Looking for the best tent campgrounds near Washington? With The Dyrt, it's easy to find Washington campgrounds for you and your tent. You're sure to find the perfect tent campsite for your District of Columbia camping adventure.
Hilton is a place for kids of all ages to play and explore. Located off Hilton Avenue, this area is within walking distance for many residents in Catonsville. A popular spot for afternoon walks and morning workouts, the trails are active with local residents and visitors from far away.
You can also gain access to the Patapsco River by traveling down into the river valley along the Forest Glen Trail. This trail follows the Saw Mill Branch Stream and can connect with several trails to make for very interesting hiking adventures. The area also has a small campground with six mini-cabins and 12 basic campsites.
$20 - $51 / night
Leesylvania is nestled along the tidal shores of the historic Potomac River. Native Americans lived on this land for thousands of years. Capt. John Smith visited the area in 1608 on his voyage of discovery. Listed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks, Leesylvania offers many land and water activities, including hiking, picnicking, fishing, and boating. A universally accessible fishing pier, playground, boat launch, boat storage area, snack bar and store, visitor center, and gift shop are available. A 20-station fitness trail and canoe and kayak rentals also are available.
$15 - $18 / night
The Marsden Tract Group Campground was built by scouts to provide access to larger campsites within easy commuting distance of the D.C. Metro area. It is located at Mile 11.5 on the C&O Canal Towpath, between the Carderock Recreation Area and Anglers Inn. The group campsites are nestled in the woods between the Canal and the Potomac River and they are a short distance from many recreational opportunities. Fishing, rock climbing, paddling and hiking are but a few possibilities while staying at Marsden Tract.
The most popular activity for Marsden Tract campers is hiking the three sections (A, B and C) of the Billy Goat Trail, one of the most popular and challenging rock hikes in the east. There are also many woodland trails for beginners and experts alike. Fishing is also a popular pastime in both the C&O Canal and the Potomac River. Be sure to acquire a Maryland fishing license for those age 16 or older. Virginia licenses are approved for fishing in the Potomac only.
Marsden Tract Group Campsite is just south of the Great Falls of the Potomac and Mather Gorge. These two stunning features provide an excellent example of local geology while showing the sheer force and power of nature.
Marsden Tract Group Campsite is located about 14 miles outside of Washington, D.C., providing affordable camping near the nation's capital. Many campers will base out of Marsden to see the sites such as the Smithsonian Institution, National Mall, Capitol and The White House.
Cancellations A cancellation is the release of a confirmed reservation prior to the start of the defined late cancellation time frame which results in non-use by the original customer. Camping and Day Use Facilities Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee. Late Cancellations or Cancellations within the Cut-off Window Individual Campsites: A customer who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation). Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. Group Facility: Customers who cancel a group overnight facility reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee. Group Day Use Area: Customers who cancel a group day-use facility reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will forfeit the total day-use fee.
$20 / night
The park has two Youth Group Camping sites that are strictly for official youth groups only. The youth group camping sites are open from the beginning of April through the beginning of November. These rustic camping sites overlook the Chesapeake Bay. Each site has a small picnic shelter with two tables and a grill. Download a Youth Group Pass application online.
If your youth group would like to do a service project during your stay, please call the park two weeks before the date of your arrival and speak with the volunteer coordinator to set up a project.
Make youth group camping reservations on-line for Sandy Point State Park or call 1-888-432-CAMP (2267).
The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring is Maryland's biggest climbing and ziplining adventure!
We have 5 campsites on site. Please note, these campsites are only available for scout troops and youth groups who are also taking part in park activities.
$150 - $200 / night
Lacy Oasis is a land that is encompasses a history of women who loves nature, family and heart of gold who wants to share her property with others to embrace the benefits of nature specifically clarity of life.
Learn more about this land:
*Welcome to a place that allows you to be in pure tranquility with nature and yourself. Come to connect, share laughter and create endless memories with your family, friends and your pets. The sunlight bursting through tree leaves, to the sound of frogs dancing along the streams to fluttering butterflies of amidst buzzing bees and the birds that whistle will encourage you to embrace the journey that you will embark on at Lacy Oasis. *
*Our space is private property within a tight knit, friendly, family oriented neighborhood. We encourage our guest to wave or simple double tap on the horn on your way in and out of the space. It truly means a lot to our neighbors at the entrance of the property. *
*All parking is provided on our property not at our neighbors house or community. We have ample amount of parking and drive up campsites for you and your guest. *
*We look forward to seeing you soon. *
Come Adopt The Pace Of Lacy Oasis: Patience
$90 - $190 / night
NOTE: THERE IS A 2 NIGHT MINIMUM FOR HOLIDAY WEEKENDS.
Great place for fishing, camping, kayaking, lazy days on the beach grilling and hanging out with family and friends. Book family events on the beach. Come and explore the historic Benedict village. Join us at our Endeavor Point to enjoy simplicity and remarkable views of the Patuxent river. The Endeavor Point is located at the end of Mill Creek Road, offering breathtaking views of the Patuxent river, overlooking Golden Beach and St. Mary's County shoreline. Far enough for a serene retreat and yet just a few minutes drive to shops and restaurants in Prince Frederick or Charlotte Hall. Endeavor Point is a diamond in the rough. Come play, fish, relax, and have fun! Whether you’re in Maryland for a day, weekend stop or a week of touring, Endeavor Point is the perfect spot for bird watching, fishing, kayaking, camping, stargazing, or just enjoying a serene evening by the fire. Enjoy breathtaking views from each one of our 3 comfortable accommodations or from any of the campsites. Spacious outdoor area, rustic beach, long pier. Explore the Patuxent river or Mill Creek with our kayaks or paddle board, available for rent on site.
$55 - $95 / night
Traveler
The Hilton area campground is unique because, unlike the Hollofield area of the park, it doesn't allow RVs and its tent sites are non-electric. However, a tiny cabin experience with electricity is available... within the same loop as non-electric tent camping. My non-electric tent campsite was surrounded by brightly lit cabins, even unoccupied all of their porch lights stay on all night. It doesn't make the upper half of the campground ideal for stargazing. The other reviewers are correct that the lower half of the loop is situated lower in the valley which will make any rain you get more difficult, so avoid booking a site at the very bottom. Overall the campground and state park deserve 4 stars because from what I could see tent pads were level, firepits had grill gates, showers were hot, and staff were cleaning and maintaining the grounds everyday. But be safe; prepare detailed offline navigation if you use the trails surrounding the camp. I definitely got lost relying on blazes for what I thought was supposed to be the Charcoal Trail.
Guide
Great camping amenities, soft cushioned sites, with power and water close by. DO NOT GET BASIC TENT SITES AS THEY ARE NEXT TO HIGHWAYS AND VERY NOISY!!! Premium tent sites would be a better choice. My grandchildren live it there. We will return to a premium tent site soon.
Ranger
Very beautiful spot, did some tent camping. Close to many cool things in the area too
Scout
Tent camped here last Labor Day weekend. Site was a good size. Fantastic KOA. Tons of things to do for our 9 year old!
Scout
Great place! Lots to do on-site. Tent camped and really had a great time. Harper’s Ferry is a beautiful place to hike, camp and visit. Highly recommended!
Guide
This is our second time here. This place is quiet the spaces are big. They can accommodate large campers,ours is 35 ft. Tent camping have big areas. Lost of nature trails.
Traveler
The layout is nice and the grass tent pads have real grass, not gravel. Many of the tent sites are not shaded though. This makes the hot summer even hotter.
Traveler
They have a few tent camping spots as well as cabins. Just call ahead. I just showed up and got a perfect camp spot with a view of the sunrise and access to the private beach.
Guide
We tent camped at Pine Tree Associates. They are a nudist club with a very nice camp ground. There is a bath house with outdoor showers. Camping fees include access to a large outdoor pool, an indoor pool and a hot tub. There is room for tenting and campers.
Scout
For tent camping I would suggests sites 30,33 or 35 these are tucked along the tree line. The bathroom facilities were the cleanest I have seen in a campground. Quiet time was observed and there are plenty of nice trails around for hiking and biking
TravelerWe tent camped at Matoka Cabins and it was a beautiful Peaceful camping trip! Out spot was very private and you could see the bay and hear the waves. We will definitely be back for another visit. The owners are very nice.
GuideThis campground has an abundance of things to do. The campground offers adventures like rafting, biking, tubing and zip lining to name a few. If you would like to do some exploring, then you can walk the trail right next to the campground into the historical town of Harper's Ferry (If you’re facing the river then the trail is to the right of the campground with a sign reading that you have entered Harper’s Ferry National Park. The trail is about 1.5 miles one way). From there you can grab a bite, visit the history of Harper's Ferry or continue exploring more hiking trails. There are train tracks behind the campground with a train going through day and night. For me it’s a minor inconvenience and my daughter, who even as a baby, slept through it. Do bring ear plugs if you’re a light sleeper. Bathroom and showers located nearby. You’re not allowed to park at the tent sites but most of the tent sites allow you to drop all your camping gear off and then park in a designated area. Between the tent sites being close together and the campground being part of zip lining/rafting courses there’s not a ton of privacy (especially during the weekend). Overall, it's a great adventurous spot!
ScoutWent here during the week and the tent sites where pretty empty. The facilities are well kept. My only complaint is I could here the traffic from the highway on the A loop. Otherwise my stay was quiet and pleasant.
GuideWe went tent camping with 3 friends. We occupied 2 camp sites. There was a clean bath house with showers. There was plenty of downed trees and limbs for firewood. If you like being close to stores, this is your place. We were 5 minutes from a grocery store and plenty of places to eat.
TravelerLittle Bennett has spacious RV and tent sites as well as cabins and yurts. It's very clean and well maintained. Lots of hiking within the park and many activities for kids. We were very impressed by their covid safety. Will be back!
Guide
I found it expensive for a tent site. No electric or water and was over $40. Out of area fee and a transaction fee (I even paid cash) If your traveling looking for a cheaper place to park for the night, this is not it.
Traveler
We tent camped there with 2 other families memorial day weekend. It rained the entire time but we still had a blast.
The best review I can give us of the bathrooms. They're with staying again alone. Locking doors, individual stalls. Hot dog. Best camping showers I've ever had.
Only draw back is that there's only one playground that's awkwardly located.
Traveler
Reservations are made through the National parks service "recreation.gov" website. Arrived for tent camping for 1 nights, park ranger met me at the entrance to ensure i could find my site. My stay was quiet and the bathrooms were clean and well stocked with HOT water in the private showers. This is a great base camp for getting out to hike the various trails in Prince William Forrest. Firewood is gather your own from fallen limbs in the park.
Traveler
Our layout - May 28 (memorial day)- 30th. Tent camping for 3 nights with 3 kids ages 12, 10, and 8. Campground was mostly empty, 1 other tenter and 3 RVs
Good -
1. Easy Check in - drive to your reserved site and done. If you just pull in with no reservation then you'll have to call or go online. Money is never taken at the campground, as it's a national park.
2. It's a National Park - which means you're supporting your national parks, they have interpretive programs and junior ranger for the kids!
3. The BEST PART - it's proximity to DC, whether you choose to drive or use the train it's soooo easy (take the train)
Time for the BAD
1. Cleanliness - this is why this campground gets such low marks. The bathrooms are disgusting...even after they are "cleaned". This was not our first stay here, each time they have been disgusting. We used baby wipes.
2. No hook ups - even with tent camping we like to be plugged in but no RV services are offered here.
3. No playground - There are hiking trails but really nothing for the kids to do in the campground itself.
4. Overall care of the facility - tall grass in the campgrounds means more ticks and other bugs. Just has a general neglected feel.
TravelerThere are spots of the camp ground for travel trailers that are right on top of each other. No big deal though as there is plenty to choose from. The tent sites are all wooded and nice. My site with my 26’ was tight to get into. Took a little maneuvering to get in but all is well. Overall, will come back many times more.
Guide
We stayed here a few times just to get out for a bit. It’s quiet, but not too dark, as the lights from DC interfere with the night sky here. The camping loop is small and is shared by tent and RV. The trails are maintained well. I’ve never left this park without at least one tick. No camp store. Firewood is available. Supplies can be gotten nearby. Tent sites can accommodate maybe up to a six person tent comfortably. Bathrooms are clean and showers are warm. Water is readily available.
RangerCamp site(Tent camping)
The camp site is what it is, just a camp site :) It's one of the bigger state parks surrounded by forest in MD. We live close by so we go there for hiking a lot too.
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Facilities/ Amenities
Bathrooms were clean and well maintained.
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Surrounding area
This is where this camp ground shines. It has access to many trails and the Patapsco River. Saw Mill trails is great for a family hike.
The state park is in a great location for a quick trip for groceries and restaurants.
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TravelerInitially disappointed by the tiny spot we got, but we were able to move. Majority of the spots are extremely close to the next and doesn't allow much privacy. Very few trees in between. We chose another spot that was available, however, we found out the first night that there is a boat area and bright light all night right behind us and the light came through the tent. Another dissapointment. We camped in a tent and did 3 nights, 4 days. (4th of July weekend) We loved the family friendliness that allowed us to walk right down the street/trail to take our kids to the water park. They give you a discounted price if you are camping. They also have mini golf and disc golf near by as well. If we come again, we will definitely be more particular about our spot. They also had bathrooms and showers not to far from our spot that were actually clean.
ScoutMy family lives near Greenbelt National Park and we have hiked the five-mile perimeter trail dozens of times with our dogs. However, this park has a serious bug problem. Most of the time, we return home from our hikes only to find ticks on at least one of us!
We were excited to finally tent camp at Greenbelt two years ago for my wife's 30th and had a memorable time around the campfire, but were disappointed the next day that chiggers and ticks had once again swarmed us on our hike. Enjoy the camping but wear bug repellent and stay out of the tall grasses!
TravelerWeekend trip with our Aliner went well. Site was clean and electric worked. Nice gravel paths leading to the bath house.
Pros-Hiking trails are beautiful. We will return with our MTB. Pretty quiet campground. We had tent and trailer neighbors (Inner loop is electric hook ups, outer is tent camping). Sites are spaced well.
Cons- No ranger to be found. If you had an issue this could be a problem. Bath House showers went from hot to freezing randomly. After our second ice cold shower we gave up. Finally, there is no dish cleaning station. Plenty of water spouts but no hot water for cleaning. Maybe we couldn’t find it but other campers didn’t find it either.
Over all it was a nice campground for a quick visit. Definitely worth checking out.
Ranger
Camp site (Tent camping)
We were at the group camping ground which was big and open, and had a pavilion for co-use. A little too open it seemed, but there are other sites that are a bit more enclosed. Have to walk from the parking spot to the camp ground. No hookups to electricity or water. Camp host right across from us was friendly!
Facilities / Amenities
Bathrooms were well maintained and you can get firewood ($5, cash) from near it.
Surrounding area
The trails to the overlook was easy enough for the kids too. Took us about 40 mins to walk up the trail. The view from the overlook was stunning.
Scout
Snug campground with nice, clean bathroom and pool. Adjacent to Prince William Forest, near shops and restaurants, and less than an hour away from Washington, DC. Good nature getaway from the city. The downside is that there are no trails accessible onsite and the campground is pretty close to main road. It is a slight drive to the main park entrance.
Tent camping near Washington, District of Columbia offers a refreshing escape into nature, with several well-reviewed spots that cater to outdoor enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Washington, DC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Washington, DC is Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area with a 4.2-star rating from 18 reviews.
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