Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Sparrows Point, MD

Washington DC / Capitol KOA offers cabin accommodations that accept pets alongside RV and tent sites. This established campground provides designated pet-friendly areas where dogs can exercise safely. The Capitol KOA maintains clean facilities with accommodations for tent camping, RVs with full hookups, and pet-friendly cabins. Pets must remain leashed throughout the campground except in designated exercise areas. Most campsites feature picnic tables, fire rings, and access to drinking water. Several pet owners mention the well-maintained dog area provides ample space for dogs to run and exercise, something many campgrounds lack.

Patapsco Valley State Park and Elk Neck State Park both accommodate pets at their campgrounds with specific pet policies in place. Both parks require pets to be leashed at all times on trails and in camping areas. Sandy Point State Park maintains beach access where dogs can cool off during warmer months, though the park becomes extremely crowded during summer weekends. Visitors note the campground store at Washington DC / Capitol KOA carries pet supplies for emergency needs. Weather considerations include hot summer temperatures, particularly at tent sites without shade, making spring and fall preferable seasons for camping with pets. Campground jumping pillows and play areas for children are separate from pet exercise zones to ensure safety for all guests.

Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Sparrows Point, Maryland (60)

    1. Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area

    19 Reviews
    Catonsville, MD
    15 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."

    2. Washington DC / Capitol KOA

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

    "We did not take our dog this time with us but would seriously consider it next time."

    "The location worked for my trip but not sure it’s that convenient to DC."

    3. Hollofield Area Campground

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

    $19 - $27 / night

    "Pet friendly. Very quiet. I only gave it 4 stars because the camp sites are too close together. Fire pits were well designed, bathrooms were relatively clean."

    "It may be close to suburbia (a neighborhood right through the trees) and convenient to major highways (literal minutes to I95), but you will feel like you are truly secluded in the woods."

    4. Cherry Hill Park

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

    $999 / night

    "Great location with access to all forms of transportation.  Store fully stocked to include groceries.   Two pools. Hot tub.   Play areas to include a game room and miniature golf.  "

    "As we looked around we found that all of the sites, regardless of amenities, were spaced about the same."

    5. Sandy Point State Park Youth Group Camping

    8 Reviews
    Gibson Island, MD
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 432-2267

    6. Elk Neck State Park Campground

    60 Reviews
    Perryville, MD
    32 miles
    Website
    +1 (410) 287-5333

    $21 - $55 / night

    "Accessible and pet friendly. Great trails and great staff"

    "Our go to State Park for camping as it is pretty close to home. Standard State Park with all the amenities you need. We are tent campers/ non electric (no pets/ no kids)."

    7. Greenbelt Park Campground — Greenbelt Park

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

    $20 / night

    "The park is located away from the camping grounds. It has two play grounds, several picnic tables and a bathroom."

    "If you are really looking for somewhere to feel far away from civilization and see some beautiful scenery, this probably isn't it."

    8. Bay Shore Campground

    5 Reviews
    Rock Hall, MD
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (410) 639-7485

    $42 - $82 / night

    "Because we went in the middle of the week, we had a lot of space to our self and open areas for our dog to play."

    "We spent one morning walking the various trails at the Eastern Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, which is only 7 minutes away. Campground also close to the restaurants in Rock Hall for seafood. "

    9. Bar Harbor RV Park & Marina

    8 Reviews
    Abingdon, MD
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (410) 679-0880

    $70 - $90 / night

    "The campground seemed to stress pet restrictions both in the rules section of their registration packet and signage around the grounds."

    "This is close to us so it was an easy trip. Full hookup but we’re told to turn off and unhook water the night it dropped below freezing."

    10. Pine Tree Associates Nudist Club

    2 Reviews
    Crownsville, MD
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (410) 841-6033

    $30 - $55 / night

    "My wife and I were trying to find an RV location near the Annapolis city dock for a boat show and found Pine Tree Associates."

    "Camping fees include access to a large outdoor pool, an indoor pool and a hot tub. There is room for tenting and campers."

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Showing results 1-10 of 60 campgrounds

Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Sparrows Point, MD

632 Reviews of 60 Sparrows Point Campgrounds


  • L
    Aug. 6, 2018

    Lums Pond State Park Campground

    Very Dog Friendly

    Campground sites are nice and spacious, bathrooms are good, and there’s plenty to do for everyone. We hiked the 7.5mile lake trail with our two pups. It was beautiful and along the way there were opportunities to kayak/sup, beach it, or even play on a ropes course. We always travel with our dogs and this place has the BEST dog park. Big open space with access to lots of water play. We definitely recommend this spot!

  • E
    Aug. 4, 2021

    Lums Pond State Park Campground

    Impromtu tent camping success!

    I was able to book my site the day before the trip. The site itself was set back some, and felt secluded while still being near the parking area.

    Walk to bathrooms and camp store was on the longer side. Firewood was $5 a bundle, but the register wasn't working and they could only take cash.

    The hiking in the immediate area was beautiful, lots of fun trails and wildlife. Fishing, kayaking, zip lining, tons of great activities.

    The firepits have grates over one half, so campfire cooking is a breeze. Cook up and use the provided picnic table for an easy dinner set up.

    The park itself is very dog friendly and most sites had dogs. There is also an off leash dog park at Lum's pond and dog water dishes outside the camp store.

    The showers and bathrooms were incredibly well kept with hot water and stocked supplies. If you didn't feel like walking so far, the tents had a spiget with running water near the parking areas.

    Reception for Verizon was spotty, t mobile was pretty great. Wish there was an ATM on site though I don't think the cash only situation is a normal one for this campground.

    All in all an amazing trip, and I'll be back as soon as possible.

  • singinajf@aol.com
    May. 26, 2021

    Ramblin' Pines

    Quiet Spot

    The staff and seasonal campers are all very friendly. The bathrooms are incredibly clean. We love all the games there are to play and the dog park is our favorite spot. Overall, it's peaceful and quiet in a nice, wooded setting.

  • C
    Aug. 23, 2018

    Bar Harbor RV Park & Marina

    RV Park surrounded by water!

    Our first visit (March 2018) was just prior to peak season (lower rates) and we had a site literally 10 ft. from the water! Full hook ups and sites were a little close, but nice. There seemed to be a lot of long term/permanent residents, but most sites along the waterfront remained open. The campground seemed to stress pet restrictions both in the rules section of their registration packet and signage around the grounds. There was a pet exercise/walking area, but could use some sprucing up. However, no one really made an issue of walking your dog around the campground and as the weekend came around, more and more dogs were around.

    You have to drive through a residential neighborhood to reach Bar Harbor, so big rigs take care/caution. Would like to try Bar Harbor again sometime.

  • Linda B.
    Jul. 7, 2019

    Cherry Hill Park

    Actually a 10!!!

    This is a campers dream site.  Everything you can think of is offered here.  You have to check their website to see all.  This is the closest site to Washington DC.  Great location with access to all forms of transportation.  Store fully stocked to include groceries.   Two pools. Hot tub.   Play areas to include a game room and miniature golf.  Pets are pampered here.  Even dog walking service available.

  • Ellen B.
    May. 23, 2019

    Lums Pond State Park Campground

    Great place in the back yard

    We do Lums Pond at least twice a year if we can get reservations.

    Sites are big and all were redone in the last few years with concrete pads, 30 amp service and full sewer. There are some equestrian and tent sites as well.

    Lots of boating (electric motors only) and kayaking on the pond and a decent amount of hiking. There’s an off leash dog park, equestrian center and boat ramp. Book early because it fills up fast!

  • MickandKarla W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 27, 2021

    Cherry Hill Park

    Impressive Campground

    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 getting to the campground(CG). As we arrived, traffic was heavy on I-95 but manageable. Cherry Hill’s and our RV GPS directions were spot on getting us to the park. We were very impressed with this CG from the moment we entered. We picked up our package outside the office(no contact check-in) and went to premium site 93 with FHUs. Back-in was easy. The wifi was very good but the CG was only about a 1/4 full. Cherry Hill has many different ways to stay; cottages, cabins, yurts, glamping pods, premium and regular tent sites in addition to the RV sites. As we looked around we found that all of the sites, regardless of amenities, were spaced about the same. There are a few sites in the CG on the end that will give you a little more yard space like 97(need to be a competent backer), 402, and 1723. We got 2 bars each on Verizon and AT&T. The CG’s cable provided a large selection of channels and worked well. We were impressed with the main laundry facility due to the amount of large washers and dryers, very fair pricing and very clean. The two off leash dog parks(in the same area) were nice plus there’s a well maintained walking trail that goes around this very large CG’s perimeter. We really liked how there are trash receptacles and dog poopy bag dispensers nicely placed all over the CG. Though we didn’t use it, they even have a dog walker service so you can spend a lot of time exploring the DC area without worrying about your pups. About the only draw back was the road noise from the interstate and highway pretty much 24/7, but considering the area that is to be expected. Sites 13-38 and 1500 sites near the premium tent area are the farthest away from the road noise. We would definitely stay here again.

  • MickandKarla W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 24, 2021

    Lums Pond State Park Campground

    Quaint State Park

    Our GPS wanted to take us to the main park entrance on Howell School Rd versus Red Lion Rd to the campground entrance on the other side of the pond. The gate and store were not open so we went directly to back-in site 26 with FHUs. Our reservation sheet and vehicle pass were on the post when we arrived. Back-in was okay with having to swing our F-450 and 39’ 5th wheel into the grass between sites across the street. Utilities were smartly placed at the middle of the pad. We had 2 to 3 bars on Verizon and 2 bars on AT&T. However, we had trouble with AT&T maintaining internet on our Weingard Connect. The CG is in two loops. Sites 1-30 make up the first loop and that is where most of the larger rigs camped. A rough estimate(double check site size online) is that sites 12- 18 will take larger rigs up to around 45’ but you’ll need to park your tow vehicle or toad angled in front of your rig. Our site was long enough for our 39’ fifth wheel but we had to park our truck at an angle as well. The second loop does have larger sites but is mainly suited for small rigs to include a tent area. Both loops have a large grass field in the middle that the sites back up to, which is great for playing outside games and without many trees so you could use satellite from almost all the sites. From a spaciousness point of view, the best site in the CG is 17, but it is near the walking trail. The shower house also contains a small laundry with 3 washers and 4 dryers that are reasonably priced, although one washer was out of service at the time. However, there was not a change machine. You could purchase firewood from one of the on duty camp hosts. A short drive from the campground to another Lum’s Pond State Park area there’s a really cool dog park where you can walk the dogs off leash down trails and with open play areas along the pond. One of the best features of this off-leash area is how secluded it is away from the main road. Supposedly this is known as a haunted campground, although we didn't see or hear anything out of the ordinary. If in the area, we would stay here again.

  • C
    Jun. 9, 2021

    Bay Shore Campground

    Nice place with awesome view

    This campground is perfect for a quiet visit to the Eastern shore town of Rock Hall as It sits conveniently between the village of Rock Hall and Eastern Neck sanctuary.  The area reserved for RV campsites overlooks a bluff on the Chesapeake Bay….gorgeous.  Because we went in the middle of the week, we had a lot of space to our self and open areas for our dog to play. Admittedly there isn’t a lot to do in the campground itself, even the bathrooms were closed down for Covid and only self contained RVs could camp.There is a small playground and a dog park, and a small pond for fishing. Sewer hook ups are not yet available but they are coming. Purchasing the WiFi access was a waste of money and our Verizon signal was very weak.  The biggest attraction is the view over the Bay.  So if you are looking for beautiful scenery and a cooling breeze this is a lovely and relaxing place. We met the owner who was very attentive to our needs and also helped us use the dump station as this was the maiden voyage with our new RV. The campground is clean and nicely landscaped.  Be sure to go into the town of rock Hall for a seafood dinner at Waterman’s.


Guide to Sparrows Point

Sparrows Point, Maryland sits at the edge of the Chesapeake Bay with elevations rarely exceeding 20 feet above sea level, creating ideal flat terrain for novice campers. Summer temperatures frequently exceed 85°F with high humidity from June through September, making spring and fall the preferred seasons for comfortable camping temperatures. The area's proximity to both urban and natural environments provides a diverse camping experience within a 40-mile radius.

What to do

Lighthouse hiking: 7 miles from Elk Neck State Park offers access to the Turkey Point Lighthouse trail with panoramic Chesapeake Bay views. "We enjoyed hiking the Turkey Point Lighthouse. It is about a five minute drive to get to the trail though, but is worth it!" according to Jalissa Y. at Elk Neck State Park Campground.

River kayaking: Patapsco River access within walking distance of many campsites. "We hiked back to the campground from here, which was a nice easy-to-moderate trail. The beginning was pretty rough for me, since I was wearing my infant son while navigating an uphill trail, but it quickly evened out," notes Jennifer S. from Susquehanna State Park Campground.

Nature trails: Accessible year-round through densely wooded areas. "Patapsco Valley offers 6 different entrances. Each one provides several different trail heads and experiences. The trails we have been on are all pretty moderate to hard but offer beautiful waterfalls and river views," shares Angel G. about Patapsco Valley State Park.

What campers like

Quick access to DC: Under 40 minutes by car from several campgrounds. "This is a great option when exploring the DC area. There is a walking path from the campground to the metro station that takes you into DC (the green line takes you to the National Mall)," notes Laura M. about Greenbelt Park Campground.

Privacy between sites: A major selling point at less developed campgrounds. "Site was very shaded, and probably the most secluded feel of anywhere we've camped. Camping pad was nice and level, although the driveway was slightly sloped," reports Jen V. about Susquehanna State Park Campground.

Waterfront camping: Spectacular sunsets over Chesapeake Bay tributaries. "If you enjoy beautiful sunsets, seeing bald eagles every day, having a nice breeze, not too buggy, well kept campground this is the place to go," says Lisa V. about Bay Shore Campground.

What you should know

Seasonal considerations: Extremely crowded conditions during summer weekends. "This park is extremely crowded and very dirty during the summer season," warns Christina E. about Sandy Point State Park.

Site specifications: Many campgrounds have specific tent pad requirements. "I docked a star because I'd say about half—maybe more—don't have pads. I didn't get a chance to check out the Acorn Loop, other than a quick drive by," explains Jennifer S. about Susquehanna State Park.

Bridge height restrictions: 11-foot clearance when approaching some parks from certain directions. "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)," advises Travyl Couple about Hollofield Area Campground.

Tips for camping with families

Natural playgrounds: More engaging than traditional equipment. "There is a 'natural' playground in the loop, and then if you drive down further to the park entrance, there is a large playground for the kids. I've attached photos from the 'natural playground' aka, large rocks and overturned trees. The kids loved it," shares Jennifer S. about Hollofield Area.

Metro access with kids: Saves parking hassles when visiting DC. "This worked very well for us. You can pay for the metro with an app or get a card, either way it costs you $2 to buy the card, and then $2 each way on the train. Everyone over age 5 needs their own card," explains Laura M. about Greenbelt Park.

Pet-friendly sites with exercise areas: Important for families with dogs. "This campground is very family friendly. We saw so many children running around having a great time! They have fairly many camp sites with an amazing view," reports Jalissa Y. about Elk Neck State Park.

Tips from RVers

Full hookup availability: Limited but available at select campgrounds. "We stayed in site 26 I believe, it was very private from neighbors and the road, surrounded by beautiful mature trees, and just the right distance from the restrooms," notes Anne L. about Susquehanna State Park.

Dump station access: Often limited to specific hours. "We were at site 430. It was a perfect spot tucked away from the others and a short walk to the restrooms. You can purchase firewood from the camp hosts nearby as well," shares Andrea S. about Hollofield Area.

Navigation challenges: Residential neighborhoods may restrict large rigs. "You have to drive through a residential neighborhood to reach Bar Harbor, so big rigs take care/caution," warns Craig Z. about Bar Harbor RV Park & Marina.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Sparrows Point, MD?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Sparrows Point, MD is Patapsco Valley State Park-Hilton Area with a 4.2-star rating from 19 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Sparrows Point, MD?

TheDyrt.com has all 60 dog-friendly camping locations near Sparrows Point, MD, with real photos and reviews from campers.