Looking for the best Tappahannock tent camping? You can find tent campsites by type, including drive-in, walk-in, and even hike-in for a backpacking adventure. Search nearby tent campgrounds or find top-rated spots from other campers.
Youth Group Camping
There are five youth group camping sites available and reservations are required. Youth Group passes are honored.
Access to pit toilets, fire ring, and one 12 foot picnic table are provided with each site. (Available April-October)
You can make reservations through parkreservations.maryland.gov or by calling 1-888-432-2267.
NOTE: THERE IS A 2 NIGHT MINIMUM FOR HOLIDAY WEEKENDS.
Great place for fishing, camping, kayaking, lazy days on the beach grilling and hanging out with family and friends. Book family events on the beach. Come and explore the historic Benedict village. Join us at our Endeavor Point to enjoy simplicity and remarkable views of the Patuxent river. The Endeavor Point is located at the end of Mill Creek Road, offering breathtaking views of the Patuxent river, overlooking Golden Beach and St. Mary's County shoreline. Far enough for a serene retreat and yet just a few minutes drive to shops and restaurants in Prince Frederick or Charlotte Hall. Endeavor Point is a diamond in the rough. Come play, fish, relax, and have fun! Whether you’re in Maryland for a day, weekend stop or a week of touring, Endeavor Point is the perfect spot for bird watching, fishing, kayaking, camping, stargazing, or just enjoying a serene evening by the fire. Enjoy breathtaking views from each one of our 3 comfortable accommodations or from any of the campsites. Spacious outdoor area, rustic beach, long pier. Explore the Patuxent river or Mill Creek with our kayaks or paddle board, available for rent on site.
$55 - $95 / night
Brewer’s Point Hike-in or Boat-in Primitive Campground
This campground offers year-round primitive hike-in or boat-in tent camping. Motor vehicle access to these sites is not permitted for any reason. Campers must arrive by boat or hike in (1.5 miles from the closest parking area).
Four sites, six people maximum per site.
Site 1 has an elevated tent platform and gravel pad with a picnic table, fire pit, and lantern post. Site 2 has a large gravel tent pad with a picnic table, fire pit and lantern post. Sites 3 and 4 each have their own tent pad but share a common area with one fire ring, two picnic tables, a lantern post and a clothesline. There is one pit toilet but no showers. There is no electricity or potable water. Campers must bring water for drinking and cooking.
All camping equipment must be set up within the wooden borders. Check-in is 4 p.m., and check-out is 1 p.m. The park has a few canoes that may be rented overnight to access the campground. Weather conditions determine when these canoes are available for rent. Reserve one in advance by calling the park at 804-462-5030.
$15 - $18 / night
Matoaka is a privately owned and operated bay-front getaway in Calvert County, Maryland. The facility is nestled quietly on the west shore of the Chesapeake Bay with hundreds of feet of bay views and a one third of a mile private sandy beach for visitor access.
The property's many acres are primarily wooded with fields and a winding dirt lane which brings visitors to the main grounds. The main grounds boast beautiful views of the bay, sunrises, and easy access to the beach. The cabins back up to a bamboo forest and overlook the bay.
Cabin Rentals: April 15 to November 1
Check in between 3-8pm - Check out by 11 am
Dogs are not permitted
All cabins have their own kitchen with fridge, propane stove, microwave & basket style coffeemaker.
Bathrooms have stall showers, flush toilets and sink.
Grills are for charcoal cooking only, no wood fires please.
Cabins are not furnished with bedding, towels nor kitchen utencils, etc.
Please remember to bring: Bedding, towels, kitchen items, paper products, soap and charcoal for the grill.
Area Info:
Grocery stores are located about 10 minute drive away in both Prince Frederick (north) and Lusby (south).
Nearby Restaurants -
Gateway Seafood Restaurant & Lounge, Port Republic, MD (Take out & Dine-in)
Fredy's Woodfire Pizza, Prince Frederick, MD (Delivery Available)
Happy Buddha, Saint Leonard, MD (Take out)
This campground is available to residents and guests of residents at Lake Land'Or.
Private secluded site only 1 mile from 2 separate remote beaches. This privative site is nestled in a grove of wisteria covered trees. Plenty of room for larger groups with access to close to 20 acres to walk.
$35 - $50 / night
$50 - $80 / night
Visitors eligible for reservations at this location are limited to Active Duty, Reservists, Retired Military, Unremarried Widow, Veterans and Department of Defense employees. Learn more about eligible visitors and access to this military base recreation site. A variety of recreational programs and facilities await you and your family at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, located just 55 miles south of Washington D.C. Situated at the confluence of the Patuxent River and Chesapeake Bay, this is an area rich in both American and Navy history and natural beauty. Part of the legacy of Southern Maryland may be found in the spacious, natural campsite areas aboard the installation. Hogs Point Campsites are nestled in the woods between the Chesapeake Bay and Patuxent River and are just a few walking steps for fishing and crabbing.
Water lovers will find that NAS Patuxent River strectches across approximately 12 miles of shoreline offering locations to launch kayaks, stand up paddle boards, motor and sail boats, places for fishing and crabbing as well as areas for the beach lovers. Bicyclists will find a 10 mile paved loop within the installation as well as designated bike trails. MWR also has a Golf Course, Outdoor Pool, Marina, Theater, Community Recreation Office, Auto Hobby Shop and Fitness Center.
NAS Patuxent River Hogs Point Campground is located where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Patuxent River, offering the best views for sunrises.
Historic St. Mary's City Patuxent River Air Museum Historic Sotterly St. Clement's Island Point Lookout State Park Solomon's Island Navy Recreation Center Solomons
This location is staffed. Please call (301) 342-3573 to speak with local staff.
$20 - $30 / night
Guide
Hello,
Wow is all I have to say about this camping trip. It was partially our own fault because we had to rush in and didn’t research local bug populations. But holy crap! We kayaked in a sunset which was gorgeous and their were six tent sites. 4 of which were close together and two new ones which were really nice. No one was there but us. You can boat or hike in. We did primitive tent camping and it was so beautiful with our own lake view and private site for the time being but the BUGS were from another planet. We had super mutant mosquitoes and horse flies. They were resisitant to citronella candles, essential oils, and bug spray with 40% deet. We only found relief in the water. They invaded our tent as well and spent an hour in the evenings killing them before bed but still woke up with welts. If we come back it will be in winter when there are NO BUGS!!!!!! (Hopefully)
Scout
I went tent camping here and it was really really nice. Me and my family enjoyed ourselves. Staff was friendly and the bathrooms was very clean. We will be going back very soon.
Scout
Motorcycle tent camped. Great owners who made sure we had everything we needed. Beautiful views of sunset and sunrise. Great beach with Adirondack chairs . Bathhouse very clean. Water view from campsite. Loved it!
Traveler
My son and I went here at the end of August for our first tent camping trip and even with the heat it was still great it’s a beautiful spot and the camp host was super friendly
Traveler
They have a few tent camping spots as well as cabins. Just call ahead. I just showed up and got a perfect camp spot with a view of the sunrise and access to the private beach.
TravelerWe tent camped at Matoka Cabins and it was a beautiful Peaceful camping trip! Out spot was very private and you could see the bay and hear the waves. We will definitely be back for another visit. The owners are very nice.
Guide
The campground is in a great location to Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestowne, and Yorktown and is a great home base for exploring those sites. They have a modern bathhouse and a pool. The tent sites are kind of close together and lack privacy but we were the only ones there Sunday night so it wasn’t that big of a deal. There are lots of trees to protect you from the harsh Virginia sun and great views of the Chickahominy river.
GuideCatherine and Rebecca are the best. They were flexible with our dates for tent camping. They provided kayaks, canoes, sailboats, beach chairs, bikes and so much more. The bath houses were clean but the whole town uses well water, so that was special. Overall, a wonderful place to camp and explore the rappahannock river.
Guide
Beautiful area with views of the York River. Tons of cabins and house rentals along with RV and tent camping sights. It is located on a military base so access is limited to those with base access. The base is more of an industrial area with lots of traffic but some of the cabins sit back on the water so noise is not an issue.
GuideI could not wait to get there! I was so excited to go fossil hunting! Camping was way too cramped for me as we tent camp and were stuck surrounded by RVs. The people next to us could be heard whispering! That being said, the fossil hunting was fun and my hubby found a few neat sharks teeth. The hiking was a blast and fishing was productive and fun! Next time though we will just day trip it as I never want to camp that closely to others again - ugh
GuideWe ended up staying here because everything else was booked and we needed a place to stay for the kiddos soccer tournament. The sites are close but not on top of each other. We have an RV but there are cabins and tent sites. There are paved and dirt roads/trails, a pond, shower areas and is right on the water. They also have a light game by the showers that the kids loved. We’ll be back!
Scout
Although, the cabins were nice the campground was not maintained. The staff is not courteous and the prices for the stay way tooo high. We paid 150 for two nights for a primitive tent site with garbage in a can that was never picked up during our whole time there. There was also feces at one site. Looked to be human because the restrooms were so far away. The grounds are dirty and not maintained. I could have stayed at a national park for better accommodations.
GuideThe best thing that is offered here is there is a pool! There are many amenities in addition. There are boat rentals, fishing, beach, docks, picnic areas, cabins, tent camping, rv camping, trail hiking, etc. The visitor center is large with a small gift shop/camp store. The group sites are very nice. The whole park is very well maintained and large. The cabins are clean and accommodating. The view from most cabins along the water are so nice. There are random exercise machines placed along trials to enhance workouts. My only gripe is the camp site pads. They're made of very loose gravel which I find bothersome as the little rocks get into our shoes and the tent stakes slid out easily.
ScoutWe just got back from spending the weekend here. We chose to spend our weekend tent camping and could not have been happier with our decision. My daughter LOVED being able to walk all trails. We were a bit disappointed the boardwalk was closed (but we still loved walking the rest of the trails). There were lots of families here and everyone was happy to be there. Both beaches were very walkable on the trails from campsite C. We felt like we had all out own space, but when you walked around it was great to have the feeling of a small community of people who were all there for the same reason...to enjoy being outside!
TravelerWhile we only camped here for one night, we enjoyed the park from check in to checkout!
Since we tent camp our site was dry and had no amenities but there were full hook up sites available. Our site was nestled in with the full hook up sites so it was as far away from the bathrooms as possible, not a big deal just something to note.
Since we visited in March, the trees did not have much foliage so the sites were more exposed than I tend to prefer and lots of the campers around left their outside RV lights on all night.
Being in campground A, we were only a short walk to the trail leading to fossil beach which was beautiful!
Scout
Great little camping spot. This was RV only. No tent camping here. There were a few different options for site sizes pending the size of camper/rv you have. Some of the end sites were larger and had a larger fireplace and tables. The standard sites did had a tiny tin bucket for your fire pit. Wish they were more of a fire pit though. The campground wasn’t too loud, people were respectful and all the fellow campers were very friendly. If you’re looking for things to do, there is an arcade for the kids near the entrance and some mini golf (I personally wouldn’t call it mini golf and it doesn’t look the greatest) There’s a few wineries and a brewery not too far from the campground as well
LegendI LOVE this park. The tent sites are awesome and mine have always been pretty private feeling despite being somewhat near others. Bathhouses are always SO clean and heated in the winter. So appreciate the recycling bins. I love the sharks’ teeth display in the shop and when I was there they were working on putting bones together of a whale that was found! At the time of my visit a couple of weeks ago there was a bit of algae in the water that could cause irritation to stomach and skin, so just be mindful of this. I did hike down to fossil beach but definitely avoided the water. If you’re anything like me, traveling for peace and quiet and solitude, I highly recommend Sunday and Monday nights if you have flexibility with jobs etc. It was SUPER quiet during my stay. Absolutely wonderful. Oh - and check for ticks and bring your bug spray. Gotta love humid Virginia summers! I had site A22 and it was away from a bit compared to other sites.
Legend
Stopped off at this campground after finding it while passing though just before Labor Day weekend. While it was the last weekend for the pool before its closure and while they were in the process of working on some of the plumbing at the campground, it was a well put together campground which was very impressive.
Located somewhat remotely from the larger community and near several places of interest along the road, this camp was a great stop for a tent camper like myself. They offer a basic tent site for $26 with nice bath houses. For full connections the price does rise slightly offering both both 20/30 amp and 50 amp connections for RVs.
The roads around the camp are gravel and a little bumpy but the sites themselves were pretty level and grassy for tents which was pretty nice. Sites are located far enough off the road that road noise is minimal.
I did also notice they have cabin rentals available and a pretty nice little store with lots of options for those who didn't bring everything with them.
Ranger
This campground is family and dog friendly and close to Williamsburg tourist destinations. It has multiple sites for rvs, tents, camping cabins, yurts, and nicer more fully equipped cabins with bathrooms. They even have a fantastic dog bath and holding kennel in case you have more than one dog. They have a pool with a sprayground and a grassy area with ping pong and corn hole. Plus, they always have activities for the kids. Love this place and can't wait to go back.
Legend
This is an amazing recreational campground for military families and retirees that is located right on the York River between Williamsburg and Yorktown. It is immediately adjacent to the Colonial Parkway for easy access to historic Jamestown as well, making for a great base for exploring the historic sites and state and national parks of the area. There are several Navy Bases in the area, so this is an easy retreat for active duty folks, but also open to uniformed service personnel or retirees and families from all over the country.
The campground is multi-faceted. There is everything for everyone—camper cabins (some dog friendly and some handicapped accessible) as well as an RV park with hookups as needed, and also standard tent sites as well as primitive tent cents. The various camping areas surround a central recreational area that includes golf course, playground and swimming pool, but there are also wooded hiking trails, two lakes with rowboats and kayaks and fishing, as well as shoreline and piers on the York River itself. The RV campground has a nice central bath house with showers snd toilets as well as laundry facilities. There is a small convenience store as well as a cafe if needed, but you are so close to Williamsburg and its myriad cafes and shops that you have amazing options! We have stayed here several times now, in fall and spring, and it was a great home base for exploring the whole “historic triangle
TravelerFor 6 nights in late August 2018, my boyfriend and I stayed at a tent campsite with our 4 girls, ages 10-16. We needed a budget friendly option and shopped online to compare reviews. We had 3 day passes to Busch Gardens, Williamsburg and Water Country USA, so we needed to be within a short drive from the parks. Chickahominy Riverfront Park was the answer to our prayers! We had a beautiful spot along the river, so two of the girls spent every moment at the camp swimming and talking girl talk. The campsites were spacious and we had no immediate neighbors, so we spread out. The park rangers drove by every few hours and seemed very friendly and helpful, not invasive. They never complained about my boyfriend's car parked a campsite over, or about our game tent that was completely in the next site.
One secret goal was to experiment with different campfire food. We may campfire chili, biscuits and gravy, layered nachos, bacon egg and cheese English muffins, and omelettes. We also had the traditional s'mores and hotdogs, (covered in campfire chili!)
I was prepared for the passing thunderstorms. We picked up tarps and ropes and strung them up over our cooking area and the entrance to our tents. Most of the time, we were not at the campsite during the rain, but it did help while the trees drained afterwards. We were camping next to the "Jones's," so we got touches of tent envy, but then laughed to ourselves when it took them all morning to pack up thier Castle and small village.
The swimming pool was incredibly large and CLEAN!!! I was surprised! It felt very refreshing and even had a adult swim time and attentive life guards.
The bathrooms and showers were good enough, typical camp showers. Bring your own soap and wear flip flops and you'll be fine. There's a utility sink outside the bathhouse to scrub things off as well. We didn't see the dumpster the first couple days, it is across the street from the bathhouse. Use it whenever you leave or sleep, or all the beautiful wild animals will snack on it! We saw a fat raccoon, daring squirrels, a turtle, and vultures. There are gorgeous, HARMLESS, garden spiders that are shockingly large and bright yellow. My boyfriend also saw a harmless black snake on a trail.
This campground caters to fishermen. The camp store has very limited food. They do have fishing gear and ice.
I do have one regret. I opted to leave the bikes at home, not knowing this campground also caters to people riding the Virginia Creeper bike trail!!! it went for miles and was beautiful!!! Next time!
We camp a lot, and loved this gem. Check it out!
Guide
7 or 8 tent pads. Wood for sale at the site for $4 honor system. Porta pottie right next to wood pile. You’re not supposed to setup anything outside of the “tent pads”. I had a hammock hung and three rangers saw but didn’t say anything. Over all easy 2.5 mile hike on groomed gravel trails. No water on site and no reasonable source to filter water from so be prepared.
GuideThis park boasts over 120 sites, some wIth river/creek views. sites are Basic: tent; Electric only: tent/pop up; Water/Electric: 20,30 amp; Water/Electric: 20-50 amp; very limited 50 amp full hookups. 2 bath houses. Group sites. No cabins. Fishing pier, pool, biking/hiking/walking trails, play ground, boat launch and small boat rentals. Reserve 12 months out, full payment required. 90 day maximum stay.
Guide
The most convenient campground in proximity to Kings Dominion. Clean bathrooms, well maintained. Recommend the raised platform for folks with tents if it rains as the video will show.
Scoutalong the banks of the Potomac. great place, can find fossils and shark teeth on fossil beach. the sites are roomy and have pebble ground cover for pitching your tents. take an interpretive hike or rent a kayak. there’s a pool.
ScoutNice park along the river with activities for those with families. Kayaking, Virginia Capital Trail, and pool.
TravelerThe good news- campground is right along the river and has a large pool. The bad news- the place is overrun with fishermen launching boats before dawn. And I mean 25-50 trucks/trailers/boats each morning.
Our site was large, but we ended up in a non-sewer lot. Weird, as I booked this trip 6 months earlier, and a number of the sewer lots had tents and pop-ups. I had managed to be assigned a spot along with mostly tent campers.
Historic Williamsburg is not far, and the roads around the campground are a pretty drive. Also a great paved biking path that goes for a number of miles.
Tent camping near Tappahannock, Virginia, offers a variety of scenic locations and unique experiences for outdoor enthusiasts. From primitive sites to well-equipped campgrounds, there's something for everyone looking to enjoy nature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Tappahannock, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Tappahannock, VA is Caledon State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 5 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 9 tent camping locations near Tappahannock, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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