Best Equestrian Camping near Damascus, MD

This park is a perfect location if you want to explore Gettysburg National Historical Site as you can literally walk across the street and be in the park or venture½ mile up the road and you come to the park’s main visitor center. The campground has a bunch of different sites whether you want to spend more money for a premium full hook-up or save a few bucks and just get water and electric. There are lots of tent sites, cabins, and horse stalls with a corral for those traveling with horses. The park is also very close to the historic downtown so you don’t have to drive too far for the attractions. 

We were able to do contactless check-in by making the reservation and paying over the phone. When we arrived, they had a packet out on a picnic table for us with directions to our site and information about the park and the surrounding area. But, the best part of the check-in was that we got a free bundle of wood and the cutest little s’mores packet which had just enough fixings for the two of us. Such a great touch that we really appreciated. We had a gravel pull thru site which was easy to navigate in and out of with our tow car attached and was plenty long enough. The roads are gravel but were not dusty. The site and patio were gravel and a mix of grass. The campground was very clean and well-cared for. 

Some of the sites are in the open without much shade but some other areas have some nice shade.  Most of the tent section is pretty open with a few trees scattered about.  Some of the sites (i.e., 82) is very close to the playground and the fishing pond which get quite a bit of action so be aware of the nearby amenities when you choose a site.  

This park is well-suited for people traveling with horses. There are multiple pens and a fenced riding arena and ample RV sites and cabins in the near the horse stalls and there is a hose wash rack. 

Some of the things we liked about this park:

• There is a big section of the park dedicated to horses as the National Riding Stables are located on the grounds. You can get guided tours of the battlefield on their rescue horses.

• A 24/7 firewood dispensing machine– which we had never seen before• Catch and release fishing pond• Free putt putt golf.

• Heated swimming pool

• Clean, well-kept campground• Lots of activities for kids with playgrounds, volleyball basketball, game room, camp store, movies, pool, etc.

We paid $44/night for our full hook-up site (#45) which we didn’t think was too expensive or unreasonable. Luckily for us, nobody was next to us during our stay (in May) as the neighboring sites were pretty close and this campground probably feels very tight when it’s full. The close proximity to Gettysburg NHS was the biggest plus of this park for us.

Saw a snake, alligator snapping turtle, and rabbits, before we even reached the gates. Moderate privacy and space, especially considering how close it is to DC. There are some abandon camp loops around the open campground which makes for some cool walks with your dog. Very pretty area with lots of trails and overgrown roads to walk. Equestrian trails go deep into the woods if you want a longer trail. Bathrooms don’t look like much from the outside, but the inside is very nice. Clean, hot water, and good water pressure. The have a new dump station, but the hose has an anti-freeze up in the air with a pull cord valve. This means every time you pull to turn the water on, you get a shower. It was hot, so it was OK. Hahaha. They sell firewood, but they were huge pieces and getting them to start burning was tough. LOTS and LOTS of ticks. I got one, but my wife and dog got about a dozen each. Just bring tweezers. Each site had picnic table, fire ring, and pretty level parking spot.

Spent a weekend at Gettysburg. We camped at Artillery Ridge Campground, which served as an artillery storage/staging area for the Union during the battle. Behind the campsite we stayed at, we learned connected to Stangler Farm, which served as a hospital for the wounded. Literally right outside the entrance of the campgrounds is where the battlefield starts. So close to history. We have been to Gettysburg before, but going with the kids again being older, we all had a greater appreciation of the sacrifice of this 3-day battle. We did Park Ranger tours to learn about the 1st shot and how the war started to stand in the footsteps of General Buford at Senitary Ridge in the cupola overseeing the battlefield. Later in the day we took a horse carriage ride through the battlefields, Picketts Charge and the peach orchard with a private guide to learn every ounce of the battlefield and the major players to learn about the 3 days of fighting that took place to how the civilians of Gettysburg were impacted. The three day battle claimed over 50,000 lives and we toured the town of Gettysburg to learn how the community had to deal with the aftermath of the masses who perished, the smell which went on for over 30 miles and limited resources such as clean water. It's amazing to see how history was so preserved but right across the street from battlefields where so many died stands fast food restaurants, and hotels. A little surreal. Would definitely recommend a ride out to Gettysburg and this campground, which is right next to the battlefields. Clean facilities. If you are into horses, this is the place for you! Though sites are not very private, everyone is very respectful, and you are not on top of each other. Quiet hours are observed, which is nice too. Store has a great variety of souviners, treats, and emergency camping items. You can't get any closer to history than here. Would definitely recommend if you are looking to visit Gettysburg.

We picked up the camping registration outside the office at the entrance, no need to speak with anyone. Then we just drove down to our campsite in the family camping loop. We could hear and smell horses when we got to our campsite, but it didn't last forever. 

The site was mostly clean, had a few pieces of small trash scattered around when we arrived. The sites were decently spaced out from one another, it didn't feel like we were right on top of the people across and next to us. Our site was close to the restroom, it had a little path leading to the restroom, and it looked like there was little trail paths all around leading to the restrooms from the different parts of the loop. The path leading to the restroom from our site was gravel and easy to walk on. The restrooms were clean, but the floor was wet almost the entire time we were there (likely due to the showers).

If you need to buy wood it is $5 for 8 pieces and you call a number given to you in your registration packet. The ranger will then drive by and drop off the wood at your campsite. The inner ring of this loop has electricity, and the electric box was just on the far side of the picnic table in the corner.