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Camping near Harwood, Maryland encompasses a mix of state parks, private campgrounds, and waterfront sites within easy reach of both Washington DC and Annapolis. The area features established campgrounds like Adventure Bound Washington DC in Lothian and Cedarville State Forest, which provide varying levels of amenities for tent and RV campers. Sandy Point State Park near Annapolis offers youth group camping with Chesapeake Bay views, while smaller private operations like Lacy Oasis Campground provide more intimate camping experiences with just six sites. Cherry Hill Park in College Park stands out as a highly-rated option with full hookups and amenities for those visiting the DC area.
Most campgrounds in the region operate seasonally, with peak availability from April through October. Cedarville State Forest typically opens in April and closes in October, while Sandy Point State Park operates from March to October. Some facilities like Adventure Bound Washington DC and the Naval Station Annapolis FamCamp remain open year-round. Summer humidity and mosquitoes can be significant, particularly in wooded areas near water. According to reviews, Cedarville State Forest can experience severe mosquito activity in summer months, with one camper noting they "had to buy 100% deet so we could be outside."
The camping options near Harwood reflect the region's position between urban centers and natural areas. Greenbelt Park provides a National Park Service camping experience surprisingly close to DC, though campers note the proximity to civilization is evident. As one visitor observed, "Helicopters and planes fly over regularly, and you can hear sirens from neighboring College Park." For RV travelers, several campgrounds offer full hookups, though not all accommodate large rigs. Cherry Hill Park provides extensive amenities and even offers "a lengthy orientation to Washington, tours, restaurants, Metrorail, parking, museums, and monuments" according to one reviewer, making it particularly suitable for tourists using the campground as a base for DC exploration.
"If you are really looking for somewhere to feel far away from civilization and see some beautiful scenery, this probably isn't it."
"The campsite is superb with walking trails, wildlife and the occasional overflying US Presidential Helicopter. Easily accessible from close by freeways, and charmingly peaceful"
from $20 / night
Check Availability"Metrorail is about 6 miles from campground, near University of Maryland."
"Great camping amenities, soft cushioned sites, with power and water close by. DO NOT GET BASIC TENT SITES AS THEY ARE NEXT TO HIGHWAYS AND VERY NOISY!!! Premium tent sites would be a better choice."
from $999 / night
Check Availability"We had a fantastic time our 1st time at #AdventureBoundCampingResort in Lothian, Maryland."
"This place is a good place to stay, the laundry room & showers are handy, the pool is large, & it's a 40 minute drive to the capital & the Smithsonian Mall or a 25 minute drive to the closest"
"They have a nice dog area for the dog to be able to run around and exercise which a lot of places we have been do not have a place for the dog to really exercise."
"The location worked for my trip but not sure it’s that convenient to DC."
"We picked up the camping registration outside the office at the entrance, no need to speak with anyone. Then we just drove down to our campsite in the family camping loop."
"Forested campground with fairly lengthy but level (and thus beginner friendly) hiking just a short distance away from Washington, DC."
from $30 / night
Check Availability"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."
"Camping fees include access to a large outdoor pool, an indoor pool and a hot tub. There is room for tenting and campers."
from $30 - $55 / night
Check Availability"Based on my stay 3 nights and what I read of Greenbelt Park (the other closeby to Washington campground) I would say this has to be much better and I will stay here again on a future visit."
from $12 - $45 / night
Check Availability"Whether you are an adult or a child, this place will have a positive effect on you. The owners are involved and designed this space with the visitors pleasure in mind."
from $90 - $190 / night
Check Availability"Very spartan but great location. Not much to do in the campground and some long timers there. Dirt cheap"
GuideIf you want to be near Annapolis, right on the Severn River...this is it. About 15 RV spots nestled in the woods...with full hook ups. A couple of primitive spots as well. Just a quick 5 min walk to the river...right across from the Academy. NEX, gas within 10 min walk, and 15 min drive to downtown Annapolis. Staff is always great here, and the park is clean....for a park on the woods.
TravelerBased on my stay 3 nights and what I read of Greenbelt Park (the other closeby to Washington campground) I would say this has to be much better and I will stay here again on a future visit. Campground sits inside of a much larger park with great trails, amenities and well maintained. Campground is quiet, lots of trees, forest and yet each space is very large with good spacing and privacy to adjacent sites. High tree canopy at your site so lots of room to spread out. Sites themselves are a little rustic - a mix of grass, gravel and dirt, but not muddy (it rained a good bit prior to my stay) - but in good condition. Shower/toilet block is clean and good hot water and good water pressure. Most sites are flat or near flat and the ones that aren't need minimal levelling blocks. Campground apparently is never full and there was only 1 other when I was there - really hard to believe. There is a neighborhood road up by the sites near the shower block but it is low speed and lightly travelled and I had no disturbance from it. Nice surrounding neighborhood. No signs of vagrants. Park police patrolled multiple times per day and report very little non-camper entry to ther facilities. I felt very safe.Easy access to Eashington - bus stop outside the campground to metro or just drive to the metro (free parking weekend, $6 midweek) and then train (about 8 per hour) into the sites - an hour or less total to get there. For more local people, this seems like a good escape "to the woods" without travelling forever.
GuideWhat a gem! We found this place as an alternative to staying in DC during 4th of July festivities. Nice spacious sites, cabins were super clean and smelled great! Did I mention they were air conditioned during the hotest week of the summer!
Bathrooms and showers were spotless.
Many things to see and do there. Historic property, big lake (no swimming), boating, fishing, hiking. There is an Art Center with juried displays for sale.
ScoutThe park is very well maintained, and the campsites have clean fire pits and cooking grills. The restrooms are clean, spacious, and well maintained, and my campsite was large enough to comfortably fit a 6-person tent and a canopy.
However, there were a few concerns during our stay. Despite the campground’s quiet hours policy starting at 10:00 PM, many campers continued to make noise well past that time. I did not notice any campground staff or maintenance personnel making rounds to enforce the quiet hours.
I also felt concerned about security. One of my neighboring campers, who was visiting from South Carolina, told me that his generator had been stolen during the night. He reported the theft to the police, and an official report was filed. Incidents like this made me feel unsafe while camping.
I recommend increasing staff or security patrols, especially during the evening and overnight hours, to enforce quiet hours and improve the safety and security of campers and their belongings. With better enforcement and security, Burke Lake Campground would provide an even better camping experience.
TravelerOne of our favorite places. Very well kept. No bathhouse so bring your own. A lot of shady sites. Great views of Chesapeake bay. Flat roads in the area for cycling.
TravelerFor $90 per night the WiFi should work better. Didn’t connect at all. Had to use the antenna pointed East to get local Baltimore news.
ScoutThis camp ground is like a resort with 2 pools mini golf splash pad and many other amenities
GuideThis park is top notch. The grounds are immaculate. The staff is friendly and helpful. They have a lovely gift shop. We were in the 400 sites and it was nice and shady. Though you are close to highways I don’t recall hearing and noise. I love that they have shuttles to DC., walking trails and a large dog park. This is my all time favorite park so far and I need to go back.
GuideBASE ACCESS REQUIRED!
Electric/Water/Sewer hookup sites for $56 a night! (2 night minimum) Which is a great full hookup price, even though it's gone up $6 since last year. Weekly and monthly pricing available as well.
The sites are neat, well maintained, level, and sunny with concrete pads and paved campground roads. Centrally located laundry facilities and airconditioned bath house. Playground, boat launch, beach volleyball court, disk golf, basketball court, and outdoor pool all within walking distance. Other base amenities include: commissary, gas station, bowling, BBQ, Dunkin', and Greek restaurants, and golf. (I'm sure I'm forgetting something.)
Note: in July it is very buggy - the biting flies are the worst. So bring bug spray or a screened in tent to eat in.
The downside: the reservation system is a major PITA. You have to download a PDF packet, fill it out, and EMAIL it in. When you get your confirmation, it doesn't include a specific site number. You get assigned one when they call you the week of your scheduled check-in for payment completion.
Don't miss out on: the water! My advice would be to reserve one of their boats at the same time you reserve your campsite. The water in this area is great - no jellyfish, low waves. You can SUP, kayak, pontoon boat. Whatever your preference. There are large flats of grasses - which you'd want to avoid with a motor but are so much fun to paddle over. Also check out the Susquehanna National Wildlife Refuge island. You can't go inland, but you can anchor off shore, jump in and wade around the shallows.
Also very driveable to an off-base movie theater, Baltimore, and Havre de Grace.
Camping near Harwood, Maryland provides access to both freshwater and saltwater environments within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The region sits at elevations typically below 100 feet, creating gentle terrain suitable for camping throughout most of the year. Summer temperatures average 85-90°F with high humidity levels that drop significantly during spring and fall camping seasons.
Fossil hunting at beaches: Some campsites offer prime shark tooth collecting opportunities along Chesapeake Bay shorelines. At Breezy Point Beach, one camper reported "great time yesterday with my little guy, playing in the water and sand! I also collected shark teeth... 178 shark teeth to be exact 🦈." The beach has undergone recent renovations to protect the shoreline.
Hiking forest trails: Cedarville State Forest offers multiple trail options through diverse woodland habitats. According to one visitor, "There are decent trails to hike here too. There are some abandon camp loops around the open campground which makes for some cool walks with your dog. Very pretty area with lots of trails and overgrown roads to walk. Equestrian trails go deep into the woods if you want a longer trail."
Washington DC tourism: Cherry Hill Park provides dedicated transit options for those wanting to explore the capital. One camper explained, "The best park in the DC area! Plan and reserve you DC tours right at the campground. No need to drive anywhere, the tour buses pick you up at the park!" Many campgrounds offer similar transit or driving options to reach DC attractions.
Chesapeake Bay access: Waterfront sites at Breezy Point Beach Campground allow campers to enjoy beach access directly from their sites. A camper noted, "There is additional space behind each site leading onto the beach that houses a table and fire ring. It feels like each site has loads of room out to the beach." This creates a unique camping experience with bay views.
Forest seclusion close to urban areas: Greenbelt Park Campground offers woodland camping surprisingly close to urban amenities. As one camper described: "This is an urban oasis. Traffic can be heard but not seen. Weekdays are pretty quiet in this campground. Living nearby but storing my popup camper elsewhere, I often park my camper here for a few days while I pack it for a trip. It's also just nice to experience that 'getaway' feeling without being too far from home."
Pool and recreation facilities: Many campgrounds feature swimming pools and recreational amenities for families. At Washington DC Capitol KOA, one camper mentioned, "They have a nice area for kids (pool, playground, jumping pillow, basketball courts, giant chess, etc). If you get an area to back into it'll be more secluded, but the pull through spots offer no privacy." These amenities help when summer temperatures rise.
Bug protection essential: The region's combination of woods and water creates ideal conditions for ticks and mosquitoes. At Cedarville State Forest, visitors warned: "LOTS and LOTS of ticks. I got one, but my wife and dog got about a dozen each. Just bring tweezers." Mosquitoes are equally problematic in summer months.
Reservation requirements: Most campgrounds operate on reservation systems with varying lead times. For Greenbelt Park Campground, a visitor advised: "Reserve online - this is a NO CASH facility which means you CANNOT pay upon arrival so you will have to do so online." Always check booking requirements before arriving.
Campground privacy varies: Site spacing differs significantly between campgrounds. One camper at Adventure Bound Washington DC noted: "Sites were very close. The site was part Gravel and mostly mud/grass. There was trash on site. It appears that most of the people here live full-time." Research site maps or call ahead if privacy is important.
Metro access for DC trips: Washington DC Capitol KOA and other campgrounds near DC offer convenient metro access. A camper at Greenbelt Park advised: "Take the METRO if you are going into the District. There are two stations very close to camp (Greenbelt and University Park). Rides vary depending on how far you are going but on average I spent about $10 per day on METRO versus $20-$40 on parking in the district area."
Beach day options: Sandy Point State Park offers day-use beach facilities that complement camping trips. However, timing matters: "This park is extremely crowded and very dirty during the summer season." Visit during spring or fall for less crowded conditions, or arrive early during peak season.
Kid-friendly amenities: Several campgrounds cater specifically to families with children. As one Cherry Hill Park visitor stated, "This campground has so much to offer. We loved it. Pros: Playground, Mini Golf, Swimming Pool, Hot tub, Basketball court, Snack bar on site, Nightly hayride." These facilities help keep children entertained during longer stays.
Difficult leveling at beach sites: Breezy Point Beach and Campgrounds offers waterfront camping but presents challenges for RVs. One RVer explained: "I had to mark it down for the loose-sandy sites; yes, I know it is a beach but they really need to firm-up the actual RV parking spots. Some are worse than others, but it can be a challenge leveling and stabilizers can't get a firm footing, be sure to have some wood or other platform for your stabilizers."
Limited dump facilities: Some campgrounds lack on-site dump stations. At Breezy Point Beach, a camper noted: "There is no dump station and the pump-out option is only offered a couple days per week. Finally, there is no camp store although Breezy Point Market is just a mile or so away." Plan accordingly when booking multi-night stays.
Site size considerations: Verify RV length restrictions before booking. As one camper at Cedarville State Forest observed: "The loop is very small, with all the sites pretty close together... Site 6 was good but not for larger rigs. We have a pop up and had to navigate around a tree that would have been very difficult for larger rigs. Site 5 or 7 wouldn't have that problem." Many campgrounds list maximum RV lengths on their websites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Harwood, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Harwood, MD is Greenbelt Park Campground — Greenbelt Park with a 4.2-star rating from 32 reviews.
What parks are near Harwood, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 14 parks near Harwood, MD that allow camping, notably Greenbelt Park and Fort Dupont Park.
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