Susquehanna State Park Campground and Merry Meadows Recreation Farm offer camping options within 25 miles of Bel Air, Maryland. The region sits at the northern edge of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, with elevations ranging from 200-500 feet above sea level. Summer temperatures typically reach 85-90°F with moderate humidity, making spring and fall the most comfortable seasons for tent camping in the area.
What to Do
Explore hiking trails: At Susquehanna State Park Campground, you can access several marked paths. "We hiked back to the campground from here, which was a nice easy-to-moderate trail. The beginning was pretty rough for me, since I was wearing my infant son while navigating an uphill trail, but it quickly evened out," explains one visitor.
Fish in stocked waters: Codorus State Park offers good fishing opportunities at their lake. "We hiked over a bridge and stream which was full of fish I could see! Turned around after I got to the Susquehanna itself. The river was running pretty high and fast, pretty cool to see," reports a camper.
Visit historic sites: The region has preserved buildings and cultural landmarks. "There is a historic area in the park, with a working grist mill, mansion and other little buildings to view. Not really my thing, but was pretty neat," notes a Susquehanna visitor.
Play disc golf: Gifford Pinchot State Park Campground features two 18-hole courses. "Both areas have their own 18 hole disc golf course, but I will say: BEWARE of poison ivy!! We played the first 10 holes around the Conewago day use area and I was shocked at how much poison ivy we had to dodge."
What Campers Like
Spacious, level sites: Many Lums Pond State Park Campground visitors appreciate the site design. "Beautiful park setting with fantastic site— spacious, level, good-working hookups, and paved," explains a camper. "Our site was fairly level, side-to-side, so I really only needed to level front to back. That was a bonus."
Clean facilities: Bathhouses are consistently mentioned as a plus. "The bath house was absolutely immaculate, and the design made even my public-bathroom-phobic sister-in-law comfortable and at ease," reports a Lums Pond reviewer.
Family-friendly activities: Circle M RV and Camping Resort organizes regular events. "We happened to be there on the weekend a magician came, my kids loved it. They have an indoor and outdoor pool. Nice playground. We were down by the river and had a lot of room on our site," comments a visitor.
Honor system firewood: Some parks offer convenient arrangements. "They also sell ice and firewood at the campstore AND there is an honor system with it available to you after the campstore hours. This is great so that you don't have to time things around when the campstore is open."
What You Should Know
Site selection matters: At Tucquan Park Family Campground, location affects your experience. "The primitive sites are back in the woods which kept us nice and cool on hot July nights. The location also kept us fairly bug free. Note: The campground WiFi does not reach the primitive sites and I had 0 cell/GPS service on the entire premises (my carrier is AT&T)."
Weather preparedness: Spring and fall camping requires preparation. "Despite the rain, we enjoyed ourselves and even did a hike. There are some great sites that are a little more isolated and give a feel of being alone in the woods that I would love to claim in the future."
Reservation timing: Popular sites book up quickly. "Book early because it fills up fast!" advises a Lums Pond visitor. This applies to most glamping options close to Bel Air, Maryland, especially during summer weekends.
Firewood quality varies: Check before purchasing. "We bought their firewood for $5/crate and it was really wet. It was challenging to get a fire going, which was frustrating. Ended up not being able to have a fire the last morning there and gave away our leftover firewood."
Tips for Camping with Families
Playgrounds provide entertainment: Codorus State Park Campground has family-friendly facilities. "For kids, the playground was fantastic, though, it was not shaded. It is also in the middle of the Acorn and Beechnut loop. This is great if you want to be away from the playground, as you can book one of the sites further off and not have kids running about."
Consider biking terrain: Not all parks are equally bike-friendly. "The camp road was minimally hilly and would be safe and easy for little kids to ride their bikes, unlike some of the campgrounds that have pretty decent hills."
Pack toilet paper backup: Even well-maintained facilities can run out. "Bathhouse is clean but ran out of toilet paper often; they supposedly clean 3 times a day since COVID but we didn't see that happening on a regular schedule while we were there."
Plan first-timer sites carefully: For new campers, site selection impacts experience. "We took our 3 yo camping for the first time here. He had so much fun. It was clean campground located in a State Park. Easy walk to the lake with a small beach."
Tips from RVers
Site utility placements matter: At Old Mill Stream Campground, hookup location requires planning. "The site offered electric and water but they were on 2 different sides. This made it difficult to set up. Had to park the camper crooked to use both."
Level sites save setup time: Cherry Hill Park gets high marks for site preparation. "The site was perfectly level with a fire ring, grill, picnic table and table with three chairs. I wish there was a little bit more room in between the campers for privacy but it did not hurt our stay."
Seasonal considerations: During cooler months, select protected sites. "We stayed in C1 during the hottest week in the summer (so far). The site was covered and it was cool around 4:30pm when the sun went behind the trees. It didn't look like all sites had that much cover so be careful."
Check arrival procedures: Some parks have specific check-in systems. "When I arrived, someone was in my spot. After working it out and came back I noticed just how crowded it was. Lots literally right on top of each other. Felt like everyone there was in the same group but we obviously weren't."
