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Best Tent Camping near Adelphi, MD

603 Reviews

Tent campgrounds near Adelphi, Maryland include several options for primitive camping within an hour's drive. Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area offers tent camping with level sites, picnic tables, and fire rings, situated in a wooded setting about 25 miles northwest of Adelphi. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park provides multiple tent-friendly hiker-biker campsites along the historic towpath, including Swains Lock and Horsepen Branch, offering more rustic experiences for those seeking backcountry tent camping.

Most tent sites in the region feature crushed stone or natural surfaces, with varying levels of amenities. At Patapsco Valley, tent pads are crushed stone, which one camper noted "isn't comfortable for tents," recommending extra padding and alternative tent-securing methods. Many sites include picnic tables and fire rings, with centralized bathroom facilities at established campgrounds. The C&O Canal hiker-biker sites typically offer more primitive setups with pit toilets and sometimes seasonal water pumps. One visitor commented, "The sites are flat and dispersed with most located adjacent to the river, each with a picnic table, fire ring and grill."

Tent-only campsites along the C&O Canal provide peaceful riverside settings with good proximity to hiking and biking trails. These backcountry camping locations offer varying degrees of seclusion, with some like Swains Lock having parking nearby allowing for easier access to tent sites. A review mentioned that "if you are willing to walk a little" to reach these sites, you'll be "rewarded by campgrounds every so many miles." Many sites sit directly along the Potomac River, providing scenic views but sometimes experiencing high humidity and seasonal bugs. Campers seeking more developed facilities might prefer Patapsco Valley State Park, which offers clean bathhouses with showers while still maintaining a natural setting with access to numerous hiking trails through forested terrain.

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Best Tent Sites Near Adelphi, Maryland (27)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Adelphi, MD

37 Photos of 27 Adelphi Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Adelphi, MD

603 Reviews of 27 Adelphi Campgrounds

  • Laura M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 11, 2023

    Greenbelt Park Campground — Greenbelt Park

    Beautiful campground, and great for visiting DC

    Beautiful campground, fairly large with 4 separate loops. Loop A is for organized groups/youth/scouts, Loop B is for tents and RVs under 30 ft, Loop C is for tents, and Loop D is for tents and RVs under 35 ft. No hookups at any of the sites.

    There’s a dump station and drinking water fill in loop C (sorry tenters who wanted to avoid RVs). The water fill was a little annoying in that there’s a handle you have to hold down the whole time, but we used a rock to prop the handle down. 

    The bathhouses are ok, happy to have free showers with hot running water. Faucets allow you to control the temperature and there’s continuous running water (no button to push). There’s only one large shower per bath house, and you only have a curtain (no door and no lock). Sites vary in levelness, some are fairly level and some are on a mini hill. Driveways are all very narrow. Most have too much tree cover for solar or starlink, but some sites are more open and you might be able to make it work. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. Cost is $20/night, must reserve on recreation.gov, and you can do that when you arrive and pick a site (no service fee for this site)

    Cell service is pretty good for Verizon and ATT. 

    No alcohol allowed in the park. 

    GETTING TO DC: There’s normally a walking path from the campground to the metro station that takes you into DC (the green line takes you to the National Mall), but as of Oct 2023 the bridge is out due to a storm, and by the looks of it it’s been out a while and it doesn’t appear that it will be fixed soon. So what we did, since we don’t have a tow car, and just have our 26ft motorhome, is we packed up and drove to the Greenbelt station about 5 miles away, parked there for the day, and took the green line into town. The lot there is huge and open and free on weekends. Weekdays it’s about $5/day if you take the metro, and about $9 if you’re just parking there. The College Park station is closer but is apparently a parking garage (can’t confirm because we didn’t go to that station). This worked very well for us. You can pay for the metro with an app or get a card, either way it costs you $2 to buy the card, and then $2 each way on the train. Everyone over age 5 needs their own card, no sharing one card. The train ride from the Greenbelt station to the national mall is about 30 min. Get off at the Archives station to be in the center of all the sites.

  • A
    Sep. 24, 2020

    Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area

    Nice Small Campsite Close to DC

    Nice small campsite in MD not too far from DC. One negative was that when it rains it really flushes through the grounds. We had a site on the lower end of the loop and our site was hard to set up as we arrived during a storm and it was very wet even after the rain died down. Another negative was after the storm for the next few days we heard trees falling nearby. Where we were hiking. 😬 The positives are as others have pointed out there is a huge park for kids- it’s not within walking distance for little kids but it’s a very short drive by the entrance to the park. There’s also another small park on the loop. The restrooms were central and well maintained. We found a small river and swimming hole at the bottom of the hill off to the side opposite the cabins/park. All sites had a picnic table and fire ring. Firewood available from camp host. Hiking poles would have been good for the trails when we had a kid in a pack on our back. Overall a nice close small campground.

  • Napunani
    Jun. 24, 2022

    Little Bennett Campground

    Nice County Park

    PROS 

    Very nice small Montgomery County Park 

    No reservation fee to make on-line reservations 

    Reserved 137 days prior to arriving 

    Entrance gate required entry code Instructed by staff via gate phone to proceed to campsite as check-in at camp store is at dead end with insufficient turning space for pickup towing 28ft bumper pull; complete check-in after camper was unhooked at site

     Great night sky viewing as no lights what so ever in camping loops except for toilet/shower buildings 

    Lots of vegetation between sites providing privacy from neighbors 

    Site#D69 shady 

    Very quiet campground 

    Site#D69 level side-to-side but we were forced to greatly elevate front of trailer to level front-to-back 

    Site#D69 gravel parking pad 

    Wooden/metal picnic table that was moveable 

    Metal fire pit with cooking grate 

    Toilet/shower facility very clean 

    3 washers and 3 dryers, along with folding tables in the basement of the check-in building. Accepted credit card for $1.75/load 

    Harper’s Ferry National Historical park 35 miles from Park 

    Walmart and Wegman’s 5 miles from Park 

    CONS 

    Out-of-state campers pay higher camping fee than Maryland residents,$66/night 

    No senior or veteran discount 

    Trees falling on Park power lines caused power outage for hours 

    No toilet/shower facility in FHU loop so had to hike to facilities in Loops B & E

    No camp host 

    No ranger patrolling thru campsite 

    No WIFI 

    1 bar Verizon

  • C
    Aug. 26, 2019

    Little Bennett Campground

    Lovely campground, nice hiking with kids

    We spent several nights here with kids aged 5-12 and will definitely come back. We live in Montgomery County and this is a nice camping get away close to home. We stayed in Loop E, where the majority of the campsites were set back a bit off the road, well spaced, and nicely shaded. We took a couple of walks through Loop A, and this seemed to be the case for those sites as well. We were a group of 5 and used 2 4-person tents. The tent sites all have a tent pad (great drainage during a downpour!) but the tent pad isn’t big enough for two tents. So beware if you intend to use two tents that most, but not all, of the tent sites seem to have a patch of level ground where a 2nd tent can be pitched. On Saturday there were fun activities for the kids all day (pedal cars, crafts, water balloon baseball, laser tag, to name a few from memory), with some activities also on Friday evening and Sunday morning. A fee is charged for some of these (laser tag and craft supplies) but most are free. There is a small arcade-style game room (with free wifi in the building) where we passed a rainy morning. Air hockey, table soccer, and a small basketball game could be played for free, but pool and the video games required $.25-1.00 per game. We used perhaps 5 miles in total of the hiking trails, doing loops down to the creek and back. They were all manageable for a 5-year old and the kids enjoyed playing in the stream in warm weather. We did see poison ivy at the edges of some trails. There is some distant ambient noise from 270 and overhead air traffic, but nothing too bad. If coming with kids, I would recommend bringing a playground ball and/or basketball so you can use the gaga pit or basketball courts even when no games are organized by camp staff. Also note that there was no ice in the camp store for the duration of our stay, but ice can be bought at the Liberty gas station and the small Clarksburg Grocery, both about a mile from the campground.

    Update after also staying in Loop A several times: I might just be imagining it, but the tent pads seem bigger in Loop A. We we able to jigsaw our two 4-person tents and a single on the pad in site 6. Poison ivy noticed in the site, camp staff brought us gloves to take care of it and a free bundle of firewood by way of apology.

  • D
    May. 22, 2023

    Little Bennett Campground

    Quiet sites with some activities

    We recently stayed the weekend here in loop A. 

    There are several good things that can be said about this campground. 

    Restricted- only people camping and visitors are allowed to use the facilities. Keeps things from being too crowded. 

    Good sized sites- My family of 4 was able to stretch out 2 tents, our 4 camping chairs, the provided picnic table, our car, and have plenty of room left over. 

    Limited activities on weekends- jumping pad/pillow, pedal carts, laser tag ($), ceramics ($), t-shirts ($), hikes, and more. Changes weekly. Details sent out at the beginning of the week. 

    Decent stocked camp store with reasonable prices. $10 for wood, 3.50 for 7 lbs of ice, $5 shakes, and lots more. 

    There are some clear downsides, too. 

    Only 1 bathhouse per loop. Pay attention to where your site is located. You might be in for quite a hike to go to the bathroom, which is inconvenient in the early morning hours. Loop E doesn't have a bathhouse (mostly reserved for RVs). The bathhouses have showers and somewhat warm water. 

    The tent pad is gravel. While this might help with drainage (I don't know), it makes it incredibly difficult to walk on and stake down your tent. 

    The camp store/activities are quite a good distance from some of the loops. It took me about 10 minutes to walk at a decent pace from the start of loop A to the camp store. From our site which was only not even close to the halfway point it would have added another 5 minutes. The spots really deep in would have easily been a 30 minute walk each way. So driving, especially with little kids, is unfortunately necessary in some instances, especially if you want to visit the playground/basketball/volleyball courts which are WAY down past loop E. 

    Activities are limited to certain times. When we arrived Friday the jumping pad was only open for an hour from 4 30 to 5 30. We arrived just before 4 30, so we unpacked a few things and took the kids to the jumping pad area (right next to loop A). It wasn't open and inflated until almost 4 50. You'd think because it was opened late they would keep it open later. Nope! Right at 5 30 a worker pulled up and shut things down much to the chagrin of the kids. Why they can't have it running more often is beyond me. 1 hour on Friday was clearly not enough, especially when opened late. Maybe 2-3 hours on Friday and 5-6 on Saturday. 

    They should consider having time for younger kids on the jumping pad, who are bounced off by the older kids. On Saturday there were at least 40 kids, some pre-teens/teenagers from girl scouts. My 4 year old was having trouble staying on the pad because "it is too bouncy". Kids come and go as it stays open longer, but little kids have trouble keeping up. 

    The pedal carts were a good idea in practice, but have 2 faults. 1. They are EXTREMELY hard to pedal. I tried two carts, one was totally stuck on an incline and the second barely made it around the track. I have no idea why they are so difficult to use. 2. There are no tandem carts. The only ones using the carts while I was there were little kids who couldn't use the jumping pad. I had my daughter on my lap while on the cart, but it was awkward to use this way. Either having a two seater or side car would have worked out better. Based on the condition of the other carts in the shed, only a few appeared usable. 

    Clear signs are needed. Lots of cars were going the wrong way down loop A. The road is barely big enough for 1 car, so having to accommodate 2 is even more problematic, especially with kids walking around. There were at least 10 cars going the wrong way in the loop. 

    The limit of 2 cars per site isn't enforced. A few sites had 3 cars, which fit ok. A pack of cub scouts were hiking a few of the trials, so a few sites had 4 or 5 cars. The sites were not big enough to fit that many cars plus camping equipment, so they started taking up the road. This made it hard to maneuver, especially with little kids running about in the road unsupervised. 

    All in all it was a great campground and I truly do appreciate the staff trying to provide a few things for families to do. With a few considerations and improvements, this campground could easily be a 5-star location.

  • Sean M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 22, 2020

    Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area

    Great Small Campground - Cool Cabinso

    This is a small gem of a state park campground, one of only two is the massive Patapsco Valley State Park. It’s a bit odd getting here through a suburban neighborhood, but the Hilton area is great. It seem like this area is, possibly unintentionally, geared toward children. There is a massive playground, nature play space, sensory trail, and a small nature center. There are a lot of easy, but beautiful hikes.

    The campground is on the smaller side. You get a fire pit and cooking crate, and a picnic table. The crushed stone at the sites isn’t comfortable for tents, and they won’t let you pitch it on the ground, so bring extra pads and alternative ways to secure the tent to the ground. There are helpful and friendly camp hosts always on duty. The bathhouse is nothing special, but it’s well maintained and clean. The best part of this campground are the neat mini cabins. Small one room cabins that have electricity and heat. They are a nice touch for those that want to camp, but not completely “rough it.” We found everything reasonably priced.

    Remember: no alcohol or firewood can be brought into the park. Firewood can only be purchased on site due to harmful insects. But the money goes toward the parks volunteer program.

    This is a very nice small campground that is great for kids!

  • Kristy R.
    Nov. 13, 2020

    Cherry Hill Park

    Great Family Fun

    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.

  • Wendy W.
    Aug. 15, 2019

    Ole Mink Farm Recreation Resort

    Great resort-style cabin for “glamping!”

    Well-appointed, semi-rustic cabins set in Catoctin Mountain. Not far from the Wm. Houck lake area and trailhead to Cunningham Falls.

    Our cabin came equipped with A/C and heat, full kitchenette, fireplace, screened in porch, and firepit area (including wood and fire starters!) with seating and picnic table.

    Ole Mink Farm is very resort-like with a central pool and clubhouse. They also offer various activities — mainly on weekends — like cornhole tournaments and campfire gatherings.

    And I can’t say enough about the customer service!! They take hospitality to whole new levels! We ran into a couple personal snags on our trip, and they were so accommodating. Even when my Mom got sick, they checked in on us and asked about her by name. What a wonderful group of owners!

    If you want to “glamp,” I would HIGHLY recommend this place!

  • Margaret D.
    May. 3, 2023

    Lake Fairfax Campground

    Comfortable sites

    Campground has mostly level gravel lots with fire rings, picnic tables. No water at site. Bath house is reasonably clean. Dump station is adequate.

Guide to Adelphi

Tent camping near Adelphi, Maryland offers convenient access to the Chesapeake Bay watershed region at elevations generally below 500 feet. The area's humid subtropical climate creates warm summers with occasional thunderstorms and mild winters, making April through October the prime camping season. Many campgrounds in the region feature alternatives to traditional tent sites, including cabins and glamping options for those seeking a hybrid outdoor experience.

What to do

Hiking with children: Patapsco Valley State Park offers trails suited for families with varying skill levels. "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," notes Anthony S. in his review of Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area.

Kayaking opportunities: The waterways near tent camping sites in Adelphi provide excellent kayaking. "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," shares a visitor to Patapsco Valley State Park.

Group activities: Marsden Tract Group Campsite offers dedicated space for organized outings just 18 miles from Adelphi. One camper described it as "beautiful secluded quiet wonderful if you're looking for that extreme outdoors a no civilization it's a good hike to get to the campsite there's no parking nearby no water no bathrooms or electricity but all in all it's beautiful."

Water recreation: The region offers swimming opportunities from late spring through early fall. At Sandy Point State Park Youth Group Camping, "Our favorite thing to do is to fossil hunt for sharks teeth. In late spring while school is still in session" it's less crowded, according to Angel G.

What campers like

Secluded settings: Tent camping in the Adelphi area includes options for those seeking privacy. One reviewer noted about Marsden Tract Group Campsite that "the camp site is beautiful secluded quiet wonderful if you're looking for that extreme outdoors." The site offers a true wilderness experience without modern amenities.

Child-friendly amenities: Many campgrounds include features specifically for younger campers. "The Hilton entrance of Patapsco Valley Park is perfect for keeping the kids entertained. There is a huge playground, sensory trail and nature discovery center at the entrance to the park," writes Angel G.

Accessible wildlife viewing: The natural setting around Adelphi camping areas supports diverse wildlife observation opportunities. At Lacy Oasis Campground, located about 24 miles from Adelphi, one visitor noted it's ideal "If you are a nature lover, a person who loves peace, serenity, and, tranquility, or just need some respite."

Varied terrain: The diversity of landscapes allows for different camping experiences within a small radius. At Leesylvania State Park, Anne K. notes it's "So close to DC but so far away. This campground was so pretty. It is small, but the price and location near DC cannot be beat. It is directly on Potomac River."

What you should know

Weather considerations: Summer storms can create challenging conditions. At Patapsco Valley, one camper reported, "We had a site on the lower end of the loop and our site was hard to set up as we arrived during a storm and it was very wet even after the rain died down."

Military option: Active duty and retired military personnel have access to Military Park FamCamp in Annapolis. One reviewer described it as "Very spartan but great location. Not much to do in the campground and some long timers there. Dirt cheap."

Alternative camping options: Several sites offer glamping or cabin alternatives to traditional tent camping. At Patapsco Valley State Park, "The best part of this campground are the neat mini cabins. Small one room cabins that have electricity and heat. They are a nice touch for those that want to camp, but not completely 'rough it.'"

Seasonal restrictions: Many campgrounds have limited operating seasons. Most tent sites near Adelphi are open April through October, with peak season from Memorial Day to Labor Day when facilities are fully operational but crowds are larger.

Tips for camping with families

Playground access: Several campgrounds feature dedicated play areas. At Leesylvania State Park Campground, "My son and I really enjoy spending time here! This park is ALWAYS full of family's having picnics and enjoying time together! There's playground and a beach area for kids and family to all enjoy," writes Sarah F.

Educational opportunities: Look for campgrounds with nature programs. The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring offers "Group campground for visitors to the Adventure Park at Sandy Spring" which is "Very convenient for before or after your time in the largest aerial challenge course in North America."

Multiple entrances: At some larger parks, certain entrances are more family-friendly. Angel G. notes that at Patapsco Valley "we prefer the Hilton entrance. There are two huge playgrounds and a youth campground as well as a family campground."

Weather planning: For families with small children, spring and fall offer more comfortable temperatures. Summer brings high humidity and insects, especially August when "Jellyfish take over with a vengeance" at waterfront locations according to Angel G.

Tips from RVers

Length restrictions: Most tent camping sites near Adelphi have limited space for RVs. The campsites aren't typically big-rig friendly, with most accommodating smaller rigs under 25 feet. Some locations like Patapsco Valley State Park offer specific tent camping areas separate from RV sites.

Limited hookups: While tent camping is widely available around Adelphi, full-service RV sites are scarce within a 30-minute drive. Campers requiring electricity and water hookups should make advance reservations at Patapsco Valley State Park, which offers electric but no sewer connections at campsites.

Arrival timing: RV campers should plan for specific check-in windows. At Patapsco, one camper noted, "This was also the first time we have ever had to wait till exactly 3pm to check in. So if you arrive early expect to wait until 3."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Adelphi, MD?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Adelphi, MD is Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area with a 4.2-star rating from 19 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Adelphi, MD?

TheDyrt.com has all 27 tent camping locations near Adelphi, MD, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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