Me and four of my friends are planning a one day, one night backpacking/hiking/camping trip in a few weeks in or around Ohiopyle, PA. I am looking for suggestions on moderate level hikes and a backcountry camping area that is not in a campground.
Consider the Quebec Run Wild Area, just a little south west of Ohiopyle. There are no designated campsites but plenty of obvious ones. You may camp anywhere in the Wild Area per LNT protocols.
Great! That sounds perfect. Thank you so much. We will check this area out for sure.
I did the first two legs of the Laurel Highlands Trail a month or so ago: Ohiopyle -> Ohiopyle Shelters -> Rte 653. It requires being dropped or a car-shuffle, and while not huge distances, the elevation makes it a challenging but rewarding two days (to be fair the first day was short). We chose to camp at 653 on the second night, but you could also just walk out. I hear 653 -> Grindel is very pretty too, and am going back to do that in a few weeks.
Two potential bonuses depending on your needs: you can reserve a shelter instead of a campsite for peace of mind in foul weather. Also saves carrying tents. There are pumps are the sites (still need to treat the water) but saves a lot of weight. There is free firewood at each stop.
While this sounds "camp site-y" there is a limit on the occupancy (not nearly filled when we were there), and the sites are walk in only, so it doesn't feel like a KOA.
But if you are looking for true backcountry, I'll follow this post with interest!