Best Glamping near Fork, MD

Convenient to MD, PA, and DE side trips. Campground has 2 yurts right by the lake. There is no swimming, but your yurt rental gets you a double sit on top kayak, paddles, and PFDs. A/C has been added to the yurts. There is one bunk bed with a full size bottom bunk and a single top. A futon is also in each yurt. Across the lake is Going Ape Zip Line. An 8 mile loop trail circumnavigates the lake and can be used my bikers, walkers, or runners.

West Chester KOA This is a really nice KOA not too far from downtown Philly. The campground is located in a beautiful part of the Pennsylvania countryside with rolling hills which meant the roads getting there are narrow and windy. A bridge nearby the campground was washed out earlier by a hurricane so we had to take an alternative route going about thirty minutes out of our way. (Make sure you check their website for directions!) There is a lot to do in the surrounding area like visiting the historical sites in downtown Philadelphia, Valley Forge, or exploring Amish country. 

This is a typical KOA with lots of amenities and activities for kids– swimming pool, jump pad, miniature golf, volleyball, butterfly garden, gem mining, playground, store, dog park, nature trail, etc. There is a large pool area with pavilion but it was closed during our stay since we were there early in the season. The campground is right on the Brandywine River which is a slow meandering pretty river that is great to get your feet wet or go for a paddle. Canoes and kayaks are available for rent if you have time and as there is very little current in the river you can paddle out and back without any trouble. There is a nice, short nature trail which was nice to walk our dog and she enjoyed getting wet in the river. 

The campground is hilly which means that a fair number of sites are not level. Our site (#27) was level for our RV but the patio sloped downhill and we could not use our picnic table or find a level spot for our chairs. Some sites are “premiums” with paved patios, Adirondack chairs, fancy firepits, BBQ grill, and tables and chairs with an umbrella. These sites are really nice, but you pay a lot more for them. Some sites are located adjacent to the river with nice waterfront views, but beware some might be muddy. There are lots of camping cabins and a couple of glamping tents. 

Overall, the campground is very clean with no trash lying around and the grass was mowed and trimmed. The 50-amp electric was good as was the water pressure. The sewer connection uphill from our site so it did not drain properly. There is basic cable but since you are so close to Philly there are plenty of over-the-air channels. The Wi-Fi at our site worked well. Garbage is picked up at your site. The surrounding area has plenty of restaurants, shopping, and interesting things to see and do.

We have camped here several times and love the waterfront sites and the yurts.

What a great little campground. Shaded well spaced sites with full hookups and yurts to stay in.

If tenting, be sure to check tent on reservation request. Some spots are too narrow for tenting. Cabins are mainly across lake from campground. Only 2 yurts. Two day use areas. Two swimming areas- one for day use, one just for campers!

Overall: 3.5

Bathrooms: 1

This state park offered campsites with full amenities (water, electric, sewer), water & electric, water, or primitive. Also had designated areas for camping with or without pets. We had a water site that was an end spot with the lake directly behind us- #316. We have a teardrop trailer (T@G XL). Spot was a quick walk to the bathrooms. 

Campground offers hiking trails, kayaking, boat launches, playground, cabins, and yurts. Lake was beautiful and grounds offered many trails of different distances for both hiking and biking. 

Bathrooms: Had automatic lights that went on at dark. Problem is that it was dark in the bathrooms and there was no way to turn the lights on. Bathrooms were extremely run down. Paint peeling off the ceiling, showers so stained - not sure if dirt or permanent mold. Showers were scary - I am no princess but did not take a shower in there. They received a 1 because it was a flushable toilet. 

Would go back to enjoy the campground but would bring the solar shower. beautiful birds were everywhere and if it wasn’t so cold when we were there (38’ in evening) I am sure we would have seen more wildlife.

We stayed in July on site 235. When we arrived, our first thought was “Wow, these sites are narrow!” Fortunately, backing in was fairly easy. Some sites would’ve been more difficult. Site pads are 25’-55’. Most sites had room for just one vehicle. Overflow parking was in the front of the campground. We had an electric site. The entire campground has non-electric, electric, and full hookup mixed throughout the campground. There are ADA sites in B loop that were a bit close to neighbors and directly across from bathhouse but in direct sunshine. There are designated dog sites in B loop/area. Some sites do have a lake view and possible access, it was hard to tell. The non electric sites had a parking pad and then for many you walked into the woods to the tent and fire pit area. There were cabins and yurts available too. The dump station had 2 dumps and was wide open when we left on a Sunday at 12:00. Surprisingly! Check out time is 3:00pm. Bathhouses had 3-4 shower stalls and 2-3 stalls. Good water pressure and temperature and clean. There are several spread around the loops. There was a Sunday service that was packed full. Check in was easy, there was none. Just drive to your site. Swimming was prohibited due to low water level but kayaks and canoes were allowed. No fishing also due to low water level in the lake. The beach area was very nice with a concession building and large bathhouse. It wasn’t open due to no swimming right now. There was another beach area at a boat launch in one of the loops. There are a lot of boat launches around the lake, which is large. There are several hiking trails; Lakeside, Oak, and Old Farm Trails go through the camp area. They are multi-use (ski, hike, & bike). There is a playground and volleyball pit area. You can also find group camping areas. This campground is open mid-April to late October. We had a great short trip here but are planning to return in the fall months.

Site Details: We stayed in the Dragonfly camping cottage (quick weekend trip without the husband, and I’m not quite up for towing and setting up the popup by myself with 3 kids!). It was a standard rustic-type state park cabin, with one double bed, one single twin bunk, and one regular set of bunk beds, so it sleeps 5-6 comfortably. There was also a sturdy dining room table with chairs and an oscillating fan inside. Electricity/lights and heat, but no AC. Very clean inside. The cabin also had a really nice front porch, picnic table, and fire ring, and was situated with a beautiful lake view. The area we were in contained both rustic cabins and yurts (which looked really neat).

Facilities/Overall Park: Multiple bath houses were scattered among various loops, and each one we visited was very old, dim and drab, but they were also spacious and reasonably clean. Showers all had old rust and water stains. However, it was nice that there were so many of them, because this is a very large state park with multiple camping loops. Most tent and basic RV sites were shaded and private, while the newer FHU sites were more open (but still nicely spaced). Hosts and rangers were nice, but not very helpful or proactive when they needed to correct a reservation mistake they made (but it worked out in the end). There is a beautiful lake with a really nice day area in the center of the park, with a great playground and concession stand. The lake is popular for fishing and swimming, although there is oddly no sand beach; swimmers just entered the water straight from the grass.

Surrounding Area/Attractions: Not much going on in the immediate vicinity, but Harrisburg, Amish country, and Hershey are all doable day trips from the park. We were here just for the Hershey RV show, and it was an easy 40-minute drive.

Overall, this was a very pretty park with site options for every type of camper, but certain elements are in need of updating. I don’t think I’d go out of my way to make this park a destination, but it’s a nice option as a base camp for visiting the RV show or other attractions (with a much cheaper price tag than the private CGs closer to the action).

Gifford Pinchot is one of the largest state park campgrounds (339 campsites) in PA with a lot of different types of camping available: tent sites, RV sites, group camping, yurts / camping cottages / cabins, and everything in between. We had site 108 which is an electric site along the shore and close to the beach, and it was perfect for our needs. It has a small beach area within the campground loop that we camped in, but the main beach is on the other side of the large Pinchot Lake. The bathhouses / restrooms are clean (about average for PA state park system) and the campground has a very friendly atmosphere - we really enjoyed our stay.

The state park itself has a LOT to offer, especially in the two main day use areas: the Conewago day use area on the south side of the lake and the Quaker Race day use area on the north side of the lake. Both areas have great access for fishing (bring your license! the rangers in this park check), and we caught a handful of bass and an absurd amount of bluegill from shore. Both areas also have their own 18 hole disc golf course, but I will say: BEWARE of poison ivy!! We played the first 10 holes around the Conewago day use area and I was shocked at how much poison ivy we had to dodge all over the prime walking areas through the course. The course in the Conewago area is relatively flat, whereas the Quaker Race course is built into the side of the hill leading into the QR day use area, so it is a lot more wooded and hillier. I took an early morning hike on the 8.5 mile Lakeside Trail that goes around the lake and it was really awesome to see the lake from all different angles. I also hiked / jogged the Quaker Race Trail and that was nice, too, but obviously much less maintained - it was a little confusing at times as it actually crossed the disc golf course in that area multiple times and it was not well blazed. The LARGE beach area in the QR day use area is one of the nicest I've ever seen at a PA state park, with tons of picnic tables with grills, a playground, a volleyball court, and a special fence solution to keep the stupid geese out of the water in the swimming area. There is also a nice concession area to grab some food, ice cream, and drinks that the kids appreciated.

We also did some hiking and fishing nearby in the Boiling Springs / Dillsburg area, and I would recommend checking that area out if you like either. Yellow Breeches is well known among flyfisherman (bring your waders), and TCO Outdoors on the main drag in Boiling Springs has all the fly patterns and knowledge you could want for the area. Before fishing, we hiked the White Rocks Trail a few miles outside of town, and it was a ton of fun with some cool rock scrambles. It hooks up with the AT going through the area if you want to extend the hike. This area (central PA in general) tends to have a lot of rattlesnakes, and we spotted one about 20 feet off the trail in a downed wood pile - cool, but a little terrifying!

Overall, we really loved the campground and this area and will definitely be back.

This is a great campground in Susquehanna State Park. The campsites are separated more widely than many other parks in Maryland (Cunningham Falls, Ft. Frederick, Pt. Lookout), and are quite secluded in comparison. The sites are generally well shaded, and the campground abuts a nice forested area which is great for hiking. It's also a short drive from the Susquehanna River, so fishing is a potential as well. It has the usual state park amenities; water faucets, trash dumpsters, picnic tables & fire rings. All you need for decadent car camping. :-) I thoroughly enjoyed visiting, and would go back in a heartbeat! Unfortunately my main camping buddy now lives in VA, so it's a bit much of a drive for him for a weekend.

River Rock Adventures- Bainbridge, Pa- Lancaster County- Campground Review As a Ranger on The Dyrt, I sometimes receive compensation for reviews like this one. We just got back today from our weekend camping trip and we had so much fun that I couldn’t wait to come home and write about our adventure. We booked our trip on The Dyrt website. We immediately got confirmation our reservation request was received. We received a followup email a week before our trip. We were able to ask questions and ensure we were prepared for our trip. Our questions were answered and we were ready to go! The whole process was easy and we didn’t have any issues with making our reservation. This was a unique experience as you rent the entire campground. You pull back a stone road past the Northwest Lancaster Trail and just before the river there is a green cattle gate on your right. The gate is nice to keep closed since the trail is very close and we were told sometimes hikers get off course thinking that is the trail. As you pull back towards the river you see a large family size port o potty on your left and you pull back further into camp where there is a picnic table and covered kitchen area equipped with a charcoal grill/smoker combo and hand washing station. There was a nice area for us to keep our dry storage and food totes and to set up our camp stove for our cooking and prep area. There are two large tent pads directly a side of the river and three more tent areas in the wooded areas of the campground. In the rear of the property there was an awesome outdoor shower equipped with a filled solar shower ready for us to use. Near the two tent pads there was even a boat launch. We saw maybe about a dozen boats over the weekend so it wasn’t heavily traveled. When we arrived there was a very nice gentleman named Colby who met us and showed us around the grounds. He explained everything and gave us a welcome packet that had stickers, maps of the local attractions and hiking areas and general information about the area which was very helpful. As I mentioned they provided the solar shower filled with water, a 5 gallon container of fresh water and filled the hand washing station with fresh water which was fantastic to have as we had three children ranging in age from 10 to 2. Colby informed us that we were among the first 5 groups that had camped there. He said they would eventually like to be able to provide more items like tents, kayaks, bicycles, fishing gear and anything you would need for camping. We have our own camping equipment as we started out with very rustic, deep woods camping so that would not be a feature that would attract me to camping here. However, for someone who has never camped before and just wants to try it to see if they like it, I believe that would be a great idea so they don’t have to make a large investment into equipment they may only use once if they end up not enjoying camping. One of the major downfalls to camping here is that there is an electric plant directly across the river. It was loud on Friday night to the point where we were having to speak very loudly in order to hear each other. It was like a white noise so at least it put me to sleep when that time came. THANKFULLY, the plant shut down sometime early Saturday morning and it was quiet the rest of the weekend. I don’t know how it would be camping here during the week so BE AWARE! Despite the power plant there is really a lot to do so you shouldn’t be bored. As I mentioned there is the Northwest Lancaster Trail to walk along, ride your bike, geocache or check out the Edible Forest. We found some raccoon tracks in the mud down by the river and checked out the scenery of the York Haven Catwalk. You can fish, go out on the boat, hang by the river, relax in the hammocks provided. There is also a Ghost Town nearby and a historic mansion. There are three options for pricing. Option 1 is$90/night for three people and that includes 2 hammocks and 1 bundle of wood. Option 2 is$150/night for up to 6 people and that includes 3 hammocks and 2 bundles of wood. Option 3 is$200/night for up to 10 people and that includes 4 hammocks, 3 bundles of wood and fishing gear. You can also purchase additional fire wood, hammocks or rent fishing gear. We had a great time and made some great memories with our friends and families. Product Review: Grub Stick As a Ranger for The Dyrt I sometimes am provided products to use and review. This trip we used and reviewed a product called Grub Stick. It is a telescoping stick with interchangeable attachments. There are three different packages you can order. Basically, there is a small, medium and large package. The small is the basic with the stick, hotdog fork, smore cage and the tool to open the cage while hot. The medium includes two sticks, two hotdog forks, smore cage, hamburger cage, silicone hotpad, tool to open cages, bacon clip and the small and large grub tubes. The master kit comes with two of everything except the tool and bacon clip. I read some reviews on this product and some of them were not too good so I really didn’t know what to expect. However, I was pleasantly surprised. We started with using the burger attachment however we roasted pineapple slices and peach halves. Oh boy, were they delicious! I thought it worked perfectly for what we were trying to accomplish. The tool is very simple to operate to open the cages. The silicone handle really gives you a good grip so you don’t slip and burn your hand on the hot cage. Next, we made the pizza tube recipe on the grub sticks website. We took pizza dough and wrapped it around the large grub tube. We cooked it over the fire until it was golden brown and it easily slipped off of the tube. Our string cheese was already softened so we did not use the hotdog attachment to soften as directed on the website. Next, we added pizza sauce and dug in. They were delicious! I can’t wait to try cinnamon rolls or crescent rolls next time! After we ate dinner we made smores. We got out the smore cage and I will tell you folks, this was the one attachment I was not sure I was going to like. We built our smores and closed the cage and over the fire it went. You definitely have to rotate it and make sure you get your marshmallow toasted. Otherwise, if you don’t you will just have a burnt graham cracker and non-toasted marshmallow and hard chocolate. Nobody wants that. I also wasn’t sure if I would like my graham cracker toasted. Well folks, I was completely wrong. They. Were. Awesome! We also toasted some marshmallows using the fork and didn’t have any problem with them sliding off. We let the centers of the marshmallows cool and collapse and then added some Irish Cream. I wasn’t a big fan as you will see in my pictures but everyone else enjoyed them. I absolutely cannot wait to use this again and try different recipes. Pros: Silicone handled tools made them extremely easy to handle and use. All kits come with a handy carrying bag so you don’t lose all of the pieces. The attachments were very easy to change out and use. The telescoping feature is great. It is a thicker pole also, not thin like some of the others I have bought in the past. Cages can be used for multiple purposes. The grub tubes were a great way to be able to“bake” without using a dutch oven. Cleaned up nicely after using. This is the perfect set for cooking if you are a single person or a couple who are backpacking. Cons: Unless you have multiple grub sticks it would take forever to cook for a lot of people. This worked great to make some appetizers and desserts however I couldn’t imagine cooking a full meal for a group of people. The bacon clip should be able to handle a little thicker bacon. I did not have any problem with this but according to other reviews some people had issues with the attachment screw breaking. I don’t have too many bad things to say about this product. I really was skeptical at first but I am now a believer. I had so much fun using this and I can’t wait to do it again. Thanks for reading and happy camping!

Tuckahoe is a hidden gem on Maryland’s mid-Eastern Shore region. With many of your standard amenities and a quiet atmosphere, it was a great spot for my first time camping with my kids.

Our campsite was on the non-electric loop. We had a small creek and trail back up to our campsite. We only had a handful of neighbors and foot traffic at the time was almost nonexistent, so we practically had the park to ourselves.

There is an electric loop with electric hookup, but no water or sewer. Those can be found at the campground entrance. Each loop has a wood shed and clean, well-appointed bathhouse. There are water pumps along the road for refills.

There are 4 basic cabins on each loop and most sites are designed for RV and/or tent use. There are 3 sites that are tent-only on the non-electric loop.

Multiple trails in the area are widespread. Wear comfortable hiking shoes and bring a map! They also have equestrian trails with an equestrian center nearby. The lakefront boasts a picnic area with individual tables and grills, recycled tire playground, and kayak rentals (for a fee). Fishing is allowed, but no swimming (which was a bummer for us, but exploring some of the local creeks helped provide some relief from the summer heat).

Nearby is Atkins Arboretum. Their 5 mile trail system covers around 400 acres. There are woods, “grasslands,” and “wetlands” to explore the various ecosystems of the Eastern Shore. They also had a goat area and garden play area for children. There is a fee through the Visitor’s Center which supports the center, but some of the trails can be accessed via other Tuckahoe trails.

Centrally located, you’re still within easy access to a local town center (Denton), supplies, and dining. I can’t recommend Tuckahoe enough if you just want a quiet spot or you’re new to camping!

We camped here to hike and visit Havre de Grace. For a State Park it's pretty nice. We have a tiny camper so we stayed on the Acorn loop which has a few sites with power. Our site was really good and I love that it had it's own access to the bathrooms. Quite a few of the inner loop sites do. If you're a tent camper Acorn has some very private and secluded sites. Beechnut sites are more open and close to the road. It also seemed more crowded and noisy over there. There is a hiking trail right off Acorn loop which was nice, with options for easy or difficult. The staff were super friendly and the bathrooms were kept clean. There was quite a bit of poison ivy though and we had to keep the dogs on tight leashes. Phone service is very spotty but if you wander around Beechnut you can pick some up. Lots of great hiking and there are a couple of great tubing and fishing areas. I would camp there again.

Went here on a whim. TOTALLY worth it. Close to I-95, scenic, well maintained and quiet. Kids, wife and I had fun hiking to a really old tree in the area (I dont remember the name, but it was really cool). Will definately be going back.

Just camped here for the first time. Stayed at site #3, it had a nice huge concrete pad and fire ring. We set-up our new tree tent behind the actual campsite and it worked perfectly. Will definitely go back!

We stayed at site 42 on the Acorn loop. The site was very small, full of large gravel rocks and roots, it was so uneven it was very hard to get the camper level. To us the whole park seemed neglected. The trails were overgrown, poison ivy everywhere, but the worst part were the flies, so many flies we couldn't sit outside. There was a trash dumpster about 20 feet from our site, that could be why there were so many flies. I'm not sure why there was a dumpster right in the camping area, we have never seen that in any parks we have stayed in before. We left a day early because of the flies (they were that bad). The bath house was clean and well kept and the rangers were very nice and helpful. We won't be going back there again.

Site was very shaded, and probably the most secluded feel of anywhere we’ve camped. Camping pad was nice and level, although the driveway was slightly sloped. One of our bunk ends extended beyond the pad into the woods, which was just fine by me. Nice amount of space in between sites. Short walk to bathhouse, through the woods behind us. There were also several, very private, “walk-up” type sites for tents. Bath house was immaculate; by far the cleanest I have ever seen in a campground. Must have been recently renovated. Deer Creek day-use area was nice; had a big playground and a few pavilions. Picnic area was an open field with very little shade, and the amount of goose poop was unreal; like walking through a minefield. For that reason alone, I don’t think I would host any events there. There is a little fishing pond there, which my husband and daughter enjoyed. We hiked back to the campground from here, which was a nice easy-to-moderate trail. The beginning was pretty rough for me, since I was wearing my infant son while navigating an uphill trail, but it quickly evened out. There are also plenty of areas to stop along the road in the campground, with access to the creek for wading. The water felt great, but the bottom was rather pebbly. There is a historic area in the park, with a working grist mill, mansion and other little buildings to view. Not really my thing, but was pretty neat. The views of the river are really nice from here.

We had a great tent site that was large and fit two small families comfortably. A small little path from our site led to the bathrooms/washrooms. We were able to enjoy a beekeeper chat at the small amphitheater near the entrance of the loop. There are a few trails from the campground that you can take to Deer Creek, Susquehanna River or the Rock Run historic area. Take the Deer Creek Trail (2.1 miles loop) to Deer Creek River which was perfect for the kids to swim and play around in. We also saw some folks tubing and kayaking down. The Susquehanna River was a great fishing spot. And last don't miss out on viewing the Rock Run gristmill which at times you can watch the waterwheel & corn-grinding operating. Both of which you can get to by taking Deer Creek Trail to Farm Road Trail then connecting to the Susquehanna Ridge Trail. If you're unable to hike, then you can drive to all three sights. Also hang your trash up high from the trash pandas. 

*Playground at the entrance of Loop.