92 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Camping near Hardesty, Maryland ranges from full-hookup RV parks to primitive tent sites, with options serving the Washington DC and Annapolis regions. The area features diverse camping styles from traditional tent sites to full RV hookups at locations like Greenbelt Park Campground and Cherry Hill Park. Within 30 miles, campers find numerous developed campgrounds offering both primitive and amenity-rich experiences. Several campgrounds provide cabin accommodations, particularly at Adventure Bound Washington DC in Lothian and Washington DC Capitol KOA in Millersville, which also offer tent and RV camping options with water and electrical connections.
Most developed campgrounds in the region operate seasonally with peak availability from April through October, though some remain open year-round. Advance reservations are strongly recommended, especially for weekend stays during summer months when Washington DC tourism reaches its peak. Sites with full hookups typically fill fastest, particularly at the more developed facilities like Cherry Hill Park. Weather considerations include humid summers and occasional spring rainfall that can affect camping comfort. Road access to most campgrounds is suitable for standard vehicles, with several offering big-rig friendly sites. One camper noted, "The location is great to see things in the area, both Washington DC and many areas along the Chesapeake Bay, Annapolis, Chesapeake Beach, Solomon's, etc."
Campers frequently mention the convenient proximity to major attractions as a primary benefit of staying in the region. The Washington DC Capitol KOA receives positive reviews for its family-friendly amenities including a pool, jumping pillow, and playground facilities. Several visitors have highlighted that Adventure Bound Washington DC has many long-term residents, creating a different atmosphere than typical vacation campgrounds. Water access represents another popular feature, with Sandy Point State Park offering tent camping near the Chesapeake Bay — making it one of the top campgrounds near Hardesty for those seeking waterfront sites. Reviews indicate varying levels of privacy between campgrounds, with sites at Cedarville State Forest providing more natural surroundings compared to the more developed commercial campgrounds. As one reviewer summarized about the Capitol KOA: "This is not a site for nature lovers but is perfect for kids. We had a site near the pool, outdoor chess set, jumping pillow and gaga ball pit."
"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"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 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"
"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"We have been camping here for nearly 20 years. Each military tour brought us back to this area so Pohick became our second home. Our kids kayak now older but used to walk the trails as little kids."
"We enjoyed sitting around the campfire at night and walking the dogs down to the water. We were right next to a hiking trail that went down to the water and a beach area."
from $37 - $170 / night
Check Availability
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 Redemption Springs to get relatively close to Baltimore without bringing our 30ft travel trailer into the city. Seth and the other gentlemen I spoke with were all extremely accommodating. Enjoyed learning about their approach to restorative farming and purchasing a variety of treats at the farm store. Beef, pork, chicken, seasonings, baked goods, and more. We booked on Hipcamp and recommend following his driving instructions. Our rig fit fine by tuhe main barn and they kept an eye on us going in and out to make sure we didn't have issues making any of the turns. Lots of farm life!
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.
Campground options within 30 miles of Hardesty, Maryland range from rustic tent sites to full-amenity RV parks. The region sits in Maryland's coastal plain where summer temperatures typically reach 85-90°F with high humidity levels. Fall camping offers more comfortable conditions with average daytime temperatures of 65-75°F and reduced humidity. Sites can be muddy after rainfall, particularly in spring when the area averages 3-4 inches of precipitation monthly.
Hiking through forest habitat: Cedarville State Forest offers multiple trail systems with varying difficulty levels. One visitor noted, "We hiked the brown trail and it was a nice walk. We have AT&T and had two bars pretty consistently." The forest contains several abandoned camp loops that make for interesting exploration opportunities.
Water activities on Chesapeake Bay: While primarily a day-use facility, Sandy Point State Park provides youth group camping facilities near its beaches. "My family and I have been coming to Sandy Point my entire life. It is a great little spot on the Chesapeake river. Our favorite thing to do is to fossil hunt for sharks teeth," shared one regular visitor who recommends avoiding August when "jellyfish take over with a vengeance."
Explore urban green spaces: Just 10 minutes from the Metro, Greenbelt Park Campground offers woodland hiking while providing easy access to Washington DC. As one camper explained, "The park itself is safe, quiet, permitting some nice treks through the woods... The other great thing about it that you can spend entire days at the always-free Smithsonian museums and still fall asleep in the woods."
Convenient DC access without city prices: Many campgrounds serve as affordable bases for exploring Washington DC. A camper at Washington DC Capitol KOA reported, "Sites were pretty close together but enough space to do your thing and lots of woods around for shade and hammocks. Showers were decent. You can hear some traffic noise. Over all very nice and convenient."
Family-oriented recreation: Campgrounds feature numerous activities for children. One visitor to Pohick Bay Campground noted, "They informed us that they had a scavenger hunt for the kids going all weekend, they had an outdoor movie scheduled for Friday night, a campfire story time scheduled for Saturday night and crafts scheduled for Sunday morning."
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Despite proximity to urban areas, many campgrounds offer wildlife encounters. At Cedarville State Forest, one camper observed, "Saw a snake, alligator snapping turtle, and rabbits, before we even reached the gates." Similarly, at Greenbelt Park Campground, a visitor mentioned, "While cooking dinner noticed a family of deer grazing close by, a great way to settle in for the evening."
Seasonal availability limitations: While some campgrounds operate year-round, many have restricted seasons. Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area operates April 1 to October 30, with one camper noting, "The campground is on the smaller side. You get a fire pit and cooking crate, and a picnic table. 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."
Reservation requirements vary: Most campgrounds require advance booking through recreation.gov or their own reservation systems. At Greenbelt Park, "This is a NO CASH facility which means you CANNOT pay upon arrival so you will have to do so online."
Long-term residents at some facilities: Adventure Bound Washington DC has numerous extended-stay campers. As one visitor observed, "It appears that most of the people here live full-time. Sites were very close. The site was part Gravel and mostly mud/grass. There was trash on site." Another camper noted, "60% were long term residents of the campground. Our sight was one of the few semi-isolated."
Kid-friendly amenities: Cherry Hill Park offers extensive recreation options. "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," explained one visitor.
Nature exploration programs: Several parks run educational activities for children. At Patapsco Valley State Park, "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."
Weather preparation: Summer heat and humidity can be challenging with children. Pack extra water, insect repellent and sun protection. At Cedarville State Forest, be prepared for "LOTS and LOTS of ticks. I got one, but my wife and dog got about a dozen each. Just bring tweezers."
Site selection considerations: Many campgrounds have variable site conditions. At Pohick Bay Campground, "Sites are spacious and decently level (depends on the site I'm sure)." Check campground maps carefully before booking.
Utility connections: Several campgrounds offer partial or full hookups. When staying at Greenbelt Park Campground, note that "Loop A is for organized groups/youth/scouts, Loop B is for tents and RVs under 30 ft, Loop C is for tents, and Loop D is for tents and RVs under 35 ft. No hookups at any of the sites."
Access challenges: Some campgrounds have difficult entrances, particularly for larger rigs. At Adventure Bound Washington DC, "Do not try and come in after dark. Very tight and very dark." Similarly, at Cherry Hill Park, "We had a premium site for seven nights. The site was perfectly level with a fire ring, grill, picnic table and table with three chairs."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Hardesty, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Hardesty, MD is Greenbelt Park Campground — Greenbelt Park with a 4.2-star rating from 33 reviews.
What parks are near Hardesty, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 14 parks near Hardesty, MD that allow camping, notably Greenbelt Park and Fort Dupont Park.
Keep Exploring
