A
Al L.
Scout
ScoutWestmoreland State Park Campground
Nice end of summer retreat
It was a well maintained campsite. Clean bathrooms and great hikes to fossil beach.
Tent Camping near Callaway, MD
1 campground with availability next weekend
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Tent campsites near Callaway, Maryland include several options along the Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River watersheds. Calvert Cliffs State Park offers youth group tent camping with walk-in access from March 31 to October 29, while Caledon State Park Campground across the Potomac in Virginia provides primitive tent-only sites accessible by hiking approximately 2.5 miles on groomed gravel trails. Matoaka Beach Cottages also maintains tent camping areas with views of the Chesapeake Bay.
Most tent sites in the region feature basic amenities with varying levels of accessibility. Calvert Cliffs provides drinking water, picnic tables, and toilets, while Caledon State Park operates on a more primitive basis with no drinking water available on-site. A visitor commented, "No water on site and no reasonable source to filter water from so be prepared." Tent pads at Caledon are designated areas where campers must set up, with an honor system firewood purchase option ($4) available at the campsite. Most locations allow fires in designated rings, and many permit pets, though specific rules vary by park.
The tent camping experience in the Callaway area offers unique waterfront opportunities not available to RV campers. Matoaka Beach provides private tent sites with sunrise views and beach access, making it popular for those seeking water proximity. Caledon State Park's tent sites sit directly on the Potomac River after the 2.5-mile hike in, providing a more secluded experience. The primitive nature of these sites appeals to those seeking a more authentic outdoor experience. Based on reviews from The Dyrt, "It was a beautiful peaceful camping trip! Our spot was very private and you could see the bay and hear the waves." Lacy Oasis Campground offers another tent option with a more developed setting, featuring showers, toilets, and reservable sites for those wanting additional amenities while still enjoying tent camping.
Best Tent Campgrounds near Callaway (13)
1. Calvert Cliffs State Park Youth Group Camping
"Nice and quiet, no hookups, but nice surroundings!"
"It is a very nice walk about 2 miles to the beach where you can hunt for fossils. The beach has gotten smaller over the years however the trail has gotten much better."
2. Matoaka Beach Cottages
"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."
3. Pax River Hog Point Campgrounds — Naval Airstation (Nas) Patuxent River
Check Availabilityfrom $20 - $30 / night
4. Endeavor Point
Check Availabilityfrom $55 - $95 / night
5. Lacy Oasis Campground
"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."
Check Availabilityfrom $90 - $190 / night
6. Caledon State Park Campground
"7 or 8 tent pads. Wood for sale at the site for $4 honor system. Porta pottie right next to wood pile. You’re not supposed to setup anything outside of the “tent pads”."
"It was my first hike in primitive camping experience. We hiked for a few hours and finally got to our site which was right on the Potomac River."
Check AvailabilityCampground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $16 / night
7. Waterfront View on Leoni Island @ South Kings Camping
from $50 - $80 / night
8. Leesylvania State Park Campground
"Good for a day use, parking is full most of the time but have a lot of space to park you may have to walk but you will find one spot..."
"Close to me so theres nothing new"
Check Availabilityfrom $15 - $18 / night
9. Pettigrew WMA
"Good spot to get away and pitch a tent. Never anyone else there too!"
Check Availabilityfrom $4 / night
10. Brewer’s Point Hike-in or Boat-in Primitive Campground — Belle Isle State Park
Check Availabilityfrom $15 - $18 / night
Drive Time
- 8 min from Lexington Park, MD
- 1 hr 13 min from Washington, DC
- 1 hr 46 min from Richmond, VA
- 2 hrs 44 min from Salisbury, MD
Recent Tent Camping Photos near Callaway, MD
10 Photos of 13 Callaway Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Tent Camping Reviews near Callaway, MD
272 Reviews of 13 Callaway Campgrounds
- SSean D.
TravelerCampsites at Watkins Regional Park
Excellent choice for a Washington visit or local getaway
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. 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.
- BBrian H.Traveler
Pettigrew WMA
Pettigrew WMA - great dispersed camping
Good spot to get away and pitch a tent. Never anyone else there too! Make sure to get a daily ($4) or annual (~$22 I forget) Access Permit on Virginia DWR, as well as special WMA camping license (free)
- Judy W.
GuideSmallwood State Park Campground - TEMPORARILY CLOSED THROUGH JULY 2023
Great Escape! Air conditioned cabins!
What a gem! We found this place as an alternative to staying in DC during 4th of July festivities. Nice spacious sites, cabins were super clean and smelled great! Did I mention they were air conditioned during the hotest week of the summer!
Bathrooms and showers were spotless.
Many things to see and do there. Historic property, big lake (no swimming), boating, fishing, hiking. There is an Art Center with juried displays for sale.
Jeremy G.TravelerJoint Base Andrews Military FamCamp
Could be a great campground but......
There are some good things about this Famcamp. It's like a diamond in the rough. If the military would spend some time and money on it, it could be a great campground. One of the greatest points about this campground is its location. You are so close to downtown D.C.! Every RV site (as far as I saw) was a level concrete pad. All sites, except for tent sites, have full electricity. Most sites have sewer and water. Sites 12-18 should be mainly used for the smaller travel trailers. I had an interesting time getting my 35' 5th wheel into the site. Even though I got my RV into the site, I don't have much room for my truck. My site has a picnic table, fire pit, and a grill. Everything is rusted beyond repair. My grill was filled with cigarette butts and my fire pit had trash in it. There is some shade. My site has two trees at the front of the pad on both sides of the RV. My bedroom stays nice and cold and I have a good view for my Starlink in the rear. The sites are close to each other, but there is some space. The good thing is that we are surrounded by the golf course. You don't get much noise from the base, because of the location, and because the FamCamp is surrounded by trees. You can hear the busy road outside the fence but I don't hear it much inside the RV. Every once in a while you'll hear an aircraft... but this is an air base, it's expected. We were told the community laundry was not working and to use the base laundry mat. Finally, one of the best parts about the campground, is the lady at outdoor rec that is in charge of the Famcamp. She is very nice and helpful. She will try to assist you with anything you need from directions to useful tips.
Kindra W.GuidePoint Lookout State Park
5 stars! Beautiful, clean, magical
Magical stay at Point Lookout — New Tulip Loop (Full Hook‑Up) and I’m already planning a return. The whole park feels peaceful and safe, the staff were genuinely friendly and helpful, and our site is clean and well‑maintained. The loop’s energy felt magical — quiet, restorative, and tucked into the trees so it felt private but not isolated. Full hookups were convenient and reliable; the site layout is roomy and pet‑friendly, with an easy walk to a beautiful dog beach so our pup had a blast. We walked to stunning beaches and spent afternoons watching water and sky at the tip of the peninsula — spectacular views where the Potomac meets the Chesapeake. The park’s Civil War history and lighthouse added fascinating, walkable sites to explore between beach time, giving the stay both recreation and depth. Clean facilities, helpful staff at the park office, and well-marked trails made everything low‑stress and enjoyable. If you want a peaceful, historic, pet‑friendly Class A spot with full hookups and gorgeous nearby beaches, Tulip Loop at Point Lookout is five stars from me.
John M.GuideMatoaka Beach Cottages
Fantastic location with winderful hosts
Private campground with cabins and tent sites. Tent sites are first come, first service so call ahead to ensure the space is available. The host family was very nice and easy to work with and talk to. Fire pits were at tent sites and past the office was beach access into Chesapeake Bay. There are trash bins and porta potty’s on sight that are all maintained and kept clean. Beautiful sights and plenty to do in the area with DC being roughly an 40-60 minutes away.
Ashley T.TravelerGoose Bay Marina
Jeepers Creepers meets Catalina Wine Mixer
When we first arrived it was late (we are either late or not coming as always!) the cut down tobacco fields and long dark woods surrounded the entrance into this campground and marina… to be honest I was scared and cried and my husband thought I was ridiculous and reminded me I will love it tomorrow… welp he knows me! All the boat storage and walking around it so fun looking at all the boat names… they are remodeling the bathhouses now they look nice so far on the inside. Everyone is working really hard a staying busy tending to the boats or landscaping or docks… Vicki is super friendly she works practically everyday… but hopefully one day she will trust someone enough to delegate her duties to…
- AAlyssa R.Scout
Pax River Hog Point Campgrounds — Naval Airstation (Nas) Patuxent River
Left Early, Won’t Be Back
When we saw a review of this campground on Rec.gov complaining about the amount of bugs we thought they were being ridiculous, they were not. In addition to an insane amount of bugs making the experience here uniquely miserable — it is not quiet or peaceful. A (clearly quite drunk) group nearby was singing at the top of their lungs until at least 11pm when we made the decision to bail seeing as we weren’t going to be getting any sleep between being eaten alive and serenaded.
Guide to Callaway
Tent campsites near Callaway, Maryland generally offer primitive to moderate accommodations throughout the Chesapeake watershed region. Most sites sit on flat, grassy terrain with thick forest cover providing natural shade during summer when temperatures regularly exceed 85°F. Camping options typically range from beachfront locations with water views to inland forest sites, with the peak season running May through September when mosquitoes can be particularly active.
What to do
Fossil hunting at Calvert Cliffs: Search for prehistoric shark teeth along the shoreline. The experience attracts both adults and children after a moderate hike to the beach area. A visitor noted, "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."
Fishing from piers: Endeavor Point offers dedicated fishing areas with river access. According to a camper, "The pier was perfect to fish or crab off of and the beach had great views of the sunrise."
Wildlife observation: The region hosts numerous bird species including eagles. Many trails feature interpretive signage explaining local ecosystems. One visitor to Leesylvania State Park shared, "The park was not very busy when we were there, but the lake and hiking were wonderful."
What campers like
Waterfront campsites: Matoaka Beach Cottages offers tent sites with beach access and wave sounds. A camper reported, "We tent camped at Matoka Cabins and it was a beautiful Peaceful camping trip! Out spot was very private and you could see the bay and hear the waves."
Military camping option: Naval Academy sites provide affordable alternatives for service members. One visitor noted, "Military campground. Very spartan but great location. Not much to do in the campground and some long timers there. Dirt cheap."
Honor system firewood: Some campgrounds maintain simple payment systems for necessities. At Caledon State Park, "Wood for sale at the site for $4 honor system. Porta pottie right next to wood pile."
What you should know
Water supply limitations: Many primitive sites require carrying in your own drinking water. A Caledon camper advised, "No water on site and no reasonable source to filter water from so be prepared."
Reservation requirements: Most waterfront sites fill quickly during summer weekends. Advanced booking is essential, particularly for holiday periods.
Trail conditions: Access to some sites involves hiking on maintained paths. A visitor described Caledon's approach: "Easy 2.5 mile hike on groomed gravel trails."
Designated camping areas: Sites often have specific boundaries. As one camper noted, "You're not supposed to setup anything outside of the 'tent pads'."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Calvert Cliffs State Park features play equipment near main parking areas. A visitor commented, "The park has a great play ground right off the main parking lot for kids to play on as well as a few bathrooms."
Educational opportunities: Several sites offer geology and nature programs. One educator shared, "I was a TA on an optional field trip to Calvert Cliffs for an intro level class. I was a rainy day but we were able to go down to the shore and find fossils."
Community-focused camping: Lacy Oasis Campground specifically designs programs for youth groups. A recent visitor shared, "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."
Tips from RVers
Limited hookup availability: Most primitive tent camping locations near Callaway don't accommodate large RVs or provide adequate services. Consider nearby developed campgrounds if traveling with an RV requiring hookups.
Tight access roads: Many forest campsites have narrow, winding approach roads. Large rigs should verify clearance requirements before attempting access.
Alternative options: Some parks offer both tent and limited RV camping. One visitor to Calvert Cliffs simply noted, "It's just great! Nice and quiet, no hookups, but nice surroundings!"
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent
campsite near Callaway, MD?
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Callaway, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Callaway, MD is Calvert Cliffs State Park Youth Group Camping with a 4.4-star rating from 5 reviews.
What is the best site to find
tent camping near
Callaway, MD?
What is the best site to find tent camping near Callaway, MD?
TheDyrt.com has all 13 tent camping locations near Callaway, MD, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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