Trap Pond State Park Campground

General: 129 sites with water and electricity, eight tent sites, one island site, two yurts, and eight cabins. 

Site Quality: All are level and sand/grass. There are many trees and reasonable separation between sites (although you can easily see your neighbors). A large picnic table and fire ring complete the site. Our site had a water view and was peaceful. 

Bath/Shower house: Bathhouses are located in the A and C loops plus additional ones by the tent camping area. All seemed to be reasonably clean and were cleaned on a rolling basis, starting at 10 am for the A loop. The shower had immediate hot water, but you only get about 30 seconds of water before you have to push the button again. A little clunky but a good way to save water. 

Activities/Amenities: So much to do! Bike rentals are free (donations accepted), there are several hiking/biking/horse trails, disc golf, and canoe/kayak/peddle boat rentals (in season). 45-minute Pontoon boat tours are available on weekends Memorial Day– Labor Day. There are several boat docks if you bring your own boat. There is a small camper store/office that closed shortly after our arrival. There is a single washer/dryer in Loop C. I was mystified that you could only use liquid detergent (I use laundry sheets). Because there is only one for the entire campground, I wouldn’t count on doing laundry. If you have kiddos, try and get a site in Loop A – there is a nice and educational play area (plus a game I’d never heard of– Gaga ball). There is an additional playground in the day-use area, plus a volleyball net. There is also a nature center. Recycling and dumpsters between Loops A and B and another between Loops C and D. 

We camped here several years ago but in the off-season, and wanted to kayak among the bald cypress trees (I highly recommend this). Glad we came back!

We had a great experience at Trap Pond. Price was reasonable. D Loop sites were a good size. Comes with a fire ring and picnic table. Site wasn't super level, so just bring enough leveling blocks if you're in a camper. D14 specifically is the last site on the row with an unobstructed view of the pond- we loved it. All sites in D loop had great tree coverage. It was also right near the showers, which were clean & warm, just what was needed. Tent sites are more secluded and are walk-in; our buddies tent camped the same weekend. There was a dock within walking distance of our site. Canoes were available for rent & I highly recommend canoeing water trails through the beautiful Cypress trees. No sewer connects, but there are 2 dump stations and we didn't wait long at the dump station heading out on a Sunday in July. Camp store has all the necessities, yet still simple. Free concerts at the nature center every Saturday in the summer. Nice walking/hiking trails around the grounds also. Dog friendly was a plus!! Lots of dogs were on leads at campsites including ours.

Just wow. We made an impromptu visit and camping trip. The walk-in tent sites are BEAUTIFUL!! It’s really great to be able to set up camp and be in nature without the sound of someone charging their phone or blowing up their mattress in the site next to you. All the wall in tent sites on loop E are HUGE!! You can easily fit two tents plus all the glamping extras! The bathrooms are short walk away and are lovely. Clean and big with free showers. The wheelbarrows provided are great for the drop off of equipment. The first night it rained (literal buckets). The site was under 3 inches of water within a half hour!! Once the rain stopped though the puddles were gone just as fast! The hiking is always beautiful and easy to access. The flat trails are wide and loop across to the national park side. The camp store is also a huge plus! They have everything you need for emergency’s and then some! The bikes, ice, and firewood are easy to access. The only complaint is that although there is boating a place to cool off was missed greatly. A pool or splash pad would make a great addition to an almost perfect campground! An added note, during the storm a branch from a tree became loose and we went to the check in to let them know. They gave us expedited care. The checked out the tree and decided for our safety we needed to change sites. They were able to give us a new site right away and even offered to help move us!! Customer camper care is definitely number 1!

This campground was wonderful for our family of 5 with 6. 4 and 2 year old boys. The setting is wooded with great shade and a very peaceful pond backdrop. We stayed in loop A, and found that A and B loops are the place to be if you have young children- the playground is awesome and is sandwiched between them. The loops get progressively quieter as you go towards E. All sites are great, but the best ones are definitely the ones closest to the pond. We really enjoyed the pontoon boat ride- this is definitely not a typical pond! The cypress trees are stunning and the history there alone is definitely worth the price of admission, not to mention the otherworldly narrow passages through cypress swaps and all kinds of wildlife on display. The trail around the campground goes through nice pine forests and crosses the swampland and pond. It is smooth stone dust, great for foot travel or any kind of biking. The sites are not huge but spaced well. Important to note- this pond is NOT for swimming. Very shallow and lots of trees just under the surface. If you are kid free or have older kids, they have kayaks for rent and I would highly recommend taking a paddle across the pond and deep into the water trails through the cypress forest. Magical. The camp store is fantastic. The sites are dirt/grass and not full hookup, but they have two dumpstations on the way out. Our site was nice because it had trail access and only one neighbor. Be forewarned that there are ticks here, the tiny dangerous kind.... we found some on us, so just check thoroughly. Overall a great place!

Last family trip of the year and it didn’t disappoint. We stayed in site D25 again just as we did 2 yrs ago. It’s a pull through site as are all sites in loop D. This is pet friendly and has electric and water. Dump station is across from loop D. There are 5 loops with Loop E being tent and cabins/hurts only. That Loop also has island tent sites. We couldn’t walk into that area. Each loop or area has its own bathhouse which appear to all be individual family style bathrooms.

The layout of the sites in loop D is not typical. All sites in this loop are pull through and parallel to the road, so the left drivers side of your camper faces the road and the right side faces your camp area. If you stay in an inside loop site you will be facing the camper on the other side of the loop. For instance D11 and D14 face each other. The distance between sites across the loop isn’t huge or blocked by any foliage but didn’t seem to be an issue for our friends who stayed in D24. If you stay on the outside of the loop you will either face the woods (higher numbered sites) or loop C through the trees ( lower numbered sites). Our site is pretty level as are most sites. This is Delaware which is flat land.

The one issue with most every site are the trees. Most every site has a tree to watch out for. Other loops are all back in sites and many of those have trees to keep an eye on as well. This is a shaded campground. At the end of each loop is a pier on the pond which is large and beautiful. There are playgrounds in each loop and bike rentals at the camp store.

The tent area is walk in but they provide wheelbarrows or carts to haul your stuff. These sites are very private and well spaced off the walk-in path and from each other. The cabins and yurts are also walk-in but again you have the use of carts. Some of the cabins are facing the pond and offer gorgeous views.

There is a primitive group camp area complete with bathhouse, screened in pavilion, open air pavilion, numerous picnic tables, horseshoe and volleyball courts and sits at the point so the views of the pond are plentiful.

There is a disc golf course within walking distance and the weekend we were there a competition was happening. There is a day use area with boat rentals and lots of trails for hikers or horses to use.

The town of Laurel nearby has a few stores. I found This and That Country Store which was so cute. The owner was super nice. The beach areas of Delaware are not too far away if you want a beach day.

This has become one of our favorite campgrounds in DE.

Ranger Review: HeadSpin Convertible Light System at Trap Pond State Park

Campground Review: 

We enjoy camping in the off or shoulder season more than peak because the campgrounds are quieter, however, sometimes this means we cannot enjoy the full amenities a place has to offer. At Trap Pond, we missed being able to rent a canoe, kayak, or paddleboat by a week. Free bike rentals were still available (donations accepted) so we were able to take a ride around the pond (about 4.5 miles). There are four loops plus cabins and yurts. All sites appeared level and some have a view of the pond. Bathhouses were very clean, including the showers. When we were there, they were delivering a new bath and shower facility to one of the loops. Although I did not check it out, there is also a laundry facility. The camp staff was extremely friendly and helpful and there is also a small store for t-shirts and essentials. We only stayed for one night but would definitely consider returning at a time when we could rent a boat to be able to see the Cypress trees up close.

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**Product Review: **

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I have the awesome opportunity to occasionally test products. At this campground, we tested the HeadSpin Convertible Light System by Headspin Outdoors. The first thing I noticed when I unboxed my HeadSpin was how compactly it was fit into its semi-hard, zippered carrying case. That said, however, if packing space is at a premium, you may want to decide which elements you want to use before taking a trip to reduce what you pack. Although intuitive to figure out how to use, there were no instructions (maybe missing from mine?). Because of this, I was not sure when the unit was fully charged (the green light was flashing and did not change to solid, but the unit seemed to be charged). We travel in a campervan, so we have USB and electric charging capabilities while camped but if you are tent camping, make sure everything is charged before you leave home (or, if you are driving a distance to your campground, you can charge it in your car using the USB port). Assuming the flashing green light indicates it is charged, this process did not take very long. 

There is one light that can be attached to three base options: flashlight, headlamp, and bicycle mount. There are three light strength options, as well as a wide or narrow beam, and a strobe setting. The light is attached via magnets and I found it very easy to attach and detach the light from the different mounts. We also used the light as a stand-alone magnetic mount on our van door and on the metal lantern post; making the magnet system very versatile.

I have a favorite flashlight I have used for over 10 years, so it was going to take a lot to convince me to change. I was very pleased with the HeadSpin flashlight– it is very lightweight and easy to hold, however, a strap would be helpful. My husband thought the strap was necessary since the handle was so slender (this was a plus for my smaller hands!). Also, there was a warning in the packaging about how strong the light is and not to place it face down while on. Because of the design of the flashlight, I would likely have done this, so this warning was good to include. 

We had recently used headlamps on a guided trip and had considered buying them to add to our supplies, so I eagerly looked forward to trying this one out. Although it worked fine, it was a bit bulkier/heavier than the headlamp I recently used. I used it to go to the restroom and to cook dinner and wash dishes in the dark; the more I used it, the more comfortable I became with it. 

We don’t travel/camp with bicycles, so we were not able to try this mount. I rarely bike at night (if I can help it!) so not sure I would use this option, but it is a good addition, as I know many do bike in the dark. 

Overall, I really liked giving the HeadSpin a try. I loved the flashlight, and the packaging is top-rate, however, it is pricey, so it is an investment. Picking up a battery-operated flashlight to find the batteries were dead would convince me it is worth the price! I think campers who like gadgets will like this product very much.