Best Cabin Camping near Fort Howard, MD

Several state parks in Maryland's Fort Howard region provide cabin accommodations for visitors seeking a middle ground between tent camping and hotel lodging. Washington DC / Capitol KOA in Millersville offers electrically equipped cabins with basic furnishings and access to shared restrooms and showers. Patapsco Valley State Park features rustic cabins with electricity and heating units in the Hilton Area. A visitor commented that "the mini cabins are small one room cabins that have electricity and heat. They are a nice touch for those that want to camp, but not completely rough it." Cherry Hill Park near College Park includes cabins among its range of accommodation types and provides excellent amenities.

Rustic and deluxe cabins are both available, depending on the location. Elk Neck State Park Campground maintains year-round cabin rentals with fire rings and picnic tables at each site. Susquehanna State Park Campground offers cabins alongside water and electric hookups in a heavily wooded setting. Tuckahoe State Park Campground includes pet-friendly options, though limited to specific units. According to one visitor, "Mini cabin D is pet friendly but one of the few." Most parks enforce quiet hours and have specific check-in procedures. Martinak State Park Campground provides cabins with air conditioning units - a valuable amenity during Maryland's humid summer months.

Most cabins include beds but require visitors to bring their own linens, towels, and toiletries. Basic cooking equipment varies significantly between locations - some cabins include small refrigerators and microwaves while others offer only outdoor fire rings with cooking grates. Firewood is typically available for purchase at park offices or from camp hosts for approximately $5 per bundle. Camp stores at locations like Cherry Hill Park stock essential supplies, and nearby towns provide grocery options. The Washington DC / Capitol KOA and Camp Meade RV Park maintain on-site markets for basic provisions. Most cabin sites include picnic tables, fire rings, and access to potable water, with varying proximity to bathroom facilities.

Best Cabin Sites Near Fort Howard, Maryland (20)

    1. Washington DC / Capitol KOA

    15 Reviews
    Millersville, MD
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (410) 923-2771

    "They have a nice area for kids (pool, playground, jumping pillow, basketball courts, giant chess, etc)."

    "After a peaceful protest,my sister, nephew and I stayed in a cabin for 1 night. We all slept well in the clean and comfortable cabin. The campground is a safe place for families."

    2. Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area

    19 Reviews
    Catonsville, MD
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (410) 461-5005

    $20 - $51 / night

    "The Hilton area campground is unique because, unlike the Hollofield area of the park, it doesn't allow RVs and its tent sites are non-electric."

    "Another negative was after the storm for the next few days we heard trees falling nearby."

    3. Susquehanna State Park Campground

    24 Reviews
    Edgewood, MD
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (410) 557-7994

    $21 - $50 / night

    "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."

    "I was a walk-up with no reservation and since it was a weekday the ranger gave me a great rundown of the best spots in the camp and let me drive through to check them out before going back with my decision"

    4. Elk Neck State Park Campground

    60 Reviews
    Perryville, MD
    31 miles
    Website
    +1 (410) 287-5333

    $21 - $55 / night

    "I didn't notice it when I was in my tent, but I did as I was walking around.

    The campground is well-wooded, offering reasonable privacy given the space constraints. "

    "Our go to State Park for camping as it is pretty close to home. Standard State Park with all the amenities you need. We are tent campers/ non electric (no pets/ no kids)."

    5. Cherry Hill Park

    42 Reviews
    Beltsville, MD
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (301) 937-7116

    $282 - $999 / night

    "Located less than 3-miles from I-95, about 40-minutes drive time from downtown Washington, DC, and about 35-minutes from Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, this park is ideally situated for a capitol vacation."

    "We had another great stay at Cherry Hill Park in College Park, MD. "

    6. Tuckahoe State Park Campground

    30 Reviews
    Ridgely, MD
    32 miles
    Website
    +1 (410) 820-1668

    $21 - $70 / night

    "Site included a picnic table, fire ring, grill grate and lantern post. Pad was nice and level; didn’t need to use any blocks. Drive way was just long enough to accommodate our truck."

    "We camped with our 17' travel trailer at site 19E with electric hookups. Some sites have water and sewer as well, which is rare in a MD state park."

    7. Pine Tree Associates Nudist Club

    2 Reviews
    Crownsville, MD
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (410) 841-6033

    $30 - $55 / night

    "My wife and I were trying to find an RV location near the Annapolis city dock for a boat show and found Pine Tree Associates."

    "There is a bath house with outdoor showers. Camping fees include access to a large outdoor pool, an indoor pool and a hot tub. There is room for tenting and campers."

    8. Camp Meade RV Park

    2 Reviews
    Odenton, MD
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 722-4237

    "Nice clean restrooms and showers. Friendly hostess and we had a nice shady spot, what was great with a heat of 94F."

    9. Ramblin' Pines

    17 Reviews
    Woodbine, MD
    32 miles
    Website
    +1 (410) 795-5161

    $30 - $70 / night

    "We stay at Ramblin Pines because it is close to family and a good proximity to visiting Baltimore and Frederick."

    "It has a pool, jump pillow, mini golf, fishing pond, barnyard with goats, and multiple playgrounds. I really like all the trees. Space between sites seems to be standard."

    10. D&J Shady Rest Campground

    1 Review
    Kennedyville, MD
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (717) 529-2020

    $50 - $60 / night

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Cabin Reviews near Fort Howard, MD

366 Reviews of 20 Fort Howard Campgrounds


  • Stefanie H.
    Aug. 1, 2022

    Martinak State Park Campground

    Quiet and Peaceful

    We had a wonderful time at Martinak State Park. We rented a mini cabin and it had a full bed, two bunk beds and AC which was such a nice amenity. The site had a fire ring, grill and picnic table. We were right next to the bathhouse walkway. The bathhouse was very nice, clean and the showers had warm water. Due to the boat ramp being closed, there were not many places for fishing besides fishing off the back of the amphitheater. We drove to sister park, Tuckahoe State Park (15 min) and there was plenty of fishing locations. Cell signal was spotty, but perfect for a weekend away. Will stay again!

  • Wendy W.
    Oct. 25, 2020

    Merry Meadows Recreation Farm

    Quiet Family Fun

    What a wonderful place! The resort is spacious, scattered throughout the woods. The RV sites are comfortable with all the amenities. And the customer service is impeccable.

    We stayed during a few weekdays in October and we almost had the whole place to ourselves. We stayed in one of the cabins, which had 2 beds and a bunk bed, sink and toilet, refrigerator, microwave, dining table and sofa. There was also a front porch with picnic table and fire pit.

    Honestly, the beds were not very comfortable and way too small for a couple to sleep in one. It was a VERY dark walk to get to the bathhouse for showers. And the fire pit had no grill, so we ended up having to use the stoves of some RV camping friends for meals. Otherwise the stay was great.

    I would strongly recommend camping there in the summer months or during weekends in the shoulder season if you have social kids like mine. There were tons of things to do there for adults and kids alike. The activities — such as putt-putt, jump zone and the playground ended up being kinda boring for them without others to share it with. Obviously that would change with crowds. And advance reservations are a must — this place books up fast!

    I would highly recommend staying at Merry Meadows, especially if you have an RV and a group of friends to join you!

  • Reba H.
    Jun. 4, 2022

    Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area

    Well maintained but fair warnings

    The Hilton area campground is unique because, unlike the Hollofield area of the park, it doesn't allow RVs and its tent sites are non-electric. However, a tiny cabin experience with electricity is available... within the same loop as non-electric tent camping. My non-electric tent campsite was surrounded by brightly lit cabins, even unoccupied all of their porch lights stay on all night. It doesn't make the upper half of the campground ideal for stargazing. The other reviewers are correct that the lower half of the loop is situated lower in the valley which will make any rain you get more difficult, so avoid booking a site at the very bottom. Overall the campground and state park deserve 4 stars because from what I could see tent pads were level, firepits had grill gates, showers were hot, and staff were cleaning and maintaining the grounds everyday. But be safe; prepare detailed offline navigation if you use the trails surrounding the camp. I definitely got lost relying on blazes for what I thought was supposed to be the Charcoal Trail.

  • Jen V.
    Jul. 14, 2017

    Tuckahoe State Park Campground

    Great, quiet park on MD's Eastern Shore

    Site was heavily wooded and very private; we were surrounded by woods on three sides, and could only see our neighbors across the narrow loop road. Site included a picnic table, fire ring, grill grate and lantern post. Pad was nice and level; didn’t need to use any blocks. Drive way was just long enough to accommodate our truck. Site was a little farther from the bath house than we usually prefer, but didn’t really matter as we were camping sans kids this time. I loved the privacy of this site, so I didn’t mind the little bit of extra walking. Almost all the sites looked relatively private, with a fair amount of trees in between, but our was on of the only sites that was truly surrounded by forest. Since we were here in November, the leaves were especially beautiful. Bath house was large, heated and extremely clean; looks recently renovated. There was also a nice large dishwashing station on the Men's side, which I love. The park itself is very quiet, pretty, and easy to get around. Lots of multi-use trails, which i believe are mostly flat, so maybe not the best for die-hard hiking enthusiasts. We took the Lake Trail down to the day-use area, and it was a very pleasant, scenic hike that took less than 20 minutes. The lake/day-use area is beautiful, with a pavilion, picnic tables, boat launch area, volleyball and large recycled-tire playground for kids. There were quite a few people out and about, more than I would have expected during November. The lake is popular for fishing, kayaking and canoeing (no swimming allowed). During the on-season, canoes and kayaks are available for rent to explore the lake and water trails in the adjacent Tuckahoe Creek. Would love to come back in the summer to check them out. There is also a disc golf course, challenge course, and archery range on-site.

    Overall, we really enjoyed this park. It has all the major elements we typically look for: privacy, lots of trees, electric hookups, clean bath house, large playground, and a place to fish. The fact that it’s only about an hour’s drive from us is a bonus. We can’t wait to come back in warmer weather with the kids!

  • Matt S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 29, 2022

    Cherry Hill Park

    Washington DC Vacation

    ★★★★★ Washington, DC Vacation 

    Cherry Hill Park may be the greatest campground we’ve stayed at yet! 

    Located less than 3-miles from I-95, about 40-minutes drive time from downtown Washington, DC, and about 35-minutes from Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, this park is ideally situated for a capitol vacation. We spent 9-days in mid-July and it really wasn’t enough. 

    The staff and the array of services available is awesome. They offer concierge assistance with sightseeing tours and mass transit(Metro). They run an express bus to/from DC each weekday which is reasonably priced. Their day and night tours are informative and fun. 

    The cafe offers snacks and ice cream at the cafe, at the pool, or delivered to your site. 

    The camp store was well-stocked with food and drinks, souvenirs, and basic supplies. 

    They charge your purchases to your site(cafe, tours, store) which is smart and convenient. 

    The pools are clean and offer a nice cooldown after a day about DC. 

    For those without RVs, there are cabins and cottages to rent. There are indoor and outdoor reception facilities. For a few hours a day a few days each week, they offer a tram around the park. Nightly tractor rides are fun and there’s mini golf, ponds, and walking trails. The list goes on and on. 

    Our site (#1715) was level and the full hookups all worked fine. Beside our gravel site, there was a small brick patio with cafe table and chairs in addition to the picnic table, fire ring, and grill. 

    Everywhere I looked, I saw staff working on cleaning and maintenance— and all this work shows. The place isn’t fancy, but really well maintained and clean. 

    This is a great place and we can’t wait to go back! 

    THINGS I LIKED: 

    • Lots of staff to help make the most of your stay. 

    • Clean and well maintained property and facilities. 

    • Proximity to DC and Baltimore. 

    THINGS I’D CHANGE: 

    • My only negative is the lousy wifi. It’s 2022, and I feel having reasonable wifi should be standard. It’s important to check in with work or watch movies. Come on, folks!
  • Napunani
    Jun. 24, 2022

    Little Bennett Campground

    Nice County Park

    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 to proceed to campsite as check-in at camp store is at dead end with insufficient turning space for pickup towing 28ft bumper pull; complete check-in after camper was unhooked at site

     Great night sky viewing as no lights what so ever in camping loops except for toilet/shower buildings 

    Lots of vegetation between sites providing privacy from neighbors 

    Site#D69 shady 

    Very quiet campground 

    Site#D69 level side-to-side but we were forced to greatly elevate front of trailer to level front-to-back 

    Site#D69 gravel parking pad 

    Wooden/metal picnic table that was moveable 

    Metal fire pit with cooking grate 

    Toilet/shower facility very clean 

    3 washers and 3 dryers, along with folding tables in the basement of the check-in building. Accepted credit card for $1.75/load 

    Harper’s Ferry National Historical park 35 miles from Park 

    Walmart and Wegman’s 5 miles from Park 

    CONS 

    Out-of-state campers pay higher camping fee than Maryland residents,$66/night 

    No senior or veteran discount 

    Trees falling on Park power lines caused power outage for hours 

    No toilet/shower facility in FHU loop so had to hike to facilities in Loops B & E

    No camp host 

    No ranger patrolling thru campsite 

    No WIFI 

    1 bar Verizon

  • Matt S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 12, 2023

    Cherry Hill Park

    Awesome Campground near Washington, D.C.

    We had another great stay at Cherry Hill Park in College Park, MD. 

    We stayed in a level pull-thru site(#1715) with picnic table on a paver patio, iron table and chairs, clean gravel surface, grill, and fire pit. The site was just big enough for our motor home and Jeep. Full hook-ups with 50-amp service all worked fine. 

    If you’re visiting Washington, this is the place to stay. They offer a daily charter bus plus the Metro bus stops at the campground entrance. And if you have a car, it’s about 35-minutes drive time(maybe a bit longer with traffic). 

    To be honest, it’s a great place to stay even if you’re not visiting D.C. They have two swimming pools, a cafe, playgrounds, well-stocked camp store, delivery of firewood, ice, and cafe orders, and a concierge to help with travel and tourist sites. 

    The entire park is clean and well-maintained. 

    THINGS I ESPECIALLY LIKED: 

    1. Proximity to Washington, D.C. 

    2. Excellent condition and clean 

    3. Great staff to help with making the most of your stay

  • Gina R.
    Aug. 26, 2018

    Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park at Quarryville

    Great for younger kids

    We had stayed in this canpground about 5 years ago and we loved it. We returned this year with my 12 and 14 year olds and a 12 year old friend. The kids were bored. The only improvements in the 5 years is they took out tent sites and replaced them with cabin rentals. The go carts are old. The air pillow was flat. They took out the pool table. Hardly any games in the game room. We were very disappointed. They really need to ass something new to make it.more teen-friendly.

  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 30, 2021

    Martinak State Park Campground

    Small basic campground near a river

    This is a small state park with two loops, one with and one without electric hookups. Sites have fire rings and picnic tables. There is a dump station available. Sites are level, in a loop around the bath house. There are also a few cabins available to rent. There's a small $1 surcharge for out of state campers.

    For kids, there’s a simple swingset in the loop and a larger, newer playground. Firewood available.

    Martinak and Tuckahoe are sister parks, about 20 minutes apart. Tuckahoe offers a number of additional activities, including disc golf, mountain biking, fishing, swimming, and boating(canoe/kayak rentals available). If you’re looking to learn and explore with your kids, there is an extensive junior ranger program.

    August 1, 2021, the boat ramp will close for a year; that will likely diminish the appeal of this park for those who want to get out on the river for fishing or boating. When open, there is a network of river trails accessible from the park. There’s a boat launch in nearby West Denton or also at Tuckahoe and a few other nearby spots.

    Denton is also your destination if you've forgotten anything.


Guide to Fort Howard

Cabin accommodations near Fort Howard, Maryland range from rustic shelters to fully-equipped rentals in heavily forested settings. Located on Maryland's eastern shore, the region experiences humid summers with temperatures frequently reaching the mid-90s and mild winters where overnight freezes are common. The predominantly oak and pine forests surrounding many cabin sites create dense shade coverage during summer months, helping moderate daytime temperatures at most camping areas.

What to Do

Hiking with children: At Patapsco Valley State Park, trails range from easy walks to more challenging terrain. One visitor noted, "There is a huge playground, sensory trail and nature discovery center at the entrance to the park. The nature center was closed when we visited, but the kids still enjoyed the sensory trail and playground."

Fishing opportunities: Tuckahoe State Park offers creek and lake fishing with designated areas accessible from cabin sites. "There was a creek behind our site, playgrounds, hiking trails, and boat rentals available within a short walk," explains a visitor who stayed at the park's campground.

Wildlife viewing: Susquehanna State Park Campground provides excellent opportunities for wildlife observation from cabin locations. As one camper shared, "Scared a bunch of deer (ok they scared me!!) and checked out the giant old growth trees, hiked over a bridge and stream which was full of fish I could see!"

What Campers Like

Convenient cabin locations: Cherry Hill Park offers strategic placement of cabin rentals within the property. A visitor mentioned, "Look at the park map and try to get a site at the end of a row. The sites are pretty close together but on the ends at least you only have a neighbor on one side."

Private settings: Cabin sites at Elk Neck State Park Campground are designed to maximize seclusion. According to one review, "Nice clean and beautiful sites. Level gravel site. Asphalt parking."

Extended season options: Many cabins remain available during colder months when tent camping becomes impractical. A reviewer at Elk Neck State Park noted, "Finished the season at this state park in MD with full hook up and the water was still on in November. Bathhouses were open with hot water."

What You Should Know

Pet policies: Pet-friendly cabins are limited and must be reserved specifically. At Tuckahoe State Park Campground, a reviewer clarified, "Mini cabin D is pet friendly but one of the few."

Seasonal maintenance: Bathhouse facilities at cabin sites undergo regular upkeep with occasional service interruptions. One visitor to Elk Neck State Park reported, "Hot water was out while we were there so showers were a bit cold but it's summer/hot so it wasn't really a problem."

Noise considerations: Proximity to other campsites varies significantly between cabin locations. A camper at Washington DC/Capitol KOA observed, "If you get an area to back into it'll be more secluded, but the pull through spots offer no privacy."

Tips for Camping with Families

Playground access: Washington DC/Capitol KOA provides extensive recreational facilities near cabin sites. A visitor highlighted, "They have a nice area for kids (pool, playground, jumping pillow, basketball courts, giant chess, etc)."

Safety features: Many cabin areas include security measures for families with young children. One reviewer noted, "The campground is a safe place for families."

Cell reception considerations: Connection availability varies significantly between cabin locations. A camper at Tuckahoe State Park mentioned, "Quiet state park with limited cell reception. Truly off the map camping."

Tips from RVers

Cabin alternatives: Ramblin' Pines offers cabin rentals alongside RV sites with comparable amenities. A visitor highlighted, "This is a mature and updated campgrounds. This beautiful spot offers everything from live music on weekends to a beautiful pool, pond and many children activity areas."

Storage options: Some facilities provide secure cabin storage for travelers making multi-stop journeys. As one camper reported, "They even allowed us to store the camper while we took a cruise out of Baltimore!"

Utility reliability: Electrical service quality varies significantly between cabin locations. A Tuckahoe State Park visitor noted, "We lost power during a rain storm," indicating the importance of backup options during severe weather.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Fort Howard, MD?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Fort Howard, MD is Washington DC / Capitol KOA with a 4-star rating from 15 reviews.

What is the best site to find cabin camping near Fort Howard, MD?

TheDyrt.com has all 20 cabin camping locations near Fort Howard, MD, with real photos and reviews from campers.