S
Steven W.
Scout
ScoutHosack Run
Peaceful Oasis
Well kept, clean facilities, easy to work with camp staff, we stayed at site 51 a full hook up site mostly level with a gravel pad short walk to the restrooms
Best Campgrounds near Big Pool, MD
Camping options around Big Pool, Maryland range from established campgrounds with full amenities to more primitive sites in nearby state forests. Fort Frederick State Park Campground, located directly in Big Pool, provides tent and RV sites with basic amenities including drinking water, fire rings, and picnic tables. Within a 30-minute drive, campers can access additional options including Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park and Hagerstown/Antietam Battlefield KOA in Williamsport, which offer cabin accommodations alongside traditional camping. The region includes several mixed-use campgrounds that accommodate various camping styles, with most offering both tent and RV sites.
Seasonal considerations affect camping availability throughout the area, with many campgrounds operating from spring through fall. Fort Frederick State Park Campground typically operates from May through November, while nearby McCoys Ferry Campground in the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park runs from early April through late September. Facilities vary significantly between locations, with state parks generally offering more primitive experiences compared to private campgrounds with full hookups. Most campgrounds in the region require reservations, especially during summer weekends and holidays. According to one visitor at Green Ridge State Forest, "Green Ridge has, by far, the best bathhouse. The women's room has 2-3 very updated shower stalls, roughly 5 bathroom stalls and is always clean."
The Potomac River and Chesapeake and Ohio Canal provide scenic backdrops for several campgrounds in the area. Campers frequently mention the historical significance of the region as a highlight, with easy access to Civil War battlefields, Harpers Ferry, and the C&O Canal towpath for hiking and biking. Several visitors noted the family-friendly nature of campgrounds in the region. A camper at Brunswick Family Campground wrote, "Situated next to the river so half of the sites have river views. Nice boat loading ramp and dock for fishing. Half the campground are shaded with trees and half are in more of an open field." Many campgrounds in the area feature both wooded and open sites, providing options for different preferences, though reviews indicate the more secluded, shaded sites tend to fill quickly during peak season.
Best Camping Sites Near Big Pool, Maryland (153)
1. Jellystone Park™ Williamsport
24 ReviewsWilliamsport, MD12 milesWebsite+1 (301) 223-7117$99 - $471 / night
"We recent went camping for the first time at Jellystone in Maryland. 5 of our 6 kids came with us, so we knew we needed to find a camping ground more geared kids."
"There is a food court in the swimming pool and a camp store right next to it. They play movies every night at the outdoor theater near the pool."
2. Hagerstown / Antietam Battlefield KOA
20 ReviewsWilliamsport, MD10 milesWebsite+1 (301) 223-7571"Set right next to the river and you fish if you want to. DO NOT follow your GPS. Follow the directions on the KOA Website."
"Beautiful campgrounds situated near a creek. The campgrounds have a homey feel and were decorated nicely for fall & Halloween. The staff & hosts were incredibly nice & helpful."
3. McCoys Ferry Campground — Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
13 ReviewsBig Pool, MD3 milesWebsite$20 - $40 / night
"There is no privacy from adjacent campsites, but you are on the Potomac in sites 1 - 7.
Price 2023: $10 w interagency pass Usage during visit: Light during the week. 40% full on weekends.""We stayed at campsite 1 which had nice views of the river and a pretty good distance from neighbors. Closest site to the drop toilet and day use area portapots (very clean!)."
4. Fort Frederick State Park Campground
11 ReviewsBig Pool, MD1 mileWebsite+1 (888) 432-2267$15 - $17 / night
"Added some more photos to show proximity to other sites. Great spot for some small hikes and history at the fort. There’s also tons of markers on the trails with history."
"My spot had a cool path down to the river. There aren’t really facilities other then a porta potty near the sites and there is a code to get into the gate."
5. Greenbrier State Park Campground - TEMPORARILY CLOSED
42 ReviewsBoonsboro, MD22 milesWebsite+1 (888) 432-2267$23 - $29 / night
"This park just is near enough to Baltimore and DC to allow for a quick getaway and offers a lot to do."
"Maryland has some great state parks and this is one of them. Decent sized sites, clean bath houses. Swimming lake is excellent. Only basic amenities, but dump station."
6. Camp Cacapon
17 ReviewsGreat Cacapon, WV17 milesWebsite+1 (240) 343-1443$45 - $115 / night
"Beautiful place, tucked in the woods, right next to the river. The RV campsite is spacious, private, shaded, and with full hook-ups."
"Beautiful surroundings nestled off the beaten path but definitely worth checking out."
7. Falling Waters Campsite
6 ReviewsWilliamsport, MD8 miles+1 (304) 274-2791$35 - $43 / night
"Clean, great location to I81, friendly! I would stay here again."
8. Green Ridge State Forest
29 ReviewsLittle Orleans, MD23 milesWebsite+1 (301) 478-3124$10 / night
"All are roadside, but plenty are tucked away so you feel alone in the woods. You can occupy a site as long as you register at the parks main office. $10/night."
"My family and I have gone camping all over Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania, but had never visited Green Ridge before this weekend. "
9. Happy Hills Campground
8 ReviewsBerkeley Springs, WV13 milesWebsite+1 (301) 678-7760"You are about a mile hike from the Western Maryland Rail Trail.or short 5min or sondrive to the C&O Canal Towpath."
"Lots of trails around, Molly and I got a lot of walking in. No cell service for us, wifi is OK I recon depends on the load on it. All in all it is a very nice family Campground, we will return."
10. Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area
6 ReviewsChesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, MD11 milesWebsite+1 (304) 822-3551$10 / night
"I’ve lived in Hedgesville all my life and have camped around Sleepy creek lake many time. It’s not till recently that we’ve started overlanding that I’ve realized what a gem we have in our back yard."
"great place to disconnect. no cell service at all- bring a weather radio. campsites are nice and fairly private, wooded between them, many with access to the lake. lake is clear enough in some spots for"
Recent Camping Photos near Big Pool, MD
399 Photos of 153 Big Pool Campgrounds
Matthew G.
Fort Frederick State Park Campground
Adeline M.
McCoys Ferry Campground — Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Sara S.
Sleepy Creek Family Campground on the Potomac
Greg B.
Hagerstown / Antietam Battlefield KOA
Stephenie K.
C&O Camping Club
Jim N.
Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area
Jennifer D.
Mulehalla
Regina C.
Jellystone Park™ Williamsport
Regina C.
Happy Hills Campground
Michael H.
The Byrd’s Nest on the River
Simone V.
Sanctuary Acres
Adam and Suzanne B.
Lazy A Campground
Recent Reviews near Big Pool, MD
1034 Reviews of 153 Big Pool Campgrounds
MsTrailBlazer 🏔.
GuidePine Grove Furnace State Park Campground
App Trail and Store 🙌🏻
Probably my favorite due to the Store, the store employee and the App Trails. Will be back. My site was next to the amp trail which I didn’t particularly like, but my site was beautiful. WiFi available at Camp Store
- MsTrailBlazer 🏔.Guide
Caledonia State Park Campground
Great Park App Trail 🤌🏼
Great Park, showers were cold and after the App Trail, A hot shower would have been awesome. Beautiful park though. My site was a little bit uneven but it looks like the park has been through an upgrade recently.
Phillip H.GuideHarpers Ferry / Civil War Battlefields KOA
Harper’s Ferry KOA
The sites are close together. The park was not full Mother’s Day weekend. It is a very nice park. The bathhouses were clean. The amenities were good although we didn’t utilize them. The national historic site was very close and we walked over day 1 rode our bikes day 2. The C&O canal is accessible but you must walk your bike across the lower town bridge and carry it down the stairs. This section of the trail was very good and we completed 38 miles.
- CChris S.
TravelerHappy Hills Campground
Campground In Need of Upgrades!
We stayed one night here (didn't even unhook from the truck). Arrived in the rain and were leaving early the next morning, so I didn't want to disconnect. Our gravel pad was over 6" out of level, requiring me to use leveling pads and a leveling jack to get trailer level. All the short-term gravel sites looked like they needed some love!
Campground is about 80% seasonal, and apparently has no housekeeping restrictions on residents - some sites were pretty full of old dead golf carts and various debris. Not sure I would want to stay for a destination camping experience, but it was cheap and fine for a one night stay.
- BBryan W.Traveler
green ridge state forest
Site 17-pleasant place to stay
We came up here in our Roadtrek campervan. Quiet woodsy forestland. Went for a walk in the morning, lots of birdsong. A bit of road noise from the nearby highways but didn’t hear anything at night.
- FFredrick K.Traveler
Marble Quarry Hiker-biker Overnight Campsite — Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Great place to get some peace and quiet
If youre looking for fun and people, go to the south campground. But if youre looking for true quiet and have a tent, check out the dispersed campsites. Good shower and bathroom setup that i bet would fare well in a tornado, its got that solid storm shelter feel. Next to a quiet airport, plenty of free firewood to gather
- DDebbie W.Scout
Harpers Ferry / Civil War Battlefields KOA
Not as advertised on website. Loose dogs. Sites not as advertised.
Less amenities than advertised. We usually camp in more rustic locations and planned this trip simply for the fun of the amenities. Their website claims that the pool is seasonal but doesn't list anything else as seasonal. There was supposed to be mini golf, a giant bounce pillow, indoor basketball, an arcade with air hockey and a pool table. Mini golf was fine. The bounce pillow was deflated and full of water. The arcade/pool table/air hockey building was locked and the maintenance guy(who locks it up) was outside smoking before leaving early for the day. The employee at the camp store said it was supposed to be open until the store closed but that he probably just closed it early.
The rules state that dogs need to be on a leash at all times and, in the two hours we actually stayed, we saw four that weren't. One was staying near us and started chasing us when we rode our bikes by. One was wandering about 4 campsites down from it's owner. We mentioned it to the person at the camp store before we were chased and she just shrugged it off.
The map is incorrect. It lists site numbers that don't exist and doesn't list some sites that supposedly do. We spent a fifteen minutes trying to find a non-existent site before going back to the camp office and getting assigned a new site. They acted like it was a new thing caused by maintenance but we just looked and saw a review from ten months ago saying the map was messed up then.
The description of the site we paid for was non electric tent with a sand tent pad. The site we got was on a hill(no actual flat spot) overgrown with weeds, no tent pad, a slanted picnic table, and no actual parking spot. You had to drive over a drainage ditch and park on the hill. If our car didn't have high clearance we wouldn't have made it. There was also a hole in the middle of the site. And the map showed that number site on the corner where another unmarked site was. Our originally assigned site was supposedly in the same group of sites, so it would've been similar. Also don't believe the claim that they're"large sites." Most of them are crammed together. There are a few that look decent sized and flat, but they want you to pay an extra$30 to pick your own site.
We didn't even look in the bathrooms.
We left after two hours. Definitely a waste of$60+ dollars.
Next time we'll go over to the Brunswick Family campground. Their owners are lovely people who care about their customers.
Adam and Suzanne B.GuideGreenbrier State Park Campground - TEMPORARILY CLOSED
Beautiful setting
It is NOT closed for 2026! Spent the weekend here as it is only an hour from home. There are 4 large camping loops. Only loop C- cedar has electric. None of the loops have water hookups but all have spigots to fill your rig. There are also 3 fill stations at check in (which we missed). The campground is on a hill and the loop roads are narrow, hilly, and winding. We had no trouble with our 23 ft TT and saw some bigger rigs. There are some tight angles to get into a few sites. But, once you are in, the sites are spacious and mostly private. It is wooded without feeling overgrown. Loop D has some sites that are good buddy campsites. There are many hiking trails and a lovely lake. The only bad thing are the dated bathhouses. Mostly clean but there are only 2 showers for each fenced for each loop and they were yucky enough that we showered at our rig. It was busy but pretty quiet. It’s close to I-70
Guide to Big Pool
Camping sites near Big Pool, Maryland range from primitive riverside spots to full-service family campgrounds within a 30-mile radius. The area sits at approximately 400 feet elevation in Maryland's western region, characterized by the Potomac River watershed and limestone ridges. Fall and spring camping offer milder temperatures between 45-75°F with less humidity than summer months, when river recreation becomes a primary attraction.
What to do
Kayaking and river access: At McCoys Ferry Campground, campers can bring kayaks or canoes for Potomac River adventures. "Nice little primitive campground, good patrol is state park police. Good distance to a bunch of activities for family's. Bike rentals, good ice cream shop etc," notes Dan M. The campground features a boat ramp and most sites are waterfront.
Historical exploration: Camping at Fort Frederick State Park Campground provides direct access to the historic fort. "The fort is very cool, and exhibits are great," writes Sean M. The park combines riverside camping with educational opportunities about the region's colonial and Civil War history.
Mountain biking: Greenbrier State Park offers challenging trail networks for mountain biking enthusiasts. "There are lots of hiking trails. The only downsides are how crowded it can get peak season, and they dont allow dogs in the lake at all," reports Beth C. The park features rocky, technical east coast terrain for riders of various skill levels.
What campers like
Privacy between sites: At Green Ridge State Forest, campers appreciate the seclusion. "There are nearly 100 campsites within the forest boundaries and with the exception of the Kasekamp sites (that cater more to river floating and the nearby C&O Canal) most of them have no neighbor within half a mile," explains Bill G. The primitive nature of these sites attracts those seeking solitude.
Water features: Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area offers lakeside camping options. "For me the two most difficult amenities to find at one campground is 1) secluded drive-up site 2) that is on a lake/river/etc. So because Sleep Creek has many sites with both, we will continue to go back," writes Vicky M. Many campers choose sites with direct water access.
Cleanliness: Bathroom facilities vary widely between campgrounds. At Greenbrier State Park, "The facilities were clean. The sites on Dogwood are quite close together, but it still felt like camping. Very friendly camp host who came through every evening to make sure everything was ok," notes Elinor. Clean shower facilities rank high on camper priorities.
What you should know
Reservation systems vary: Some campgrounds require on-site registration. At Sleepy Creek, "Check in is with a small box. Cash only. Nearest little store is about a half hour drive back out the dirt and gravel road toward town," notes Jim N. Preparation is essential since many sites are first-come, first-served.
Limited amenities: Most primitive campgrounds have minimal facilities. "The sites with the most to offer as far as self contemplation are #'s 23, 100, and a couple along fifteen mile creek. The pads are wide and can accommodate multiple tents," writes Bill G. about Green Ridge State Forest.
Road conditions: Many campgrounds require navigating unpaved roads. "Potholed dirt road coming up, a sedan can make it through but will have to take it slow," Vicky M. reports about Sleepy Creek. At Camp Cacapon, "It's a bit out of the way, but road access is good for all but large rigs," notes Paul O.
Tips for camping with families
Water recreation options: Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park offers extensive water features. "Multiple pools and a great little water park. Store was well stocked, they also had a ice-cream / quick food store attached to the pool area and staff super friendly," writes David S. Families should note that water park hours vary seasonally.
Activity scheduling: Family-focused campgrounds offer organized events. "Lots to do for kids of all ages, gaga pit tournaments at night, movies, hay rides, character events tons of stuff," continues David S. about Jellystone Park. Weekends typically feature more scheduled activities than weekdays.
Budget considerations: Family campgrounds with amenities come at higher prices. "It was a nice place to stay for kids, lots to do for them. But very expensive for tent camping. I still paid nearly 100 a night," reports Mark G. about Jellystone Park. Primitive camping options provide more economical alternatives for families willing to forgo amenities.
Tips from RVers
Site selection: RVers should research site dimensions before arrival. "We stayed at site A55 pull through, big roomey site with a gentle slope," writes Phil about Happy Hills Campground. Many campgrounds have limited large rig access, particularly on forest roads.
Seasonal considerations: Some campgrounds have significant seasonal resident populations. At Happy Hills, "This campground is mainly for monthly site rentals with more than 3/4 of them permanent sites," notes Erica M. Weekend noise levels may increase with recreational vehicle traffic.
Hookup availability: Full-hookup options are limited. "I would say that it is well worth the cost and if you needed a place to stay, worth giving them a shot," writes Michael G. about Happy Hills Campground. RVers seeking full hookups should prioritize private campgrounds over state-managed facilities, which typically offer fewer services.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Big Pool, MD?
What camping is available near Big Pool, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, Big Pool, MD offers a wide range of camping options, with 153 campgrounds and RV parks near Big Pool, MD and 1 free dispersed camping spot.
Which is the most popular campground near Big Pool, MD?
Which is the most popular campground near Big Pool, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Big Pool, MD is Jellystone Park™ Williamsport with a 4.3-star rating from 24 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Big Pool, MD?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Big Pool, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, there is 1 free dispersed camping spot near Big Pool, MD.
What parks are near Big Pool, MD?
What parks are near Big Pool, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 20 parks near Big Pool, MD that allow camping, notably Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park.
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