Best Tent Camping near Smithsburg, MD
The Appalachian Trail corridor and Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park provide numerous tent-only camping options near Smithsburg, Maryland. Annapolis Rock Campground offers primitive tent camping along the Appalachian Trail at 1,700 feet elevation, requiring a hike-in approach and providing spectacular views from nearby cliffs. Dahlgren Backpacker Campground in Greenbrier State Park serves as a dedicated stop for long-distance hikers with a large grassy area for tent placement rather than designated sites. Washington Monument State Park Campground, approximately 10 miles south of Smithsburg, provides walk-in tent sites with seasonal operation from April through October.
Most tent campsites in the region feature basic amenities suited for self-sufficient campers. Sites typically have flat, grassy or dirt surfaces with minimal improvements. Antietam Creek Campground offers walk-in tent sites with fire rings and picnic tables but requires campers to park on the road and carry equipment approximately 75 feet to campsites. Water availability varies significantly between locations, with some campgrounds providing hand pumps that dispense iodine-treated water while others have no potable water source. Pit toilets or portable facilities are standard, though maintenance quality fluctuates. The camping season generally runs May through October, with some locations operating from April through late fall.
Tent campers frequently comment on the riverside locations that characterize many sites in the area. According to reviews, Antietam Creek Campground provides "sites that are fully or mostly shaded" with each site featuring "a grill, fire pit, and picnic table." Visitors to Annapolis Rock note the campground has "undergone major restorations" and includes "two privies and a really nice spring near the campsites." Noise can be an issue at some locations, with one camper reporting "train horns and train car noise" throughout the night at riverside campgrounds. Backcountry tent camping options typically offer more seclusion but require longer approaches on foot and greater self-sufficiency with supplies and waste management.