Shepherdstown is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.
The Harpers Ferry/Civil War Battlefields KOA is a fantastic vacation destination spot that's perfect for the whole family. Thanks to you, this year we received the 2016 KOA PRESIDENT'S AWARD. That means our campground facilities and camper satisfaction scores are some of the best around. We are making things even better in 2017! Our Specialty Coffee and Wine Store, GRAPES & GRINDS, has been a popular place for morning specialty coffees and afternoon wine tastings. Check our deluxe cabins with bathrooms and some with kitchens too! As always, our jumping pillow and giant inflatable are a hit with the kids.
And, as always, we still have all of the fun stuff you've come to love about our campground, like our junior Olympic Swimming Pool, Indoor and Outdoor Basketball Courts, Volleyball, Horseshoes, Game Room, Bark Zone Dog Park, and all-you-can-eat pancakes in season. So make your plans now to come and make some history all your own. See you soon!
$40 - $80 / night
Campsites and cabins are available on a beautiful deep water section of the Potomac River near Harpers Ferry in Jefferson County. A four mile section of deep water runs from our campground to above the Dargan Bend Boat Ramp in Maryland. Pontoon boats, fishing boats, water skiing, wake boarding, and jet skis are welcome. Pitch your tent and tie your boat up out front. Bring your RV as well. There are electricity and water hookups for RV sites. For those willing to rough-it, it is a beautiful unique location. We also offer beautiful, River Front Cabins that offer heat and AC, as well as their own full bathrooms.
At this KOA, you can take a lazy canoe ride under a bright canopy of leaves. There's great fishing in the creek too! Meander along winding paths through extensive, lush rock gardens. Relax in the gazebo surrounded by flowers and herbs. Enjoy mini golf, a playground, an outdoor theater, game room, swimming pool and oversized chess and checkers. Participate in themed weekends during the summer. Check out the Haunted House in October, a chilling experience. On weekends, stop by KOA's nostalgic Remember When Diner. Enjoy hamburgers and fries, pizza or a crab cake dinner, as well as a full breakfast menu. Indulge in the soda fountain's old-fashioned malts, shakes and floats. With this KOA as your home base, visit Antietam, Gettysburg and Harpers Ferry battlegrounds. It's a great place for Scouts, church groups and family reunions.
$21 - $65 / night
Located along Maryland’s western scenic foothills, Yogi Bear Campground MD, offers an unforgettable camping experience the whole family will enjoy. Situated just down the road from historic landmarks such as the Antietam National Battlefield and breathtaking scenery along the Appalachian Trail, Jellystone Park™ Williamsport is the perfect “home-base” for those wanting to explore the area. When our campers aren’t busy swimming and splashing at Yogi Bear’s Water Zone, zooming down our 400-foot water slides or testing their skills at the ninja course, they can enjoy our 18-hole mini golf course, jumping pillow, lazer tag, and so much more!
$99 - $471 / night
$23 - $29 / night
The Brunswick Family Campground is located between the Potomac River and the C&O Canal, near Harpers Ferry, WV. This campground is conveniently located 1 hour from the Washington DC and Baltimore beltways and offers over 100 scenic campsites. We offer tent camping, RV camping, and have cabin rentals. We also have pavilions, a bathhouse, boat ramp, camp store, and rent kayaks, canoes, and tubes.
$10 - $90 / night
The park, including all of the overnight facilities, is open year-round. Lodging options include standard tent-only sites, electric-water camping, three yurts, four camping cabins (bunkhouses), regular cabins and a lodge.
$30 - $40 / night
Cowans Gap State Park is a diverse landscape nestled within the scenic Allens Valley of Fulton County. Campers come to enjoy the park’s 1,085 acres which offer a large lake, a full-size campground, provincial lodges, and many climbing trails throughout. Aside from the attractions, Buchanan State Forest encompasses the park, offering up fun and beauty regardless of the season. Open every day of the year, the park is a great place to visit for day-trip recreation. That said, if planning to camp here you’ll want to prepare in advance as campsite availability changes by the season.
One of the unique offerings that Cowans Gap features is a number of environmental educational programs for the local public. These programs serve to help the pubic, especially the youth, foster a sense of responsibility for the nature that surrounds them every day. There are guided walks, hands-on activities, and even evening programs for those up to it.
Aside from the educational opportunities, Cowans Gap is also right in the center of over 71,000+ acres of protected land thanks to Buchanan State Forest. There are 19 tracts of forest which occupy the acreage, showcasing numerous ravines, gulches, and brooks as well as groves of pine, hemlock, and maple.
Subsequently, this wild and rugged backdrop attracts hikers, campers, fishers, and outdoor enthusiasts from all over. A number of state game lands located nearby are also popular visiting places for season hunters looking to bag an elk or other large game.
Within the campground itself, there’s a variety of fun activities to get in on. During the winter, the park lake freezes making it perfect for ice-fishing and other winter fun. There’s also a maintained skating rink, so you can even come and ice-skate or play a quick game of hockey.
It’s during the warmer months however that Cowans Gap state park really starts to shine. Once the lake unfreezes, campers flock for kayaking, canoeing, and pedal boating. The campground itself starts to bustle as children and families visit the local volleyball courts, and check out the nearby trails on Horseback. The lake offers a sandy beach area to recreate, as well as a pier for fishers to get easier access to deep water.
Campsites are fully serviced here, and spacious enough to accommodate most families. There are restrooms available throughout the park, and a full-service concession stand for firewood and other conveniences. There are also cabins available for rental, but like most parks be sure to plan ahead as they tend to fill up quick.
$29 / night
We stayed in the smaller camping area B, which we enjoyed. Even on Labor Day weekend, it didn’t feel busy because of how few sites are in this section. Our site was level and sizable. The bathroom was clean and there was access to the very pleasant hiking trail going around the lake. We had no cell service with Cricket or Verizon.
Great location, amazing amenities(huge pool, game room, snack bar, camp store, coffee shop etc.), and friendly employees, but these are where the positives end. I've never stayed at a KOA/campground where the sites were so unlevel, close together, and the whole infrastructure in need of repair.
The Historic trench section is nice in the trees, but the roads are crumbling and too small for most RV's. If the person across from your site is already parked, good luck having enough room to back into your site. Our site was so unlevel that I was not able to get the RV leveled the entire weekend. Looking at the surrounding sites most campers were jacked high on blocks or sloping significantly. The section of sites were on a curve/semi-circle, which caused the site beside ours to be even smaller. We had to move our picnic table to give space for this person to back his camper on the site. They were unable to get even close to level so they didn't put out their slide. There is a new section to the campground out in the open whose sites are more level, but they are even closer together than the section we stayed in.
In addition to the poor sites, little enforcement was done regarding monitoring the number of people on the sites and the partying going on. A nearby site had 15+ people on Friday night partying and carrying on until 1:30AM until a fight broke out. They had a boombox on the bumper of the camper and blasted music all evening. After hours any vehicle can enter the campground as there is no gate. Cars/trucks pulled up to the party sites, who just drove in to party. I know calls were made to the office as neighboring campers stated to us. On Saturday night, the group wasn't quite as rambunctious, due to a visible presence of staff driving by, but with a campground this size, regular monitoring and shutting down of quiet hour violators should occur pre-actively. Harpers Ferry KOA could be so much more if they would invest in site upgrades and rule monitoring. We will not return.
We really enjoyed our stay here. Sites, amenities, and bathrooms/ showers were all clean and well kept. Staff was always friendly and accommodating (we even extended our stay and while our first site was booked they found us a near by site that was open). No problems with hook ups or dump station.
This is one of our favorite campground that we visit often. We love that the campground has their own beach so it’s not over crowded with the public. Near the beach there is a nice playground near shade for parents to watch. I really like that there are trails from the camp loops to the beach. The bathhouses are always clean and well stocked. The camp sites are tucked into the woods with plenty of room for camping.
Spent a weekend at Gettysburg. We camped at Artillery Ridge Campground, which served as an artillery storage/staging area for the Union during the battle. Behind the campsite we stayed at, we learned connected to Stangler Farm, which served as a hospital for the wounded. Literally right outside the entrance of the campgrounds is where the battlefield starts. So close to history. We have been to Gettysburg before, but going with the kids again being older, we all had a greater appreciation of the sacrifice of this 3-day battle. We did Park Ranger tours to learn about the 1st shot and how the war started to stand in the footsteps of General Buford at Senitary Ridge in the cupola overseeing the battlefield. Later in the day 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 to learn about the 3 days of fighting that took place to how the civilians of Gettysburg were impacted. The three day battle claimed over 50,000 lives and we toured the town of Gettysburg to learn how the community had to deal with the aftermath of the masses who perished, the smell which went on for over 30 miles and limited resources such as clean water. It's amazing to see how history was so preserved but right across the street from battlefields where so many died stands fast food restaurants, and hotels. A little surreal. Would definitely recommend a ride out to Gettysburg and this campground, which is right next to the battlefields. Clean facilities. If you are into horses, this is the place for you! Though sites are not very private, everyone is very respectful, and you are not on top of each other. Quiet hours are observed, which is nice too. Store has a great variety of souviners, treats, and emergency camping items. You can't get any closer to history than here. Would definitely recommend if you are looking to visit Gettysburg.
Our first time at Cowans Gap and we loved it. 5 nights, 6 days with no cell or wifi to stress us out. Biking, Hiking, sitting around a campfire, very nice. Site 14 was ok, small. Weekend kids were noisy. Bathrooms and showers very clean. Firewood always available. Easy access to dump station. Coming back in July to a site we scout out. Looking forward to our next visit.
We were going to a family reunion. So we brought our "mobile hotel room" with us. In D loop, they were long sites, clean, and a nice woods buffer between sites. Also, full hookups. We were quite pleased for a reagenal park.
Nice pull through site for out 21ft popup. Site was pretty level. Pool , mini golf and live music were great. Also amazing location to the battlefield and all the tourist attractions. My family and I will be coming back again for another stay.
Huge campground. Lots of activities. But very run down. Lots of permanent RVs. All parked very close. On the river but totally overgrown so no real view. Safe for one night. Overpriced at $70
The drive in was exciting. Lots of sheepish hills and turns. As long as you go slow, you'll be fine. Leaving on the other hand was terrifying. Being the down hill version of the drive in.
A note on cell service. There is none. NONE. No AT&T, no Verizon, no TMoblie. They campground doesn't have WiFi either.
If you were planning on going out to do stuff off the state park, there's nothing nearby.
We brought our kayaks and had a nice day paddling around the lake.
Took my family of 7 to the Bull Run regional park for our first camping trip and the experience was great! Didn’t want to stray too far from the house in the event that it was a nightmare, thankfully this local spot offered a soft opening to our family over the two days we spent there and all was good. The site was clean and well kept, bathhouse was close to the tent site and in ok shape (wasn’t expecting anything spectacular so wasn’t disappointed. Playground and trails were nice, kids really enjoyed the chance to take in nature. This experience was good and would recommend a visit for anyone looking for a soft intro to camping for their family!
Everything is everything is well maintained. The sites are clean and level. Plenty of activities on site. And a live band on the weekends. Also close driving distance to many towns and cities.
I have been here twice, the hiking is great and there is a National Park right next door, the location of Camp David. Great weekend.
Stayed here for Labor Day weekend and had a great time. Clean, well-maintained camp sites, well-stocked and friendly service at the camp store. My kids also LOVED the swimming lake -- especially great for small kids, because the roped-in part of the swimming lake only gets a few feet deep so you don't have to worry too much about them getting in over their heads. Bathroom and shower facilities were fine, and had a big sink you could use for cleaning/dishwashing.
The only downsides for us were that the campsites were relatively small, and close together. A couple campsites down from us was a big group that stayed up late socializing one night and we could hear them very clearly from our tent. And, while the swimming lake is great, it is crowded and you have to drive from the campsite to it (note that you do not need to wait in the long line of cars in the general public trying to get in, we just drove past them and showed the guard our camping receipt confirmation and got waved right through), and the parking fills up pretty early in the morning so you could end up without a spot. Similarly, the hike to the falls was a little crowded and underwhelming -- you also have to drive to that and park, and parking at the trailhead is very limited.
The bottom line for us was that it's crowded enough that you do not really feel like you are out "in nature," but, especially with small kids, all the amenities and recreation make up for it.
RV spaces were a little tight for a campfire but staff were great, bathrooms clean and nice food amenities
Came to stay for a volleyball tournament and got way more. Christmas lights and just a festive atmosphere. Campsite was easy to pull into and hookup to. Overall a great experience
This place is absolutely the most horrific noisy place is like sleeping on the side of the highway. Absolutely annoying sound 24/!7, this place should be free. Absolutely a rip off to call this park a campground. More like a parking lot on the internete.
This campground is a great place for families. Everything from a waterpark, to a lazy river, adult pool, playgrounds, hay rides, activity center, volleyball, hiking trails, and a store are available. The sites are level, but full sun. Full hookups.
Nice place and no connection so make sure you have a photo of the park map before you get there.
The site I had was definitely smaller than I expected but it still worked. Make sure to double check that before you book.
Camp was relatively quiet. There was the occasional dog barking or kids playing but that is generally expected with a high number of campsites. The privacy of our site was pretty good and we had nice shade.
The bathrooms were relatively clean and accommodating.
Overall nice place, quiet and friendly campers and staff!
We booked site 136 due to proximity of the playground (traveling with a 5 & 10 yr old). The site was great except the weird parking stops on every site but the pull throughs. It only allows you to back your camper in so far.
We were able to drive to a DC Metro station easily - 30 minutes. Our main goal was to explore DC but there is lots to do near the campground. Even some National Battle Sites nearby.
Waterpark- awesome and really makes the whole park. Lazy river is so fun and our 6 year old did the tunnel waterslides like 100 times. Very clean and well run even if crowded. Mini golf- very nice and included in price. The jumping pillow and playgrounds were also good and there was a lively game of kickball being played in the evening. The pull through sites closest to the pool and jumping pillow are by far the best. We stayed on Bear Trail and had the whole place to ourselves, which was awesome, but the sites are not real level or spaced out, so we just got lucky. The whole place is festive and kind of feels like a theme park- magical for kids. We enjoyed it.
We visited here again in June and loved it just as much as past visits. Our site 27 was very tight and narrow, but pretty level as were most of the sites I saw. We had an RV and a tent on it. We could still use the fire pit though. Our relatives were in site 28 which was incredibly large with lots of extra space for corn hole. Our friends were in site 29 which had good space as well. Our favorite site is 15, a pull through, but that’s hard to get. This time we walked the trail around Lake Habib which was 5.3 miles. We stopped at the hotel/casino for a drink about half way around. The beach area there was not too crowded. The campground has their own swim beach with a great playground, nature center, and camp store. Locally, we went into Cumberland which is about a 10-15 min drive and tasted the wines at Charis winery. The Cumberland Railroad museum was open for its last day ever. It’s closing down. There is a brewery and the C&O canal towpath there as well. Weather was perfect with mild temps and a cool breeze.
With all the dogs and kids here we were surprised how quiet it was! Our camp neighbors were super friendly. Check in was 0 hassle. The only reason for 4 instead of 5 stars is that the wifi is unusable and the campsites are very tight. We weren’t able to set up the pen for our dogs because there’s no room.
We recently stayed the weekend here in loop A.
There are several good things that can be said about this campground.
Restricted- only people camping and visitors are allowed to use the facilities. Keeps things from being too crowded.
Good sized sites- My family of 4 was able to stretch out 2 tents, our 4 camping chairs, the provided picnic table, our car, and have plenty of room left over.
Limited activities on weekends- jumping pad/pillow, pedal carts, laser tag ($), ceramics ($), t-shirts ($), hikes, and more. Changes weekly. Details sent out at the beginning of the week.
Decent stocked camp store with reasonable prices. $10 for wood, 3.50 for 7 lbs of ice, $5 shakes, and lots more.
There are some clear downsides, too.
Only 1 bathhouse per loop. Pay attention to where your site is located. You might be in for quite a hike to go to the bathroom, which is inconvenient in the early morning hours. Loop E doesn't have a bathhouse (mostly reserved for RVs). The bathhouses have showers and somewhat warm water.
The tent pad is gravel. While this might help with drainage (I don't know), it makes it incredibly difficult to walk on and stake down your tent.
The camp store/activities are quite a good distance from some of the loops. It took me about 10 minutes to walk at a decent pace from the start of loop A to the camp store. From our site which was only not even close to the halfway point it would have added another 5 minutes. The spots really deep in would have easily been a 30 minute walk each way. So driving, especially with little kids, is unfortunately necessary in some instances, especially if you want to visit the playground/basketball/volleyball courts which are WAY down past loop E.
Activities are limited to certain times. When we arrived Friday the jumping pad was only open for an hour from 4 30 to 5 30. We arrived just before 4 30, so we unpacked a few things and took the kids to the jumping pad area (right next to loop A). It wasn't open and inflated until almost 4 50. You'd think because it was opened late they would keep it open later. Nope! Right at 5 30 a worker pulled up and shut things down much to the chagrin of the kids. Why they can't have it running more often is beyond me. 1 hour on Friday was clearly not enough, especially when opened late. Maybe 2-3 hours on Friday and 5-6 on Saturday.
They should consider having time for younger kids on the jumping pad, who are bounced off by the older kids. On Saturday there were at least 40 kids, some pre-teens/teenagers from girl scouts. My 4 year old was having trouble staying on the pad because "it is too bouncy". Kids come and go as it stays open longer, but little kids have trouble keeping up.
The pedal carts were a good idea in practice, but have 2 faults. 1. They are EXTREMELY hard to pedal. I tried two carts, one was totally stuck on an incline and the second barely made it around the track. I have no idea why they are so difficult to use. 2. There are no tandem carts. The only ones using the carts while I was there were little kids who couldn't use the jumping pad. I had my daughter on my lap while on the cart, but it was awkward to use this way. Either having a two seater or side car would have worked out better. Based on the condition of the other carts in the shed, only a few appeared usable.
Clear signs are needed. Lots of cars were going the wrong way down loop A. The road is barely big enough for 1 car, so having to accommodate 2 is even more problematic, especially with kids walking around. There were at least 10 cars going the wrong way in the loop.
The limit of 2 cars per site isn't enforced. A few sites had 3 cars, which fit ok. A pack of cub scouts were hiking a few of the trials, so a few sites had 4 or 5 cars. The sites were not big enough to fit that many cars plus camping equipment, so they started taking up the road. This made it hard to maneuver, especially with little kids running about in the road unsupervised.
All in all it was a great campground and I truly do appreciate the staff trying to provide a few things for families to do. With a few considerations and improvements, this campground could easily be a 5-star location.
Great State Park with the perfect little tent camping loop. Only 12 spots. Gravel road/loop.
Decently private and not on top of each other with tons of vegetation all around.
Walk-in sites but not too far and they have carts you can use. Gravel pads perfectly level and very neat and clean fire pits as well as a separate grill at every sight.
The bath house is super clean and they have separate private showers!
Hiking, fishing, breathtaking views, tons to do in the area!
Definitely recommend camping here!
We had site #9, but 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 all looked really awesome! 12 is the smallest. 10 is the furthest from parking lot.
Sites are gravel pretty level and not to close. Bathhouses are ample and clean but can be a hike from some sites.
What a great “new” to us campground! Sites were spaced nicely. Our site was pretty level. We had room to park 2 trucks and still have space for table and fire pit. Area A is larger than area B and sites 1-30 are on the two way road in and out. We were in sites 81 and 83. We backed up to the woods and a small creek. The view was beautiful! The lake had a 1.5 mile trail that was level and easy to walk. The beach area looked nice. There is a snack bar and sketchy wifi. The camp site area had NO cell or wifi service at all. They had a program each night for star watching and a full moon walk. There were other hiking trails with gorgeous overlooks. True park has boat rentals for the lake. The bath house near us was just toilets. The shower house was further away. You could walk it but it’s a hike and there are hills.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Shepherdstown, WV?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Shepherdstown, WV is Harpers Ferry / Civil War Battlefields KOA with a 3.7-star rating from 37 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Shepherdstown, WV?
TheDyrt.com has all 35 glamping camping locations near Shepherdstown, WV, with real photos and reviews from campers.
