The Dyrt – find campgrounds for tents, RVs, cabins, glamping and more.
Open in App
Map showing campgrounds near Chevy Chase, MarylandExplore the Map

Best Tent Camping near Chevy Chase, MD

703 Reviews

Walk-in and primitive tent camping sites can be found within a short drive of Chevy Chase, Maryland, with several options along the Potomac River and C&O Canal corridor. Marsden Tract Group Campsite in the George Washington Memorial Parkway offers tent-only camping with walk-in access approximately 3 miles northwest of Chevy Chase. The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring provides walk-in tent sites about 10 miles north. For tent campers seeking more established facilities, Patapsco Valley State Park's Hilton Area, located 25 miles northeast, features tent-only sites with no RVs allowed. Several hiker-biker campsites along the C&O Canal National Historical Park, including Swains Lock and Horsepen Branch, provide primitive tent camping experiences with Potomac River views.

Most tent campgrounds near Chevy Chase require campers to park and carry gear short distances to their sites. Tent pads vary from crushed stone at Patapsco Valley to natural surfaces at C&O Canal sites. Basic amenities typically include fire rings, picnic tables, and pit toilets or vault latrines. Water availability varies significantly - some sites offer non-potable pumps requiring treatment, while others have no water access, necessitating campers bring their own supply. The camping season generally runs April through October, with some sites available year-round. Pack-in, pack-out policies apply at most primitive locations, particularly along the C&O Canal where trash receptacles are limited or nonexistent.

Tent campers frequently note the accessibility of these sites despite their proximity to urban areas. According to reviews, Swains Lock campsites along the C&O Canal offer "flat and dispersed sites with most located adjacent to the river" with manageable walks from parking areas. At Patapsco Valley State Park, campers should "avoid booking a site at the very bottom" of the loop as these areas can become waterlogged during rain. The C&O Canal hiker-biker campsites provide particularly good options for backcountry tent camping without long hikes, though some visitors recommend earplugs at certain locations due to nearby train tracks. Wildlife sightings are common, with campers reporting deer, wild turkeys, and various bird species at dawn and dusk.

Best Tent Sites Near Chevy Chase, Maryland (33)

Show More
Showing results 1-10 of 33 campgrounds

2026 Explorer Giveaway

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win

Chevy Chase Contest

Enter to Win

Recent Tent Camping Photos near Chevy Chase, MD

43 Photos of 33 Chevy Chase Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Chevy Chase, MD

703 Reviews of 33 Chevy Chase Campgrounds

  • RL
    Apr. 13, 2021

    Sky Meadows State Park Campground

    Great views, primitive camping

    We hiked the one mile into the campground and stayed for a night. It was a pretty flat walk from the overnight parking area to the campground. In the campground there is one bathroom facility with two vault toilets (although one of the doors was locked while we were there, which was unpleasant with a full campground). No running water or showers in the bathhouses. Non-potable water pump is near the restroom. Boil water at least three minutes before consuming. There are two areas with firewood (purchase when you check in or pay $6 cash at the kiosk - honor system). Each site has a bear box, fire ring, picnic table, tent pad with pea gravel, and a lantern pole. Definitely will be back!

    The park has wide open rolling hills and mountain views. Lots of families picnicking and flying kites 🪁💙

  • Lucas B.
    Jul. 2, 2017

    Sky Meadows State Park Campground

    Awesome foray into backpacking

    Came here for the first time in February 2017 to do a shakedown on some new backpacking and camping gear. Super friendly staff and easy check in process. Parking is in a locked lot steps away from trail head which leads to campsites about a mile away. Campsites are in a wooded area of park well away from other park attractions so it's very quiet. Sites are spaced far apart and come with tent pad, picnic table, fire pit and lantern pole. Non potable water is available via hand pump near rest rooms. Rest rooms are very nice and clean. No showers. This was one of my favorite camping experiences ever and I will definitely be back!

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 31, 2019

    Greenbrier State Park Campground - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

    Nice hiking opportunities!

    Ranger Review: Firebiner and Fiber Light Fire Starter at Greenbrier State Park

    **Campground Review: **

    We were here one week before this campground closed for the season (open April through October) and it was so quiet that it was hard to imagine what it is like in the summer when the beach is open and the campground is likely full. There are four loops; two with no hookups and no pets allowed, one with no hookups that allow pets and one with electric sites that allow pets. Each site is clearly defined, and the sites all appeared level with gravel pads. The bathrooms were reasonable. There are several trails in the campground plus it is close to several AT day hikes.

    There is a large day-use area and beach with lots of picnic tables. While the beach was closed for swimming, we saw a kayaker and two people fishing from a boat. Many hiking trails and this is an excellent place to camp if you’d like to do AT day hikes.

    ------------------------- 

    Product Review: 

    As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I have the opportunity to test products. At this campground, we tested the Firebiner and Fiber Light Fire Starter by Outdoor Elements. I’m reviewing both products since they can be used together, and we had much more luck with one than the other. 

    Upon unpacking my box from Outdoor Elements, my first experience was that it took a sharp knife to free the Firebiner from its cardboard backing, which was not an auspicious start. Once at our campground, we were able to use the safety blade to easily open the plastic packaging on our firewood. Unfortunately, it took several tries by two men trying the Firebiner to get a spark; they had to really crank on it, and it was not enough to light a fire. I’m guessing that with more patience and practice, it would have worked. Admittedly, we are car campers and not backpackers (and have the luxury of being able to carry/use a butane lighter), but I was looking forward to trying a new method. 

    We did use the Fiber Light Fire Starter and using our tried and true fire-starting methods, we got a roaring fire started very quickly. So, we had a 50% success! Packed in a small tin, you only need a pinch to easily get a fire started so we will use this in the future. 

    We also used the cutting tool on the Firebiner a few days later to remove the wristband from an activity we participated in and also used it to hang our lantern on a hook; this little tool is very strong (did not test but appreciate the 100-pound weight limit). I appreciate that it can also be used as a screwdriver, so the Firebiner is truly a multi-use tool!

  • Michelle N.
    Aug. 13, 2020

    Antietam Creek Campground — Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park

    Great Site Along the Potomac River

    Stayed one night on 8/9.

    This is such a nice little spot right along the Potomac River. All sites are walk-in only, which means you park on the street, cross the bridge over the C&O and towpath, and then down a little hill to your site. When my dog and I arrived, someone was still there, but after letting them know I had this spot reserved, they promptly packed out. There were no camp hosts on-site and nowhere to check in. 

    There isn't much privacy between you and your neighbors (or the C&O towpath so be prepared to see bikers, walkers, and runners). Each site has a grill, fire pit, and picnic table. I stayed at Site 11 which had its own path down to the Potomac River. It was quite steep for my bum knees and ankles, but I saw kids easily run up and down it. The Potomac is mostly flat with some "swirlies" for experienced paddlers. I also saw some people tubing. 

    There's one bathroom area- 2 pit toilets and 2 portapotties. There is nowhere to leave trash, so be sure to follow Leave No Trace principles and pack everything out with you. The sites are fully or mostly shaded. Be prepared to make friends with bugs, but they shouldn't bother you. Also great news- no mosquitoes! 

    I have Verizon and had better service by my car on the road than at the actual campsite. At the site I could make calls but couldn't check the internet. Other than a few check-in calls to family, I was looking to unplug for the night. 

    I ended up not sleeping overnight due to a personal health issue, but I am looking forward to coming back when it's a little cooler.

  • Reba H.
    May. 2, 2023

    Sky Meadows State Park Campground

    Please don't treat this like car camping

    I understand why people are lugging wheeled carts a mile into this campground, but it is technically not allowed. This is a backcountry/backpacking experience. Most of the hike-in is on Hadow Trail, which is dirt, not gravel. It is technically an equestrian trail too, but there's no way a horse could make it without breaking an ankle right now; the trail is so worn down by wheeled cart usage that the park has created a service project on the American Hiking Society's website calling for volunteers to do restoration work on Hadow Trail on this year's upcoming National Trails Day.

    I hiked in while it was raining, and the mud wasn't as bad as I'd feared. However, the worn down parts of the trail attracted rainwater drainage, and the runoff narrowed the trail significantly. When I got to Boston Mill Rd Trail, which is gravel, the hike was easy, until the spur turning into the campground, when the trek goes uphill. If your site is further back, you will be hiking up and down many hills throughout the campground. The hills are fantastic for helping each site feel like a little private oasis. Even if the campground is full, I think most of the sites would still feel shaded and private because of how they're dispersed throughout the hills. 

    My site bordered the buddy site and scout group sites at the beginning of the campground, so there was noise from loud kids but not as bad as I thought it might be. I was still able to enjoy peace and quiet, as the group respected quiet hours and was busy hiking the rest of the state park during the daytime, so don't shy away from this site if it's the only one available. The group sites also have their own latrine at the beginning of the campground, which pleasantly surprised me because this meant there were two latrines fairly close to each other, just to accommodate projected usage. There are many thoughtful details like this throughout the design of the campground facilities. 

    For a backcountry campground, I was SO impressed with how stocked and clean everything was. Firewood is $8 (honor system), but there was some leftover at my site already. My firepit had a quality grill gate too. There are LOTS of bear trash cans available, and having a bear box at my campsite to store my food/trash/toiletries was so much easier than hanging a bear bag. If it hadn't rained, I also would've been able to use the hammock posts at my site (you could use these to hang a clothesline too if you wanted). When I talked over the phone with a ranger, she told me that only a few campsites didn't have hammock stands. If you think a lantern is worth its weight to carry in, there's a lantern post on the tent pad. I loved how level the tent pad was even on a hill. I couldn't figure out how to use the potable water pump, but there are plentiful creeks you can filter water from.

    Overall, this is a fantastic campground for a beginner backpacking experience in the real backcountry. Use the Avenza Maps app that the park has its map uploaded into, and you won't get lost finding the overnight parking/self check-in station like I did. Know the gate code of this area before you go. The gate takes a hard push and pull. If you're prepared for all this, you'll arrive at camp before dusk when the wild animals come out. At night I saw white-tailed deer and heard owls and cattle! During the day I saw/heard SOOO many birds on the South Ridge Trail and found a bear track after the Cpt. Morgan Trail on the creek side of Hadow Trail!! If all this sounds awful rather than exciting to you, just drive in for the day and stick to the historic areas rather than venture into the park's backcountry areas.

  • Amy S.
    Jul. 17, 2018

    Sky Meadows State Park Campground

    Great hike in campground

    It's about a mile hike in to the campground, which sits in the woods in the park. Firewood is available for sale and there are fire rings with grates and a picnic table. Sites are large enough for three one person tents. Pit toilets, no showers, cell service. Make sure you bring a bear bag or box with you.

  • Laura M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 11, 2023

    Greenbelt Park Campground — Greenbelt Park

    Beautiful campground, and great for visiting DC

    Beautiful campground, fairly large with 4 separate loops. Loop A is for organized groups/youth/scouts, Loop B is for tents and RVs under 30 ft, Loop C is for tents, and Loop D is for tents and RVs under 35 ft. No hookups at any of the sites.

    There’s a dump station and drinking water fill in loop C (sorry tenters who wanted to avoid RVs). The water fill was a little annoying in that there’s a handle you have to hold down the whole time, but we used a rock to prop the handle down. 

    The bathhouses are ok, happy to have free showers with hot running water. Faucets allow you to control the temperature and there’s continuous running water (no button to push). There’s only one large shower per bath house, and you only have a curtain (no door and no lock). Sites vary in levelness, some are fairly level and some are on a mini hill. Driveways are all very narrow. Most have too much tree cover for solar or starlink, but some sites are more open and you might be able to make it work. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. Cost is $20/night, must reserve on recreation.gov, and you can do that when you arrive and pick a site (no service fee for this site)

    Cell service is pretty good for Verizon and ATT. 

    No alcohol allowed in the park. 

    GETTING TO DC: There’s normally a walking path from the campground to the metro station that takes you into DC (the green line takes you to the National Mall), but as of Oct 2023 the bridge is out due to a storm, and by the looks of it it’s been out a while and it doesn’t appear that it will be fixed soon. So what we did, since we don’t have a tow car, and just have our 26ft motorhome, is we packed up and drove to the Greenbelt station about 5 miles away, parked there for the day, and took the green line into town. The lot there is huge and open and free on weekends. Weekdays it’s about $5/day if you take the metro, and about $9 if you’re just parking there. The College Park station is closer but is apparently a parking garage (can’t confirm because we didn’t go to that station). This worked very well for us. You can pay for the metro with an app or get a card, either way it costs you $2 to buy the card, and then $2 each way on the train. Everyone over age 5 needs their own card, no sharing one card. The train ride from the Greenbelt station to the national mall is about 30 min. Get off at the Archives station to be in the center of all the sites.

  • A
    Sep. 24, 2020

    Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area

    Nice Small Campsite Close to DC

    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 and it was very wet even after the rain died down. Another negative was after the storm for the next few days we heard trees falling nearby. Where we were hiking. 😬 The positives are as others have pointed out there is a huge park for kids- it’s not within walking distance for little kids but it’s a very short drive by the entrance to the park. There’s also another small park on the loop. The restrooms were central and well maintained. We found a small river and swimming hole at the bottom of the hill off to the side opposite the cabins/park. All sites had a picnic table and fire ring. Firewood available from camp host. Hiking poles would have been good for the trails when we had a kid in a pack on our back. Overall a nice close small campground.

  • Napunani
    Jun. 24, 2022

    Little Bennett Campground

    Nice County Park

    PROS 

    Very nice small Montgomery County Park 

    No reservation fee to make on-line reservations 

    Reserved 137 days prior to arriving 

    Entrance gate required entry code Instructed by staff via gate phone to proceed to campsite as check-in at camp store is at dead end with insufficient turning space for pickup towing 28ft bumper pull; complete check-in after camper was unhooked at site

     Great night sky viewing as no lights what so ever in camping loops except for toilet/shower buildings 

    Lots of vegetation between sites providing privacy from neighbors 

    Site#D69 shady 

    Very quiet campground 

    Site#D69 level side-to-side but we were forced to greatly elevate front of trailer to level front-to-back 

    Site#D69 gravel parking pad 

    Wooden/metal picnic table that was moveable 

    Metal fire pit with cooking grate 

    Toilet/shower facility very clean 

    3 washers and 3 dryers, along with folding tables in the basement of the check-in building. Accepted credit card for $1.75/load 

    Harper’s Ferry National Historical park 35 miles from Park 

    Walmart and Wegman’s 5 miles from Park 

    CONS 

    Out-of-state campers pay higher camping fee than Maryland residents,$66/night 

    No senior or veteran discount 

    Trees falling on Park power lines caused power outage for hours 

    No toilet/shower facility in FHU loop so had to hike to facilities in Loops B & E

    No camp host 

    No ranger patrolling thru campsite 

    No WIFI 

    1 bar Verizon

Guide to Chevy Chase

Tent camping options near Chevy Chase, Maryland primarily cluster along the Potomac River watershed, with most sites situated between 250-400 feet elevation. The camping season typically runs April through October, though summer months bring higher humidity levels and temperatures averaging 85-90°F. Several campsites feature woodland settings with oak and hickory tree cover, offering natural shade during peak summer months.

What to do

Water recreation access: Patapsco Valley State Park offers multiple water activities within 25 miles of Chevy Chase. "We found a small river and swimming hole at the bottom of the hill off to the side opposite the cabins/park," notes Alexandra T. about Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area.

Hiking trail options: Explore both short and moderate trails within 30 minutes of Chevy Chase. "There are a lot of easy, but beautiful hikes," shares Sean M. about the trails at Patapsco Valley State Park, adding that "the trails we have been on are all pretty moderate to hard but offer beautiful waterfalls and river views."

Fossil hunting opportunities: Search for fossils along shorelines at parks within day-trip distance. "Our favorite thing to do is to fossil hunt for sharks teeth," reports Angel G. about activities at Sandy Point State Park Youth Group Camping, located 45 minutes east of Chevy Chase.

What campers like

Nature immersion close to urban areas: Tent sites provide woodland seclusion despite proximity to neighborhoods. "Purchasers the camp site is beautiful secluded quiet wonderful if you're looking for that extreme outdoors a no civilization," mentions Chrystal P. about Marsden Tract Group Campsite.

Kid-friendly amenities: Several campgrounds feature playgrounds and nature programs specifically designed for children. "There is a huge playground, sensory trail and nature discovery center at the entrance to the park," reports Angel G. about Patapsco Valley State Park, noting that "most sites that are north of the path shown are not really there."

Wildlife viewing opportunities: Many campsites offer chances to observe local fauna. "The small crabs were skittering around the campsite and birds perched in the marsh," notes Caleb S. about their stay at The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring, located approximately 10 miles north of Chevy Chase.

What you should know

Site surface variations: Be prepared for different tent pad surfaces across campgrounds. "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," advises Sean M. about Patapsco Valley State Park.

Water access limitations: Many sites require campers to bring their own water supply. "No water no bathrooms or electricity but all in all it's beautiful," mentions Chrystal P. about Marsden Tract Group Campsite, emphasizing the primitive nature of this camping option.

Parking and access considerations: Several campgrounds require walking gear in from parking areas. "It's a good hike to get to the campsite there's no parking nearby," warns Chrystal P. about Leesylvania State Park Campground, requiring campers to plan accordingly for equipment transport.

Tips for camping with families

Playground proximity: Choose sites near play areas for easier family camping. "This park is ALWAYS full of family's having picnics and enjoying time together! There's playground and a beach area for kids and family to all enjoy," recommends Sarah F. about Leesylvania State Park.

Educational opportunities: Several campgrounds offer nature programs specifically for children. "This place will have a positive effect on you. Whether you are an adult or a child," shares Terrance D. about Lacy Oasis Campground, adding that "my agency took about 25 children there last week and they did not want to leave."

Weather preparedness: When camping with children, prepare for rapid weather changes. "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," cautions Alexandra T. about best tent camping near Chevy Chase at Patapsco Valley State Park.

Tips from RVers

Site selection considerations: Choose upper loop sites when available. "Avoid booking a site at the very bottom," advises experienced campers at Patapsco Valley State Park, as Alexandra T. notes these areas "was hard to set up as we arrived during a storm and it was very wet even after the rain died down."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Chevy Chase, MD?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Chevy Chase, MD is Marsden Tract Group Campsite — George Washington Memorial Parkway with a 5-star rating from 1 review.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Chevy Chase, MD?

TheDyrt.com has all 33 tent camping locations near Chevy Chase, MD, with real photos and reviews from campers.

Keep Exploring

  3. View all Maryland cities for camping