This was a great place to stay! Close t9 everything D.C. has to offer while being far enough away to be in the woods. We went during the fall, but the summer woukd be an ideal time to go so you can enjoy the water park and bay.
Roland Lake in Baltimore County is a great place to kayak on the Patapsco River. Tons of wildlife, facilities, and amenities for you and your family. The park was clean and it had knowledgable staff.
I only stopped here for a night while I was hiking the AT, but it was a welcome relief to get to a spot where I could wash off and have indoor plumbing for a night. The sites are nice, but seemed pretty close together. As far as campgrounds on the AT go, this is one of the nicer ones. The place also has fresh drinking water, another welcome site while on the AT.
All around great AT campground!
Harper's Ferry is a little town in WV nestled right next to the Potomac River. It's also a convenient halfwayish point on the Appalachian Trail. One of my friends and I stayed here while we were section hiking the AT. The campground is pretty nice, with cabins, tent sites, and RV sites. It's also got a lot of extra activities that you can do. Zip lining, tubing, rafting the Potomac, and even an adventure park, you name it. You definitely won't be bored wile staying at this campground.
Harper's Ferry is a pretty neat place too. There are some great restaurants, cool shops, and make sure to make a stop at the AT Conservatory. There you can see cool pictures of all the people who have through hiked the AT and learn more about it.
Speaking of the AT, there are great hiking and biking trails right around Harper's Ferry. You can even say you hiked all the way to Virginia from West Virginia. Just don't tell anyone that Harper's Ferry is right on the border.
The hike that leads to the lookout about harpers ferry was fantastic. This hike takes you well above the town settled in West Virginia. While some points are pretty steep don’t let this deter you from completing it. The trail is well maintained, marked, and exciting. It is filled with tons of history and when you walk across the bridge from the town be looking out for all the locks on the bridge that have been left behind by other avid hikers
This park has a wide range of activities for kids. The hike I did was not very long but was well worth it. The trail was well marked but there was some confusion at one point on where we were suppose to go. Luckily I had an app that kept me on trail. There are some pretty cool Bridges, old houses, and a water fall. I recommend this to any beginner hikers.
The Oak Ridge campgrounds at Prince William Forest Park are a lovely little campground just outside Washington DC. The sites were large, the facilities are clean and the staff friendly and helpful.
We stayed the last weekend in September for a quick one night stay. We needed to get out of DC and found this spot to be the perfect ticket. There were heavy rains the whole week prior to our stay and when we got to our site (it is one of the lowest spots of B loop) was a little too wet for us (our three kids would have love it, just not us). The campground host was very accommodating and told us to pick any spot on the first come/first serve A loop. We were able to find a very nice spot and the host came to us to change the forms around.
The free firewood is nice but be sure to pick is up (next to the water tower by the entrance to the campground) when you check in so you don’t have to carry it, or make a separate trip. The wood was sitting out, so it was a little wet, but all fresh, no rot. I would recommend having a hatchet or camp knife to split the corded wood to account for the wetness.
The A loop bathroom facility was clean with a nice service sink, but no showers. The B loop facility does have showers and is also very nice (we didn’t swing through C loop so we can’t speak to those facilities).
We went cycling as a family and though did not go too far (young kids) the park is a fantastic place to ride bicycles. There is only one short hiking loop from the campground, but other trails which will take you on a longer loop. All the hiking loops are accessible via car or our choice (once the kids are old enough) bicycle.
We enjoyed our stay and will be coming back, even for a quick one night stay to break up the busy city life.
The Seneca Creek State Park is convenient, peaceful, clean, and a great place to unwind from the hustle and bustle of the city without having to drive far. Highly recommended!
Gorgeous spot on the river. Small campground with not a lot of amenities BUT THAT RIVER IS GORGEOUS. Lots of activities - tubing, zip lining, fishing.
Extremely over crowded in the summer. The park closes daily very early as it hits capacity. The best times to go are winter, spring, and fall. Lights on the Bay is a great Christmas light drive thru that's over a mile long. Great host for the polar bear plunge.
We were at site 430. It was a perfect spot tucked away from the others and a short walk to the restrooms. You can purchase firewood from the camp hosts nearby as well. The fire pit at this site was a little difficult to cook with because the grate was very high and could not be lowered. Overall we had a great time exploring the park especially the nearby railroad track. Would visit again.
We had a great time here over a long weekend in August. The check in is a breeze and the staff is super nice and helpful. They gave us a great intro to the park as we were first timers. They informed us that they had a scavenger hunt for the kids going all weekend, they had an outdoor movie scheduled for Friday night, a campfire story time scheduled for Saturday night and crafts scheduled for Sunday morning. This was music to our ears as we camp with our 3 and 1 year old. There is also a pool/water park in the park as well as a nice network of trails. There is plenty of things to do here to keep a family occupied.
We got a site on thr inner loop and it backed to the playground and the bathhouse. The site was spacious. We are tent campers but almost all our neighbors were in an RV or trailer. The site had water and electric which was nice. The bathhouse is standard but also has laundry and an outdoor dish washing station. The campground was quiet which is nice.
This was an amazing weekend for us and we will definitely be back. There is boat rental a short walk down the trsil from the campgrounds and the pool and disc golf course are another short trail walk away.
I asked myself what was the closest location I could find to Great Falls when making a day of this area. 3 miles was about as close as I could get, and while in this area a lot can happen in 3 miles it was well worth the traffic I faced, the driving in and out of the "city" and the overall discovery of this location as it was.
Let me just start by saying I expected to find this and just go to Great Falls, but had I have known that it had so many different things around I would have probably extended my stay a bit. There was a waterpark and outdoor sports area where you could enjoy so many activities. And then there was the lake itself!! Bike trails, hiking trails and equestrian trails surround this area and I honestly could have spent so much more time just enjoying this space because of all the interesting things there were to do right in front of me.
But with all good things there is also a price point that has to match and I will say that this one is a bit steep at $28 on week days or $31 on weekends for a regular tent camper with no electricity. For those needing hook ups that extends even more so to $37 or $45 for RVs depending on length on weekday to $41 or $50 for weekends.
That really was the deal breaker for me the price. While I was there on a weekday, the following day was a weekend and that hike though not but a few dollars was hard to swallow in an already kind of expensive primitive site.
TIPS:
- If you are a senior make sure to mention this, you get a large discount on sites when staying here.
- Check out the marina where you can rent paddle boats and other items for water fun.
- Take the 3 mile drive to Great Falls, it is amazing and if not there on a weekend you will have many of the trails to yourself. During weekends it is a popular spot for families with only a $10 per car price tag.
Sometimes big reward comes to those willing to walk a little, as is the case with this one. This one is officially marked at the 16 mile mark and if you are willing to go you are rewarded by campgrounds every so many miles. There are only a few spots and it is first come first serve here but well worth it to see the nature around you!!
I didn't know what exactly to expect of this site but when I got there was so happy I tried to get here!!!
Great hiker site!! Fire ring is present and plenty of firewood. Downside the chemical toilet was pretty gross and the picnic table had seen better days.
I would say this is one of those spaces that you basically are in the middle of the action without feeling it at all. In fact this entire area is remotely non-remote if that makes any sense. This campground, in the area of the Bull Run incident is one of those areas that even through you have amenities of the city you can quietly reflect on relaxing without driving far.
With that being said, the sites are between $27 and $45 depending on what you are looking for. My primitive site was $27, which was a little steep but again you are given a nice large "family" style camping space with typical amenities.
The showers in the 2 bath houses are both HOT, which was great considering how sore my muscles were from camping for weeks at this point. The restroom was in pretty decent shape but clearly well used. Something I did rely on at this campsite which I typically do not was the camp store, I picked up firewood here and had a nice campfire to relax in the evening. MUCH NEEDED.
I was pretty pleased overall with the campsite, it was not to crowded despite having a lot of other campers staying and it had great proximity to several things in the Manasas area including the battlefield which were interesting ways to spend the day. I even got to check out a live demo of the weapons including muskets and canons which made a cool experience only 5 minutes from camp.
TIPS:
- Sunday Traffic is a bit intense because of a local church so make sure you are being careful, there are a lot of patrols in the area at this time.
- If you forget something the camp store has just about everything from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Check out one of the over 15 trails in the area designed for hiking, biking and horseback riding. So many options depending on what you are looking for. Also… there are a lot of geocaches in the area if you enjoy that.
When I was checking out this site I wasn't sure how it would work out exactly. It seemed close to the METRO, which made for a great option when exploring the DC area and had been raved bout as a great escape for those with larger rigs, but how would that translate for me as a tent camper?
I went ahead and booked for the days I would be there in good faith and spent $100 for 5 days ($20 per night) a great deal by far in comparison to a lot of the other sites I had explored.
I arrived later in the evening that I had expected and the booth was closed (something I learned is common practice since they have changed over from cash to reservations only for this site). I found my receipt from my online booking and pulled up a map on my phone of the loops to help me find the site, it was pretty simple as only the B and D loops were open at the time I was visiting.
Traffic in and out of the camp loops are one way and they have signs posted that you need to back into your sites. I found my site which was close to the bath house and before setting up my tent made my rounds. The bath house had 1 shower per bath house per gender with 2 bath houses per loop. I was a little concerned about what would happen if it got busy with those accommodations, however it never seemed to be an issue.
My site was facing the road to the other loops, which initially concerned me about noise, but because of limited traffic due to loop closures it never was an issue either. The site was pretty even but did have some rocks in the area where my pad would be so I had to do a little clearing.
I had a picnic table but no grill at this site, although others did have grills available. I set up my small cooker on the picnic table and while cooking dinner noticed a family of deer grazing close by, a great way to settle in for the evening.
The camp host came by and welcomed me before I was fully set up for the evening and was great!!!
After staying here for a week I was so pleased by the quiet nature of the campground, the overall feeling of the outdoor space (every morning birds and squirrels) and the proximity to the METRO (only about 10 minutes with traffic).
TIPS:
- Reserve online - this is a NO CASH facility which means you CANNOT pay upon arrival so you will have to do so online.
- Drive slowly - there are a lot of people who use this space as a green space for walking and running. There is no shoulder so you share the road space with those enjoying this space so be careful.
- No hanging things from trees. Even if you love a hammock you cannot hang them at this park on the trees so make sure you are aware of this before camping here.
- Book a campfire. You can inquire with the ranger on duty about using the group facility for campfires and gatherings which is located on the back side of the B Loop.
- Take the METRO if you are going into the District. There are two stations very close to camp (Greenbelt and University Park). Rides vary depending on how far you are going but on average I spent about $10 per day on METRO versus $20-$40 on parking in the district area and I could come and go as I pleased with a little walking as opposed to having to drive aimlessly until I could find parking in garages which can be very difficult. There was also a small charge to park at the METRO daily but still even with this cost it was more reasonable than attempting to drive around the city and a lot faster as well.
The small loop here accommodates both tent and RVs, which is fine but some of these damn things are so huge, I have trouble believing they could wedge themselves here. The sites for tents are big enough for a 4 person tent. There are clean bathrooms and the hosts, who I have spoken to many times, are friendly and knowledgeable about the area. There is however a great bit of light pollution at night here due to its approximation to DC. Minimal noise except for planes overhead. There are decent trails to hike here too. There’s a sacrifice of space here- I’d like to see it expand a bit, as the campground can fill quickly, especially if RV’s are involved.
This is a fantastic campground for the price!!! First of all,the rangers at the check-in are very friendly and kowledgable about the area. Anythibg you want to know about visiting DC, they are prepared with maps and suggestions om where to go and when everything closes, etc. There is a water pump and great restroom facilities super close to each campsite. The restrooms are clean and the shower has hot water 24/7. The picnic table was made out of metal and strong plactic instead of wood which was really nice and easy to clean (just dont put hot pans directly on the table surface). The tables are specifically made for wheel chairs to fit under each end and it is very accessable. RV's are also welcome at this site. The place is beautiful and full of wildlife! I couldn't have been happier with this campground!
Quiet woods in Maryland about 30 or 40 miles north of DC. Tenting, and RV spots partial to full service. Just of hiway 270. pricey ($66/night) for a state park, but nice.
this campground was great for a normal two day trip. about an hour away from the Baltimore/DC area was convenient when you are short on time and still want to get out there.
The park is self service, has better than expected restroom and shower facilities, a fresh water spout, and even a small book exchange. The staff was excellent and made sure we had what we needed and explained everything we needed to know.
We stayed in site number two. It was a perfect site, you can’t see the facilities but it was a short walk across the creek. we were able to set up our tent maybe five feet from the creek so we could hear it babble when we went to sleep. Would definitely return to the park and choose this spot again.
The trials were great, the pup was tired though.
Great Park, friendly staff, clean facilities. We stayed with our Pop Up for two nights at an electric -supported site. Portable water and dumping station located at the camp store. We stayed at site 146 on the first caul-de-sac off the first loop just another site away from the bath house (which was pretty clean). We got rained on the first night so things got a little muddy but nothing out of hand. Tons of free activities for the kiddos facilitated by the camp staff over the weekends. Face-painting, ice cream sundaes, S'Mores, hay rides and a rock wall. Park has a lot of things to do as well just outside the campground. We took a try at disc golf which was a lot of fun. Pet friendly. We'll be back!
A very nice State Park campground. Have a nice pool and bathrooms. On a major road not far from the freeway. Very close do Washington DC. About 17 miles to the closest Rail station to bring you to the mall in Washington DC
This camping area is the smaller of the two at Cunningham Falls, the other being the five loops at the Hauck Area. The Manor Area is a single loop, originally all first-come, first-served, but eventually succumbed to requiring reservations. While being farther away from the falls themselves, it's closer to Catoctin Furnace, about a 15 minute hike away from the camping loop. Also being a single loop, there's fewer people around to trip over and make noise in general.
I have camped here many times with family and friends, and am looking forward to going back soon! It's also just down the road from Pryor's Orchard, where you can get fresh fruit, corn, comb honey, and jarred jams, jellies & fruit butters (McCutcheon's).
We’ve been here more than a dozen times, and have never had a bad experience.
Location is great, very close to Va/WV border. In fact, the AT runs directly behind the campground and is only a 6mi walk into Harper’s Ferry southbound. Backwoods site 3 mi south on ridge line is also a nice place for a beginners backpack.
From groups of 2 to 20, backpackers or glampers , Treehouse camp has a site that will work for you. We have stayed in all four of their site options at one time or another:
1) Cabins- Small houses on stilts with windows, mattresses, and a wood stove. Perfect for glamping, year round availability.
2) Treehouse- very similar to the cabins, only these are screened in and open air, with no windows or stove. A little tougher, but still very comfortable
3) Group/Tent Sites- Walk-in sites with fire pit, grill, and picnic table. More space and privacy than most public forest campgrounds
4) 4x4 sites- the road up South Mountain gets a little tricky as you go up, and these sites require a 4x4 vehicle
The staff has always been friendly and accommodating.
W arrived late at night and finding our site was easy. Very spacious sites and awesome views of the forest.
Jumping pillow, pedal carts, weekend activities, camp store and outlets 10 min away. Wal-Mart 15 min away. Ice sold on location. Staff very friendly. Bathrooms kept clean.
The There's a water park, paddle boats, playgrounds, trails, skate park, sports fields, and the bathrooms are the nicest I've ever seen