Best Tent Camping near Ridgely, MD

Tent Camping Reviews near Ridgely, MD

543 Reviews of 11 Ridgely Campgrounds

• 

  BA K.

  Scout

  Apr. 3, 2023

  Redden State Forest Campground

  Beautiful, secluded, not free, nothing larger than 25 ft allowed

  This is no longer a first come, first served campground. Reservations must be made in advance at bookyoursite.com, only 3 days consecutive allowed. I stayed in March, paid $28 per night. Travel trailers, pull behinds, motorhomes are not allowed. Tents, cars, overlander SUVs, minivans and small Class B camper vans are allowed. Nothing over 25 ft allowed. There is firewood, but it is not free. You pay for it on the “honors system”. Bring cash. There is no water, no electric, no bathroom. This is primitive camping/boondocking. This is a “leave no trace, carry in/carry out” facility. The campsites are well maintained, clean and for the most part, it’s quiet, some highway noise and noise from other campers, but still very nice. There is a ranger on duty who stopped by to say hello, a quick visit. Drive to your site, no check in. Redden State Forest is very beautiful and although you’re in the woods, still very close to shopping and gas stations in Georgetown. Beaches are about 30-40 minutes away, leave early to avoid traffic. Verizon 2-3 bars, consistently.

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• 

  Nate & Erika L.

  Guide

  Aug. 31, 2021

  Susquehanna State Park Campground

  Great State Park Camping

  We decided to stay a weekend at Susquehanna based on the reviews on the Dyrt and it’s closer proximity to home. We arrived and were greeted by super friendly rangers who gave us the lay of the land. We found the rangers to be very knowledgeable about the area and the wildlife, plants, and trees in the park. They had two display tables full of flora and fauna by the check-in station set up for kids and adults alike to glean some knowledge. On one night while we were there, there was a program run by the rangers where kids could learn about some common native and invasive species.

  We hiked the Green Trail, which had a sign saying it was ‘very difficult’, but we found it to be no problem for our crew of seven kids aged 3-10 and four adults. We only passed one other hiker. We saw some champion trees, lots of deer, and had some run ins with more than a few spotted lantern flies. One ranger told us they have nine champion trees in the park, we’d love to go back and hike to find the others.

  With only two loops, the sites were fairly spaced out with lots of trees between them. We had a spacious electric site for our pop up and camped with friends who had a nice level, secluded tent site. We hardly ever heard any neighbors and all was quiet at night. Each loop shares a bathhouse, and there are some portable toilets spaced around the loop, too. The facilities were cleaned every morning. They even have a large laundry utility sink in the bathhouse should you need it. The only downside we found was that showering at prime time (around 8 or 9 pm) led to very little hot water. A small price to pay for good camping and hiking!

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• 

  Diane T.

  Traveler

  Jul. 13, 2020

  Cape Henlopen State Park Campground

  Plan early, one of the best places to camp near the beach!

  Cape Henlopen camp sites fill up so quickly, and for good reason! After missing out on reservations year after year, this year, we booked a weekend tent site for July back in January and immediately realized the spark of this place. The campground is large with various loops full of RV, popup, and tent sites. There is also a section of walk-in tent sites, each with 1 parking spot semi close by. (Bring a wagon if you stay at one of these). We stayed in site T021 (walk-in site) and had plenty of privacy and space to set up our screen room, tent, and firepit. All camp sites come with the standard picnic table, as well as fire pit and grill grate. There is a camp store in the center of the campground where you can purchase firewood, coffee, batteries, ice or other camping needs.  There are several bath houses strategically placed throughout the campground so that you can easily find one a few minute walk away no matter where you stay. Bath houses were clean, updated, well maintained and air conditioned. There are both public showers that are stall-like within some of the bath houses, as well as large private shower + bathroom stalls (perfect if you have young kids). I didn't find the bugs to be any worse than typical summer camping spots (I heard they maybe spray for bugs on the sites?) but definitely bring your spray and citronella candles. It also POURED from a small tropical storm the morning we arrived yet our site and the full campground was well and dry by the time we set up in the afternoon  - looked like most of the sites were set up on hills, which is great to avoid pooling in inclement weather.  Pets are allowed and there are water spigots near every site. Although our site (T021) was spacious and private, my brother's family was staying on T011 and there were about 4-5 sites all in an open space back to back with one another near his. The neighbors were friendly so no complaints but the lack of privacy there is worth nothing in case you wanted to feel more 'remote'. The sites are mostly tree lined and semi shaded by pines. The campground gets extremely dark at night and the stars are so beautiful from the lack of light pollution! The campground is in a large state park, full of many bike trails, hiking spots, historical WWII sites, fishing pier, and of course the beach. There is a separate entrance for campers so make sure to follow that when you drive in. The beach *is* walkable (maybe a mile away) but much easier /quicker to drive, and there is plenty of parking by the beach. The beach can get crowded but is clean and has lifeguards.  The best part is on a quiet night, if you listen really closely, you can hear the waves crashing in the distance. Due to the nature vibe, proximity to beach, and modern  bathhouses, I think this campground has become our new favorite one!

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• 

  Jessica D.

  Legend

  Jul. 24, 2023

  Trap Pond State Park Campground

  Quiet, natural simplicity

  We had a great experience at Trap Pond. Price was reasonable. D Loop sites were a good size. Comes with a fire ring and picnic table. Site wasn't super level, so just bring enough leveling blocks if you're in a camper. D14 specifically is the last site on the row with an unobstructed view of the pond- we loved it. All sites in D loop had great tree coverage. It was also right near the showers, which were clean & warm, just what was needed. Tent sites are more secluded and are walk-in; our buddies tent camped the same weekend. There was a dock within walking distance of our site. Canoes were available for rent & I highly recommend canoeing water trails through the beautiful Cypress trees. No sewer connects, but there are 2 dump stations and we didn't wait long at the dump station heading out on a Sunday in July. Camp store has all the necessities, yet still simple. Free concerts at the nature center every Saturday in the summer. Nice walking/hiking trails around the grounds also. Dog friendly was a plus!! Lots of dogs were on leads at campsites including ours.

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• 

  Sarah C.

  Legend

  Sep. 8, 2017

  Cape Henlopen State Park Campground

  Nice Newly Renovated Sites

  We came back for another visit this September and the campground has undergone lots of renovations since I was here last so I wanted to provide an updated review.

  As always, the biking and walking trails in the park are top notch! The Gordon's Pond trail offers beautiful salt march views with lots of birds especially first thing in the morning. Beach access is quick and easy from the campground, too!

  We stayed in tent site 114 which was among a cluster of tent sites. Here you have to park in a parking lot and cart your stuff into your actual site. It's not a long haul but could be a pain in the neck if you tend to bring a lot of stuff with you when you camp. From our site there was a small path through the back of the site that provides quick and immediate access to the bike trails in the area.

  The sites have newly built picnic tables (very heavy and sturdy) as well as new concrete pad fire rings with grates. They sit a little high off the ground than a traditional fire pit but are nice and well maintained thus far. As I mentioned, the tent site we were in was among a cluster of sites spaced out relatively evenly. However, if all of the sites had been full it would have been a bit close together for my liking. One thing that is nice about these sites is the amount of shade, super helpful in the late summer heat.

  The bathroom facilities are also nice and well maintained. Be advised that many Delaware state parks require that you pack out all of your trash at most of their day use areas, the campground however DOES have a dumpster available for trash.

  If you can get a reservation here it's totally worth the stay!

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• 

  Marie L.

  Traveler

  Jul. 13, 2023

  Trap Pond State Park Campground

  Beautiful as always

  Just wow. We made an impromptu visit and camping trip. The walk-in tent sites are BEAUTIFUL!! It’s really great to be able to set up camp and be in nature without the sound of someone charging their phone or blowing up their mattress in the site next to you. All the wall in tent sites on loop E are HUGE!! You can easily fit two tents plus all the glamping extras! The bathrooms are short walk away and are lovely. Clean and big with free showers. The wheelbarrows provided are great for the drop off of equipment. The first night it rained (literal buckets). The site was under 3 inches of water within a half hour!! Once the rain stopped though the puddles were gone just as fast! The hiking is always beautiful and easy to access. The flat trails are wide and loop across to the national park side. The camp store is also a huge plus! They have everything you need for emergency’s and then some! The bikes, ice, and firewood are easy to access. The only complaint is that although there is boating a place to cool off was missed greatly. A pool or splash pad would make a great addition to an almost perfect campground! An added note, during the storm a branch from a tree became loose and we went to the check in to let them know. They gave us expedited care. The checked out the tree and decided for our safety we needed to change sites. They were able to give us a new site right away and even offered to help move us!! Customer camper care is definitely number 1!

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• R

  Robin

  Guide

  Oct. 13, 2021

  Tuckahoe State Park Campground

  Great Kayaking and Beautiful Woods

  We camped with our 17' travel trailer at site 19E with electric hookups. Some sites have water and sewer as well, which is rare in a MD state park. We had a picnic table, lantern pole and fire ring in a spacious, wooded site. Good dry wood was available for $5 a bundle. The restrooms were spotless. Hiking trails everywhere- and all level for easy biking. There's a small lake where many people were fishing for bass, and a calm waterway (Tuckahoe River) excellent for kayaking. We had our own yaks, but the park will rent them. A few miles down the road is a boat launch (Hillsboro) with access to another section of the Tuckahoe River, also great for kayaking. We saw beautiful aquatic plants, many birds, and a gazillion turtles. We paddled past several beaver dams, but they successfully stayed hidden. We love this park and campground!

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• E

  Echo

  Guide

  Sep. 23, 2021

  Elk Neck State Park Campground

  Good Intro to Camping

  I booked a tent site as my first introduction to the park. Setting up a reservation was incredibly user friendly, park staff was fantastic at getting us checked in, and the camp store was well stocked and priced. 

  Our site, however, left something to be desired. The sites were all very close together, and the tent pad areas were fairly small. You can drive right up to your site and park there, which is incredibly convenient in terms of unpacking and set up. Around our site was pretty loud with neighbors at all hours, regardless of quiet hours, and balls being kicked into our tent pad area from surrounding visitors. There were some bottle caps and garbage on our tent pad upon arrival.

  I think if you had kids and were looking for a "not so quiet" get away into nature, this would be a fantastic spot. There were larger and more private sites on our loop, and if I returned I would prioritize getting one of those. There are also more loops than the one we were on. 

  The firepit had an adjustable height grill grate, and there was a picnic table at each site. Firewood ran $5 a bundle at the camp store.  Ice and potable water was also available. 

  There was a nearby dumpster that was easy to use. Disappointed that there did not seem to be a recycling receptacle. Bathrooms were nice, the handicapped shower was very spacious. No shortage of hot water. 

  We hiked all available trails from the trail map, though it seems there were more than listed, and a portion of the park is closed following previous tornado damage. We saw an abundance of herps, gorged ourselves on pawpaws, and generally foraged and tracked a ton of interesting wildlife. The trails themselves were pretty, but the rankings somewhat misleading. The "hard" trails would be hard in comparison to a flat gravel path, but in terms of general hiking, were comfortable with only a couple mildly steep or narrow points. I am unsure if the ranking system is for general hiking or in terms of ADA accessibility, however. If accessibility, it makes a lot of sense. For hiking? Less so; I'd rank the trails as a normal difficulty for their 'hard' trails. 

  The beaches were lovely! We did not get the opportunity to kayak, swim, or fish, but are hoping to do that sometime in the future. Was still relaxing to sit out with a book and watch the water.

  I do feel like we explored most of what the park had to offer, so while I would be happy to return it feels less urgent to do so. I think I would be better equipped to pick a site (or explore a cabin!) the next time which would resolve my minimal issues. Given the relaxed atmosphere of the trails, close amenities, etc. I think this would be a good choice to bring friends who are new to the camping scene, or for families.

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• E

  E K.

  Scout

  Sep. 25, 2020

  Susquehanna State Park Campground

  Somewhat quiet, clean and friendly

  Staff is very friendly. Bathhouse is clean but ran out of toilet paper often; they supposedly clean 3 times a day since COVID but we didn’t see that happening on a regular schedule while we were there.

  We loved that our site had a path directly to the bathhouse. This meant there wasn’t any foot traffic from people wanting to shower or use the restrooms. Easy access to the utility sink for dishes, too!

  There seemed to be a lot of campers in the surrounding lots and still, everyone was quiet between the quiet hours.

  Our specific site was supposed to have a tent pad but there wasnt a spot cleared for our tent and we had to move the heavy picnic table so we weren’t putting up our tent on top of the fire ring. We also had to use a paper plate to rake as many rocks and gravel from the site so we could put up our tent without ripping it.

  We bought their firewood for $5/crate and it was really wet. It was challenging to get a fire going, which was frustrating. Ended up not being able to have a fire the last morning there and gave away our leftover firewood.

  Probably my biggest complaint is that several times, the park maintenance truck drove down the loop where we camped. Our kids are running around and playing and the only vehicle that sped past every time was the park crew vehicle. All other vehicles (belonging to visitors) were respectful and drove slowly. It surprises me that with families camping here, they wouldn’t be more cautious.

  All in all: for our first time camping here, it was a decent experience. I don’t know that we’d go there again, but it was a fun one-and-done trip.

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