I really could not figure any negatives to put for the review. The camping resort was clean and flawless. We stayed for the Halloween Weekend and loved it so much we are going part-time seasonal there next year. This is a place where kids can be kids!
We had a great last camping trip of the season at this State Park. There are 6 loops with 10 sites in each and then a primitive camp area. The loops are small and sites are close but I didn’t feel cramped and many sites were angled in a way that you weren’t staring at your neighbors camper or tent. We were in D 05 and had a view of the pond through the fall foliage. Our relatives had site 02 and felt cramped but I thought it was fine. All sites had electric and water! The trail around the lake was awesome with some slight inclines but mostly flat. There were short spurs to scenic spots of the pond. Total walked was 4 miles. The trail is just behind the loops so it was easy access. There was a Nature center that was beautiful. They offer boat rentals but that was closed. There was a hayride and bonfire on Saturday night but we didn’t go. A very large field is across from the loops where kids could play. Bathhouses were large with 4 stalls and 4 showers. Firewood is sold at entrance $6/bundle. Store was small. Staff was very friendly. I took pics and video of loop D only.
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.
We arrived after dark so really didn't see much and left early and I only took a few pictures while my wife was chasing the dogs around with the little green poopy bags…. Quick take on the place is that it is nice and I wouldn't hesitate to return. The store had basic t-shirts hats and trinkets. Not sure of food supplies other the freezer burnt ice creams, (3), left over from the summer hordes. Firewood was for sale at $6 bucks a bundle, fair warning - it's primarily fireproof as it didn't burn well. There are canoes for rent. There is a nice dock and looks like a great place to canoe/kayak. It was very dark away from the office area but where we stayed there was some light from the parking lot lights filtering through the trees. Not bad though. There was a bit of road noise early on but was not bad and ended by 9pm. Driving out in the morning the place appeared well kept and has fairly spacious sites.
My sons and I spent four nights on the island site and loved it. We lucked out and had both sites to ourselves which I recommend. I couldn’t imagine sharing the secluded site with strangers. We set up our hammocks on the edge of the water. We walked around the pond and rented boats and kayaks for the day and rowed back to our site which the kids loved. They got to spend the day learning to paddle on the pond. The camp ground has a small store however they close early, so make sure to stock up on wood and ice before they close. They also had a bike shed where you can sign out bikes for free for the day which was super neat. They also have wheelbarrows to borrow so if you have a drive up site you can use them. While we were there they were building a new bath house near the island and cabin sites otherwise porter potties were there. The location is great. We took a day and drove to assateague island which was about an hour. All and all we loved the location we loved watching all the different birds and seeing so many stars. The people were all very nice. We look forward to coming back soon. Oh and if you stay at the island site make sure to be nice to the resident squirrel !!!
Our site E-106 was a perfect site for my wife and I. Close to beach access, clean facilities and friendly staff. Surf fishing was slow but the bay offered up some opportunities to reel in a few fish. Warm fall temperatures, only a handful of other campers made our stay enjoyable. The campers we met with are friendly along with our camp host and staff. Beautiful sunsets, Asseateague ponies with there new foals and a beautiful full moon rounded out our stay.
We stayed here for one night and it was awesome! The campground is a little dated… but the tent site we had was perfect. Great hammocking trees :)
We went in Mid-October as a weekend shakedown trip for our new camper. As NJ locals were looking to test out this campground near the shore. While the campground has its perks, we were put off by the behavior of the seasonal campers. Overall, we will not be returning.
Pros
- Super friendly and helpful staff
- Clean facilities
- Proximity to Cape May \ Wildwood
- Activities for kids
Cons
- The golf carts were the absolute worst, people don’t obey the speed limit on these things (and there are a lot of them whizzing around…) Many were driven by underage kids (against rules, but clearly not enforced). Carts also frequently blasted inappropriate music.
- Unsupervised kids that misbehaved
- Our car and camper were egged (see point above) other non-seasonal campers around us were egged as well
- Very small camper spots
- Seasonal campers
The breeze coming off the bay allowed for me to get one of the best nights of sleep I’ve had in a while! The horses roam free, so keep your stuff locked in your vehicle. Decent trails for hiking or biking and it’s not far from the beach.
Great RV park. Right on the bay with sunset views. 12 min to Ocean City boardwalk. Beautiful golf course right next store. I’ll be back!
We've stayed here 2 years in a row. We returned due to all the activities the campground offers for the kids. A nice lake with a giant inflatable slide, floating trampoline, kayak and paddle board rentals. A decent pool that tends to get a bit crowded, but does the trick. We had a blast with a golf cart rental. The campground is rather large, so it felt like a necessity to have a secondary way of getting around easily as a family. Plus it made checking out the entire campground manageable. Bathhouses were clean and well maintained. The campground is a short 5 minute drive from Cape May. Which is also a big reason we've returned. Sunset Beach, The Open Air Mall, and the charm of victorian Cape May are all great reasons to visit.
This is our first stay at this Thousand Trails resort.
We had a reservation that we made using the App. The app did not allow us to book a stay starting on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday so we checked in on Sunday. The reason i mention this is that when set up in our site our neighbor told us that there were plenty of empty sites all the previous week - he stays here frequently and recommended calling rather than using the Thousand Trails app.
Next note - the resort did not reserve a particular site and suggested that we drive around and select the one we liked. That was ok and we got a nice level site with a concrete pad under the picnic table. Partially shaded. Consideration - As we have a class B unit we will be in and out of the site - we needed some way to designate that the site was taken if we went out. The resort did not plan for this ( see later note ) but they did come out and give us a length of caution tape to us to block the site.
This is a fairly large place. The sites are clean but small. Far and away this resort is used by seasonal and cabin campers. They only have a few ( maybe 25 or so) transient sites which they seem to allocate on on a first come first serve basis. If you have a class b and plan to go in an out i recommend you bring some sort of indicator to mark your site as occupied.
We came in late September so the pool was closed but the lake side beach was still open. The beach was clean and had beach chairs.
The camp store has limited offerings, was not open on Mon and Tue, and closed at 4. This may have been because we were late in the season.
Great place to camp I have been going almost every year since the first time I went. Very short walk from the beach, clean bathrooms, beautiful landscape, and a good price!
Site Details: We stayed on site#19 in Loop B(the electric loop). Our site was large, very level, and surrounded by pine and hardwood trees. All sites in this loop were fairly spread out, with ample tree separation between each one. I don’t think there was a bad site in the loop.
Facilities/Overall Park: The loop had a wonderful, heated bath house which was centrally located and a very short walk from our site. It looked to be recently built(or renovated), and was impeccably clean with very nice-looking showers(which we didn’t use this time). However, there were only 3 stalls and 2 showers, so I imagine the lines could get pretty long during peak season. There was also a nice outdoor dishwashing sink on the exterior of the bath house.
The park itself is rather small, but very pretty and(mostly) peaceful. It’s set on the Choptank River and Watts Creek, with a great amphitheatre and walking trails with beautiful water views. There is also a nature center(which was closed for the season), as well as several pavilions and playgrounds scattered throughout the park. The pavilions were in definite need of a facelift, and the playgrounds were older but decent.
While the park was very quiet and enjoyable during the day, unfortunately I couldn’t say the same for nighttime and early morning. The first night, we were awoken several times by the very loud firehouse siren from the neighboring town of Denton. It sounded like one of those older air raid-type sirens, with a really loud, jarring windup. My husband looked it up the next day, and discovered that Denton does in fact use that old fashioned alarm system to signal any type of emergency. In addition, we heard very loud gunshots from nearby goose hunters right at sunrise. So, you may luck out if you camp outside of hunting season and there are no overnight emergencies during your stay.:)
Martinak is a sister park to the larger Tuckahoe State Park(about 10-15 minutes down the road), and the two parks share and co-host many events between both facilities, mostly during peak season. Upon check-in, the(extremely friendly) rangers handed us a map and calendar of events for both parks.
Surrounding Area/Attractions: The small town of Denton is about 5 minutes outside the park, with a Walmart, a few chain and standalone restaurants, plenty of gas stations, and most modern conveniences. St. Michael’s, a very quaint and popular tourist destination, is about 45 minutes away.
Overall, while this a very pretty park with nicely wooded and spaced-out sites, we prefer the neighboring Tuckahoe SP for its slightly better trails, nicer day-use area with newer playground, and(most importantly) lack of midnight sirens.
Tent site was fantastic, level, trees are well trimmed, but still with good coverage, sites are a nice size. Close enough to the bathroom and water options. Campground well appointed. Nice pool, clean showers, quarters for a shower. We paid $40 night in almost mid September. Its just faucets for water, no sinks for a dishwashing station. You are in a busier campground with lots of RVs, travel trailers and vacation rentals, so its not some peaceful small state campground. Only complaint really would be the folks who drove their golf carts like maniacs. Some enforcement from management would be good there.
My husband and I tent camped here a few times and fell in love with this place. We bought an RV this year and have been to Cape Henlopen twice already. The sites are all a good size and even though the campsite is usually always packed, everyone is super friendly and respectful of each other. People respect the rules and keep to themselves, but will wave and say hello a lot in passing. It’s a very comforting environment. The newly built bathhouses are great! They’re always clean and I’ve yet to not get a hot shower, even though they get used a lot. Best of all, the campsite is dog friendly! Our two dogs love it here - the smells, trails, the nice people, the water bowl outside of the camp store. The beaches also allow dogs, depending on the season or time of day. The trails are awesome and easy to walk or ride bikes on, with a few hills to muscle up, but it’s mostly flat terrain and paved. There’s a nature center nearby that also lets you borrow a bike for free if you didn’t bring your own. The smell of pine trees and ocean is instantly soothing. You can also ride your bike or drive to the beach, which is beautiful. The bathhouse and concession stand at the beach is very nice. Sunset on the beach is absolutely serene.
We did not have a great experience this time around. 7 hours after set up, the"camp host" came by and told us and all of our immediate neighbors we needed to move because we were all 3 feet back to far. Apparently we're not supposed to back up past the electrical boxes. There are no markings indicating that and also if that is the case, they should have people dedicated to guiding people into their sites. Our neighbors had already been there for over 2 days before being told to move. Upon arrival, the site was dirty(empty cups, bottle caps,& cigarette butts). The pool furniture was old and rusty. The day of check-out, someone was on my site, 3 hours before checkout cleaning out the fire ring and I hadn't even had a chance to cook breakfast over it yet. We paid resort prices and have stayed at MUCH better resorts for the same price. After this, we unfortunately will not be returning.
Massey's is very nice, clean, awesome pool, nice very windy Bayside sites, but you can get the same for half the price or more. Don't get run over by the golf carts. Very pet friendly. Definitely not worth the very expensive sites. Beach was ok but could be better.
Beautiful Bay views!!! My daughters love this place and so does my wife and I. The beach is great. The pool and pool bar are fantastic! 1 minor complaint about the pool is that it gets crowded and you might not get a seat. Supposedly they are going to be building another pool soon!
You definitely get what you pay for here. If you are looking for privacy dont come here. This campground is about having fun all day!
We will be back.
I’ve stayed at Cape Henlopen several times. We are tent campers and have stayed in both car sites and tent walk in sites. The new bath house and camp store are a great upgrade. Book reservations earlier than you would expect, this place fills quickly. Sites vary in privacy, some are more heavily wooded than others. One downside is the use of generators, they can be annoying. The location allows for hiking and beach visits plus you are close to both Lewes and Rehoboth.
My first time visiting TPSP. The site is gorgeous throughout. The camp store is small but has everything that you need. Personnel were warm and friendly, very helpful for a first timer… spent some time chatting with them. I stayed at a tent site. The tent sites are walk in only but parking is not very far. The site provided hand trucks and wheelbarrows for you to car your items into your site. I had brought my own wagon which was helpful in keeping some of my gear off the ground during a rain storm. The site I stayed at was clean, level and well appointed; a t bar for hanging trash or a shower pack. Fire pit with grill. The tent sites are far enough from each other that you are not disturbed by neighbors, lots of trees between sites. There are water pumps every few yards, some are a Bit tricky to get working but I did not have an issue. The campground has trash and recycling bins so you do not have to carry out. I checked out some of the drive in and RV sites. They are large and well maintained, good for camper or tent camping, although fewer trees separate you from adjacent spots, so if you’re interested in more privacy opt for a tent site. The weekend I stayed we had torrential rain for about six hours but my site did not flood. Be sure to bring a large enough footprint to account for rain however, as I needed to really clean my tent and fly when I got home due to splash back of mud and leaves. Thee bathhouse was clean and the playground looked pretty good as well. Hoping that for my return trip the new bathhouse bear the tent sites is completed. If you’re not keen on using port a Johns or hiking to the bathhouse near the camper sites I suggest bringing a travel composting toilet. I hiked the full Bob Trail which is breathtaking. Easy level hike that winds all around the park and connects to the campground. I also rented a kayak for about three hours and was able to travel the full pond and connecting Terrapin Trail and back. The recreation area(where you rent boats and kayaks) has a nice picnic area and playground. I have camped at Henlopen State Park in the past and can say that TPSP is my new favorite in delaware. I enjoyed my time so much that I am already booked to return in late September and again in early November.
Campground is busy with a lot of people driving golf carts that shouldn’t be. But, aside from that, it’s really a lot of fun. Wild west show, water park, huge store, excellent ice cream shop, jet skis, boat launch are all at the campground. There’s also a shuttle to the boardwalk and a very short drive to all the restaurants and attractions in the area including the wild ponies on Assateague island. We have been there for the last 2 years and have next year booked already.
Campground has decent space at the campsites but you’ll be looking at your neighbors. Nice pool and some of the best looking seasonal Ive seen decked out with tiki bars, etc. Close to the boardwalk and beach.
Gated campground . This is more for seasonal and year round campers. People are very nice . We had the luxury of staying in the " Cottage" which was very upscale lol
Kids had great fun at water park . It's well kept and reasonably priced.
Beautiful location and lots of stuff to do . Can be very crowded and loud certain times of year. And OMG .. the kids in the golf carts .. well you know what that means
Very clean . Great amenities! On the water. You can rent canoes . Sites do not have sewer but does have dump. Great park that offers alot!
Het up close to the water if you can . Clear beautiful nights you will see awesome star shows ! Older campground .. great people and clean !