The best DISPERSED camping near
Ritz Estates , MARYLAND

It was probably an amazing park 30 years ago. The creek was really nice. Sites were good size and ours had a patio. Had a fair amount of amenities for kids.

Whenever we go to Gettysburg which is usually once a year we always stay here. Really nice place. Recommend a site by the creek Cool laid back staff and clean bathrooms nice playground for kids. Not to mention it’s a few minute drive to historic Gettysburg. It’s nice and out of the way of the busy parts of town.

Backpacking campground just off the AT. Moderate difficulty 2+ mile hike from Route 40. Spring and compost outhouse. Great views. Been camping there for decades.

Loved this campground for the scenery during leaf peeping season. Our site was level and well separated from others, though it was small. Friends joined us and set up a tent next to our RV trailer. We hiked to the falls but with little rain, there was no falls. A very crowded hike with people everywhere. Bath house was a standard state park building. The Colorfest festival is usually the weekend we went which is why we booked this park on that weekend but with covid it was cancelled.

If you’re looking for a backwoods, off-the-beaten-path type of campground, this isn’t it. If you are looking for a campground that is very close to an historical National Park not to mention shopping and restaurants, this is for you. 

The amenities of Gettysburg Campground are quite good: full hookups with cable, all working as expected. Level sites, friendly and efficient staff, decently sized sites long enough for my 32’ coach and a toad. The two drawbacks are that the sites are quite packed together and the noise of traffic– at least in the frontmost sites– can get rather loud at night. However, the proximity to Gettysburg National Park can’t be beat.

Very spacious tent sites nestled in the woods. We stayed at "bobcat" site, which came with two picnic tables, a large fire pit, and a Weber grill. Three tents easily fit on the site. Very friendly owners! Restrooms and showers were well maintained. The Appalachian Trail is very close by - a three minute drive. Highly recommend.

We stayed at this campground during the COVID pandemic so not much was open at the campground. But from the looks of it they have a small mini golf area, nice size basketball court and a good size building for activities. This campground has horse stalls and rings if you would like to bring your own horses. There were a few families that brought their horses and they were right across from our site. Kids loved being able to see them and get close and even pet them!

This campground is minutes from town and is practically on the battlefield.

Every January for the last few years some friends and I have gone and camped along the Appalachian Trail. It's you can park at Pine Grove State Park and then hike your way into locations or park at other trail heads. Water is easily found and views like Sunset Rocks are simply gorgeous. These trips are what gave me the experience, and confidence, to go from tent camping to tarp camping.

Edit: photos added from 2021 event

We stayed in a lovely cabin here while I was in town for work. My husband enjoyed the pool with the kids during the day and when I was there we enjoyed shuffleboard, mini golf and hiking together. The cabin was clean and well maintained and the cabins are at the top of the hill but that made for a beautiful view and we felt like we were away from everyone else. I wasn't as fond of the camper sites they seemed kind of close together but the cabins were amazing.

What a wonderful place! The resort is spacious, scattered throughout the woods. The RV sites are comfortable with all the amenities. And the customer service is impeccable.

We stayed during a few weekdays in October and we almost had the whole place to ourselves. We stayed in one of the cabins, which had 2 beds and a bunk bed, sink and toilet, refrigerator, microwave, dining table and sofa. There was also a front porch with picnic table and fire pit.

Honestly, the beds were not very comfortable and way too small for a couple to sleep in one. It was a VERY dark walk to get to the bathhouse for showers. And the fire pit had no grill, so we ended up having to use the stoves of some RV camping friends for meals. Otherwise the stay was great.

I would strongly recommend camping there in the summer months or during weekends in the shoulder season if you have social kids like mine. There were tons of things to do there for adults and kids alike. The activities — such as putt-putt, jump zone and the playground ended up being kinda boring for them without others to share it with. Obviously that would change with crowds. And advance reservations are a must — this place books up fast!

I would highly recommend staying at Merry Meadows, especially if you have an RV and a group of friends to join you!