Are you planning a tent camping trip to Manchester? We've got you covered. Find the best information on tent campgrounds near Manchester, including sites, reviews, and tips. Each spot offers quick access to one or more of Manchester, Maryland's most popular destinations.
Hilton is a place for kids of all ages to play and explore. Located off Hilton Avenue, this area is within walking distance for many residents in Catonsville. A popular spot for afternoon walks and morning workouts, the trails are active with local residents and visitors from far away.
You can also gain access to the Patapsco River by traveling down into the river valley along the Forest Glen Trail. This trail follows the Saw Mill Branch Stream and can connect with several trails to make for very interesting hiking adventures. The area also has a small campground with six mini-cabins and 12 basic campsites.
$20 - $51 / night
The Antietam Creek Campground is located at Mile 69.4 on the C&O Canal Towpath, a few miles south of Shepherdstown on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. The campsites are nestled in the woods between the Canal and the Potomac River and they are a short distance from many recreational opportunities. Fishing, boating and hiking are but a few possibilities while staying at Antietam Creek Campground.
Popular activities at Antietam Creek include boating and fishing. Kayaking the creek and surrounding areas during various times of the year are scenic and ever changing. Nearby boat ramps at Dargan Bend and Snyders Landing provide motor boat access to the river. Fishing is also a popular pastime in both the watered sections of the C&O Canal the Potomac River. Be sure to acquire a Maryland Fishing License for those age 16 or older. West Virginia Licenses are approved for fishing in the Potomac only.
Antietam Creek Campground is just south of Sharpsburg, MD. Antietam Creek is a typically mild and slow moving creek which feeds into the much larger and faster Potomac River directly adjacent to the campsite. River rise and floods can modify conditions quickly here.
Antietam Battlefield, South Mountain Recreation Area and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park all provide additional hiking and history adventures specifically about the Civil War Era.
Cancellations A cancellation is the release of a confirmed reservation prior to the start of the defined late cancellation time frame which results in non-use by the original customer. Camping and Day Use Facilities Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee. Late Cancellations or Cancellations within the Cut-off Window Individual Campsites: A customer who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation). Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. Group Facility: Customers who cancel a group overnight facility reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee. Group Day Use Area: Customers who cancel a group day-use facility reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will forfeit the total day-use fee.
$10 - $20 / night
Nestled on 110 acres of rolling land, Lower Allen Community Park (LACP) is in the southern part of the Township at 4075 Lisburn Road. It is an ideal location for retreats or meetings, weddings, parties, picnics, family reunions, athletic games and tournaments, special events, or just to simply enjoy family or some quiet time alone. In 2008, Capital Blue Cross and Central Penn Parent Magazine readers awarded LACP as the Second Best Park/Playground. The park offers pavilions, play areas, camp sites and numerous athletic fields for rent. The Camping area is located on the banks of the Yellow Breeches Creek and is perfect for anyone who likes to get back to nature. These “primitive” camp sites are available for tent camping. A nature trail, which winds its way through park pointing out native flowers and foliage, sets the backdrop for your camping getaway.
$10 - $25 / night
$40 - $45 / night
$22 - $100 / night
The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring is Maryland's biggest climbing and ziplining adventure!
We have 5 campsites on site. Please note, these campsites are only available for scout troops and youth groups who are also taking part in park activities.
$150 - $200 / night
Scout
Sites were well-maintained, including lavatories. Plenty of tree cover. NOTE: park service forbade tying lines or straps to the trees at the time of our visit (Autumn 2024), so if you favor hammock camping or deploying tarps/ridgelines, plan accordingly.
Scout
Overall great trip. Friendly super helpful staff. Sites are a bit small but to be expected for a theme park event resort. I dropped one star for freight rail 24/7 next to camp
Scout
The resort had great amenities for all ages. We stayed in October so there was plenty of activities for kids from crafts, games, dancing, to trick or treating. The resort ensured safety for the kids during trick or treating and closed all vehicle traffic for 2 hours. The location also had golf cars to rent to explore the sites. All employees were easy to talk to, always had a smile and personable.
Traveler
This was a great park! Very clean and quiet. The facilities were clean and felt safe. Some of the sites were a little close together but very large and well maintained
Traveler
This was a great park to stay in. Close to local activities, clean and quiet. The front desk staff was super friendly and the site was perfect
Scout
Decently spaced out campsites for the most part, good service connection (Verizon), and pretty solid bathrooms make it a great spot for families or newer campers. Wish there were some more hikes/things to do at the state park itself, especially with the lake having toxic algae in it right now.
Guide
Arrived, quickly showed how to get to our site. We setup without issue and spent 3 nights without anyone bothering us on our tent site. The place was quiet by about 11:10, not sure if it was enforced or happened naturally. The out houses could have been cleaned a bit more regularly as it was a busy long weekend. Overall it was a great experience.
Legend
It's hard to get here with no reservations
Traveler
We arrived at 1am, hadn’t made a reservation, and it was closed and the gates locked. No where on the website does it say it’s closed. Very frustrating, especially as a weary traveler.
Legend
While I suppose there’s no shortage of reasons as to why one would stop for a night or a week here at Pinch Pond Family Campground, we just so happened to stop by on our way to Harrisburg / Hershey and found this roadside campground so inconveniently located (more on this later) right next to highway I76. Whether you’re hauling a 5th wheel, driving an RV or looking to pitch a tent, Pinch Pond has you covered, figuratively – as they offer virtually any type of camping, from RV and 5th Wheel to tent / primitive as well as cottage rentals – as there’s no shortage of trees and shrubbery everywhere around the perimeter (although not within) this particular campground.
Whether or not it’s true that this is the only family fun campground located between Hershey & Lancaster, what I will attest to is that this is one very all-inclusive campground that offers no shortage of outstanding amenities. Even before you arrive to the main office, you will appreciate the gated surroundings that ensure drive-by traffic doesn’t ruin your experience here. Once you park in front of the main office, you’ll spot the community pool right in front and once inside the office, you’ll be immediately greeted by two of the most hospitable desk staff. Here, you’ll check-in, get directions and may return to purchase any of the sundries, treats, ice cream and souvenirs that this place has ... or make your way back to the game room where you’ll find arcade games.
In addition to offering up laundry, super-clean and well-kept restrooms with showers, there’s also WiFi throughout the campground as well as select ethernet ports (both for a fee, which is a bummer), designated dump stations and dumpsters, soccer field, propane refill tank, kid’s playground and even a barn. Clear in the back of the property, you’ll find a small fishing pond. Scattered throughout the grounds are picnic tables and in-ground fire rings with grills. Should you be driving an RV, the slots are level and feature small stone surface with all of the typical hook-ups (30 / 50 electric amp, water, sewage and Cable TV). Oh, and if you don’t have an RV, 5th Wheeler or even a tent, no worries, as there are also 7 or so cottages that you can rent.
Downsides? Well, let’s come back to that ‘inconvenient’ proximity to interstate 76. For starters, while it is RIGHT NEXT to the highway, it’s not a simple or EZ path to navigate as you’ll have to basically get off the turnpike and essentially drive around a 5 square mile bit of PA Dutch countryside just to arrive back right next to the highway, but on the other side where Pinch Pond Family Campground is at. Maybe driving completely out of the way to arrive here encourages transient passerbys to stay away, but one thing is for certain – you’re not going to get away from all of that highway traffic noise. Second, you’ll note that while most of Pinch Pond is divided into little neighborhoods, for the most part, the entire campground is completely wide open so there is very little privacy apart from a few select locations (where I make recommendations in the Insider’s Tips section). Next, and I really wished someone had let us know this before we agreed to stay, but there’s a shooting range near the property, so at all hours you will hear target practice going on, especially in the wee early hours. Lastly, while the pricing feels pretty affordable for full hook-up (30 / 50 amp) @$57-$67 / night and 20-amp+ water hook-up@ $54-$64 / night, I thought the pricing for primitive (read: no electric or water hook-ups) @$52-$62/ night to be akin to highway (yes, pun intended because you’re right next to one here!) robbery.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) While it irked me a bit that Pinch Pond likes to ‘pinch pennies’ by offering early arrivals / late departures for $3/ hour, in a crunch, providing that accommodations are available, it’s not the worst option to take advantage of if you need some extra time; (2) If you’ve never visited an Amish community, you should definitely take advantage of this very unique location by exploring Lancaster County where you can find a number of horse & buggies to take a trip in to take in the absolutely gorgeous Pennsylvania Dutch countryside in a very unique way; (3) From a foodie standpoint, take my word for it, there is VERY little around these parts and what you can find nearby are local joints, which we loved BTW, including: Mount Gretna Hideaway, Gus’ Keystone Family Restaurant, Kountry Kitchen Family Restaurant, Forklift & Palate Restaurant as well as Mount Joy Family Restaurant; (4) If you are traveling in these parts with kids, there’s a handful of really great places to check out like the most obvious nearby location being Hershey Park, Chocolate Factory, Gardens & Museum, but there’s also Laserdome located just due south of Pinch Pond Family Campground by about 20 minutes or just due east is a really cool Wolf Sanctuary that is a refuge for these four-legged friends complete with guided tours; (5) IMHO the best campsite locations are actually the ones designated for primitive tents as they are all located in the rear of the property and therefore quieter and more removed from the rest of the somewhat crowded campground – for RVers, I would recommend sites #102–120, again, in the far rear or sites #308– 317 along Angler’s Way; and (6) If you are thinking about staying here during the Renaissance Faire, which apparently is a VERY BIG thing in these parts, you are going to want to book your spot as soon as possible.
Happy Camping!
LegendI don’t know if the Amish camp, but regardless, if you’d like to experience what it’s like to go camping in Amish country then Thousand Trails PA Dutch Country RV Resort has you covered. First of all, whenever I see that word ‘resort’ I always wonder – is it really a resort? And, well, while we're on that particular question, what makes a place a resort in the first place? In my estimation, a resort has to have a pool and likely some of those splash pools, probably gated or requires some sort of secure admittance, full of recreation options, is a restful respite and (very probably) features a Tiki Hut or some version of an outdoor bar that is serving up delicious libations. Apart from that very last amenity, this particular RV campground destination ticks most of the boxes.
So, should you be looking for an authentic Quaker environ to enjoy some of the best of what the great Keystone State has to offer, then you might want to give PA Dutch Country RV Resort some consideration, but before you do, you’ll need to secure a membership with Thousand Trails in order to access this, and indeed the other 250 or so other campgrounds this camping conglomerate has throughout the US. The biggest downside to this particular campground is its very close proximity to the PA Turnpike, which while convenient, might detract a bit from the peace & quiet you might be expecting when here at your new-found camping ‘resort.’ That said, as the PA Dutch Country RV Resort rests at a slightly higher elevation than the turnpike, I have to admit, we really didn’t notice much of any noise coming from the highway and what’s more, this campground is completely surrounded by a fairly dense forest, which likely is what blocks any irritable sound and most certainly blocks any highway or traffic visibility.
Should you decide to leave ‘the reservation’ for any reason, you’ll be engulfed by the incredibly rich, verdant countryside populated by incredibly rural residents who’s ancestors settled this vast rich farmland a few hundred years ago. Today, the Pennsylvania Dutch countryside (of which my Irish ancestors intermingled with a long time ago) is a combination of rolling hills in a plush countryside punctuated by massive rolled bays of hay in the surrounding fields, covered wooden bridges and the occasional quaint New England well-preserved charming towns that you will be sure to encounter. So, if you have camping on your mind, discovering a spot like PA Dutch Country RV Resort places you in the heart of one of the most picturesque natural landscapes anywhere in the Keystone State.
Should you need directions to this campground, it’s just off Exit 44 of PA Turnpike or Exit 60 & 60A off of I78. Here at PA Dutch Country RV Resort you’ll encounter a destination offering up 267 back-in and pull-through slots with full hook-ups (30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage) for RVs in the midst of a fairly decent wooded surrounding with about 6 tent sites offering 15 amp electric and running water. You will discover that no matter where you look on this property, you will have to contend with sloping land as this campground appears to be situated right on the side of a heavily wooded hill. That said, we didn’t have any problems laying out our campsite that came with the standard-issued picnic table and in-ground fold-up fire ring. Don’t have an RV, 5th Wheeler or Tent? Not a problem, as the good folks here at PA Dutch Country RV Resort will rent you one of their 3 cottages for the night.
As previously mentioned, with the term ‘resort’ there should be a ton of amenities that one conjures up and PA Dutch Country RV Resort does not disappoint with plenty of amenities, inclusive of: 3 fairly massive restroom & shower facilities, Wi-Fi service (at a cost), trading post / camp store, swimming pool, walking paths, clubhouse/ office, playing card room, church service, crafts & arts, family bingo, community library, mini golf course, basketball court, horseshoe pits, kids playgrounds, fire pit, designated picnic & BBQ areas, ranger station, recreation hall, cornhole, basketball court, designated dump stations, water stations, ice for sale, propane refueling station, RV storage, Laundry-O-Mat and pet friendly.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you are an RVer or 5th Wheeler, the best sites IMHO are those that back up to the periphery and are northernmost up the slight embankment as you’ll have greater privacy and less noise being furthest away from all of the action in the center of this campground resort – these sites include: #C1– C5, #D9– D17 and #E44– E49; (2) Should you grow weary of trying to conjure up that next meal from the depths of your Cordova roto-molded cooler or from the confines of your onboard mini-fridge, while there’s not a ton of restaurants around these parts, there are a few and they are pretty amazing, including favorites Brick Tavern Inn and The West End, McCoole’s @ The Historic Red Lion Inn and Sage Alley Brewery; (3) In the event that you need to replenish any of your supplies, rest assured as in nearby Quakertown, there’s a Giant & Aldi’s grocery store as well as a local Target, Walmart, TJMaxx, Kohl’s and Link Beverages to stock up on the 21+ liquid refreshment; (4) Should you be towing your canoe or kayak with you and are eager to get the beak of your waterbird wet, then head on over due east of Quakertown Campground to Nockamixon SP where there’s a sizeable, yet skinny lake just begging for you to navigate it and get some good, hard oaring in; and (5) As a tent camper, while there are only 6 or so spots to choose from, you’ll be happy to know that these are also located on the periphery, with #L1& L2 being southernmost, which I would avoid altogether as this places you too close to the highway) and #T9– T12, which are located northernmost and are the best tent campsites to book.
Happy Camping!
Traveler
Did stay here after visting Vicksburg. Nice clean restrooms and showers. Friendly hostess and we had a nice shady spot, what was great with a heat of 94F.
ScoutThe campground had a good feel to it. We had a nice view of the lake. We booked a non electric site for our tent camping. The bath houses need updated though. The only negative I can say is that our site did not have a great spot for the tent except by the parking spot and not down by the fire ring.
Traveler
Reservations are made through the National parks service "recreation.gov" website. Arrived for tent camping for 2 nights and found a pleasantly prepared raised bed area to pitch my tent on. My stay was quiet and the bathrooms were clean and well stocked. This is a great base camp for getting out to the Gettysburg National park and battlefield. town is less than 10 miles away that has a grocery store and restaurants. FREE split firewood. So quiet i swear i heard a squirrel burp.
Scout
Nice family campground that offers alot. Its very big, only 1 central bathhouse for very large area. Female restrooms has 6 toilets and 6 showers (push button, luke warm water). COME PREPARED WITH LEVELING BLOCKS!!!! Our site was very slanting!!
Guide
Good near by camping less then 90 minutes from me. Relatively quiet campsite, family friendly. We stayed in site 38 on the Acorn loop, which had a fair amount of roots and took some work to get leveled , but was manageable once the camper was leveled. Electric worked great. Hiking trails were infested with yellow jackets and stung myself and my wife while hiking. Also Steppingstone farm was closed , but was not indicated on the website prior to camping. If you like beer I recommend checking out Hopkins Brewery, which is about 8 minutes away from the campsite.
Scout
Granted it’s a Yogi Bear campground, so the kids were expected. However, adults carrying on well beyond the 11pm quiet time, outrageously loud hay rides well past 9pm on Friday, combined with a ton of golf carts and under age drivers it’s unanimous, we won’t be back.
TravelerBeautiful and very clean campground. Nice bath houses. Well maintained with friendly staff. Reasonably priced and great location.
Scout
I've stayed at Cordorus a number of times as it's not too far away for a weekend getaway. Last time was in Sept. 2023 when some tropical storm poured rain for three days. I'm booked for next weekend now in Sept. 2024, so I hope it's a dry one. I pulled up The Dyrt to see if anything has changed, but I see it's still the great place it always is.
I usually end up in a dry site as I book late and the electric sites are all filled.
Traveler
Fun weekend trip very close to DC. Well kept park with lots of activities for kids - jumping pillow, laser tag, pedal carts, arts and crafts. Nice little game room and some outdoor games at the activity center as well. Full hookup spots in the D loop were pretty nice. The spots in the first half of the loop felt a little close together for my taste, but our spot (D61) was nice as we didn’t have any neighbors on one side. Only complaint is that it’s pricey and has a two night minimum on weekends, but felt worth it with all the activities that were available.
Traveler
The campground is adjacent to a very large, very busy train yard. It’s not bothered me but you should be aware.
The campground is also right on the Potomac, easy to get to, reasonably priced, and the sites are spacious. The loops are small, each containing a dozen or fewer spaces. Many sites share a power pole and water faucet, but they are well situated.
There is a small camp store, but the campground is convenient to ample grocery stores, convenience stores, and restaurants as well as many local historic attractions.
Scout
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RangerCodorus state campground provided a comfortable and quiet stay. The trailer sites in loop C are spacious enough with plenty of shades and trees. The open field pet friendly sites are also large but provide no shade and it gets hot! You can feel the difference between these sites and the interior loop sites. No cross winds, no breeze, just hot! The trails from
Campground are ok for a short walk, not much of a lake view but mostly shaded trail. The pool is conveniently located maybe even walking distance for some. But be advised, this is a public pool open to everyone and folks start showing up at 7am, separate entrance road and entry fee was around $10 pp. The lake is great! Lovely areas to relax and explore. No swimming allowed anywhere but you can find places to sneak a dip 😉 just look past marina near state park public recreation area. The park staff won’t give you a hard time they just ask that you don’t go further than waist deep. It is a very large lake. We highly recommend that you rent a pontoon boat to head out and explore! Very worth it! All grounds and areas are clean and kept in great condition.
GuideWe stay here once a year. Always a good experience. Our site was very spacious. Close to area attractions. Shuttle bus yo the park and arena.
TravelerThis campground is pleasant, but the sites are situated quite close to one another. The camping area is away from the main parts of the park through gates, so you won't be bothered by non-camp traffic. A few hiking trails lead to many more extended trails, but it is a steep slope down to the river.
Traveler
Stayed 2 nights. Located w/in walking distance of small town of Intercourse, PA, with plenty of shopping and Amish crafts. Very friendly people. Inexpensive stay.
GuideWhen we first checked in at the resort, we enjoyed the easy check-in and the location was an easy to get to location. After checking in, we drove all around the campground just to get to our site which is a little out-of-the-way, but it was manageable. Our site was very unlevel, but we made it work. We did like being at the end of the road therefore there was less traffic coming through. we didn’t have a neighbor who had a lot more tents than they were supposed to have on their site and they were slowly encroaching on our site. We loved how our kids were able to walk to the playground and play every day before our outings. The campground had two pools and a child’s pool the pools seemed to be slightly under maintained the last day. It had a weird smell, which I believe the chlorine levels were not correct. However, we still enjoyed our time here and went to the pool almost every day at the end of the day off. It was one of the hottest days of the year. I feel like we still had a great time and enjoyed the camp. The trolley was a great addition to getting to and from the Hershey attractions
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Manchester, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Manchester, MD is Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area with a 4.2-star rating from 18 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Manchester, MD?
TheDyrt.com has all 21 tent camping locations near Manchester, MD, with real photos and reviews from campers.
