J
JC T.
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TravelerCowans Gap State Park Campground
Great spot for a weekend away!
Very clean campgrounds with nice trails along the lake and the creek that feeds it! Plenty of space near swimming area and even a geocache to find!
Camping near Ellerslie, MD
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SUMMARY PRESENTED BY
Ellerslie, Maryland provides convenient access to a variety of camping experiences throughout the Appalachian region of western Maryland and nearby Pennsylvania. Rocky Gap State Park Campground, approximately 10 miles northeast of Ellerslie, offers tent sites, RV hookups, cabins, and yurts set alongside Lake Habeeb with shaded woodland campsites. Green Ridge State Forest, located about 15 miles east, provides more primitive camping options with fewer amenities but greater solitude. Most campgrounds in the area accommodate both tent and RV camping, with several also offering cabin rentals and glamping options.
Camping season varies by location, with some properties like Green Ridge State Forest and Savage River State Forest remaining open year-round while others operate seasonally from spring through fall. Many sites require advance reservations, especially during summer weekends when lakefront areas reach capacity quickly. The Cumberland area experiences distinct seasonal changes, with warm summers ideal for swimming and cool falls perfect for hiking. Winter camping is available at select locations, though with limited amenities. Road access throughout the region is generally good, with most campgrounds accessible via paved roads. One visitor noted, "The bathhouses are always clean and well stocked. The camp sites are tucked into the woods with plenty of room for camping."
Campers frequently mention the region's scenic beauty and water recreation opportunities as highlights. Rocky Gap State Park receives consistently positive reviews for its beach access, clean facilities, and well-maintained sites, making it popular for family camping. As one reviewer shared, "We love that the campground has their own beach so it's not over crowded with the public." Meanwhile, sites in Green Ridge State Forest appeal to those seeking more rustic experiences with fewer amenities but greater privacy. The proximity to Cumberland provides opportunities for day trips to explore local attractions, including the C&O Canal towpath and several breweries and wineries. Campgrounds closer to town offer more amenities and activities, while those further out provide increased seclusion and wildlife viewing opportunities.
Best Campgrounds near Ellerslie (147)
1. Rocky Gap State Park Campground
"Rocky gap is one of my favorite parks to camp in Maryland! It is right along a great lake, where you can swim, fish, kayak or just lay about. The camp store is well stocked and the staff is friendly."
"The beach at the lake is not far away for any loop."
from $23 - $29 / night
Check Availability2. CUMBERLAND MD. CAMPGROUNDS. 1 & 2
"Me and a small group of friends stayed here for a weekend and we had a blast it was so peaceful we where right next to the river and had some great trails too hike on."
"Great stay at a well located spot. Beautiful and quiet. Don was very helpful with any request that we had. Would return again. Thanks Don."
from $35 / night
Check Availability3. Green Ridge State Forest
"All are roadside, but plenty are tucked away so you feel alone in the woods. You can occupy a site as long as you register at the parks main office. $10/night."
"My family and I have gone camping all over Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania, but had never visited Green Ridge before this weekend. "
from $10 / night
Check Availability4. Hidden Springs Campground
"We had a very positive experience at Hidden Springs. We stayed 4 nights, the first two were very quiet at the campground."
from $58 - $70 / night
Check Availability5. Savage River State Forest
"This was a beautiful state forest, with two state parks sort of bordering it (Big Run & New Germany). The roads were all paved which was nice."
"Very remote western Maryland Appalachia. Sites are right off park road, are huge, rustic, and spaced very far apart from other sites. River runs along the sites."
6. Shawnee State Park Campground
"Was pleased by the quiet despite size of campground and proximity to highway. Sites not overly large or private. Has wood vending machine at entrance for firewood."
"It's close to some really great hiking--just outside the park--and that's how I ended up there."
from $24 - $122 / night
Check Availability7. New Germany State Park Campground
"New Germany State Park is a pleasant location with a small lake for swimming and kayaking, as well as numerous trails in the wooded mountains of western Maryland."
"New Germany State Park is situated in Garrett County Maryland. The park has a small lake, a few trails, and two camping loops."
from $18 - $117 / night
Check Availability8. Middle Ridge Campground
"It is not near a main highway unless you call Route 50 through Romney a main highway. It is west of town up a curved mountain road. It is on the top area of "Middle Ridge" mountain. "
"Very positive experience."
9. Spring Gap Campground — Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
from $20 - $40 / night
Check Availability10. Rvino - Ridge Rider Campground, LLC
"It’s a quiet spot to relax away from all the fast paced noise of city life. Campground is clean and the spots are nice. Might be a little closer than other places, but I wouldn’t let that deter you!"
"Lots to do, friendly staff and easy access to c.o. canal"
from $25 - $74 / night
Check Availability
Drive Time
- 59 min from Altoona, PA
- 1 hr 5 min from Hagerstown, MD
- 1 hr 7 min from Johnstown, PA
- 1 hr 25 min from Winchester, VA
Recent Camping Photos near Ellerslie, MD
337 Photos of 147 Ellerslie Campgrounds
Michelle L.
CUMBERLAND MD. CAMPGROUNDS. 1 & 2
Jennifer S.
Rocky Gap State Park Campground
Lisa D.
Hidden Springs Campground
Shari G.
Irons Mountain Hiker-biker Overnight Campsite — Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Brittany N.
Green Ridge State Forest
Shari G.
Town Creek Hiker-biker Overnight Campsite — Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Angela S.
Sleepy Hollow Campground
Rachel D.
Pioneer Lakes RV Park
Jen V.
New Germany State Park Campground
Veronica S.
Savage River State Forest
Joe D.
Rvino - Ridge Rider Campground, LLC
Chip G.
Fifteen Mile Campground — Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Recent Reviews near Ellerslie, MD
832 Reviews of 147 Ellerslie Campgrounds
Cari E.
RangerKentuck Campground — Ohiopyle State Park
Pick the loop for you
I stayed at two sites at Ohiopyle and I’ll say it again—picking the loop that best fits your equipment is key to enjoying your camping experience here. Not all loops are created equal! My second, and heavy favorite, was my site on Ivy Road. The sites were had more privacy and most importantly, were far more level and easier to access. This loop/road is also more central to the rest of the campground, the dumpsters, and had access to much nicer (still a smidge dingy), larger bathrooms. The cell service here was also decent as this road is in a less hilly area within the campground.
While the park and town are excellent for exploring, I found that the highlight of my trip was Fallingwater—it’s a Frank Lloyd Wright house (personally, I think his best) that offers tours and I was shocked to find that it was less than 10 minutes away. If you need a break from hiking and the river, I cannot recommend it enough!
- Cari E.Ranger
Kentuck Campground — Ohiopyle State Park
Great, but…
My happiness with Ohiopyle SP started off rocky from the start due to two factors, which can also impact your stay:
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No matter what Google Maps tells you, try to avoid taking Sugarloaf Rd into the park—it’s a very steep dirt road that is not at all direct, despite popping you out in the middle of town (which was widely surreal as I landed in the middle of some kind of festival), but most importantly there is no cell service which is frustrating when you’re unexpectedly routed down backroads as night approaches
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which loop you stay in really matters, more so than many other parks I’ve stayed at. My first few nights were on Hickory road and many were small and wildly unleveled—I saw one individual give up trying to get his small RV backed in due to the site being a basin shape. So you truly need to do your research and find a site that fits your equipment. The bathroom in this leg was also small and dingy, to put it nicely, but serviceable. Personally, I would not stay in Hickory again.
That said, this is a beautiful park with phenomenal hiking and water adventures. The town (which is in the park) was also quaint and lovely, with a variety of food and shopping options.
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Heather S.
GuideFriendship Village Campground & RV Park
Home Away From Home
I don’t know what it is about this place but whenever I’m here all my worries are gone! I can honestly say IM RELAXED!!! I’m relaxed- whether I’m riding the golf cart eating ice cream, playing in the arcades, walking around in the campground store, playing mini golf, fishing from our campsite, watching the doggy’s play in the dog park. I’m honestly happy here!!! My favorite sites are by the lake or river. The bathhouses were clean!! We don’t swim but the pools looked great!! I’m always sad to leave but super excited to come back!! I have a video review on my YouTube channel @UpOnTheRidge304 about this campground - feel free to check it out.
- EEmily M.
ScoutRocky Gap State Park Campground
Wonderful family campground
We had a delightful 2 night stay at Rocky Gap in the Dogwood loop. This campsite was beautiful, well maintained and clean, with great access from our area in Dogwood to both the trails and the beach. The campsite itself was a large pull-through, wooded site, that accommodated our big tent and glamping set up for a family of four. The beach was adorable, with a snack bar, playground, nature center and camp store, and I loved that it was only for the campground's use. We took the lake trail walk one day and got to see the campsites that are right across from the lake with amazing views! Minor complaints are that you can hear the roadway from the campsite (didn't really bother us, just noting it) and there's not a ton of privacy in the campground. Neither of these things detracted from our enjoyment of the park and campground though!
- PPam J.Traveler
Laurel Hill State Park Campground
Nice weekend getaway.
We had a great stay. Well manicured grounds. Lots of fallen trees from recent weather. Bathrooms could be cleaner. The camp hosts are awesome people. The area is quiet and peaceful. Lots of bike trails. Lake nice with swimming. Not crowded. Very family oriented. Playgrounds scattered around the campground in really good shape. We stayed at site 173. I loved it. Private. Had a little stream that ran behind it which would have been great for kids to play in. I loved the sound of running water. The fire pit and picnic table were in a little area above the stream surrounded by trees. It was so pretty and felt protected. They sell wood and awesome fire starters on site. Well priced. $5 for big bundle of split wood and $1 for each large fire starter. The Fire starters were so good, I bought extras to take with me. Definitely good quality. Not like the small ones you buy at the store. All in all, I loved it and will go back. I’ll take the grandkids next time. The lake, stream, biking, playground will keep them busy.
I have TMobile and had no cellphone service at my site. But could get service in other areas.
Site 225 looked like a great site. Up on a hill with a view, full hook up, playground close, and cell service. 
Tatiana I.GuideCandy Hill Campground
All you need campground
Wonderful campground that has all you need: full hookup, bathrooms, shower, laundry, gift shop, parts shop
- AAlly S.Scout
Yough Lake Campground at Tub Run
Awful place
I wish I could give this campground zero stars. Like the reviews below us stated, we were also verbally attacked by the little man on the golf cart. This campground should be embarrassed by the way it treats families. We were supposed to stay Thursday through Sunday with our best friends and our six children. Instead, we packed up and left Saturday after returning from our planned trip to Ohiopyle with our kids. What was supposed to be a fun, relaxing family camping weekend turned into an experience that left us shocked, disappointed, and completely disrespected. We are experienced campers and have spent years creating memories with our children at campgrounds. We are respectful guests, we follow rules, and we have never had an experience like this. Unfortunately, this campground chose poor communication, intimidation, and selective enforcement over basic customer service. During our stay, we had a truck briefly drive down to the swimming area to unload and later reload chairs, coolers, and supplies for our six children. There are no signs stating that vehicles are prohibited on the grass. In fact, there were multiple golf carts in the same area throughout the day, including staff members and seasonal campers, which led us to believe this was permitted. We understand vehicles are heavier than golf carts, but there were zero signage stating no cars allowed. To preface, there was zero damage done to the grass area due to our truck, we took photos prior to leaving the campground to protect ourselves since management is so emotionally unstable. Mind you: this is an army corp engineers campground, by Under federal law(36 CFR§ 327.2), motorized vehicles, including golf carts, UTVs, ATVs, and standard cars, must remain strictly on designated paved or gravel roads and parking lots. We found this rule after we got home and did our research. There were about 5 golf carts AND a gator in and out of the beach area through out the day. If someone had simply approached us and kindly explained that vehicles were not allowed there, we would have apologized. Instead, staff chose to sit back after someone complained, watch my children swim for hours, wait for us to clean up and bring the truck down to reload, then turn a simple misunderstanding into a confrontation. A staff member approached the truck in a golf cart, speeding up and hopping out(this is all on video) while my minor daughter was inside, reached into our vehicle and took our tag then proceeded to yell at us to pack our“shit” and prepare to leave. The way this was handled was completely unnecessary and unprofessional. Our children were present, witnessed this, and were left scared and confused over a situation that could have been resolved in less than a minute with a respectful conversation. We were also told there is a strict 5 mph speed limit and that radar is used because of a serious incident involving a child in the past, He was hit and life flighted. Yet seasonal campers continued driving golf carts around at unsafe speeds while drinking. Rules and safety expectations should apply equally to everyone, not only when management decides to enforce them against certain guests and not their buddies who pay for a seasonal spot. We went to the office in good faith to discuss what happened and believed the situation had been resolved. We stayed another night, only to be told the following morning that we were no longer welcome back. To permanently ban a family over a first time issue involving a rule that was never communicated is absolutely unacceptable. A well run campground understands that communication and respect go both ways. Instead, this campground made paying guests feel unwelcome and disposable. Management needs to take a serious look at how they handle conflicts because this was not customer service, it was an unnecessary escalation. We will never return to this campground, and after this experience, we strongly encourage other families to think twice before booking a stay here. Especially with young children.
- MMorris R.Traveler
Jordan Junction
Great park! Hanna Park
This is a very nice and quiet park owned by the city of Jacksonville, Florida. On the beach with tons of stuff to do.
Guide to Ellerslie
Camping opportunities near Ellerslie, Maryland extend throughout the Appalachian Mountains at elevations ranging from 650 to 3,000 feet. The region experiences four distinct seasons, with summer highs rarely exceeding 85°F and winter temperatures frequently dropping below freezing. Most primitive campsites in the area are accessible via forest roads that can become rutted after heavy rainfall, making high-clearance vehicles recommended for accessing remote locations.
What to do
Hike the 5-mile Lake Habeeb Trail: The trail at Rocky Gap State Park Campground offers a complete loop around the lake with multiple access points from the campground. "The 5 mile hike around Lake Habeeb is enjoyable. Great way to see all sides of the park. Across the lake from the campground is a casino and resort," notes Jeff H.
Fish at multiple stocked waterways: Savage River State Forest provides fishing opportunities in mountain streams that remain cool even during summer months. "There are multiple boat ramps, and from one end of the reservoir to the other on a kayak is about 2 hours. Hiking options are endless although some are hard to spot," shares Jillian K.
Explore the C&O Canal Trail: CUMBERLAND MD. CAMPGROUNDS. 1 & 2 offers access to the historic canal path. "This is a 1 3/4 mile walk along the C &O Canal Trail to the outskirts of Cumberland. A fantastic museum is near that 1 3/4 mile point. The National Park Visitor Center is there as well which is very informative," explains Roger W.
Paddle on Lake Habeeb: Rental equipment is available directly at the lake. "Nice lake where you can fish, canoe/kayak, etc. didn't get a chance to swim because of all the rain but there is a beach as well," writes Kaley R.
What campers like
Spacious wooded sites: Green Ridge State Forest offers secluded primitive camping. "What it does have is solitude. There are nearly 100 campsites within the forest boundaries and with the exception of the Kasekamp sites most of them have no neighbor within half a mile," explains Bill G.
Swimming options: New Germany State Park features a small lake with designated swimming areas. "We loved this campground. It was quieter than Deep Creek with shaded good sized camp sites in the Hemlock loop where pets are allowed. The small lake was perfect for swimming," says Angie R.
Affordable primitive camping: Sites at Savage River State Forest provide budget options for campers seeking basic facilities. "If you want a good primitive camping experience this place is great. Only $10 a night and you're supposed to only have 2 cars and 6 people at a single site," reports Jillian K.
Private campsite options: Savage River State Forest offers sites with ample space. "The campgrounds were full but the sites are spaced far enough apart that we didn't see or hear anyone else. The closest restrooms are at the end of the road near the lake and were well taken care of," shares Joe G.
What you should know
Limited cell service: Many campgrounds in the region have poor connectivity. "Note that there is very little to no cell phone reception in the park, so combined with the lack of hookups, this is definitely an unplugged, 'connect with nature' type of camping experience," warns Jen V. about New Germany State Park.
Bears are active in the area: Green Ridge State Forest requires proper food storage. "Remember this is bear country and they are around this year in force," cautions Bill G.
Weather can change quickly: Shawnee State Park Campground experiences variable conditions. "The weather was crazy the one night I stayed! Thunderstorms turned to ice turned to snow which made the area even more beautiful," recalls Michele F.
Site leveling challenges: Many campgrounds feature uneven terrain. "Many of the non-electric sites were decidedly not level but many of the FHU and electric sites were fairly level, and we did not have a problem finding one," explains Lee D.
Tips for camping with families
Check for kid-friendly water areas: Rocky Gap provides designated swimming areas. "We love that the campground has their own beach so it's not over crowded with the public. Near the beach there is a nice playground near shade for parents to watch," shares one camper.
Consider proximity to bathrooms: New Germany State Park Campground has limited facilities. "If you're camping at sites 14-26, the walk may seem a bit long to use the john," warns Bill G.
Look for educational opportunities: State parks in the region offer nature centers. "For kids they have a small jungle gym and critter center. Overall a very nice family camping area," notes Jillian K.
Select sites with adequate space: Middle Ridge Campground provides room for family activities. "Large campsites with good spacing between guests, which makes your site feel private. I called before booking and talked to the owner which helped us pick out the perfect spot," advises Kayla M.
Tips from RVers
Check site dimensions before booking: Hidden Springs Campground has varied site sizes. "We stayed 4 nights, the first two were very quiet at the campground. Bathhouses are in fair shape. Staff was super friendly," reports Carrie B.
Be prepared for uneven sites: Many campgrounds require leveling equipment. "Our site P1 is a full hook up pull through but it's really unlevel. We ran out of blocks trying to level on this site and were still off a bit," warns Jennifer K.
Access roads can be challenging: Road conditions vary throughout the region. "Site 2 looks not too bad but a little less level. Site 6 also seemed like a nice spot for a Rv. Don't recommend taking a large travel trailer on 15 mile creek Rd south of I68. Lots of S turns and pretty steep for my skills," advises Josh G.
Research seasonal closure dates: Some campgrounds operate year-round while others close in winter. "Many sites require advance reservations, especially during summer weekends when lakefront areas reach capacity quickly," notes Carrie B.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Ellerslie, MD?
What camping is available near Ellerslie, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, Ellerslie, MD offers a wide range of camping options, with 147 campgrounds and RV parks near Ellerslie, MD and 3 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Ellerslie, MD?
Which is the most popular campground near Ellerslie, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Ellerslie, MD is Rocky Gap State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 55 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Ellerslie, MD?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Ellerslie, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 3 free dispersed camping spots near Ellerslie, MD.
What parks are near Ellerslie, MD?
What parks are near Ellerslie, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 22 parks near Ellerslie, MD that allow camping, notably Jennings Randolph Lake and Youghiogheny River Lake.
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