Best Campgrounds near Swanton, MD

I visited this site the first week of April but I did not spend the night. When I arrived, I was the only one there and with rain expected, I did not want to get stuck there alone.

I initially missed the right turn onto the dirt road coming down the hill. The road in is a single lane dirt road with parts of it partially washed away. I would not want to drive on this in the rain. There are minimal turning points so if someone is coming in while you're coming out or vice versa, someone would have to reverse.

The campground itself was clean and well maintained. The bathroom was also clean and there was toilet paper.

Seems like a nice place to stay when its dry.

You drive deep into the woods to get here, which gives it that true, off-the-grid campground feel. There are several different camping areas, and depending on where you end up, you might have a short walk to reach the best fishing spots. It’s worth noting that cell service is minimal to nonexistent — not a big deal for most campers, but something to keep in mind.

One unique (and awesome) touch: there are goats casually roaming around the campground. It adds a fun, unexpected charm to the place.

The campground is clean, the staff is friendly, and the fishing is solid. Whether you’re there to relax, explore, or cast a line, it delivers the rustic experience you’re probably looking for.

General: Smallish (68 sites) campground near Jennings Randolph Lake, which is not directly accessible from the campground (you need to drive there). Roads and camper pads are all paved, and the sites are in two loops– the Front Loop (Sites 1-30) and the Back Loop (Sites 31-68). All sites have electric hookups, and have a picnic table, fire ring, and lantern ring. There are multiple hosts in each loop. 

Site Quality: All camper pads are paved, and most appeared to be level. They are of varying lengths with 53, 55, and 64-68 having the longest pads. The sites are generous in size and are spaced a reasonable distance apart; there are varying degrees of foliage to provide privacy between sites. You would be hard-pressed to pick a “bad” site; perhaps Site 31 would be the least desirable as it is near the intersection of the two loops. 

Bath/Shower: There is a bathhouse in each loop; although the building itself appeared somewhat dated, the toilets and sinks have been updated to be automatic. The showers looked a bit sketchy, but I didn’t use them. 

Activities/Amenities: There are several short-distance hiking trails; the trail heads are very well marked and, once on the trail, the blazes are very easy to spot. I hiked the Sunset Trail, and it was shorter than advertised but the bench swing at the overlook was a very nice surprise. There is also archery, basketball, fishing, and a boat launch for the small lake. There is a playground in each loop. There is also a camper store in the Front loop that sells ice, firewood, and basic sundries; it is run by volunteers, so the hours are different each day based on availability. Kalbaugh Pond is ADA-accessible for catch-and-release fishing. Shaw Beach has swimming access. There was movie night on Saturday night and a ranger talk on Saturday morning. 

We generally shy away from campgrounds on weekends, especially in the summer months but surprisingly, the campground was only about ¾ full on a Friday in June. The volunteers make this park shine. We were greeted by Alma, who was very welcoming and said all of the volunteers are proud of “their” little campground. Of note: We approached the campground from the southeast through the town of Keyser. DO NOT do this if you have a large RV. There are multiple signs saying that the road was not safe for large trucks; although our 18-foot camper van had no problems, the road was narrow, hilly, and winding.