Best Campgrounds near Woodsboro, MD

Camping opportunities in the Woodsboro region of Maryland include several established state parks and private campgrounds within a 30-minute drive. Cunningham Falls State Park offers two separate camping areas - the Manor Area and William Houck Area - providing tent sites, RV hookups, and cabin accommodations. Gambrill State Park Campground, located near Frederick, features tent and RV sites with electric hookups and cabin options. These developed campgrounds provide varying levels of amenities, from basic toilets to full shower facilities and dump stations, making them suitable for different camping preferences.

The camping season for most facilities in the area typically runs from April through October, with limited winter camping available at select locations. Cunningham Falls State Park Manor Area maintains year-round water access, though bathhouses close during the off-season with portable facilities provided instead. Electric hookups are available at several campgrounds, though full hookup sites with water and sewer connections are limited. Most campgrounds in the region require advance reservations, especially during summer weekends and fall foliage season. As one camper noted, "Cunningham Falls has a nice set of trails that range from easy to moderate. The park is kid and dog friendly. Campsites are a little small and signage could be better, but restrooms are clean and the Rangers are very helpful."

The region's campgrounds feature wooded settings with varying levels of privacy between sites. Many campers highlight the natural surroundings and recreational opportunities as key attractions. Several visitors mention enjoying hiking trails, particularly to Cunningham Falls, along with lake swimming and paddling options during warmer months. Site layouts and terrain vary considerably throughout the area. At Cunningham Falls Manor Area, "The sites on the lower side of the road (mostly even numbered) are pretty level. The ones on the upper side of the road (mostly odd numbered) are short and have a lot of slope due to run-off when it rains." While most campgrounds provide standard amenities like fire rings and picnic tables, some sites experience highway noise from nearby Route 15. The proximity to nearby attractions like Gettysburg (approximately 25 minutes away) makes these campgrounds convenient bases for exploring the broader region.

Best Camping Sites Near Woodsboro, Maryland (128)

    1. Manor - Cunningham Falls State Park

    24 Reviews
    Thurmont, MD
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (301) 271-7574

    $23 - $29 / night

    "This site is at the very top of the loop so it has a great cozy vibe and is spaced well away from other sites. The only downside is that the bathhouse is a walk downhill and then a walk back uphill."

    "Deer Spring Loop is near the top of the mountain. This is not a pet friendly loop.

    Site 112 is level, mostly shaded, backs up to the woods and has electric.

    The site is between two cabins."

    2. Houck - Cunningham Falls State Park

    24 Reviews
    Thurmont, MD
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (301) 271-7574

    $21 - $65 / night

    "Camp next to the president."

    "There are a few vineyards and breweries nearby. Gettysburg, PA is close as is Frederick, MD. Our site was level and had a good view of the woods. Family was staying in site next to us, site 12."

    3. Greenbrier State Park Campground - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

    41 Reviews
    Boonsboro, MD
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 432-2267

    $23 - $29 / night

    "This park just is near enough to Baltimore and DC to allow for a quick getaway and offers a lot to do."

    "Maryland has some great state parks and this is one of them. Decent sized sites, clean bath houses. Swimming lake is excellent. Only basic amenities, but dump station."

    4. Owens Creek Campground — Catoctin Mountain Park

    28 Reviews
    Sabillasville, MD
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (301) 663-9388

    $30 / night

    "Our campsite was quiet with the creek right behind us and had lots of privacy. This place is a great campground to go during summer as it's tucked in the mountains with lots of tree coverage."

    "My only complaint is that the fire ring is a little too close to the main road. This is true for most of the sites. However the tent pad was set back in the woods and it was very peaceful."

    5. Gambrill State Park Campground

    14 Reviews
    Middletown, MD
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 432-2267

    $18 - $50 / night

    "The site was very level, nicely shaded, and positioned a short distance from the bath house. There was also a water spigot located right at the entrance of the site."

    "There was a walking path to the bathhouse between 13 and 14. Sites 8-11 were on a nice open field, with some smaller trees."

    6. Artillery Ridge Campground

    25 Reviews
    Gettysburg, PA
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (717) 334-1288

    "This park is a perfect location if you want to explore Gettysburg National Historical Site as you can literally walk across the street and be in the park or venture½ mile up the road and you come to the"

    "Behind the campsite we stayed at, we learned connected to Stangler Farm, which served as a hospital for the wounded."

    7. Gettysburg / Battlefield KOA

    26 Reviews
    Fairfield, PA
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (717) 642-5713

    "Our site was very spacious, beautifully landscaped and wooded, but right next to the road. There was a buffer of trees, but unfortunately that didn’t make much of a difference with regard to noise."

    "Located about 4 miles from town it is far enough for that country feel but close enough to be convenient.  The camp store was well stocked with basic needs as was the gift shop. "

    8. Gettysburg Campground

    26 Reviews
    Gettysburg, PA
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (717) 642-5713

    "I always appreciate the near solitude experience of this campground as 90% of the sites are RV sites, that are kept away from the tenting area."

    "If you’re looking for a backwoods, off-the-beaten-path type of campground, this isn’t it."

    9. Little Bennett Campground

    23 Reviews
    Clarksburg, MD
    20 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"

    10. Cunningham Falls State Park Manor Area

    6 Reviews
    Thurmont, MD
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (301) 271-7574

    $21 - $29 / night

    "Nice little spot near Thurmont Maryland. Good playground for the kids."

    "If you like farther away from stores and restaurants (but not two far). This is a nice option. It is about 2 hours from DC. The firewood they sell is very good."

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Recent Reviews near Woodsboro, MD

993 Reviews of 128 Woodsboro Campgrounds


  • Chelsea B.
    Oct. 17, 2025

    Manor - Cunningham Falls State Park

    Hot showers! But no dump station

    Campsite We stayed at M17 after staying at M26 for a night. 17 wasn’t as level and so we had to scrunch to one side of the site to get level. It was closer to the bath house. Overall cozy. Bath house It’s in need of some repairs but don’t let that scare you- these showers are hot and the shower wands are a really nice convenience after using cold push button showers. Lantern flies! Invasive Spotted Lantern Flies are everywhere. I squished as many as I could but keep an eye out and check your gear before leaving! Dump station This campsite doesn’t have a dump station so we went to the Cunningham falls site to dump after leaving and they let us dump no problem. Road noise Since you’re near the highway, there is constant road noise and it’s even worse on the trails but it’s quiet otherwise. Deducted one star for no dump station.

  • Amanda S.
    Oct. 14, 2025

    Washington DC / Capitol KOA

    Got bed bugs? They do.

    Stayed in cabin 202 for a Fri- Sun and on our last morning we found a bed bug on our clothing. While they gave a refund it does not come close to cover the time and energy of remediating all of our clothing, sheets, and blankets. We also had to throw out items that could not be cleaned properly and now have to replace them(pillows, shoes, etc). My husband has 23 bites over the course of 2 nights. They burn and itch very badly. I truly hope this was a hiccup for them and they go through correct methods of having the cabin treated properly. 

    UPDATE: A recount of the bites- my husband has 31 bites so far. The remediation of all of our items is exhausting. All the blankets, clothing, suit cases, all the other items we used in the cabin needs to be cleaned. We had to throw out our shoes because they shrunk in the dryer. Spent$$$ replacing shoes for a family for 4. Pillows are not cheap to replace either. I bought a new corset at the renfest this weekend that I'm hoping doesn't get ruined when it goes through the dryer. That too was expensive. So if you're looking to have to spend a bunch of extra money to replace items you didn't want to replace in the first place- I recommend staying here.

  • Chelsea B.
    Oct. 13, 2025

    Manor - Cunningham Falls State Park

    Great non-electric site, no dumstation

    This site is at the very top of the loop so it has a great cozy vibe and is spaced well away from other sites. The only downside is that the bathhouse is a walk downhill and then a walk back uphill. Surprised there’s no place for someone to park next to the bathhouse - only trails to it- so if you have accessibility needs, consider choosing a site that’s lower in the loop. The site is level and was raked by the hosts before we got there. Really clean and quiet except for some road noise. Showers are SO nice compared to other campsite. Hot water is hot, no push buttons, and there is a shower wand in both stalls. No dump station though!! Dump before you get here. Also if you work remote and depend on service, it’s spotty. Very wooded so Starlink can’t help much. OH- Don’t bother visiting the winery down the road. Ew. Just don’t.

  • Chelsea B.
    Oct. 11, 2025

    Hagerstown / Antietam Battlefield KOA

    Dense and chaotic, but great breakfast

    We got here late on a Friday and boy was it packed. It was a pretty tight fit and at a perpendicular. Not sure why campsites do that. We didn’t use the bathroom or showers because it was so late and honestly because they only had one bathroom location for all those people and it was on the opposite side of the campsite. They have SO many activities going on for kids and families including crafts and a magic show. They also had a diner and general store. Didn’t go into the store but did get breakfast from the diner and the breakfast was honestly delicious. It was about a 20 min wait at 8:15 but the quality of the food totally makes up for that. I recommend the sausage gravy and biscuits. Overall, great spot if you’ve got kids. Pretty packed if you’re just traveling or looking for some outdoor time.

  • EThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 21, 2025

    Watermelon Park Campground

    Beautiful setting!

    This camping ground is for RVs only. It's right on the Shenandoah River so it's a quiet peaceful setting. However it's a long way from any town, has terrible wifi, (the mobile data was slightly better) & doesn't hav a laundry room. The road in is very narrow so our moterhome had a little difficulty getting in, but we made it! There is only a dumping station. This is just info, not a bad review :) they have showers & firewood & the staff is very friendly & helpful! Tubing on the river was closed for the season but that wud have been a great pass time!

  • Brian C.
    Sep. 17, 2025

    Cowans Gap State Park Campground

    Solid State Park Camping

    Stayed in a walk-in tent site. Much better spacing than typical sites, though sites 2 & 3 were basically connected. The non-walk in sites in Loop B are typical to smaller than average and mostly suited for campers/RVs.

    Pros : Site spacing/privacy was good Bathrooms and showers were clean. Firewood available at the park ($5 for 6 pieces self-serve). Location near the dam and lake trail is nice. Cell service was limited, but had reliable (but low) signal with T-Mobile at my site. Easy access (on foot) to all of the hiking trails.

    Cons: The tent pads could use some leveling and there was some trash around the site. The major negative was generator noise coming from the facility just beyond the dam. Droning generator noise was on/off at all hours of the day and went on until 10pm in the evening. Not sure how far up in Loop B this was heard, but it was pretty loud in the walk-in site area.

  • Marcandpatti B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 11, 2025

    Gettysburg Campground

    Good spot for Gettysburg, a bit spendy.

    We stayed here mid-week in September so it was very quiet. There was a bit of road noise as our site was close to the entrance. Host was super friendly. They have a bunch of things going on with groups that stay here; next group is quilters with vintage trailers, sorry to miss that. All of the utilities worked just fine. Sites re a bit close to each other, not a lot of foliage between sites.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 9, 2025

    Artillery Ridge Campground

    Great location and friendly staff

    We have a motorhome with no additional vehicle and two dogs, and this site couldn’t have been more perfect for us. A dog park, walking distance to most everything we wanted to see. The national park is mostly dog friendly. My husband caught a fish first day in the pond behind our site. The staff was super friendly and welcoming.


Guide to Woodsboro

Camping sites near Woodsboro, Maryland offer access to the Catoctin Mountain range which ranges in elevation from 800 to 1,900 feet. The area experiences distinct seasons with average summer highs around 85°F and winter lows frequently dropping below freezing. Most campgrounds in this region feature wooded settings with mixed hardwood forests dominated by oak, maple, and hickory trees.

What to do

Hike to scenic vistas: At Catoctin Mountain Park's Owens Creek Campground, explore challenging trails leading to unique rock formations. "We located a trail map further up the mountain at The Poplar Grove group campsite information board. The trail we used is marked multi-use, and by plentiful hoofprints, appeared to be used mostly by equestrians," notes one visitor who experienced the park's 26+ miles of hiking options.

Fish in stocked waters: Multiple campgrounds offer fishing opportunities, particularly at Greenbrier State Park Campground. As one camper reported, "My husband caught a fish first day in the pond behind our site." The 42-acre man-made lake is regularly stocked with trout and provides both shoreline and small boat fishing options.

Take guided battlefield tours: When staying near Gettysburg (approximately a 25-minute drive from Woodsboro), explore the historic battlefield. "We took a horse carriage ride through the battlefields, Picketts Charge and the peach orchard with a private guide to learn every ounce of the battlefield and the major players," shared a visitor at Artillery Ridge Campground, noting the tours provide detailed insights about "the three days of fighting that took place to how the civilians of Gettysburg were impacted."

What campers like

Spacious, private sites: Little Bennett Campground receives consistent praise for site layout. "The sites are quiet, very spacious, level, and heavily wooded with 50A service, water and sewer hookup," writes one reviewer. Another notes, "Lots of vegetation between sites providing privacy from neighbors."

Clean facilities: Many campgrounds maintain well-kept bathhouses. At Gambrill State Park Campground, campers appreciate "better than expected restroom and shower facilities." One visitor specifically mentioned, "Bathhouse was simple, but effective with steamy, hot water!"

Natural water features: Cunningham Falls State Park Houck Area provides access to both a waterfall and lake recreation. "The trail is an easy six mile loop to and from the falls," notes one reviewer. Another camper states, "The park itself is very scenic with nice hiking trails and a lake to enjoy. I was there in the fall so didn't go out on the water but can imagine it would be popular during the warmer months."

What you should know

Reservation requirements: Most camping areas fill quickly during peak seasons. "This is a very busy campground and I was advised it normally sells out on weekends, so securing a site in advance is wise," reports a visitor to Owens Creek Campground.

Site selection considerations: At Cunningham Falls State Park Manor Area, site location significantly impacts camping experience. One camper observed, "Some sites offer electric. There are two water spigots on opposite sides of the loops, but this area has no dump station." Another noted the variation in shade: "Even though this seems like it's in the trees there was actually no shade!"

Highway noise: Several campgrounds experience road noise due to proximity to major routes. A Manor Area camper mentioned, "We could appreciate the site's natural setting albeit near the highway," referencing the nearby Route 15 corridor which runs through the region.

Cell service variability: Connectivity varies widely between campgrounds. At Little Bennett, a camper reported, "No WIFI, 1 bar Verizon," while at Gambrill State Park, visitors noted better coverage: "We had good cell service."

Tips for camping with families

Kid-friendly activities: Gettysburg Campground provides amenities specifically designed for children. "Playground and mini golf available," reports one visitor, while another mentioned enjoying "the creek with ducks" that runs through the property, providing natural entertainment for younger campers.

Nature programs: Many state parks offer educational opportunities. At Cunningham Falls, "During peak season, there are nature programs going on," notes one camper who visited with family.

All-weather options: For unpredictable weather, choose campgrounds with indoor alternatives. "We took advantage of our electric site and used a small space heater to take the edge off of that night!" shared a Gambrill State Park visitor who encountered temperatures around 25°F during their spring camping trip.

Check swimming areas: Lake facilities vary in quality and safety features. One camper at Greenbrier State Park observed, "The lake area can be crowded on weekends, I tend to avoid," suggesting families consider timing their water activities for weekdays when possible.

Tips from RVers

Site leveling challenges: At several campgrounds, RVers report varying degrees of site leveling difficulty. "Site #D69 level side-to-side but we were forced to greatly elevate front of trailer to level front-to-back," noted a Little Bennett camper.

Hookup availability: Electric service is common, but full hookups are limited. At Gettysburg/Battlefield KOA, one RVer appreciated that "the cable was great on the HD channels and crustal clear," though they noted "AT&T cell service was pretty good. Verizon cell service was a little spotty depending on my location in the campground."

Rig size limitations: Some campgrounds have strict size restrictions. "Parking pads are 22', so take that into consideration if you are trailering/RVing," advises an Owens Creek Campground visitor, highlighting the importance of checking maximum length restrictions before booking.

Dump station access: Many campgrounds have limited dumping facilities. A Manor Area camper pointed out that "this area has no dump station. For that you need to go to the main site miles away or dump at a travel center," an important consideration for longer stays.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular campground near Woodsboro, MD?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Woodsboro, MD is Manor - Cunningham Falls State Park with a 4.2-star rating from 24 reviews.

What parks are near Woodsboro, MD?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 17 parks near Woodsboro, MD that allow camping, notably Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park.