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A gray 4x4 Sprinter with a roof rack on a two-track through a wildflower meadow, cloud sitting on the mountains behind.

Army Corps of Engineers campground

Bush Recreation Area

Army Corps of Engineers campground in Loyalhanna Lake, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. 945 feet. 3.2 miles from New Alexandria.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
Army Corps of Engineers Loyalhanna Lake
Elevation
945 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
43 16 rv electric, 15 standard non-electric, 11 tent only non-electric
Longest rig
22 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
Electric, Water
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Westmoreland County

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.

The description, directions and fees are the Army Corps of Engineers’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • camping
  • day use area

The land around Bush Recreation Area

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated February 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.

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