135 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Campgrounds near Dickerson, Maryland range from developed sites with full amenities to more primitive options along the C&O Canal Towpath. Little Bennett Campground in nearby Clarksburg serves as the primary established campground in the immediate area, offering tent sites, RV hookups, cabins, and glamping options within a wooded setting approximately 5 miles from Dickerson. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park provides several hiker-biker campsites with more basic facilities, including Marble Quarry and Calico Rocks, catering to those seeking a more rustic camping experience along the historic canal corridor.
Camping is available primarily from spring through fall, with most campgrounds operating from April through October. Little Bennett Campground charges higher fees for out-of-state visitors, with rates around $66 per night. One camper noted, "It's a great place for family and kids right on the river, great for fishing and very easy to get to." Reservations are strongly recommended, especially for weekend stays when many campgrounds implement a two-night minimum requirement. Facilities vary significantly between the developed county park at Little Bennett, which offers electricity, water hookups, and shower facilities, and the more primitive canal campsites that typically provide only vault toilets and seasonal water pumps.
Campers consistently mention the family-friendly atmosphere at Little Bennett, with activities like jumping pillows, pedal carts, and laser tag available on weekends. The campground features spacious sites with good separation and privacy between neighbors. "Little Bennett has spacious RV and tent sites as well as cabins and yurts. It's very clean and well maintained," reported one visitor. Many reviews highlight the well-maintained trails within the park for day hiking. Hiker-biker campsites along the C&O Canal receive mixed reviews, with train noise being a common complaint at certain locations like Calico Rocks. Several reviewers recommend bringing earplugs if staying at canal campsites near the tracks, while others appreciate the easy river access these sites provide for fishing and recreation.
"Quiet woods in Maryland about 30 or 40 miles north of DC. Tenting, and RV spots partial to full service. Just of hiway 270. pricey ($66/night) for a state park, but nice."
"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"
"We set up camp at Harpers Ferry/Civil War Battlefields KOA Holiday as our launchpad to visit the historic sites in and around Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, and Frederick, Maryland. "
"It’s very close to Harper’s Ferry (almost worth the hike into town rather than the difficulty finding parking in a town with one parking lot)."
from $40 - $80 / night
Check Availability"Picked this location because it is close to our home in Silver Spring, MD but far enough to make us feel like we were leaving town."
"Great location right next the river. Easy to walk into the river or tube down it. Lots of different activities for kids and plenty of space at each site to make your home away from home."
from $10 - $90 / night
Check Availability"We set up our tent in the far side of the campground close to the lake ( site 27). It is slightly slant but still comfortable in the tent. Bathrooms are close by and kept clean."
"For tent camping I would suggests sites 30,33 or 35 these are tucked along the tree line. The bathroom facilities were the cleanest I have seen in a campground."
from $30 - $70 / night
Check Availability"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."
from $23 - $29 / night
Check Availability"If you would like to do some exploring, then you can walk the trail right next to the campground into the historical town of Harper's Ferry (If you’re facing the river then the trail is to the right of"
"Harper's Ferry is a little town in WV nestled right next to the Potomac River. It's also a convenient halfwayish point on the Appalachian Trail."
"The site was very level, nicely shaded, and positioned a short distance from the bath house. There was also a water spigot located right at the entrance of the site."
"There was a walking path to the bathhouse between 13 and 14. Sites 8-11 were on a nice open field, with some smaller trees."
from $18 - $50 / night
Check Availability"Metrorail is about 6 miles from campground, near University of Maryland."
"Great camping amenities, soft cushioned sites, with power and water close by. DO NOT GET BASIC TENT SITES AS THEY ARE NEXT TO HIGHWAYS AND VERY NOISY!!! Premium tent sites would be a better choice."
from $999 / night
Check Availability"History buffs will like to explore the park surrounding the campground. Fun little water park within walking distance of all campsites that was great for kids."
"We booked site 136 due to proximity of the playground (traveling with a 5 & 10 yr old). The site was great except the weird parking stops on every site but the pull throughs."
from $39 - $100 / night
Check Availability"You are able to drive right up to the camp area and we kept our car right next to our tent. There are nearby chickens, geese and pigs. "
from $30 / night
Check Availability
ScoutThe staff is certainly at the office not competent. Someone ran over my house when we were away and damaged it. The WiFi didn’t work any of the day but upon assistance request no one was willing to help. It couldn’t be worse. We have no other words except never a KOA location again.
ScoutTrip -week before labor day , temps 93 degrees, nothing on website when booked said about peak and non peak days on booking page. Said there were only 7 sites left(complete lie) campground was empty. First time we ever been to a place where EVERYTHING was closed. Campstore, jump pillow and the final straw was we went to go to the pool and that was closed. It was 545 pm sun still bright in the sky , nowhere near dusk( when its suppose to close) . So much conflicting info from what the paper we got handed vs what internet site said. Charged a resort fee ? for what a place to park? This is no resort. Grass was high enough to be seeding itself. My wife was so upset she was actually crying. This was supposed to be a fun trip for our da6ughter before going back to school. We decided this place over Buttonwood just because it was alittle closer. Did a full tour of the place. Realized there is nothing here. Went to dinner in town. Decided we didnt want to stay where we knew our Daughter would be bored. She's pretty easy to entertain but this was just ridiculous. 12 HOURS OF MY LIFE AND $400 BUCKS i will never get back. (Loading , driving , realizing we got screwed, driving, unloading) yup was pretty bad.
TravelerBased 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.
ScoutWe absolutely loved it. The camp spaces were a nice and spread out lot not congested actually it was really nobody here which I can’t believe because the place is absolutely beautiful. There is a little bit of noise from route 30 during the day, but you don’t hear really anything at night Plus there is a really great bar/restaurant about 100 yards away. Called Yionnis and their food is actually delicious.
GuideWhat 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.
ScoutThe park is very well maintained, and the campsites have clean fire pits and cooking grills. The restrooms are clean, spacious, and well maintained, and my campsite was large enough to comfortably fit a 6-person tent and a canopy.
However, there were a few concerns during our stay. Despite the campground’s quiet hours policy starting at 10:00 PM, many campers continued to make noise well past that time. I did not notice any campground staff or maintenance personnel making rounds to enforce the quiet hours.
I also felt concerned about security. One of my neighboring campers, who was visiting from South Carolina, told me that his generator had been stolen during the night. He reported the theft to the police, and an official report was filed. Incidents like this made me feel unsafe while camping.
I recommend increasing staff or security patrols, especially during the evening and overnight hours, to enforce quiet hours and improve the safety and security of campers and their belongings. With better enforcement and security, Burke Lake Campground would provide an even better camping experience.
GuideWonderful campground that has all you need: full hookup, bathrooms, shower, laundry, gift shop, parts shop
ScoutStaff is friendly and everything is kept up well, newly renovated pool and pavilion area.
TravelerFor $90 per night the WiFi should work better. Didn’t connect at all. Had to use the antenna pointed East to get local Baltimore news.
Camping near Dickerson, Maryland provides easy access to the Potomac River and Appalachian Mountains, with most campgrounds situated at elevations between 300-500 feet. Summer temperatures typically range from 70-90°F, creating ideal conditions for outdoor activities from April through October. Sites fill quickly on weekends when day temperatures reach the 80s.
Hiking the C&O Canal: Brunswick Family Campground offers direct access to the historic towpath. "The C&O canal cuts right through to allow for some great walks. Close to Harpers Ferry and tubing," notes Susan K. The path connects to numerous trails for multi-day explorations.
Mountain biking: Gambrill State Park Campground attracts riders with technical trails. "Right outside the park is the Frederick watershed where many locals take advantage of the trails for mountain biking," explains Melissa C. The park features multiple trail loops with varying difficulty levels.
Fishing spots: Riverside sites allow for bank fishing without additional travel. "The Shanandoah is just as beautiful. The little store has just the necessities and there is an amazing playground for the kids," shares Brian S. about his experience at Brunswick Family Campground. Many campers bring their own gear for smallmouth bass and catfish.
River access: Harpers Ferry Campground provides waterfront sites. "It is right on the river so you can go swimming right from your campsite! The only downside is you are directly next to train tracks," explains Robin W. Sites along the water typically cost $5-10 more than standard sites.
Privacy between sites: Greenbrier State Park Campground offers wooded separation. "Each loop winds its way up a hillside, in a woodsy setting, so even though the sites are close to one another, you get a feeling of separation," notes Jonathan B. The campground features four distinct camping loops with varying levels of seclusion.
Clean facilities: Bathrooms and shower facilities receive regular attention. "The bathhouse was very clean and the staff friendly. Water fill & Dump Station on the beach side of the bathhouse," reports Corey B. about Lake Fairfax Campground. Most established campgrounds clean facilities twice daily during peak season.
Train noise: Multiple campgrounds along the Potomac River sit near active rail lines. At Harpers Ferry/Civil War Battlefields KOA, one camper noted, "Cell service in the area for both AT&T and Verizon was poor. I do not know if this was due to the terrain or lack of towers." Train schedules typically show most activity between 5am-10pm.
Site leveling challenges: Many campgrounds in this mountainous region have uneven terrain. "Site#D69 level side-to-side but we were forced to greatly elevate front of trailer to level front-to-back," reported a camper at Little Bennett Campground. Bringing extra leveling blocks is recommended, especially for sites numbered 60-80 in most parks.
Weekend crowding: Summer weekends fill quickly, particularly at sites with water access. "When we pulled the rangers where blocking traffic to the park. They said that the park was full. OMG they were right," shares Jim L. about Greenbrier State Park. Reservations made 3-4 months in advance are strongly recommended for Friday and Saturday stays.
Water activities: Lake Fairfax Campground offers multiple water features. "A lot to do: mountain bike trails; wooded hikes with water along the trails, skateboard park, BMX park, Water Park near the campground, fishing, & canoeing," shares Amy B. The water park charges a separate admission fee of $10-15 per person.
Educational opportunities: Historic sites provide learning experiences. "Harpers Ferry Lower Town and Bolivar Heights are a few minutes by car (or shuttle from the Visitor Center). Frederick and Antietam are each barely 30-minutes by car," notes Matt S. Many sites offer junior ranger programs from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature updated play equipment. "My family loves this camp ground. It's conveniently located, it's quite, it's beautiful and there is plenty to do to keep the kids busy," reports Ryan D. about Little Bennett Campground. Most playgrounds are centrally located near bathroom facilities.
Site selection: End sites typically offer more space. "The sites are quiet, very spacious, level, and heavily wooded with 50A service, water and sewer hookup. D Loop is for RVs, A, B, C& E are tents only," advises Ray & Terri F. about Little Bennett Campground. Corner sites often cost $2-5 more per night but provide 30-40% more space.
Dump station locations: Several campgrounds offer convenient facilities. "Clean and level gravel site with well-maintained utility hook-ups," reports Matt S. about Harpers Ferry KOA. Dump stations typically operate from 8am-8pm with limited Sunday hours at some locations.
Limited cell service: Coverage varies significantly throughout the region. "AT&T 5 MB/s w/o booster (1 bar), 8 MB/s with it (2 bars). There is no satellite coverage due to the heavy tree canopy," notes Ray & Terri F. Signal boosters are recommended for remote work needs, particularly in valley campgrounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Dickerson, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, Dickerson, MD offers a wide range of camping options, with 135 campgrounds and RV parks near Dickerson, MD and 1 free dispersed camping spot.
Which is the most popular campground near Dickerson, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Dickerson, MD is Little Bennett Campground with a 4-star rating from 23 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Dickerson, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, there is 1 free dispersed camping spot near Dickerson, MD.
What parks are near Dickerson, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 18 parks near Dickerson, MD that allow camping, notably Rock Creek Park and National Mall & Memorial Parks.
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