Susquehanna State Park offers primitive camping experiences near Glen Arm, Maryland, situated along the rolling hills of Harford County at elevations ranging from 100-300 feet. The park's camping areas feature varying terrain with sections of mature oak and hickory forest interspersed with open meadows. Weather conditions typically include humid summers with temperatures averaging 85°F and mild springs and falls with daytime highs in the 60s-70s.
What to Do
Fishing opportunities: At Codorus State Park Campground, campers can enjoy fishing on the large lake. "The lake is large and fun to explore in the boat. We didn't actually get to swim because there were signs everywhere saying no swimming, but we dipped our legs in," shares Sarah L.
Historic explorations: Visit the working gristmill at Tucquan Park Family Campground where you can take a short drive to nearby historic sites. "The area is beautiful," notes Stephanie, while the campground provides "a nice little pond you can fish" according to Dan A.
Disc golf courses: Play one of two 18-hole disc golf courses at Gifford Pinchot State Park. Each course offers different terrain challenges, but as one camper warns, "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."
What Campers Like
Spacious sites: Lums Pond State Park Campground gets high marks for site size. "From the moment I pulled in and observed how large the sites were, I was hooked," writes Leah H. Another camper mentions "Beautiful park setting with fantastic site—spacious, level, good-working hookups, and paved."
Clean facilities: Bathhouses frequently receive praise from campers glamping close to Glen Arm, Maryland. Ellen B. notes about Lums Pond that "all were redone in the last few years with concrete pads, 30 amp service and full sewer." At Tucquan Park, a reviewer highlighted that the "bathhouses are nice and plenty of things to occupy the kids."
Family activities: Ramblin' Pines offers extensive family amenities near Glen Arm. "The place was nice, lots for kids to do, plenty of shaded spots! Nice pool... they even allowed us to store the camper while we took a cruise out of Baltimore!" says Jason L. Another camper mentions it has "a pond for fishing, a pool for swimming and a little general store for all your needs."
What You Should Know
Reservation needs: Popular glamping sites near Glen Arm book quickly. "Book early because it fills up fast!" advises Ellen B. about Lums Pond State Park, while Cherry Hill campers note that advance planning is essential during peak season.
Weather considerations: The region experiences occasional severe storms. A camper at Merry Meadows Recreation Farm recounted, "Power outage at a lot of the campground Friday night due to a tree down on the power lines. My section kept power, so I was happy."
Site variations: Not all sites are created equal, even within the same campground. At Gifford Pinchot, a camper reported, "When I arrived, someone was in my spot. After working it out and came back I noticed just how crowded it was. Went to front gate and got a much more isolated tent spot (front gate said they were ALL the same size and privacy and I can tell you he was very wrong)."
Tips for Camping with Families
Pool access restrictions: Check pool policies before promising swimming to young children. At Washington DC/Capitol KOA, a camper noted, "I didnt like that non potty trained kids are not allowed to swim in their pool. Luckily we only have a 9 month old currently that isn't potty trained so she didn't care."
Playground proximity: Choose sites near recreation areas for families with young children. At Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park, "Fun fun and more fun loads of activities for the kids! Breakfast with Yogi!" shares Terri S., though she warns to "make sure the kids you have are not afraid of people in costumes, we found out the hard way!"
Hiking difficulty levels: Select trails appropriate for children's abilities. At Codorus, Catherine H. notes, "There are a lot of trails available for hiking, biking, or riding horses... This park has a lot that you can do or just relax by the fire. Perfect for families."
Tips from RVers
Keycard systems: Some campgrounds require deposits for entry systems. A camper at Ramblin' Pines mentioned "The keycard entry system is pretty inconvenient though ($40 cash only deposit!) and the hours are inconvenient as well. You can only check in between 2 and 4!"
Site selection strategy: End sites offer more privacy at higher-density campgrounds. At Cherry Hill Park, Scott C. advises, "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."
Hookup locations: Check the positioning of utilities before selecting a site. One camper complained about Lums Pond, "The site offered electric and water but they were on 2 different sides. This made it difficult to set up. Had to park the camper crooked to use both."
