Best Campgrounds near Upper Marlboro, MD
Campgrounds near Upper Marlboro, Maryland range from rustic tent sites to full-service RV parks with cabin options. Greenbelt Park Campground, located about 10 miles northwest of Upper Marlboro, provides tent and RV camping with amenities including drinking water, fire rings, and sanitary dump stations. Cherry Hill Park in College Park offers more extensive facilities with electric hookups, showers, and cabin accommodations. Cedarville State Forest, situated southwest of Upper Marlboro, features seasonal camping from April to October with both tent and RV sites available. The region includes several developed campgrounds operated by federal, state, and county agencies.
Camping in the Upper Marlboro area typically requires advance reservations, particularly during summer months when sites fill quickly. Most campgrounds maintain paved access roads suitable for standard vehicles, though some forest service roads may require higher clearance. Weather conditions remain mild through much of the camping season, with higher humidity during summer months. Cell service is generally reliable throughout the region, with stronger coverage at campgrounds closer to urban areas. Permit requirements and stay limits vary by location, with most state parks limiting stays to 14 consecutive days. A visitor noted that "Greenbelt campground is a fairly nice, bare bones NPS campground. Rangers come around regularly to check on things and every one we interacted with was extremely friendly."
Several campgrounds in the area feature proximity to water recreation opportunities. Patuxent River access points provide fishing and kayaking options near some camping areas. Campers report high satisfaction with sites that balance natural settings with convenient access to Washington DC attractions. Louise F. Cosca Regional Park receives positive reviews for its clean facilities and water hookups at each site. According to one review, "This campground is about 25 sites. Only 5 sites have electric but all 25 sites have water hookup." Noise levels vary significantly between campgrounds, with those closer to highways and urban areas experiencing more ambient sound. Wildlife sightings, particularly deer and various bird species, are commonly mentioned in reviews of the more wooded camping areas. Most developed campgrounds in the region maintain year-round or extended seasonal operations.
