Looking for the best options for camping with dogs near Chester? Find the best information on pet-friendly campsites and dispersed camping near Chester, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. Whether you're looking for a quiet location in the woods or a place near local attractions, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect spot for you and your pup.
Tuckahoe Creek, a quiet country stream bordered for most of its length by wooded marshlands, runs through the length of the park. A 60-acre lake offers boating and fishing.
The park has 20 miles of scenic hiking, biking and equestrian trails, flat water canoeing, hunting, picnicking, as well as a recycled tire playground for children.
Activities include day camps, canoe trips, Scales & Tales presentations and displays. Each weekend, Memorial Day through Labor Day, park staff offer a number of free family activities. Check out flyers posted throughout the park or call the park office for more details.
Accessible picnic areas, visitors' center, playgrounds, restrooms, campground facilities, and hunting areas are very popular.
$21 - $70 / night
The Rustic Cabins are closed due to renovations. Disturbances associated with construction should be expected Monday-Friday in the Fall of 2023-Fall 2025
Elk Neck State Park is located in Cecil County on a peninsula, formed by the Chesapeake Bay on the west and the Elk River on the east. It makes for great camping near Washington. The park has 2,370 acres of land and includes 250 campsites, 4 youth group sites and 15 cabins. Varied landscapes include marshlands, heavily wooded areas, white clay cliffs, and sandy shorelines.
Elk Neck State Park is divided into four areas. Turkey Point Lighthouse is located at the southern tip of the Elk Neck Peninsula. North East Beach Area and Picnic Shelters is a popular day-use area located in the western portion of the park and features a swimming area, canoe/kayak launch, picnic shelters, picnic tables, and grills. Rogues Harbor Boat Launch Facility offers public boating access to the Elk River, and fishing piers. The Elk River Camping Area is located on the eastern portion of the peninsula and offers over 250 campsites, 15 cabins (9 mini/camper cabins and 6 rustic cabins), a youth group camping area, park store, playground, and a nature center.
$21 - $55 / night
$18 - $77 / night
Cherry Hill Park is a family-owned and operated campground that has been in the Gurevich family for 5 generations. We offer premium amenities, friendly service, and a wide variety of lodging - everything from tent & RV sites to premium log cabins and glamping pods and yurts. Our concierge and tours program makes it easy for guests to access downtown Washington, DC, by bus, Metro train, and guided tours. We love hosting guests from all across America, from all over the world, and from just down the road in our home state of Maryland.
$101 - $999 / night
$21 - $50 / night
Greenbelt Campground is an urban oasis just 10 miles from Washington, D.C. This beautiful, wooded park is known for its safety, affordability, peaceful surroundings and National Park Service hospitality. Each campsite includes a picnic table and combination grill/campfire ring. Campsites have been improved using your camping fees to include new picnic tables and grills.The campground does not have water or electric hookups (primitive campground).A Loop is a Scout loop, youth or group Loop only. There is a RV limit of 30 feet (including tow vehicle) in B Loop and limited availabilty for larger vehicles (35 feet including tow vehicle) in D loop.
The trails are open. Ten miles of hiking trails meander through Greenbelt Park, including Perimeter, Azalea, Dogwood and Blueberry Trails. Sweetgum Picnic Area is located 1.5 miles from the campground, with playground equipment and public picnic tables.
Situated in suburban Maryland, Greenbelt Campground is forested with a pleasant mix of pine, oak and maple trees, which give way to a colorful autumn season. Mountain Laurel blooms throughout the park in May. Still Creek flows through the site, where deer and chipmunks are commonly seen.
This location is staffed. Please call (771) 208-1588 to speak with local staff.
Greenbelt Campground is surrounded by a myriad of fun and interesting attractions. Washington, D.C. and its famed historic sites are just 10 miles from Greenbelt. Goddard Space Flight Center is 3 miles from the park and the City of Greenbelt is 1 mile away. The Washington, D.C. Metro Transit System can be accessed 1.5 miles from the park, and major shopping centers are located within 1/2 mile away from the park entrance.
$20 / night
The park has two Youth Group Camping sites that are strictly for official youth groups only. The youth group camping sites are open from the beginning of April through the beginning of November. These rustic camping sites overlook the Chesapeake Bay. Each site has a small picnic shelter with two tables and a grill. Download a Youth Group Pass application online.
If your youth group would like to do a service project during your stay, please call the park two weeks before the date of your arrival and speak with the volunteer coordinator to set up a project.
Make youth group camping reservations on-line for Sandy Point State Park or call 1-888-432-CAMP (2267).
Hilton is a place for kids of all ages to play and explore. Located off Hilton Avenue, this area is within walking distance for many residents in Catonsville. A popular spot for afternoon walks and morning workouts, the trails are active with local residents and visitors from far away.
You can also gain access to the Patapsco River by traveling down into the river valley along the Forest Glen Trail. This trail follows the Saw Mill Branch Stream and can connect with several trails to make for very interesting hiking adventures. The area also has a small campground with six mini-cabins and 12 basic campsites.
$20 - $51 / night
Bayshore Campground is located along the Eastern Shore of Rock Hall Maryland, directly on the Chesapeake Bay. This waterfront destination offers a great camping experience, unique to other campgrounds. Our campground sits one story above sea level, offering breath taking sunsets every night and amazing views of the landscape. This elevation provides a nice breeze on hot summer nights. There is not much of a beach, but when the tide is low, you can savage for valuable sea glass, seashells, arrowheads and driftwood along the shoreline. You are welcome to fish off the Rocks on the Bay or in one of our two ponds, stocked with fish for catch and release. Do not be surprised if you catch a glimpse of our nations’ favorite bird, the Bald Eagle. Our tranquil location is the perfect place for relaxation, bonding with family and unwinding from life’s busy schedules. Spring, Summer and Fall are always the best times to visit, however we are open year round for the adventurists that want to camp in the colder months of the year.
Seasonal & Transient RV sites
Off Season Storage Dog Park
Pet Friendly (breed restrictions) Playground
Firewood available for purchase Waterfront Views
Available Dump Stations Catch and Release Fishing in our Ponds
2 Point Hook-up (water and electric) Basketball
Breath taking Sunsets Designated Campfire Pits
Relaxing & Peaceful Atmosphere Electric Hook-up 30 and 50 amp Service
Big Rig Accommodations Camp Store
Large Pull Through Sites Boat Ramp (boat size restrictions)
Incredibly Well Manicured Grounds
$42 - $82 / night
Scout
Sites were well-maintained, including lavatories. Plenty of tree cover. NOTE: park service forbade tying lines or straps to the trees at the time of our visit (Autumn 2024), so if you favor hammock camping or deploying tarps/ridgelines, plan accordingly.
Scout
super pretty. shower up in the dark but was super easy to navigate with a map. people super friendly.
Guide
I love this campground very much. I called the office book my reservation, the representative put me in Acorn loop.
When I arrived by the late evening, there are only two camper in a huge site. Then I drove to Butterfly loop, this site have much more peoples, some camper tell me, the Ranger will coming soon; finally the ranger help me move my site into the Butterfly loop. From my experience, better book campsite by yourself online, then you have an idea this site how many occupancy.
Traveler
We arrived at 1am, hadn’t made a reservation, and it was closed and the gates locked. No where on the website does it say it’s closed. Very frustrating, especially as a weary traveler.
Traveler
Did stay here after visting Vicksburg. Nice clean restrooms and showers. Friendly hostess and we had a nice shady spot, what was great with a heat of 94F.
Traveler
Staying in the overnight section was just OK. Only 4 50 amp spots, luckily we secured one. No sewer hookup, but there is a dump station in the seasonal/ permanent section. The campground is gated and that is nice, because the surrounding area is not great. *Highlight- super fun restaurant very nearby, great food, live music, on the Elk river. Restaurant is Unwind on the Water.
Guide
Good near by camping less then 90 minutes from me. Relatively quiet campsite, family friendly. We stayed in site 38 on the Acorn loop, which had a fair amount of roots and took some work to get leveled , but was manageable once the camper was leveled. Electric worked great. Hiking trails were infested with yellow jackets and stung myself and my wife while hiking. Also Steppingstone farm was closed , but was not indicated on the website prior to camping. If you like beer I recommend checking out Hopkins Brewery, which is about 8 minutes away from the campsite.
Guide
We were looking to explore Maryland's Eastern Shore and picked Tuckaho because they had electric sites available. We were so pleased with our stay. The campground is well maintained and the sites are great. We have a small travel trailer and our site was pretty level and nicely private. We backed up to a hiking trail which was nice. There's lots to do here. There's a disc golf course and the camp store has discs available to use. We've never played before but had a blast learning, now we're hooked. We also enjoyed kayaking on the lake. If you enjoy birding this park is great, we saw so many cool birds. There's an arboretum and horse riding trails. We will definitely be going back!
TravelerThis campground is pleasant, but the sites are situated quite close to one another. The camping area is away from the main parts of the park through gates, so you won't be bothered by non-camp traffic. A few hiking trails lead to many more extended trails, but it is a steep slope down to the river.
Scout
If you are a nature lover, a person who loves peace, serenity, and, tranquility, or just need some respite, Lacy Oasis is the place to be. 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. This space is about healing and being grounded with yourself. 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. There is not enough I can say about this place. It was definitely more than I expected. But my agency has worked with the owner in the past on other community support initiatives and she has always been an overachiever. Please come and enjoy this space. You will not be disappointed. I cannot wait to return.
GuideWe camped here to hike and visit Havre de Grace. For a State Park it's pretty nice. We have a tiny camper so we stayed on the Acorn loop which has a few sites with power. Our site was really good and I love that it had it's own access to the bathrooms. Quite a few of the inner loop sites do. If you're a tent camper Acorn has some very private and secluded sites. Beechnut sites are more open and close to the road. It also seemed more crowded and noisy over there. There is a hiking trail right off Acorn loop which was nice, with options for easy or difficult. The staff were super friendly and the bathrooms were kept clean. There was quite a bit of poison ivy though and we had to keep the dogs on tight leashes. Phone service is very spotty but if you wander around Beechnut you can pick some up. Lots of great hiking and there are a couple of great tubing and fishing areas. I would camp there again.
Guide
We stayed a week at Cherry Hill and it had everything we needed for visiting DC. Staff very helpful and really explained the Metro system very well. We didn't drive to DC at all - just used public transit We also did 2 tours with Cherry Hill, which were good overviews of the featured sites. Nicely stocked store, great cafe onsite, and clean bathrooms and showers were great features. Swimming pools pretty crowded so we didn't use. Still, very happy with site, partial shade too. Would return to Cherry Hill.
TravelerThis is a fairly nice, bare bones NPS campground. If you are really looking for somewhere to feel far away from civilization and see some beautiful scenery, this probably isn't it. Helicopters and planes fly over regularly, and you can hear sirens from neighboring college park. The campsites are pretty close together, we could see probably about 10 or so other campsites from our campsite. And there is not a ton to do within the park itself -- there are a few picnic areas, a pretty unimpressive small playground, some nature/walking trails, and that's about it.
But it is a pretty nice campground -- campsites and showers seem clean and well maintained, bathrooms are fine and you're never far away from one. Rangers come around regularly to check on things and every one we interacted with was extremely friendly. I don't think there's anything comparable so close to DC, so if you're in the DC area and just want someplace close by for a short camping trip, or are looking for an affordable outdoors-y option to stay while you're visiting DC from out of town, this probably fits the bill. As soon as you leave the park you are in College Park with Metro access close by, and very close to the Baltimore-Washington Parkway.
Traveler
Tried to reserve a site for August. Was told they only do long-term rentals.
Traveler
Everything is everything is well maintained. The sites are clean and level. Plenty of activities on site. And a live band on the weekends. Also close driving distance to many towns and cities.
Scout
Camp site wasn’t level at all. I was actually kind of worried that it would slide into the woods. Pool was dirty. Ran out of hot water. Got chided by the golf cart police for driving >20 mph. Stayed at nicer campgrounds for significantly less money.
Guide
Accessible and pet friendly. Great trails and great staff
TravelerQuick one night stop on our way south. While the sites are pretty exposed, it was a cold night so there were only a few other campers!
The bathroom was clean and extremely warm which was much appreciated after a cold night.
GuideWe love Elk Neck State Park! It is pristine… The bathrooms are immaculate…The town of Northeast is a hidden Gem… We will always stop here on our way to and from the Keys during our snow bird journeys…
Traveler
Camped weekend before Easter. Only 3 loops open and mostly full. Camp host never bothered us (there are currently 3 onsite). Really odd rules with campfires (must buy wood from park, can not burn anything laying on ground like sticks/dead branches). Nice walk around the lake.
RangerThe Campground is located conveniently at the corner of I95 and the Washington DC Beltway I495. It is an especially good Campground to stay at if you are planning on visiting Washington DC. Personally, I would say that is a good Campground for Overnight or a Trip to DC. There is a generally good sense of community, which is lucky because of how close together the sites are. There is a Bus Stop right by the Entrance to the Campground that will get you into Washington DC if you don’t feel like driving. The Camp store is very well stocked with camping stuff, food, and beer. There is also plenty to do for the kids, like Tractor Ride through the Campground. We visited Cherry Hill Park Campground in a Class A Motorhome and while it was tight, we fit no problem.
GuideElks Neck is a beautiful park located at the north end of the Chesapeake Bay. Very clean like the other MD State Parks
RangerWe go here when we want to just chill. It's a good place to do that. Site are nice and large and it's an enjoyable place to just go, burn wood and listen to nature. Fairly quiet when we were there!
Legend
We spent part of Labor Day weekend here, and there was almost nobody else there. The second night, one other pair of campers showed up. I found it super strange that more people didn’t take advantage of a campground on the river with availability. That said, there were a bunch of people who came in and used the cabins and invited large extended families during the day. They played loud music and had kids running all over the place, very festive atmosphere. It kind of felt like it was more appropriate for that kind of use. The camping areas were all on the lawn, and the owners were a bit uptight about which site we could choose (despite there being ample availability, and the person on the phone telling me that all sites were first come first serve). Just felt strange. We did enjoy taking evening walks through the town to the restaurant/bar on the water, but that was literally the only thing to do unless you have a fishing/crabbing license.
TravelerSpent 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. I was only one in the forest ATM but saw some hikers occasionally throughout the day walking by.
GuideYou can't beat this campground for a DC visit. DC hotels are pricey, so getting to the Mall to visit the (mostly free!) museums and monuments is the biggest challenge if you stay outside the city. Cherry Hill Park in Beltsville, MD is a great option. In season, their buses run, but even off season a Metro Bus has a stop right at the campground. We opted to make the very short drive to the College Park Metro (subway/train) and park in the garage. It was only about $5 to park for the day. If you've not been to DC, the Metro trains are among the best in the US. If you get the unlimited pass and put it on your iPhone, it's super easy to get around.
The campground is well run. The bathrooms/showers are very clean and modern. The grounds are well maintained. The sites are all nice and level, but rather close, as expected given the proximity to DC. The staff is helpful and friendly. Security is excellent. We dined at Mamma Lucia just down the street the first night and we all had very good meals. There's a large grocery store in the same shopping center, and IKEA is also very close.
The only con is the road noise. It's close to 95 and the trucks are loud in the night. We got used to it after the first night. If it had been summer, we would have left the fan on, but as it was November, that wasn't an option. Even so, it was a minor issue and it wouldn't stop us from staying again.
Bottom line, for a DC RV trip, it doesn't get any better than Cherry Hill Park. We had a very nice visit at Cherry Hill Park, and it was wonderful visiting all the great DC sites again. Fall and Winter are excellent times to visit to avoid the crowds.
Traveler
Sites are on top of each other. Water hookup access was on the ground. It was raining and the area was saturated with no where to drain. Very pricey for a dumpy place
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Chester, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Chester, MD is Tuckahoe State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 29 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 59 dog-friendly camping locations near Chester, MD, with real photos and reviews from campers.
