Best Tent Camping near Ellerslie, MD

Campground is pretty big. The RV sites and tent sites are separated by a drive down the road. The RV side has all the cool stuff; store, pavilion, basketball courts, playground, etc. The tent camping side is just an open field with a pit and picnic table. I tent camped this time around and it's was pretty well spaced out. There weren't many of us in the field so it was pretty nice. The RV side has a ton of seasonal residences. The most half RV/half homes I've ever scene! (A few in the pictures) it's wild. Those sites have a pretty decent amount of space too. The pond has a bunch of ducks that are VERY well fed. One in particular might have been too well fed and maybe sick? Not sure.

My wife and I tent camped here for a weekend to go rafting. The whole campground sits in kind of a valley along a creek running into the reservoir. It's kind of spread out but seemed nice. Our tent sites were very nice sitting on raised mounds so you would stay fairly dry if it rained. It looks like it may have been a state park at one time, judging by the layout and bathrooms. Not a bad camp at all.

We really Enjoyed the spot, there aren’t a lot of tent sites, it’s mostly RV sites, pretty big campground as far as the RV sites go. The tent sites are by the river. It was a pretty quiet campground.

We went to Cowans gap last full for a Halloween weekend and the children loved it. We even won the campsite decorating contest. We went this summer and camped in A-tent with friends of ours who had never done it Before & After the amazing trip at callans gap they want to do it again. Awesome beach, nice sights, And a quiet area what more could you want.

I love this park, and for tent camping, I think this is one of the best. Their tent camping sites are a very good distance from other sites, so you feel much more secluded. Nothing bothers me more than when I have to set up my tent 15 feet away from someone else's that I don't even know. This park does not jam you in like others do, they give you the space you need to enjoy it the best way possible. Love this place!

Tent sites are rough, some outside ring sites have tent pads.

Great place to tent camp with about 10 spots available. It was empty when we went and was perfect. The sunset is breathtaking!

On the lake. Good private tent sites in the woods.Rv sites too.

Camp site(Tent camping)

Camp site was pretty small and close to each other. The forest where the camp site was situated was beautiful. We were lucky enough to witness a spectacular light show put up by thousands of fireflies at night.

It is Maryland so watch out for poison ivy when walking through bushes.

Facilities/ Amenities

Bathrooms were clean.

Surrounding area

Walking distance to the huge beach / lake. The area was overcrowded but maintained well and clean.

Privately owned. Golf carts for rent. Fabulous mtb trail network - worth paying for a pass to ride. Beautiful tent camping...mossy but not too buggy. Bring your own toilet paper.

Semi private & large tent sites. Medium size beach and dock to launch kayaks at. Fish weren’t biting for us this weekend!

August 2020 Stay

We camped for 1 night.  We chose site 102 because it looked decent in the picture and seemed a little apart and more private than other areas.  Unfortunately, it was not great for tent camping as there wasn't really a spot to set up our 4-person tent.  We squeezed it in by the fire pit, but if we had wanted to use the fire pit it would have been a fire hazard.  Elsewhere in the site it was rocky or uneven ground.

Looking around the rest of the campground, the loop up near the cabins was a typical RV area with sites lined up with little privacy in between.  I would look at the other loops for our next tent-camping visit.

We were hoping to do some hiking in the morning but got rained out.  However the trails looked nice and we hope to be back soon.

Ohiopyle is located in a beautiful area of Pennsylvania we've camped there a couple of times and have been able to get last minute tent sites. Lots of outdoor activities nearby.

Caters mostly to RVs & people with boats. The walk-to tent sites are mostly in an open grass field with some trees for shade but clear visibility to adjacent sites. Site 9A is a pleasant tent site with a bit more privacy & located along the creek. It is connected to 10A by a short little path & separated from 8A by a small grassy area. Thick vegetation around 9A & 10A with dense poison ivy encroaching on both camp sites. Seemed to be a periodic sewer gas smell, maybe from septic outfall or the RV dump station a little ways off. Camp store & staff were nice. Bathrooms were fine. Easy access to the lake & nearby marina.

This is a great place for a long weekend away. The tent sites are nice and they have a number of dog friendly sites. Fun beach area, hikes and fishing.

I stayed in a tent site, but had friends that brought their 5th wheel camper. I had my son and nephew with and we all had a great time at both sites. I will definitely be back.

Clean, beautiful and quiet (occasional barking dog or children playing loudly). The basic tent sites each have a picnic table, fire pit w/ grill, and lantern post. The trails to the beautiful falls are a short walk from the campgrounds.

The pet loop mixes tent camping with RVs, which isn't our preference. The sites are arranged around a big field, which means many of them have no trees or shade. If you planned to hang a hammock at some of these sites, you would be in trouble.

But it's a good park. They've got firewood at the contact station.

My son and I tent camped here in July to escape the head down in Pittsburgh.  Sits up high in the mountains close to 3000ft elevation.  Park and campground are very small and almost desolate during the week.  There is a main road nearby and you hear industrial trucks rolling by constantly.  There are some great private tent only wooded sites that sit above the main park of the campground so you really feel secluded.

Plenty of trails to hike from easy to difficult. Local history is right around the corner with the Lost Children of the Alleghenies Monument. Blue Knob houses the second highest peak in PA. The bathrooms were clean. Camp sites are rocky so be sure to bring a mat if tent camping. The park does not offer fire wood for purchase; bring extra.

Kooser State Park sits on the border of Forbes State Forest in the Laurel Highlands. It has a mix of camper & tent sites around a central clearing, and offers a few cabins. There is a central bathroom with showers, flush toilets and a sink to wash your dishes.