17 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Tent campsites near Gibson Island, Maryland offer a mix of established campgrounds and primitive sites within a short drive of the Chesapeake Bay. Sandy Point State Park Youth Group Camping provides tent-only sites from March to October with amenities including drinking water, picnic tables, and showers. Patapsco Valley State Park's Hilton Area, located about 30 miles northwest, features tent sites with fire rings and access to numerous hiking trails through its forested terrain.
The tent camping experience at Patapsco Valley State Park includes crushed stone tent pads that some campers find challenging for tent stakes. According to one visitor, "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." Most established tent campgrounds in the region provide fire rings, picnic tables, and access to restroom facilities. Seasonal considerations are important, as many sites operate from spring through fall, with Sandy Point closing after October and Patapsco Valley's Hilton Area operating from April through October.
Tent campers in the Gibson Island area can expect varying levels of privacy depending on the campground. The Hilton Area of Patapsco Valley State Park offers a more secluded experience with sites situated among rolling hills and forest. One camper noted that "it's a small gem of a state park campground" with "a fire pit and cooking crate, and a picnic table" at each site. For those seeking water views, sites near the Chesapeake Bay provide scenic camping with proximity to beaches and water activities. Most tent campgrounds in the region require reservations, particularly during summer months when demand is highest. Walk-in tent sites are limited but available at certain locations, offering a more primitive camping experience for those willing to carry their gear a short distance from parking areas.
"There are two main beaches and there are picnic tables all over the park. There’s a popular boat launch amd small marina/bait store.
Get there early on weekends and holidays.""There are wonderful views of the water and swimming at the beach, pavilions for social gatherings, showers and bathrooms that are kept pretty very clean, and room for backpacking, hiking, picnicking,"
"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."
"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."
from $20 - $51 / night
Check Availability"Very spartan but great location. Not much to do in the campground and some long timers there. Dirt cheap"
from $6 / night
Check Availability"Based on my stay 3 nights and what I read of Greenbelt Park (the other closeby to Washington campground) I would say this has to be much better and I will stay here again on a future visit."
from $12 - $45 / night
Check Availability"Whether you are an adult or a child, this place will have a positive effect on you. The owners are involved and designed this space with the visitors pleasure in mind."
from $90 - $190 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $150 - $200 / night
Check Availability"This is a good free state forest with maybe 10 (or less) designated tent-camping sites, and designated areas for deer hunting."
"Spent a weekend in BO1, spacious campsite, grill, picnic table, firepit, parking for 2-3 cars plus overflow parking. Firewood was easy to get and was plenty of it."
from $25 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $55 - $95 / night
Check Availability"Private campground with cabins and tent sites. Tent sites are first come, first service so call ahead to ensure the space is available."
"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."
TravelerClose to washington as we could get. Could also park our skoolie bus which was nice and had plenty of close by shower with bathrooms. Keep in mind only one shower per restroom house. We stayed at a pretty slow season so it wasn’t bad. Would recommend if visiting DC! They also have a dump station and water fill up.
ScoutSimple and friendly check in process. Clean and well-maintained site.
GuideSpent two nights while we saw the Avett Brothers play at Wolf Trap. Nice flat site with power. Campground was quiet and clean. The only negative is communication and signage. It took us a couple wrong turns to find our site and when we came back, after the concert around 11, the entrance gate was closed and we had to sneak in through the exit gate. Asked the next day and they said that is what campers do to access the park after 11pm.
RangerWe stayed at Little Bennett starting on Labor Day Monday and left before the weekend, so it is hard to say how this looks when the campground is full of life. They had quite a few activities for families and a pavilion capable of concerts and such, but there was minimal activity during our stay. My biggest complaint is that the gate code changed and we didn't get any notice--so after a long day and a dinner out near Baltimore (nearly an hour away), I had to call the police to get back to my camper. Otherwise, the campsite was relatively spacious and quiet. The bugs were a little rough. Lots of whitetail running around.
GuideIf you want to be near Annapolis, right on the Severn River...this is it. About 15 RV spots nestled in the woods...with full hook ups. A couple of primitive spots as well. Just a quick 5 min walk to the river...right across from the Academy. NEX, gas within 10 min walk, and 15 min drive to downtown Annapolis. Staff is always great here, and the park is clean....for a park on the woods.
TravelerBased on my stay 3 nights and what I read of Greenbelt Park (the other closeby to Washington campground) I would say this has to be much better and I will stay here again on a future visit. Campground sits inside of a much larger park with great trails, amenities and well maintained. Campground is quiet, lots of trees, forest and yet each space is very large with good spacing and privacy to adjacent sites. High tree canopy at your site so lots of room to spread out. Sites themselves are a little rustic - a mix of grass, gravel and dirt, but not muddy (it rained a good bit prior to my stay) - but in good condition. Shower/toilet block is clean and good hot water and good water pressure. Most sites are flat or near flat and the ones that aren't need minimal levelling blocks. Campground apparently is never full and there was only 1 other when I was there - really hard to believe. There is a neighborhood road up by the sites near the shower block but it is low speed and lightly travelled and I had no disturbance from it. Nice surrounding neighborhood. No signs of vagrants. Park police patrolled multiple times per day and report very little non-camper entry to ther facilities. I felt very safe.Easy access to Eashington - bus stop outside the campground to metro or just drive to the metro (free parking weekend, $6 midweek) and then train (about 8 per hour) into the sites - an hour or less total to get there. For more local people, this seems like a good escape "to the woods" without travelling forever.
ScoutFirst time at this campground really like it a lot will be returning. The bathrooms are always clean. The grounds are always kept up. Just a really nice place to stay. Most of the sites have some kind of shade.
TravelerOne of our favorite places. Very well kept. No bathhouse so bring your own. A lot of shady sites. Great views of Chesapeake bay. Flat roads in the area for cycling.
GuideA beautiful, well maintained park with lots to do, great bathroom facilities and extremely nice people. The electric sites aren't all together, so you don't have RV's lined up but maybe annoying for folks who are tent camping. Avoid the locations in the mid-30's by the dumpster, both staff and campers start shaking the lid around 6:30. Between 5 AM and noon staff were driving big trucks and ATV's around with loud reverse horns, and slamming the fire pit grills, which they store sideways. Overall I had a really wonderful time, but that's largely down to good sound reduction inside the van. Almost zero cell service. I was able to get a couple of text messages in and out, but seemed to be a fluke.
Tent camping near Gibson Island, Maryland offers overnight options on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay where elevation ranges from sea level to about 300 feet. The region falls within USDA hardiness zone 7b, with camping season typically running April through October when temperatures range from 60°F to 85°F. Summer humidity levels can reach 85% with afternoon thunderstorms common during July and August.
Fossil hunting along shorelines: Calvert Cliffs State Park provides a unique opportunity to search for prehistoric shark teeth and fossils. "Such an amazing expieriance and brings right into the eyes of child with both adult and children searching for shark teeth. Not only is searching for shark teeth a blast, but, the views are beautiful and walkin thru the woofs Is very calming!" notes Sarah F. about Calvert Cliffs State Park Youth Group Camping.
Beach swimming in summer months: Sandy Point State Park offers bay beaches with designated swimming areas during peak season. "Great day at the beach," says Tom F. who visited Sandy Point State Park Youth Group Camping. The park provides a natural beach on the Chesapeake Bay with swimming available from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Hiking wooded trails: Patapsco Valley State Park contains multiple trail networks suitable for day hiking from campsites. "Patapsco Valley offers 6 different entrances. Each one provides a several different trail heads and experiences. The trails we have been on are all pretty moderate to hard but offer beautiful waterfalls and river views," writes Angel G. who frequently camps at Patapsco Valley.
Sensory trails for children: The Hilton Area at Patapsco Valley features accessible nature paths designed for kids. "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," explains Angel G. about Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area.
Secluded tent sites: Hart-Miller Island offers remote camping accessible only by boat, providing exceptional privacy. This island campground in the Chesapeake Bay requires campers to bring all supplies needed for their stay, as there are limited facilities and no stores on the island.
Off-season camping opportunities: Many campers prefer visiting Sandy Point in spring or fall to avoid summer crowds. "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," advises Tony P. who frequents the area.
Crushed stone tent pads: Some campgrounds in the area use gravel tent pads rather than soil. "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," reports Alexandra T. about Military Park United States Naval Academy/Annapolis Naval Station Annapolis FamCamp.
Jellyfish season considerations: The Chesapeake Bay experiences significant jellyfish blooms in late summer. "August is the worst month to visit if you like the water. Jellyfish take over with a vengeance!" warns Angel G. who regularly camps at Sandy Point.
Limited walk-in availability: Most campgrounds require advance reservations, particularly during summer months. Many sites book 6-12 months ahead for weekends between Memorial Day and Labor Day, with cancellation policies typically requiring 48-72 hours notice for refunds.
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature playground equipment near tent sites. "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," notes Sean M. about Patapsco Valley State Park.
Youth-only group camping: Sandy Point State Park offers dedicated areas for organized youth groups. "This campground is very well taken care of, and seemed safe to me. There are wonderful views of the water and swimming at the beach, pavilions for social gatherings, showers and bathrooms that are kept pretty very clean, and room for backpacking, hiking, picnicking, but youth group camping only," explains Rachel S.
Nature discovery opportunities: Lacy Oasis provides nature-focused activities for children. "My agency took about 25 children there last week and they did not want to leave, neither did I. The rates are very economical for what is being provided on the space," shares Terrance D. about Lacy Oasis Campground.
Limited RV-friendly sites: Most campgrounds near Gibson Island prioritize tent camping over RVs. "Very spartan but great location. Not much to do in the campground and some long timers there. Dirt cheap," notes Ginny L. about the military campground in Annapolis, suggesting budget-conscious RVers might find value despite limited amenities.
Mini-cabin alternatives: Some campgrounds offer cabin options as alternatives to tent camping. "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,'" explains Sean M. about Endeavor Point.
Overflow parking limitations: Most campsites accommodate 1-2 vehicles directly at sites. According to visitors, additional vehicles typically need to use designated overflow areas, often requiring a short walk to the actual campsite.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Gibson Island, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Gibson Island, MD is Sandy Point State Park Youth Group Camping with a 3.3-star rating from 8 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Gibson Island, MD?
TheDyrt.com has all 17 tent camping locations near Gibson Island, MD, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
