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Austin Dam Memorial Park

98%

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· Potter, Pennsylvania

76 acres hosted by Austin Dam P.

103 RV/tent sites · 4 tent sites

Staff verified

Accuracy verified by Hipcamp's on-the-ground team.

Off-leash friendly

Pets can be off-leash at this Hipcamp.

Family-friendly

Recent Hipcampers say this Hipcamp is great for families and kids.

Best in Pennsylvania: Finalist

Named one of the best Hipcamps to visit in 2023.

Just outside the quaint town of Austin sits a vivid reminder of one of Pennsylvania's worst disasters – the Austin Flood. In 1909, the dam was constructed on Freeman Run to power the Bayless Papermill downstream. Many wondered if the dam was safe. On September 30, 1911, Austin found out. Poor construction, coupled with torrential rain, resulted in the dam's collapse. Nearly 400 million gallons of water were released, destroying everything for 8 miles. At least 78 people perished in the tragedy. It was the second worst flood disaster in Pennsylvania's history and sixth worst dam failure in U.S. history. The tragedy sparked new legislation to improve dam safety, and the Austin Dam was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. The ruins of the dam still stand, surrounded by a 76-acre park, as a tribute to the lives lost in the Austin Flood. Don't miss one of Potter County's best kept secrets!

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98%

719 ratings · 285 reviews

Matt S.recommends

June 2, 2024

Log Train (Site 8)

The site was great! Nicely dispersed and very relaxing.

Rebecca W.recommends

June 2, 2024

Log Driver (Site 3)

The site was very private and relaxing being right beside the creek. It was a very well maintained park also. Loved the history and being able to explore the ruins.

Zach B.recommends

May 30, 2024

Log Train (Site 8)

Always lovely

The land surrounding the camp sites is absolutely gorgeous. The camp sites are spacious and well laid out. We come up every year and it's always so fantastic.

Amanda D.recommends

May 27, 2024

Bark Peelers (Site 2)

Unique Camping Among Dam Ruins

Austin Dam is a wonderful place to camp. We got a little turned around and ended up camping in the wrong site 🤦🏻‍♀️ (we lost cell phone service and missed more specific directions on how to get to our site, which was 100% on us). We enjoyed our stay anyway and it all worked out! Our host was more than understanding and also a very nice guy to chat with. We can’t specifically review site #2 since we didn’t technically stay there. But overall Austin Dam is a wonderful place to camp and I can imagine that site #2 was great! The sites are well-maintained as a labor of love by the wonderful volunteer(s) of the Austin Dam Memorial Park. Worth a visit!!!

Neela C.recommends

May 20, 2024

Tree Sawyer (Site 1)

Pretty and private site. A Large area for camping.

Jon S.recommends

May 20, 2024

Log Scaler (Site 5)

Solo Camp

Great camping grounds, highly recommend site 5 for small or large camping events. Was a bummer the restrooms were out of order, but assuming it was a seasonal thing. I do wish there was a dumpster or place to bring trash. Otherwise, I had a fantastic experience, thank you!

Location

Potter, Pennsylvania, United StatesTraditional, ancestral territory of Susquehannock and Ho-de-no-sau-nee-ga (Haudenosaunee) First Nations according to To respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking

Hosted by Austin Dam P.Joined in March 2019

Response rate: 50%Response time: Within 12 hours

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