1 campground with availability this weekend
Tent campers near Millersville, Maryland have several established options within a 30-minute drive radius. Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area offers tent-specific sites with crushed stone pads and no RV access, making it popular for weekend tent camping. Sandy Point State Park provides youth group tent camping from March to October, while several hiker-biker campsites along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park offer more primitive experiences.
Most tent sites in the region feature fire rings, picnic tables, and access to basic restroom facilities. Patapsco Valley's tent pads are set on crushed stone, which some campers note requires extra padding and alternative tent-securing methods. The Hilton Area campground has clean bathhouses with showers, while the hiker-biker sites along the C&O Canal typically offer only vault toilets or portable facilities. Water access varies significantly—Patapsco provides treated water at central locations, while many canal sites have seasonal well pumps that may be treated with iodine. One camper noted, "The well pumps have been treated with iodine so they leave something to be desired in terms of taste, but it's completely fine for hydration."
Walk-in tent locations along the C&O Canal provide unique riverside camping experiences with varying degrees of privacy. Swains Lock campsite, accessible via a short 500-foot walk from parking, offers five first-come, first-served tent sites with fire rings and picnic tables directly adjacent to the Potomac River. These walk-in tent sites are free but can fill quickly on weekends. The campgrounds at Patapsco Valley State Park feature sloped terrain that affects site selection, with lower sites experiencing drainage issues during heavy rain. A visitor commented, "Our site was hard to set up as we arrived during a storm and it was very wet even after the rain died down." Most tent camping areas in the region are seasonal, with Patapsco Valley operating from April through October.
"We had a site on the lower end of the loop and our site was hard to set up as we arrived during a storm and it was very wet even after the rain died down."
"There is a massive playground, nature play space, sensory trail, and a small nature center. There are a lot of easy, but beautiful hikes. The campground is on the smaller side."
from $20 - $51 / night
"There are two main beaches and there are picnic tables all over the park. There’s a popular boat launch amd small marina/bait store.
Get there early on weekends and holidays.""There are wonderful views of the water and swimming at the beach, pavilions for social gatherings, showers and bathrooms that are kept pretty very clean, and room for backpacking, hiking, picnicking,"
"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
"Very spartan but great location. Not much to do in the campground and some long timers there. Dirt cheap"
from $150 - $200 / night
"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
from $6 / night
"Purchasers the camp site is beautiful secluded quiet wonderful if you're looking for that extreme outdoors a no civilization it's a good hike to get to the campsite there's no parking nearby no water"
Available this weekend
from $40 / night
from $55 - $95 / night
TravelerClose to washington as we could get. Could also park our skoolie bus which was nice and had plenty of close by shower with bathrooms. Keep in mind only one shower per restroom house. We stayed at a pretty slow season so it wasn’t bad. Would recommend if visiting DC! They also have a dump station and water fill up.
ScoutWe stayed in site #133 with our 34'10" travel trailer/toy hauler. Overall, we really like the site. It's spacious, fairly level, heavily wooded, and feels surprisingly private. There's plenty of room around the camper, and although there are other campsites and cabins nearby, the trees provide a lot of separation. We had a nice large area for our chairs, fire pit, picnic table, and dogs. The biggest thing to know about #133 is the approach. We were instructed to pass the site, go around the loop, and then make a left turn into it. With our nearly 35' trailer, that would have required an extremely tight, almost 90-degree turn between the trees, and we did not feel we could safely make it. There is actually visible damage on one of the trees at the entrance, so it appears others may have had difficulty with the turn as well. Instead, we approached from the opposite direction and positioned the camper with our doors facing the main campsite area. That put the water and electric hookups on the opposite side, but our hoses and cord were long enough to run underneath the camper and reach without a problem. Once we figured that out, the site worked very well for us. I initially thought we probably wouldn't choose #133 again because of the awkward setup, but after spending the weekend here, I would. Now that we know how to approach and position our trailer, it really is a nice site. If you're bringing a longer travel trailer, just be prepared to do a little maneuvering and make sure your water hose and electrical cord have enough length if you decide to orient your camper the way we did.
ScoutSimple and friendly check in process. Clean and well-maintained site.
GuideSpent two nights while we saw the Avett Brothers play at Wolf Trap. Nice flat site with power. Campground was quiet and clean. The only negative is communication and signage. It took us a couple wrong turns to find our site and when we came back, after the concert around 11, the entrance gate was closed and we had to sneak in through the exit gate. Asked the next day and they said that is what campers do to access the park after 11pm.
RangerWe stayed at Little Bennett starting on Labor Day Monday and left before the weekend, so it is hard to say how this looks when the campground is full of life. They had quite a few activities for families and a pavilion capable of concerts and such, but there was minimal activity during our stay. My biggest complaint is that the gate code changed and we didn't get any notice--so after a long day and a dinner out near Baltimore (nearly an hour away), I had to call the police to get back to my camper. Otherwise, the campsite was relatively spacious and quiet. The bugs were a little rough. Lots of whitetail running around.
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.
Tent camping near Millersville, Maryland occurs primarily from April through October, when temperatures average 55-85°F during camping season. The region sits at a modest elevation of 39-150 feet above sea level with a humid subtropical climate that brings moderate rainfall throughout the camping months. Campsites typically range from riverside locations with views of the Potomac to more inland settings surrounded by deciduous forest.
Fishing and crabbing opportunities: Endeavor Point provides direct access to catch Chesapeake Bay species. "We went for labor day weekend and had a great time. The pier was perfect to fish or crab off of and the beach had great views of the sunrise," reports one camper at Endeavor Point.
Youth adventure activities: Children can enjoy aerial challenge courses at The Adventure Park. "Very convenient for before or after your time in the largest aerial challenge course in North America. Groups only- no individual campsites," notes a visitor to The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring.
Hiking trail networks: Multiple trail difficulty levels accommodate different experience levels. A camper at Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area explains, "The hike I did was not very long but was well worth it. The trail was well marked but there was some confusion at one point on where we were suppose to go."
Clean facilities: Bathhouse maintenance rates highly among tent campers. "The bathhouse is nothing special, but it's well maintained and clean. The best part of this campground are the neat mini cabins," notes a reviewer at Patapsco Valley State Park.
Family-friendly amenities: Playgrounds and dedicated children's spaces enhance camping experiences. "The Hilton entrance of Patapsco Valley Park is perfect for keeping the kids entertained. There is a huge playground, sensory trail and nature discovery center at the entrance to the park," shares one parent.
Peaceful water access: Several sites offer direct beach or riverside locations. At Lacy Oasis Campground, "If you are a nature lover, a person who loves peace, serenity, and, tranquility, or just need some respite, Lacy Oasis is the place to be."
Limited tent pad surfaces: Stone pads present setup challenges. "The crushed stone at the sites isn't comfortable for tents, and they won't let you pitch it on the ground, so bring extra pads and alternative ways to secure the tent to the ground," advises a camper at Patapsco Valley State Park.
Weather impact on sites: Drainage issues affect some tent camping locations. "We had a site on the lower end of the loop and our site was hard to set up as we arrived during a storm and it was very wet even after the rain died down," reports one visitor.
Campground access challenges: Some locations have confusing entrances. "Getting in to the park was a little difficult. We missed the entrance and had to turn around. Friends who were camping with us had the same problem," explains a camper about navigating to the sites.
Playground proximity: Look for sites near play areas for convenience. "The Hilton entrance of Patapsco Valley Park is perfect for keeping the kids entertained. There is a huge playground, sensory trail and nature discovery center at the entrance to the park. Be aware that neither the hiking trails or playground are stroller friendly," cautions a family at Sandy Point State Park Youth Group Camping.
Timing matters: Avoid peak season crowds at popular spots. "The best times to go are winter, spring, and fall. Lights on the Bay is a great Christmas light drive thru that's over a mile long," recommends a regular visitor to Sandy Point.
Age-appropriate trails: Select hiking routes based on children's abilities. "Patapsco Valley offers 6 different entrances. Each one provides several different trail heads and experiences. The trails we have been on are all pretty moderate to hard but offer beautiful waterfalls and river views."
Reservation requirements: Military facilities have different booking procedures. At Military Park United States Naval Academy/Annapolis Naval Station Annapolis FamCamp, "Military campground. Very spartan but great location. Not much to do in the campground and some long timers there. Dirt cheap."
Strict check-in policies: Arrive on time to avoid waiting. "This was also the first time we have ever had to wait till exactly 3pm to check in. So if you arrive early expect to wait until 3," notes a camper at Patapsco Valley State Park.
Alternative locations during summer: Consider less-visited campgrounds when beaches fill. "This park is extremely crowded and very dirty during the summer season," explains a visitor about popular waterfront locations, while another adds, "The park closes daily very early as it hits capacity."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Millersville, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Millersville, MD is Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area with a 4.1-star rating from 20 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Millersville, MD?
TheDyrt.com has all 18 tent camping locations near Millersville, MD, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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