Looking for an adventure where you can explore Abingdon and then fall asleep in your tent? Find the best information on tent campgrounds near Abingdon, including sites, reviews, and tips. Each spot offers quick access to one or more of Abingdon, Maryland's most popular destinations.
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
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).
Open for camping 365 days a year at a cost of $25 per night per site. Online reservations only and credit card is required. Blackbird State Forest, located on the border of New Castle and Kent Counties, is Delaware's northernmost state forest. It is only a 30-minute commute from Wilmington and Newark. The ten tracts of Blackbird State Forest are open year-round at no cost to the public for nature walks, hiking, jogging, and horseback riding. The forest features a 1/2-mile, wheelchair-accessible wildlife and nature interpretation trail on the Tybout Tract as well as the Blackbird Education Center on the Meadows Tract.
$25 / night
The campground is open Friday and Saturday nights only. Two camping units are permitted at each site, one unit must be a tent. Sleeping in personal vehicles is not permitted.
$15 - $50 / night
There is currently no water supply, and there are no restrooms available on Hart-Miller Island due to repairs and an unanticipated supply shortage. The current anticipated return of these amenities is July 2022.
Hart-Miller Island is a 1,100-acre island located in Baltimore County on the Chesapeake Bay near the mouth of Middle River and is a must see for those who want to get away from it all. The island was originally part of a peninsula that extended from Edgemere, Maryland. The two islands, Hart and Miller, were joined by the construction of a dike in 1981, and until 2009, the impoundment was filled with dredge material from Baltimore Harbor, eventually creating Hart-Miller island. In recent years, Hart-Miller Island has become a haven for boaters in the northern Chesapeake Bay, providing the public opportunities to encounter many different species of plants, insects and wildlife along with other fun recreational activities.
The western shore of the island offers safe mooring, wading and access to a 3,000-foot sandy beach. Hart-Miller Island State Park also includes Hawk Cove and Pleasure Island, which also provide recreational opportunities and camping. The park is well-known for its abundant migrating bird populations.
Camping is available from May 1-September 30.
Hart-Miller Island State Park offers 22 campsites available on a first come, first serve basis:
6 sites in the main camping area on Hart-Miller Island 11 sites at Hawk Cove 5 sites on Pleasure Island All sites have a picnic table, lantern post and campfire grill.
Campfires may only be built in the fire rings provided.
$6 / night
$40 - $45 / night
This primitive tent-only camping area spans 10 acres and has five campsites; each with a picnic table and fire ring.
The Mill Creek Camping Area is located in the southern end of Lancaster County Central Park, in the woods and fields behind the Environmental Center. A driveway leads from Eshelman Mill Road to the camping area parking lot. It is bordered on the west by Mill Creek and includes both woodland and grassy areas.
A permit is required to camp. The maximum stay at the Mill Creek Camping Area is 7 consecutive days (6 nights), followed by a 7 day absence. View the camping brochure for more information.
Parking: Please park your vehicle in the cul-de- sac area. No parking is permitted at the campsites. • Water: Water spigots are located next to Campsite #2 and near Campsite #5. • Electricity: There is no electricity in the camping area. • Restrooms: A port-a-pot is provided near the parking area. Full-service restrooms are available at the Environmental Center from 8 am - dusk. Please note there are no shower facilities. • Trash: Please place all trash in the trash receptacles provided in the cul-de-sac or take it with you. • Fire Rings: Each campsite is equipped with a fire ring. Fires are permitted only in the provided fire rings. • Firewood: A cooking pile of firewood (10-12 pieces) may be purchased for $10. Any dead wood on the ground may be used for fires. The cutting of standing trees and operation of chain saws is not permitted.
$23 / 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.
Scout
We love this campground for tent camping. Tent sites are lined up along the water which is great for fishing (especially when you need to stay close to the littles sleeping in the tent). Lots of benches lined up along the water. Each site has a fire pit and picnic table. There is also a playground in the middle of the tent site line, along with a basketball court. It’s not terribly exciting but it serves its purpose.
Great location on route 30, tons and tons of shopping, restaurants, tourist attractions nearby within a 5 minute drive. Lots of 24 hour places in case there was a middle of the night emergency since the little store closes fairly early, it also opens fairly late.
Being attached to Dutch wonderland is great too. It’s awesome to not have to drive home after a day of being at an amusement park.
Scout
Large campground but only 15 sites dedicated to“roughin’ it” tent camping. However, those sites are isolated from the others. The tent sites were in very good condition, spaced well, and fairly private. Most sites have plenty of shade and grassy, though a few are dirt only. Many sites within walking distance from the lake(no swimming) and set up for you to store and launch your kayak or other boat. Water, bathrooms, and showers a little distant but everything clean and in excellent condition. Ice and firewood available on the grounds. There is also a small store but I didn’t see it because it was open for very limited weekend hours only. Otherwise, major grocery stores are only a few minutes’ drive. Definitely going back…!
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
Traveler
we tent camp and the site was booked over the phone and we got there nd the site was wooded and not enough room for our big tent, but they left us change sites and were very nice
Scout
Such a wonderful campground. We have visited 5x this year. Wooded sites, open sites, tent sites. All great!
Guide
Nice tent camping with plenty of space. Has a pool, too. The campground is clean and showers and restrooms like new and very clean. We liked our stay a lot.
GuideSmall campground with tent sites that are close together. Cleanly run close to Lancaster shopping and Amish country
Scout
Sites are full hook up with about 5 tent sites.
All are pretty much level.
Close to shopping if needed.
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.
TravelerThe tent sites here are in an open field close to a busy road. The nearby mooing cow - cool. The horse and buggy traffic - super cool. The motor vehicles - so far from cool they can’t even see cool. Other than that, this is a very nice campground with a pool, rec room, and playground. The host was friendly and helpful, and the restrooms and showers were clean and adequate. The RV sites look a bit close together, but the tent sites are spaced more generously. There is a camp store with general items on the premises. Our only negative review is the road noise. And there’s a lot of it.
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.
Legend
Two thumbs up on this small campground with spacious, wooded sites!
We stayed here on a Thursday when the campground was almost empty, but there was a reservations list that showed the campground would be full for the Columbus Day weekend. We have good luck walking up to campgrounds during the week, but we look ahead to weekends and make reservations.
Spacious, Wooded Sites
- Lots of shade and trees on large sites and space between sites make this a pleasant campground.
Parking pads on the electric loop are asphalt.
There's very finely crushed rock on the non-electric loop. This includes the parking pad and tent pad.
There are 8 camper cabins, 4 on each loop. There are beds for 4 or 6 people, and the cabins have air conditioning, a ceiling fan and electricity. These are a nice alternative to camping in a tent.
Bathrooms are located in the middle of each loop, and there are spigots on the loops with potable water.
Small Park But Many Activities
Canoe/kayak launch between sites 46 and 48. The walk to Tuckahoe Creek from the parking area is very short, and the creek leads to Tuckahoe Lake (no gasoline motors) with more of the creek on the other side of the lake.
Fishing
20 miles of hiking trails are also open for biking and horseback riding.
Archery range
Disc golf
Hunting - as a hiker, I am extremely wary of hiking in parks at a time when hunting is allowed.
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.
Traveler
Everything was on point here! The staff run the place like a resort or a cruise ship. So many activities for kids and adults and a huge family atmosphere with staff and campers! Tent site near the lake is HUGE
Scout
This was our first visit to this park and we really loved it. We stayed in a tent site which included a fire ring and picnic table, and we had two tents and plenty of space for everything. While we were there, I believe all of the cabins were full and some other tent sites reserved, but the grounds were still very quiet and peaceful. The bathrooms and showers were modern and very clean and looked to be only a brief, flat walk from most of the sites/cabins in the loop. The loops were smaller than I expected, but that wasn't a bad thing. There is also a large sink on one side of the bathhouse which was nice for cleaning up after cooking. AT&T phone service was slow but available. While in the area, we also visited WorkHorse Farm for a tour, First Fruits Orchard for PYO blueberries, and Denton Station antique mall.
GuideFamily cabins available, tent sites are small. Clean parks with a small stream. Next to Dutch Wonderland, showers are nice, laundry facilities available. Enjoyed our time but only because we were going to the park, not a campground to visit if your looking for quiet and isolation.
ScoutVery nice campground nice size sites all have picnic table and fire ring. Lot of full time RV here but many other for people traveling and tent sites also. Nice lake for fishing. Easy check in. Nice little store. About an hour away from Hershey where we went to the RV show. We will come back if we are in the area again
Scout
My husband and I have stayed at Elk Neck twice. It’s a great campground with lots of different loops to choose sites from. The bath houses are very clean, and the folks responsible for their upkeep are great. There are sinks for washing dishes outside the bathhouses, making cooking cleanup very convenient (especially if your site is close by, like ours). I can’t speak for the camper/RV sites, as we tent camp. But overall our experiences at Elk Neck have been consistently great.
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.
GuideWe needed a tent site for the night in November and discovered that most of the campgrounds in PA were closed for the season. We found Florys, outside of Lititz, PA. It's mostly an RV campground with 5 or 6 tent areas. Each site is small and you're not allowed to build a fire. The only interesting thing about the site, was waking up and looking out 50 yards at the horse stables where horses greeted you from a distance.
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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GuideWe do Lums Pond at least twice a year if we can get reservations.
Sites are big and all were redone in the last few years with concrete pads, 30 amp service and full sewer. There are some equestrian and tent sites as well.
Lots of boating (electric motors only) and kayaking on the pond and a decent amount of hiking. There’s an off leash dog park, equestrian center and boat ramp. Book early because it fills up fast!
Guide
There’s not much to the site. The basics are here for RV sites but no water available for primitive tent camping. The fire pits have no grill and there is little shade. There is a creek side camping but the water is slow moving which mean a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The open field is nice but lack of shade will have you sweating by 7am. Still the site is low cost and the people are nice and friendly. The showers and bathroom leave much to be desired but are a welcome site after a long day in the sun.
Traveler
We had stayed in this canpground about 5 years ago and we loved it. We returned this year with my 12 and 14 year olds and a 12 year old friend. The kids were bored. The only improvements in the 5 years is they took out tent sites and replaced them with cabin rentals. The go carts are old. The air pillow was flat. They took out the pool table. Hardly any games in the game room. We were very disappointed. They really need to ass something new to make it.more teen-friendly.
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!
Tent camping near Abingdon, Maryland offers a variety of scenic spots where nature lovers can unwind and enjoy the great outdoors. With well-reviewed campgrounds nearby, you'll find the perfect place to pitch your tent and explore.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Abingdon, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Abingdon, MD is Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area with a 4.2-star rating from 18 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Abingdon, MD?
TheDyrt.com has all 17 tent camping locations near Abingdon, MD, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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