Cabins near North Brentwood, Maryland offer shelter options within forested settings and state parks throughout the region. Most cabin rentals remain open year-round with summer being peak season when advance reservations become essential. Winter cabin stays typically cost 15-30% less than summer rates, with midweek bookings offering additional savings.
What to do
Outdoor recreation access: Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area features multiple trail networks connecting to cabin areas. According to one visitor, "There are a lot of easy, but beautiful hikes. This is a small gem of a state park campground, one of only two in the massive Patapsco Valley State Park."
Disc golf courses: Pohick Bay Campground maintains an 18-hole disc golf course near their cabin sites. A reviewer notes, "Pohick Bay is my go-to weekend camping spot. Just a few miles outside DC, Pohick Bay is a hidden gem in the area. I'd recommend taking in a game of disc golf on their 18 hole course."
Historical sites: Cabin locations provide access points to Civil War battlefields and monuments. A visitor to Bull Run Regional Park commented, "Lots of history near by so check out the old battle fields and buildings that housed troops during civil war. Very cool stuff."
What campers like
Pool facilities: Several cabin campgrounds maintain swimming pools with extended summer hours. A guest at Cherry Hill Park remarked, "Just can't be beat. Great sites. So many other things in the park. Splash pad, paved roads for scootering. Just awesome!"
Convenience to cities: Cabin locations provide strategic access to Washington DC and Baltimore. One camper noted, "Nice quiet clean campground 30-40m from DC. Stayed here for 2w while visiting friends in Alexandria. Took me 25-30m to get there so you are far away from bustle of city but not so far that going in to enjoy breakfast or the sights is a feat."
Natural surroundings: Most cabins sit in wooded settings with wildlife viewing opportunities. According to a visitor at Pohick Bay, "Beautiful campground located near the National Harbor. Eagles everywhere! Large clean sites."
What you should know
Seasonal availability: Little Bennett Campground offers cabin rentals from April through October with limited winter access. "Very quiet campground. Site#D69 shady. Lots of vegetation between sites providing privacy from neighbors. Great night sky viewing as no lights what so ever in camping loops except for toilet/shower buildings."
Reservation requirements: Most cabin facilities require 2-night minimum stays, even during off-peak periods. A Bull Run visitor noted, "We have found municipal campgrounds in Northern Virginia are a bit spendy for being government sponsored. But Bull Run manages to gouge you even more. There are occupancy AND transaction fees that really add up if you're only there a few nights. But the real kicker is a 2-night minimum stay. Even mid-week."
Facility maintenance: Cabin conditions vary significantly between properties. One reviewer at Adventure Bound Washington DC observed, "Lots of long term residents and rundown rigs. Separate area for short term visitors. They are clearly making improvements and moving up."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Select cabins near children's recreation areas for convenience. A visitor to Bull Run Regional Park mentioned, "Our family stayed here in a cabin on a long weekend trip to DC. This campground was full of stuff to do and we didn't even get to do a lot of it. The campground had a climbing wall on one afternoon. There are miles of trails and my gkids enjoyed the nature scavenger hunt."
Educational programs: Several parks offer ranger-led programs specifically for children. One Patapsco Valley visitor noted, "This is a small gem of a state park campground. It seems like this area is, possibly unintentionally, geared toward children. There is a massive playground, nature play space, sensory trail, and a small nature center."
Safety considerations: Cabin areas with keycard entry provide additional security. A camper at Ramblin' Pines stated, "This is our local campground and our second time here and we really like it. It has a pool, jump pillow, mini golf, fishing pond, barnyard with goats, and multiple playgrounds. The keycard entry system is pretty inconvenient though ($40 cash only deposit!)."
Tips from RVers
Site leveling: Cabin areas often have terrain challenges similar to RV sites. A Little Bennett Campground visitor observed, "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."
Utilities and hookups: Power outages occur periodically in wooded cabin areas. One camper reported, "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."
Storage options: Some facilities allow cabin renters to temporarily store RVs. A Ramblin' Pines guest noted, "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!"
