Point Lookout State Park - Temporarily Closed

Been going since a few months old, always stayed in Hoffman in a pop up. Tried greens loop 1 time in tent double site with 12 ppl that's a good loop if u want alot of sun. In recent years I've been staying in cabins they are all gone now. So we will be trying tents again until we get camper and can then do full hook up. I feel spiritually connected to this place met alot of out going staff and campers even daily beach go'ers. Use to spray for mosquitoes but havent seen trucks in a few years. Have a visitor center, peir, beach and lighthouse that was just renovated, and was open 1st sat of every month april through November. Use to have hay rides around Halloween and haunted trails or something but not in along time. June was blue and grey days civil war events. Fire wood $5 a box. Park store is open during summer and pandemic but not visitor center or store out by peir hasn't been in years but restrooms are. Has a boat launch and fish cleaning station. Dont get hurt takes fire a lifetime to respond 45 mins for broken leg but that was 20 years ago. But they oldschool respond to station then call but they doing the best all volunteer. Brush fire last year they were there in 10.

We rescheduled to this weekend after our original reservation weekend was flooded out 2 weeks ago. They never notified us but our camping buddies got there earlier than us and called us. I thought the park could’ve emailed about being closed for flooding before people showed up. This weekend was Halloween weekend. It was quiet with a couple activities planned. We only had 2 trick or treaters. Our site 119 in Hoffman loop was long and very private. Most of the sites on the outside of the loop were private and long driveways. Inside the loop were more open. Our original loop was Greens Loop but that didn’t have availability this weekend. Those sites were out in the open but most were waterfront. Site 99 was gorgeous. Site 97 was long and narrow but there was a Fifth wheel with 2 slides in it. Tulip loop had FHU and no bathhouse. Another loop we walked was closed for the season. Nearby is the Pt. Lookout lighthouse and a Civil war museum, as well as Fort Lincoln. There were piers to fish and crab from in Green and Hoffman loops as well as a huge pier just a short drive or bike ride away. No hammocks are allowed which we found odd. Pets are allowed in many loops. Overall, a nice campground with very nice rangers. Also a small camp store and firewood for sale. No Wi-fi. Sprint service was no good anywhere near this campground. We were an hour away before getting any kind of cell service.

I've camped here twice, once with a small group of friends in tents for a weekend in late October around Halloween, and once on a snowy December weekend in an RV. Facilities are nice, sites were a decent size and I liked that they were pretty well wooded and so somewhat private. During the October trip there were a lot of families with kids, and it was cool because people decorated their sites for Halloween. During the December trip there really weren't many other campers at all, which was nice, but there were a few people with poorly mannered off-leash dogs, which was frustrating for us and our dog. 

There's lots to see around the campground. There's a short walk to a pier that takes you to the water where you can get some great photos of the landscape and some wildlife; various nature trails to hike; and we also went to the Point Lookout Lighthouse. There are also some Confederate/Civil War sites but we skipped those. There's a park store at 10560 Point Lookout Rd on the way to/from the Lighthouse which has toiletries and other necessities you may have forgotten, plus snacks and drinks.

When we camp as a family, we seek out site that provide a sense of security. The campground at Point Lookout State Park gave us the sense they could not have cared less. The sites are small, though there was room for our large tent. There are RV sites a plenty that offer larger areas. The grounds themselves are covered with poison ivy. There is also little to no Ranger presence. We were staying here during a yearly Maryland park event called Park Quest. The site was easy enough to get to, but the immense crowds made the area noisy and dangerous. Alcohol was flowing freely (it’s not allowed in State Park lands unless it’s inside a RV). The noise level kept us up all night and when we called to complain, we were told no Ranger was present and that if we felt it was necessary to call Natural Resources Police “about 45 minutes away.” We found tons of trash everywhere. There were condoms left used in the bathrooms. The camp hosts refused to do anything. It was the absolute worst experience we’ve had camping and it nearly turned us away from the MD state park system as a whole. The only bright spots were the historic areas and the nature center, which was very well done. I think I’d rather sleep in the back of my truck in a Wal-mart lot than return here.

We settled for Point Lookout because it was the nearest of the State Park campgrounds to what we were doing( Maryland ParkQuest) The first thing we noticed was the size of the sites. We were told the sites could handle large tents and true to their saying they were... barely. The sites themselves were covered in trash and bordered by the largest collection of poison ivy I have ever seen. The bathrooms were dirty and poorly stocked. What bothered us the most was the lack of presence by the staff. Past 8,we saw no Rangers or staff at all. There were people yelling, arguing practically fighting, and the response we got from the staff was that the Natural Resource Police could be there “around 30 to45 minutes” in case of emergency. People were loud. We did not sleep all night. My kids were frightened- not a good thing for a State Park. In the morning, I found a pile of used condoms and drug paraphernalia in the bathroom and a lot of alcohol thrown everywhere. The camp host wasn’t even there, though the RV they stayed in was parked. We reserved two nights and stayed only one. There was one good part- the nature center offers a great learning opportunity for the kids and has an impressive museum as well. Never. Going. Back.

From Civil War prison camp to one of Maryland’s most diverse and popular natural areas, Point Lookout State Park is located at the confluence of the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River in St. Mary’s County. We chose Point Lookout State Park to spend Memorial Day Weekend, and were thrilled with everything but the weather, which flip-flopped from stormy to super hot and muggy.

This is just one of those parks where there are a million things to do. We were last minute campers on Memorial Day Weekend, so we didn’t have many sites to choose from. We also brought a dog with us, and while the park is mostly dog-friendly, there are definitely some restrictions. Dogs are not allowed in Loop C or D of the campground, and are prohibited from some of the beaches and day areas as well. While we didn’t score a waterfront site, or even one with a view of the water, we did get a nice shady site with lots of privacy (in the Tulip Loop).

All of the sites are plenty big, and the loop we were in came with water and electric hook-ups. We were originally hoping for something in the B Loop, but we ended up being really happy in our spot because while the B Loop was beautiful with waterfront campsites, the bugs were awful and there was no shade anywhere. I think it would make for pretty miserable camping, at least in the summer.

As for activities, fishing is probably the biggest draw here. There are piers for fishing, separate piers for crabbing, and a fishing beach. There is also a full-service boat launch with a fish-cleaning station and a park store with provisions, including bait.

The swimming beach was busy, but the water was clean with a sandy bottom. There is a separate beach for dogs. Other attractions include the original Point Lookout Lighthouse, which was built in 1830 (currently closed for renovations), a Civil War and nature museum, kayak and canoe rentals, and a nature trail.

What We Loved:

• Clean restrooms
• Spacious, private sites
• Nice, sandy beach
• Designated dog beach

What We Didn’t Love:

• So many horseflies in the B Loop, on the nature trail, and near the shore
• Not a lot of hiking opportunities
• Plenty of poison ivy
• The lighthouse was closed

As a Ranger for the Dyrt, I am occasionally offered products to test and review while camping. On this trip, I tested the Ethnotek Premji Travel Daypack, which I used at this campground, and on a 2,000-mile road trip exploring the Blue Ridge Parkway and Shenandoah National Park.

First, a bit of background info about the Premji Daypack:

This is a 20-liter pack. It is roomy enough for all your day-hiking essentials, including extra layers, lunch, water bottles, and your 10 essentials. When I ordered my pack, I was able to choose the outer fabric from a collection of 14 different fabrics from around the world. The ethically sourced fabrics are handmade in villages across five countries (Ghana, Guatemala, India, Vietnam, and Indonesia). I fell in love with almost all of the designs, but settled on a blue and white pattern created using a batik dyeing method in Indonesia.

The pack features a very roomy main compartment, is lightly padded, and opens from the top or the side for easy access. There is a separate partition for a small laptop in the main compartment, but if you’re looking for a designated laptop bag, I would definitely go with the Setia Laptop Backpack, which is a bit slimmer and more padded.

There are a bunch of things to love about the Premji Daypack, and I only have two small complaints. Let’s start with the awesome:

• In addition to the main compartment, there are two strategically placed pockets. First, a large, flat pocket on the front of the bag. This is where I keep my trail maps and my journal. There is also a smaller compartment on top, which is perfect for a phone and wallet. Both pockets are easy to get to quickly. I love that this bag isn’t full of pockets and partitions that I’ll never use.
• There are side straps on both sides of this bag so you can carry a beach towel, yoga mat, etc. I used it to carry my tripod, which was so awesome! Where the side straps cross the front of the bag, they form two loops, which are great for attaching a carabiner to. This is how I carried my sandals when hiking.
• The molded high-density foam back panel and the contoured shoulder strap make this pack extremely comfortable. I maxed out at 7 miles while wearing it, but I’m sure I could wear it all day without a problem.
• The main fabric of the bag is 100% recycled PET plastic bottles. The interior fabric is ripstop nylon and very easy to clean. Both fabrics are water resistant, and you can buy an optional rain cover if you want it to be totally waterproof.

My minor complaints:

• There is a handle on top of the bag for carrying and/or hanging. While I love this in theory, you can’t hang the bag from a hook and keep it open for easy access. I would rather see a handle on the back of the bag above the straps so there isn’t so much pressure on the main zipper. This would allow you to hang the bag open or closed.
• The side zipper to the main compartment is supposed to make it easy to access things at the bottom of the bag without pulling everything out, but the zipper opens from top to bottom, and a few times while hiking, it worked its way open a bit. This wasn’t actually a big deal because I had my rain jacket in the bottom, but if I had smaller items, I would worry that they would fall out while hiking.

All in all, I’m thrilled to have discovered Ethnotek. The bags are beautifully and sustainably made, the price is reasonable, and there are so many cool designs to choose from. A great product from a great company!

Site was very level, with a nice long driveway. Right on the water, with beautiful views. Surrounded by tall marsh grass and a few pine trees, so it felt very private. Close proximity to the bathhouse. Seems like most other sites on the outside of the loop were similar (grassy setting backing to water or trees), while the sites inside of the loop were in an open, marshy field. All sites included a picnic table and fire ring with grill grate. Campground in general was very well-maintained, and saw the hosts mowing different grassy areas several times throughout our stay. Only negative was the amount of pollen that coated every surface within minutes (although I know this is a seasonal concern pretty much everywhere). We had to wipe down every single item multiple times. Bath house was very clean and well-maintained. Looks like host cleaned it several times a day. Only two shower stalls, but they were nice and roomy with fairly hot water. There was also a dishwashing nook in the bath house with nice double-sink, which is always a bonus. This park offers tons of activities and amenities, such as a huge fishing pier, camp store, canoe/kayak rental, lighthouse, historical sites, swimming beach, etc. Most of those were still closed for the season, which was fine. Still beautiful to look at, and we didn’t have to fight the summer crowds. The park used to be a prison for Confederate soldiers, so lots of cool exhibits and memorials for history buffs. Again, the setting was very beautiful, but the bugs were killer. Luckily, there was a nice strong breeze blowing off the water during the vast majority of our stay. However, the second it stopped, the bugs descended on us. Mosquitoes, gnats, biting flies, you name it. If they were this bad in April, I can only imagine how awful they would be in the middle of summer. Overall, we really enjoyed this park, and the being on the water was a nice change of scenery from our normal mountainy/wooded campsites. I would highly recommend to boating and fishing enthusiasts and/or history buffs. However, the bugs alone would keep me from returning, at least during peak season.

This is a very popular fishing area. If you look on the map the park is located at the very tip of a peninsula. Unfortunately the word is out and the fishing area does get crowded during fishing season. There is also a crabbing pier and sandy beach. The camping area is located to the right side as soon as you pass the entrance to park. The sites are ok to excellent depending which site you choose.

Do not pick a spot near the marsh, this park also has lots of horseflies. The sandy beach they have is nice, its still part of the bay so the waters tend to be very calm.

If you are going to fish make sure you have a md fishing lic. and follow state rules in regards to size of fish and quantity you can catch. The park police are very very diligent!! They will ask you for fishing lic and go through your ice box!!!! I have had friends getting huge fines for catching fish that was 1/4 inch smaller then what was allowed. Be warned!!!

FYI this is a MD state run park so no alcohol allowed on site.