Best Tent Camping near St. Michaels, MD

Recent Tent Reviews near St. Michaels, Maryland

444 Reviews of 15 St. Michaels Campgrounds

• 

  Reba H.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 4, 2022

  Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area

  Well maintained but fair warnings

  The Hilton area campground is unique because, unlike the Hollofield area of the park, it doesn't allow RVs and its tent sites are non-electric. However, a tiny cabin experience with electricity is available... within the same loop as non-electric tent camping. My non-electric tent campsite was surrounded by brightly lit cabins, even unoccupied all of their porch lights stay on all night. It doesn't make the upper half of the campground ideal for stargazing. The other reviewers are correct that the lower half of the loop is situated lower in the valley which will make any rain you get more difficult, so avoid booking a site at the very bottom. Overall the campground and state park deserve 4 stars because from what I could see tent pads were level, firepits had grill gates, showers were hot, and staff were cleaning and maintaining the grounds everyday. But be safe; prepare detailed offline navigation if you use the trails surrounding the camp. I definitely got lost relying on blazes for what I thought was supposed to be the Charcoal Trail.

• C

  Christine K.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 29, 2019

  Trap Pond State Park Campground

  First time

  My first time visiting TPSP. The site is gorgeous throughout. The camp store is small but has everything that you need. Personnel were warm and friendly, very helpful for a first timer... spent some time chatting with them. I stayed at a tent site. The tent sites are walk in only but parking is not very far. The site provided hand trucks and wheelbarrows for you to car your items into your site. I had brought my own wagon which was helpful in keeping some of my gear off the ground during a rain storm. The site I stayed at was clean, level and well appointed; a t bar for hanging trash or a shower pack. Fire pit with grill. The tent sites are far enough from each other that you are not disturbed by neighbors, lots of trees between sites. There are water pumps every few yards, some are a Bit tricky to get working but I did not have an issue. The campground has trash and recycling bins so you do not have to carry out. I checked out some of the drive in and RV sites. They are large and well maintained, good for camper or tent camping, although fewer trees separate you from adjacent spots, so if you’re interested in more privacy opt for a tent site. The weekend I stayed we had torrential rain for about six hours but my site did not flood. Be sure to bring a large enough footprint to account for rain however, as I needed to really clean my tent and fly when I got home due to splash back of mud and leaves. Thee bathhouse was clean and the playground looked pretty good as well. Hoping that for my return trip the new bathhouse bear the tent sites is completed. If you’re not keen on using port a Johns or hiking to the bathhouse near the camper sites I suggest bringing a travel composting toilet. I hiked the full Bob Trail which is breathtaking. Easy level hike that winds all around the park and connects to the campground. I also rented a kayak for about three hours and was able to travel the full pond and connecting Terrapin Trail and back. The recreation area(where you rent boats and kayaks) has a nice picnic area and playground. I have camped at Henlopen State Park in the past and can say that TPSP is my new favorite in delaware. I enjoyed my time so much that I am already booked to return in late September and again in early November.

• 

  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.

• 

  Lee D.

  Legend

  

  Feb. 16, 2025

  Trap Pond State Park Campground

  So much to do!

  General: 129 sites with water and electricity, eight tent sites, one island site, two yurts, and eight cabins. 

  Site Quality: All are level and sand/grass. There are many trees and reasonable separation between sites (although you can easily see your neighbors). A large picnic table and fire ring complete the site. Our site had a water view and was peaceful. 

  Bath/Shower house: Bathhouses are located in the A and C loops plus additional ones by the tent camping area. All seemed to be reasonably clean and were cleaned on a rolling basis, starting at 10 am for the A loop. The shower had immediate hot water, but you only get about 30 seconds of water before you have to push the button again. A little clunky but a good way to save water. 

  Activities/Amenities: So much to do! Bike rentals are free (donations accepted), there are several hiking/biking/horse trails, disc golf, and canoe/kayak/peddle boat rentals (in season). 45-minute Pontoon boat tours are available on weekends Memorial Day– Labor Day. There are several boat docks if you bring your own boat. There is a small camper store/office that closed shortly after our arrival. There is a single washer/dryer in Loop C. I was mystified that you could only use liquid detergent (I use laundry sheets). Because there is only one for the entire campground, I wouldn’t count on doing laundry. If you have kiddos, try and get a site in Loop A – there is a nice and educational play area (plus a game I’d never heard of– Gaga ball). There is an additional playground in the day-use area, plus a volleyball net. There is also a nature center. Recycling and dumpsters between Loops A and B and another between Loops C and D. 

  We camped here several years ago but in the off-season, and wanted to kayak among the bald cypress trees (I highly recommend this). Glad we came back!

• 

  Kristy R.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 13, 2020

  Cherry Hill Park

  Great Family Fun

  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. My grandchildren live it there. We will return to a premium tent site soon.

• 

  Melisa J.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 24, 2018

  Roaring Point Waterfront Campground

  Fun! Live music/bands every weekend. Right on the water.

  Rv and tent camping. Kids activities. Adult fun. Campstore and bathrooms.

• 

  Dale B.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 14, 2020

  Killens Pond State Park Campground

  Great campground

  Nice drive on sites for tent camping. A few well managed trails. A little heave on the rules(must use the wood they sell, clotheslines must come down overnight.

• 

  Jason S.

  Traveler

  

  Dec. 1, 2021

  Washington DC / Capitol KOA

  Very Warm in the Summer

  The layout is nice and the grass tent pads have real grass, not gravel. Many of the tent sites are not shaded though. This makes the hot summer even hotter.

• 

  Hawanya R.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 1, 2020

  Dennis Point Marina and Campground

  Very Nice

  I went tent camping here and it was really really nice. Me and my family enjoyed ourselves. Staff was friendly and the bathrooms was very clean. We will be going back very soon.

• 

  Michael

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 22, 2020

  Matoaka Beach Cottages

  Camping on the cliffs with beach access

  They have a few tent camping spots as well as cabins. Just call ahead. I just showed up and got a perfect camp spot with a view of the sunrise and access to the private beach.

• b

  brian R.

  Guide

  

  May. 11, 2021

  Pine Tree Associates Nudist Club

  Camping at a nudist campground

  We tent camped at Pine Tree Associates. They are a nudist club with a very nice camp ground. There is a bath house with outdoor showers. Camping fees include access to a large outdoor pool, an indoor pool and a hot tub. There is room for tenting and campers.

• 

  Mary S.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 8, 2018

  Tuckahoe State Park Campground

  Small campground, large sites, lots of shade

  Two thumbs up on this small campground with spacious, wooded sites!

  We stayed here on a Thursday when the campground was almost empty, but there was a reservations list that showed the campground would be full for the Columbus Day weekend. We have good luck walking up to campgrounds during the week, but we look ahead to weekends and make reservations.

  Spacious, Wooded Sites

  - Lots of shade and trees on large sites and space between sites make this a pleasant campground.

  • Parking pads on the electric loop are asphalt.

  • There's very finely crushed rock on the non-electric loop. This includes the parking pad and tent pad.

  • There are 8 camper cabins, 4 on each loop. There are beds for 4 or 6 people, and the cabins have air conditioning, a ceiling fan and electricity. These are a nice alternative to camping in a tent.

  • Bathrooms are located in the middle of each loop, and there are spigots on the loops with potable water.

  Small Park But Many Activities

  • Canoe/kayak launch between sites 46 and 48. The walk to Tuckahoe Creek from the parking area is very short, and the creek leads to Tuckahoe Lake (no gasoline motors) with more of the creek on the other side of the lake.

  • Fishing

  • 20 miles of hiking trails are also open for biking and horseback riding.

  • Archery range

  • Disc golf

  • Hunting - as a hiker, I am extremely wary of hiking in parks at a time when hunting is allowed.

• 

  Courtney K.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 19, 2023

  Matoaka Beach Cottages

  Peaceful serenity

  We tent camped at Matoka Cabins and it was a beautiful Peaceful camping trip! Out spot was very private and you could see the bay and hear the waves. We will definitely be back for another visit. The owners are very nice.

• J

  Jes

  Scout

  

  Jul. 26, 2023

  Martinak State Park Campground

  Beautiful park, already planning a return

  This was our first visit to this park and we really loved it. We stayed in a tent site which included a fire ring and picnic table, and we had two tents and plenty of space for everything. While we were there, I believe all of the cabins were full and some other tent sites reserved, but the grounds were still very quiet and peaceful. The bathrooms and showers were modern and very clean and looked to be only a brief, flat walk from most of the sites/cabins in the loop. The loops were smaller than I expected, but that wasn't a bad thing. There is also a large sink on one side of the bathhouse which was nice for cleaning up after cooking. AT&T phone service was slow but available. While in the area, we also visited WorkHorse Farm for a tour, First Fruits Orchard for PYO blueberries, and Denton Station antique mall.

• b

  brian R.

  Guide

  

  May. 13, 2021

  Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area

  Camping close to civilization

  We went tent camping with 3 friends. We occupied 2 camp sites. There was a clean bath house with showers. There was plenty of downed trees and limbs for firewood. If you like being close to stores, this is your place. We were 5 minutes from a grocery store and plenty of places to eat.

• E

  Eric P.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 3, 2017

  Greenbelt Park Campground — Greenbelt Park

  Location location proximity!

  Our layout - May 28 (memorial day)- 30th. Tent camping for 3 nights with 3 kids ages 12, 10, and 8. Campground was mostly empty, 1 other tenter and 3 RVs

  Good -

  1. Easy Check in - drive to your reserved site and done. If you just pull in with no reservation then you'll have to call or go online. Money is never taken at the campground, as it's a national park.

  2. It's a National Park - which means you're supporting your national parks, they have interpretive programs and junior ranger for the kids!

  3. The BEST PART - it's proximity to DC, whether you choose to drive or use the train it's soooo easy (take the train)

  Time for the BAD

  1. Cleanliness - this is why this campground gets such low marks. The bathrooms are disgusting...even after they are "cleaned". This was not our first stay here, each time they have been disgusting. We used baby wipes.

  2. No hook ups - even with tent camping we like to be plugged in but no RV services are offered here.

  3. No playground - There are hiking trails but really nothing for the kids to do in the campground itself.

  4. Overall care of the facility - tall grass in the campgrounds means more ticks and other bugs. Just has a general neglected feel.

• 

  Bill G.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 31, 2018

  Cedarville State Forest

  Another great central Maryland area

  We stayed here a few times just to get out for a bit. It’s quiet, but not too dark, as the lights from DC interfere with the night sky here. The camping loop is small and is shared by tent and RV. The trails are maintained well. I’ve never left this park without at least one tick. No camp store. Firewood is available. Supplies can be gotten nearby. Tent sites can accommodate maybe up to a six person tent comfortably. Bathrooms are clean and showers are warm. Water is readily available.

• 

  Christy M.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 12, 2021

  Elk Neck State Park Campground

  Peaceful and clean, with friendly staff!

  My husband and I have stayed at Elk Neck twice. It’s a great campground with lots of different loops to choose sites from. The bath houses are very clean, and the folks responsible for their upkeep are great. There are sinks for washing dishes outside the bathhouses, making cooking cleanup very convenient (especially if your site is close by, like ours). I can’t speak for the camper/RV sites, as we tent camp. But overall our experiences at Elk Neck have been consistently great.

• 

  Fransheska A.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 16, 2018

  Killens Pond State Park Campground

  Great for kids!

  My son absolutely loved this place. There’s anything and everything you could think of available to keep everyone busy. A water park, volley ball field, playgrounds, amphitheater, nature center, nature trails, and boat rentals at the lake.

  It is a huge park, with secluded spots available for tent camping, cabins, and regular open spaces for camping rvs with electric hook up. Staff was friendly, campgrounds were well kept. It can get a little crowded but it’s worth it to stay. If you don’t like crowds, I suggest coming during the week days!

• 

  Simon S.

  Ranger

  

  Jan. 1, 2022

  Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area

  Many great trails to explore

  Camp site(Tent camping)

  The camp site is what it is, just a camp site :)  It's one of the bigger state parks surrounded by forest in MD. We live close by so we go there for hiking a lot too.

  -

  Facilities/ Amenities

  Bathrooms were clean and well maintained.

  -

  Surrounding area

  This is where this camp ground shines. It has access to many trails and the Patapsco River. Saw Mill trails is great for a family hike.

  The state park is in a great location for a quick trip for groceries and restaurants.

  -

• 

  Casey L.

  Legend

  

  Nov. 7, 2022

  Killens Pond State Park Campground

  Needs some updating

  As others have said, sites are tight, only one bathhouse…which was dirty and outdated. There are a ton of people, including tent sites, sharing one bath house. They do have porta pots but they are gross!! Lots of sand and flys. Also beware of the squirrels! They will eat through anything, including outdoor storage containers to get to food. They will destroy your things.

  We did however enjoy the kayaks and the water park which we thought were very enjoyable for the kids. They also had great trails if you enjoy running!

• 

  Laure D.

  Legend

  

  May. 24, 2023

  Tuckahoe State Park Campground

  Beautiful

  We stayed here in March and loved it! The little office had a few items for sale but the woman who works there is so nice. We talked with her for awhile. There was a small lending library next to the store/office and wood was for sale too. There are sites that aren’t level but ours was okay. Nearby is St. Michael’s, MD. We went to the Eastern Shore Brewing Company where dogs are allowed indoors and then went next door to the Lyon Rum Windon Distilling Company. Also next to those is St. Michael’s winery tasting room. Something for everyone! There is an arboretum near he campground that was interesting too. Lake Tuckahoe is available to put your own canoe or kayak in or go fishing. There was a trail from the campground to the lake that was gravel. Eastern shore of t huh Chesapeake Bay offers lots of great scenery and things to do.

• A

  Andrew

  Scout

  

  Oct. 11, 2020

  Greenbelt Park Campground — Greenbelt Park

  5-star campground/trails, serious bug infestation

  My family lives near Greenbelt National Park and we have hiked the five-mile perimeter trail dozens of times with our dogs. However, this park has a serious bug problem. Most  of the time, we return home from our hikes only to find ticks on at least one of us! 

  We were excited to finally tent camp at Greenbelt two years ago for my wife's 30th and had a memorable time around the campfire, but were disappointed the next day that chiggers and ticks had once again swarmed us on our hike. Enjoy the camping but wear bug repellent and stay out of the tall grasses!

• 

  Alisha M.

  Traveler

  

  Dec. 15, 2024

  Trap Pond State Park Campground

  Trapp pond

  This place has been great to us Even though we are tent camping in the middle of winter we have still made it work it has great warm bathrooms that are very clean and sanitary they clean them everyday faithfully we have hot showers we have laundry facilities it's on the border of a beautiful water they have a camp store that could provide everything that you could need every site has barbecue/hot fire pits just a very comfortable; very hospitable everyone's very friendly very willing to help you out everybody's giving and it's just been a very good experience and I would recommend this place for anybody.

• 

  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!

• 

  Mary N.

  Traveler

  

  May. 1, 2022

  Cedarville State Forest

  Great Hiking but cold showers

  Weekend trip with our Aliner went well. Site was clean and electric worked. Nice gravel paths leading to the bath house.

  Pros-Hiking trails are beautiful. We will return with our MTB. Pretty quiet campground. We had tent and trailer neighbors (Inner loop is electric hook ups, outer is tent camping). Sites are spaced well.

  Cons- No ranger to be found. If you had an issue this could be a problem. Bath House showers went from hot to freezing randomly. After our second ice cold shower we gave up. Finally, there is no dish cleaning station. Plenty of water spouts but no hot water for cleaning. Maybe we couldn’t find it but other campers didn’t find it either.

  Over all it was a nice campground for a quick visit. Definitely worth checking out.

• 

  Jody V.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 13, 2019

  Trap Pond State Park Campground

  A Hidden Delaware Gem

  I’ve only ever camped here in the spring. Summertime will be extra buggy so bring spray. If you own a kayak  or a canoe you have to bring it. Getting out on the pond and being one with the  bald cypress is amazing! You can roll in with your RV, tent camp, or rent  a cabin or a yurt. Our last visit here we stayed in a cabin and it was so much fun. It’s a little on the small side and the mattress was less than stellar, but we didn’t mind at all. It’s a perfect little shelter for when you’re not outside enjoying all the beautiful nature. I highly recommend checking it out.