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Best Campgrounds near Sandy Spring, MD

926 Reviews

Sandy Spring, Maryland provides camping options within proximity to Washington, D.C., with several established campgrounds in the surrounding area. Cherry Hill Park in College Park stands as a full-service campground offering tent sites, RV hookups, cabins, and glamping accommodations. The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring offers group camping facilities with primitive tent sites. Other nearby options include Greenbelt Park Campground and Little Bennett Campground in Clarksburg, which operates seasonally from April through October and features cabin accommodations alongside traditional camping.

Most campgrounds in the region require reservations, particularly during the peak summer season when Washington, D.C. tourism increases. "Cherry Hill Park was easy to find and get to basically right off I-95. This was our first time RVing into the WA DC area and we were concerned about traffic," noted one visitor, highlighting transportation considerations. Road access to most campgrounds is straightforward with paved roads suitable for all vehicles. The camping season generally runs from spring through fall, with several facilities like Cherry Hill Park remaining open year-round. Weather considerations include humid summers and occasional thunderstorms, while fall brings more moderate temperatures ideal for camping.

Campers frequently mention the convenience of staying near Washington, D.C. while enjoying outdoor accommodations. Several campgrounds feature amenities like swimming pools, recreation areas, and hookups for RVs. According to a visitor, "This campground is by far one of the best I have ever stayed at. The price is a little steep, but with all the amenities you get, it is well worth it." Highway noise affects some campgrounds closer to major roads, particularly Cherry Hill Park and Greenbelt. More secluded experiences can be found at Little Bennett Campground, which offers a more naturalistic setting with forested surroundings. Travelers seeking both urban exploration and camping experiences find the Sandy Spring area provides a strategic location with various comfort levels available, from primitive tent sites to full-service RV parks with extensive amenities.

Best Camping Sites Near Sandy Spring, Maryland (112)

    1. Cherry Hill Park

    42 Reviews
    Beltsville, MD
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (301) 937-7116

    $999 / night

    "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."

    2. Greenbelt Park Campground — Greenbelt Park

    32 Reviews
    Greenbelt, MD
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (301) 344-3948

    $20 / night

    "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"

    3. Little Bennett Campground

    23 Reviews
    Clarksburg, MD
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (301) 528-3430

    "Quiet woods in Maryland about 30 or 40 miles north of DC. Tenting, and RV spots partial to full service. Just of hiway 270. pricey ($66/night) for a state park, but nice."

    "PROS  Very nice small Montgomery County Park 

    No reservation fee to make on-line reservations 

    Reserved 137 days prior to arriving 

    Entrance gate required entry code Instructed by staff via gate phone"

    4. Ramblin' Pines

    17 Reviews
    Woodbine, MD
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (410) 795-5161

    $30 - $70 / night

    "We stay at Ramblin Pines because it is close to family and a good proximity to visiting Baltimore and Frederick."

    "We love this home away from home ❤️"

    5. Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area

    20 Reviews
    Catonsville, MD
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (410) 461-5005

    $20 - $51 / night

    "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."

    "Another negative was after the storm for the next few days we heard trees falling nearby."

    6. Hollofield Area Campground

    18 Reviews
    Windsor Mill, MD
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (410) 461-5005

    $19 - $27 / night

    "It has 8 recreation areas and we stayed at the Hollofield Area in April- one of our first experiences in a Maryland State Park. Beautiful park with 70 miles of hiking/biking /multi use trails."

    "This campground is pleasant, but the sites are situated quite close to one another."

    7. Lake Fairfax Campground

    25 Reviews
    Reston, VA
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (703) 471-5414

    $30 - $70 / night

    "We set up our tent in the far side of the campground close to the lake ( site 27). It is slightly slant but still comfortable in the tent. Bathrooms are close by and kept clean."

    "For tent camping I would suggests sites 30,33 or 35 these are tucked along the tree line. The bathroom facilities were the cleanest I have seen in a campground."

    8. Washington DC / Capitol KOA

    16 Reviews
    Millersville, MD
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (410) 923-2771

    "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."

    9. The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring

    1 Review
    Sandy Spring, MD
    1 mile
    Website
    +1 (240) 389-4386

    $150 - $200 / night

    10. The Garden

    2 Reviews
    Damascus, MD
    16 miles
    +1 (240) 654-7056

    $15 - $55 / night

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Recent Reviews near Sandy Spring, MD

926 Reviews of 112 Sandy Spring Campgrounds

  • MsTrailBlazer 🏔.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 6, 2026

    Codorus State Park Campground

    Top Tier

    I love this place. The tent sites are super, rustic but superior. Showers are a walk. Tent Sites are very private huge and I love that.

  • Jeff F.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 4, 2026

    koa Gettysburg battlefield

    Nice spot to experience Gettysburg

    Friendly staff, well shaded, good size site 23 with easy in and paver patio and sturdy furniture

  • M
    Jun. 4, 2026

    Codorus State Park Campground

    Excellent campground!

    The sites offer plenty of space and privacy, making it easy to relax and enjoy nature. The campground is conveniently located near the lake, with beautiful views and easy access to the water. There is also a nice swimming pool, which is a great bonus. We enjoyed kayaking on the lake and spending time outdoors. Overall, it's a wonderful place to unwind, relax, and enjoy a peaceful getaway. We would definitely come back!

  • Matt S.
    Jun. 1, 2026

    Bay Shore Campground

    What stands out about this campground? The view!

    We spent a week at Bay Shore Campground to explore Rock Hall, the Chesapeake Bay, and the Eastern Shore of Maryland. What stands out about this campground? The view! 

    For me, this is a 4-star campground because of the view and nice staff, but not 5-stars because of the sloped site packed in with the neighbors and no sewer connection. 

    THINGS I LIKED:

    — Great view from our site of the Chesapeake Bay— especially for sunset each evening

    — Friendly staff

    — Nearby Rock Hall, Chestertown, and Eastern Neck Island Wildlife Refuge

    — They offered a promo to pay for 6 nights, and the 7th was free 

    THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE SO MUCH:

    — Our site(Site B) had an amazing view of Chesapeake Bay, but the slope made it difficult to get even close to level— even with my front jacks fully extended. I had to buy additional leveling blocks from the camp store(at twice the price of Amazon) just so we didn’t feel like walking uphill to walk around our motorhome. I admit, I am spoiled but really appreciate the campgrounds that level their sites. I think it could be done in a few hours with a rented front loader at a couple nights’ cost.

    — Our site(Site B) was tight. The neighbor’s awning was just inches from our motorhome. I understand the need for any business to maximize revenue, but this was unpleasantly close.

    — There are no sewer hookups at the sites. They do have a couple of dump stations for your way out and provide a pump-out service once per week at$40 a pop. They were nice enough to pump me out a second time since I stayed 7 nights. Again, I know I’m spoiled, but a sewer connection is a necessity when you’re staying 8 days. 

    WOULD WE COME BACK? 

    Sure thing, but we’d stay at a different site.

  • Phillip H.
    May. 10, 2026

    Harpers Ferry / Civil War Battlefields KOA

    Harper’s Ferry KOA

    The sites are close together. The park was not full Mother’s Day weekend. It is a very nice park. The bathhouses were clean. The amenities were good although we didn’t utilize them. The national historic site was very close and we walked over day 1 rode our bikes day 2. The C&O canal is accessible but you must walk your bike across the lower town bridge and carry it down the stairs. This section of the trail was very good and we completed 38 miles.

  • c
    May. 9, 2026

    Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area

    Hilton area

    Thought the campsites were extremely close together. There were A LOT of kids and no quiet hours. Good for families. Not good for a camping camping experience.

  • D
    Apr. 28, 2026

    Harpers Ferry / Civil War Battlefields KOA

    Not as advertised on website. Loose dogs. Sites not as advertised.

    Less amenities than advertised. We usually camp in more rustic locations and planned this trip simply for the fun of the amenities. Their website claims that the pool is seasonal but doesn't list anything else as seasonal. There was supposed to be mini golf, a giant bounce pillow, indoor basketball, an arcade with air hockey and a pool table. Mini golf was fine. The bounce pillow was deflated and full of water. The arcade/pool table/air hockey building was locked and the maintenance guy(who locks it up) was outside smoking before leaving early for the day. The employee at the camp store said it was supposed to be open until the store closed but that he probably just closed it early.

     The rules state that dogs need to be on a leash at all times and, in the two hours we actually stayed, we saw four that weren't. One was staying near us and started chasing us when we rode our bikes by. One was wandering about 4 campsites down from it's owner. We mentioned it to the person at the camp store before we were chased and she just shrugged it off. 

    The map is incorrect. It lists site numbers that don't exist and doesn't list some sites that supposedly do. We spent a fifteen minutes trying to find a non-existent site before going back to the camp office and getting assigned a new site. They acted like it was a new thing caused by maintenance but we just looked and saw a review from ten months ago saying the map was messed up then. 

    The description of the site we paid for was non electric tent with a sand tent pad. The site we got was on a hill(no actual flat spot) overgrown with weeds, no tent pad, a slanted picnic table, and no actual parking spot. You had to drive over a drainage ditch and park on the hill. If our car didn't have high clearance we wouldn't have made it. There was also a hole in the middle of the site. And the map showed that number site on the corner where another unmarked site was. Our originally assigned site was supposedly in the same group of sites, so it would've been similar. Also don't believe the claim that they're"large sites." Most of them are crammed together. There are a few that look decent sized and flat, but they want you to pay an extra$30 to pick your own site. 

    We didn't even look in the bathrooms. 

    We left after two hours. Definitely a waste of$60+ dollars. 

    Next time we'll go over to the Brunswick Family campground. Their owners are lovely people who care about their customers.

  • Adam and Suzanne B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 18, 2026

    Greenbrier State Park Campground - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

    Beautiful setting

    It is NOT closed for 2026! Spent the weekend here as it is only an hour from home. There are 4 large camping loops. Only loop C- cedar has electric. None of the loops have water hookups but all have spigots to fill your rig. There are also 3 fill stations at check in (which we missed). The campground is on a hill and the loop roads are narrow, hilly, and winding. We had no trouble with our 23 ft TT and saw some bigger rigs. There are some tight angles to get into a few sites. But, once you are in, the sites are spacious and mostly private. It is wooded without feeling overgrown. Loop D has some sites that are good buddy campsites. There are many hiking trails and a lovely lake. The only bad thing are the dated bathhouses. Mostly clean but there are only 2 showers for each fenced for each loop and they were yucky enough that we showered at our rig. It was busy but pretty quiet. It’s close to I-70

Guide to Sandy Spring

Sandy Spring campgrounds operate primarily from April through October, with weather conditions ranging from humid summers to cooler fall temperatures. The region offers tent sites, RV pads, and cabin accommodations within a 30-minute drive of Washington, D.C. Several family-oriented facilities feature amenities like swimming pools and hiking trails, with most requiring advance reservations.

What to do

Hiking trails: Little Bennett Campground in Clarksburg offers a network of trails suitable for all skill levels. "There is a very nice network of trails, most if not all were leashed dog friendly," notes one camper, highlighting the accessible outdoor recreation options.

Water recreation: Lake Fairfax Campground provides paddle boats and a water park close to the camping area. "There's a water park, paddle boats, playgrounds, trails, skate park, sports fields, and the bathrooms are the nicest I've ever seen," reports one visitor, emphasizing the variety of activities available.

Urban exploration: Washington DC/Capitol KOA serves as an ideal base for visiting monuments and museums. "This is not a site for nature lovers but is perfect for kids. Our kids (9, 10 and 14) all had fun and made friends. The staff is exceptionally friendly and helpful," explains one family, demonstrating its suitability for urban sightseeing.

Creek exploration: Multiple campgrounds feature creek access for cooling off during summer months. The Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area offers "beautiful waterfalls and river views," according to a reviewer who visited with children.

What campers like

Spacious RV sites: Ramblin' Pines provides large sites with full hookups. "Nice large sites with friendly staff. Lots of free activities for children and it's close to home," mentions a satisfied camper, noting the balance of convenience and amenities.

Children's activities: Many campgrounds feature dedicated play areas. "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," explains one visitor.

Privacy between campsites: Little Bennett Campground offers wooded separation between sites. "The sites are quiet, very spacious, level, and heavily wooded with 50A service, water and sewer hookup," notes a camper, indicating the natural seclusion available despite proximity to urban areas.

Accessible bathhouses: Several campgrounds maintain clean facilities. One camper at Lake Fairfax comments, "Five stars for the restroom facilities. Bright, large, clean and very well maintained," pointing to the importance of well-kept facilities.

What you should know

Seasonal availability: Many campgrounds close during winter months. "Little Bennett Campground in Clarksburg operates seasonally from April through October and features cabin accommodations alongside traditional camping," while other facilities like Ramblin' Pines remain "open all year."

Traffic and noise considerations: Greenbelt Park Campground balances urban proximity with natural settings. "This is an urban oasis. Traffic can be heard but not seen. Weekdays are pretty quiet in this campground," notes one reviewer, providing expectations about the sound environment.

Booking requirements: During peak season, campgrounds fill quickly. At Hollofield Area Campground, a visitor notes, "The campground and park fill up on the weekends but are nearly empty during the week," indicating timing considerations for reservations.

Public transportation options: Some campgrounds offer direct access to Washington, D.C. via public transit. "Take the METRO if you are going into the District. There are two stations very close to camp (Greenbelt and University Park)," advises one camper at Greenbelt Park.

Tips for camping with families

Playgrounds and recreation: Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area features extensive child-friendly amenities. "There is a huge playground, sensory trail and nature discovery center at the entrance to the park," reports a parent, noting the engagement opportunities for children.

Educational opportunities: Several campgrounds offer ranger programs and nature activities. "There are monthly programs at the campfire circle that I sometimes attend even when not camping here," shares a Greenbelt Park visitor.

Cabin options for beginners: For families new to camping, cabins offer comfort with outdoor access. "The best part of this campground are the neat mini cabins. Small one room cabins that have electricity and heat. They are a nice touch for those that want to camp, but not completely 'rough it,'" explains a visitor to Patapsco Valley State Park.

Swimming options: During summer months, water features provide relief from heat. At Lake Fairfax, "We enjoyed the water park immensely. Ten of us in total with kids ranging from 18 months old to 13 years old. Everyone enjoyed the water park," reports a family.

Tips from RVers

Site leveling: Hollofield Area Campground requires preparation for uneven sites. "My site was a little difficult to find because the online park map was incorrect, and the spot was basically an extended shoulder of the road," shares an RV camper, suggesting careful site selection.

Hookup availability: Electric sites are common but full hookups are limited. At Little Bennett, a visitor notes, "D Loop is for RVs, A, B, C & E are tents only. AT&T 5 MB/s w/o booster(1 bar), 8 MB/s with it(2 bars)," providing specific details about service and connectivity.

Size restrictions: Some campgrounds have limitations for larger rigs. "Approach this park only from the west if your vehicle is over 11 feet high. There is a 11' bridge coming east bound into this park," warns an RVer about Patapsco Valley State Park.

Dumping facilities: Not all campgrounds offer full hookups. "There is a dump station and water available at spickets throughout the campground," notes a Greenbelt Park visitor, providing essential information about water and waste management for RVs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular campground near Sandy Spring, MD?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Sandy Spring, MD is Cherry Hill Park with a 4.8-star rating from 42 reviews.

What parks are near Sandy Spring, MD?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 16 parks near Sandy Spring, MD that allow camping, notably Rock Creek Park and Greenbelt Park.

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