watch it
Lambs Creek Recreation Area 11.9 mi · Campground · we watch it
Blueberry Patch Campground 40.9 mi · Campground · we watch it
Potomac Group Campground 41.7 mi · Campground · we watch it
Finger Lakes - Hector District 39.4 mi · Facility
Blueberry Patch Campground 41 mi · Campground
Caywood Point 43.3 mi · Facility

Contact

Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-02-25.

South Shore Recreation Area