Here are some great campgrounds in and around Maryland and Virginia.
Campgrounds-Miscellaneous
GSCNC Campgrounds
Rockwood Manor
20 minute drive. No tent camping but has dorms/cabins, lots of trails, fire ring with lots of seating.
Little Bennett Regional Park Campground
30 minute drive. It has open fields, a nature center, trails, an amphitheater, a beginner orienteering course, flush toilets and hot showers. Reservations for the year open January 1 (or first business day) – May and early June are usually booked by mid-January. Group sites are also available.
C&O Canal Lockhouses
15 minutes to an hour. Stay overnight in lockhouses along the canal. 8 person max.
The Treehouse Camp at Maple Tree Campground
An hour drive. Sleep overnight up in the trees. Near the Appalachian Trail on South Mountain just west of Frederick.
Calleva
Calleva offers a variety of scouting programs varying from a morning horseback riding to a teambuilding day on the ropes, to a day or weekend tailored for your pack or troop (min. of 10) learning the skills of rock-climbing, canoeing, kayaking, caving, rafting, or a combo of these activities. Calleva will work with you to build a custom event.
Cape Henlopen State Park
3 hour drive. Participants stay overnight in army barracks (cots and dressers are included) located almost at the point of Cape Henlopen (the point is usually closed for bird nesting). A five-minute bare-footed, sand-trail walk takes you to the bay-side beach (calm, shallow water -- easy to swim and can go out for 100 yards with water only up to your thigh) and a 15-minute walk takes you to the open-ocean beach (life-guarded with crashing waves -- great place to fly kites). Other possible activities include ranger led programs (seine the ocean with huge nets, evening hike and explorations, etc.), biking (bikes available for rental), geocaching (GPS hunts), fishing, kayaking, etc. as well as more traditional girl scout activities (campfires, exploring trails, late night walk to search for ghost crabs and see horseshoe crabs, hanging around goofing off, etc.). There are flush toilets and hot showers as well as a mess hall with restaurant fridges, ovens and stoves.
Cost: A barrack that sleeps 15 is $185 per night.
Hashawha Environmental Center
An hour and a half drive. Rental cabins, fishing, pool.
Camp Puh’tok
An hour and a half drive. Can customize your experience to offer activities such as: low and high ropes course adventures, swimming, guided hikes, archery, Native American History, dance and crafts, horse-back riding, pioneering skills, outdoor cooking, arts and crafts, Early American history, stream ecology, and wildlife presentations.
Campgrounds-Maryland State Parks
Listed here are a few of Maryland's State Parks; many more can be found at the Information link below. Others mentioned by leaders are Patapsco, Elk Neck, Washington Monument, New Germany and Rocky Gap.
Maryland State Parks Reservations
Maryland State Parks Information
Tuckahoe State Park
An hour and a half drive. Has a lake with fishing/boating (possible end of shad fishing on creek below dam nearby), nature programs and a challenge course (see the youth group brochure for details -- looks like a lot of fun), tire park, flush toilets and hot showers.
Smallwood State Park
An hour drive. Has fishing at the marina along with excellent birding and wildlife watching, hiking, small rental cabins, flush toilets and hot showers.
Cedarville State Forest
An hour drive. Has fishing (one mile hike from campsites to get our hike in), lots of hiking, flush toilets and hot showers. Has group sites.
Calvert Cliffs State Park
An hour forty-five minute drive. Has fishing, lots of hiking, flush toilets and hot showers. Has group sites (only outhouses and water pumps there) that are a short walk away from a beach with fossil hunting (shells, shark teeth, whale bones, etc. – two miles away from other campsites).
Cunningham Falls State Park
An hour drive. Has fishing, canoeing, beach, lots of hiking including one to Cunningham Falls, small rental cabins, flush toilets and hot showers. Has group sites.
Greenbrier State Park
An hour drive. Has fishing, canoeing, beach, lots of hiking including one to Cunningham Falls, small rental cabins, flush toilets and hot showers. Has group sites.
Assateague State Park
3 hour drive. During your visit to Assateague, you will most likely encounter at least a few of the island's most popular residents: wild horses! Beaches offer swimming, beachcombing, sunbathing, surfing and fishing. The bayside offers visitors the chance to explore secluded coves by canoe or kayak. The marsh areas have a variety of wildlife, including deer, waterfowl and feral horses.
New Germany State Park
2 1/2 hour drive but worth it! New Germany has eleven full service cabins available for rent year-round. Rowboats, paddleboats and open kayaks are available for rental. During the winter months, the lake house warming hut provides a place for winter enthusiasts to relax after a day of playing in the snow. Miles of trails to enjoy and a nature center to visit.
Campgrounds-National Parks
Below are a few National Parks in our area. Many more can be found at the “Find a Park” link given below. Many have scout patch programs.
National Park System "Find a Park"
Marsden Tract National Park on C&O Canal
Only 15 minute drive. Has group sites specifically for scouts. Only $20. Hike in from Carderock parking area is 1/2 mile (great preparation for backpack trips), from MacArthur 1/4 mile hike in. Outhouses, water pump at canal.
McMillan Woods Youth Campground at Gettysburg National Park
Hour and a half drive. See site for details.
Assateague Island National Park
4 hour drive. See the ponies!
Catoctin Mountain National Park
Hour drive. Lots of trails and cabin rentals!
Antietam National Park
Hour drive. Learn about the battle. Rohrbach Campground is part of the Antietam National Battlefield. It is a walk-in, primitive camping area available to Scouts and other organized groups, and is open each year from March 1- November 30. Click on the Group Campground link for more information.
Places to Camp -- Other State Park Sites to Check Out
Pennsylvania State Parks
Caledonia State Park
Two hour drive. Pool with slide, stream fishing, flush toilets, hot showers and cabin rental.
Virginia State Parks
Campgrounds-Miscellaneous
GSCNC Campgrounds
Rockwood Manor
20 minute drive. No tent camping but has dorms/cabins, lots of trails, fire ring with lots of seating.
Little Bennett Regional Park Campground
30 minute drive. It has open fields, a nature center, trails, an amphitheater, a beginner orienteering course, flush toilets and hot showers. Reservations for the year open January 1 (or first business day) – May and early June are usually booked by mid-January. Group sites are also available.
C&O Canal Lockhouses
15 minutes to an hour. Stay overnight in lockhouses along the canal. 8 person max.
The Treehouse Camp at Maple Tree Campground
An hour drive. Sleep overnight up in the trees. Near the Appalachian Trail on South Mountain just west of Frederick.
Calleva
Calleva offers a variety of scouting programs varying from a morning horseback riding to a teambuilding day on the ropes, to a day or weekend tailored for your pack or troop (min. of 10) learning the skills of rock-climbing, canoeing, kayaking, caving, rafting, or a combo of these activities. Calleva will work with you to build a custom event.
Cape Henlopen State Park
3 hour drive. Participants stay overnight in army barracks (cots and dressers are included) located almost at the point of Cape Henlopen (the point is usually closed for bird nesting). A five-minute bare-footed, sand-trail walk takes you to the bay-side beach (calm, shallow water -- easy to swim and can go out for 100 yards with water only up to your thigh) and a 15-minute walk takes you to the open-ocean beach (life-guarded with crashing waves -- great place to fly kites). Other possible activities include ranger led programs (seine the ocean with huge nets, evening hike and explorations, etc.), biking (bikes available for rental), geocaching (GPS hunts), fishing, kayaking, etc. as well as more traditional girl scout activities (campfires, exploring trails, late night walk to search for ghost crabs and see horseshoe crabs, hanging around goofing off, etc.). There are flush toilets and hot showers as well as a mess hall with restaurant fridges, ovens and stoves.
Cost: A barrack that sleeps 15 is $185 per night.
Hashawha Environmental Center
An hour and a half drive. Rental cabins, fishing, pool.
Camp Puh’tok
An hour and a half drive. Can customize your experience to offer activities such as: low and high ropes course adventures, swimming, guided hikes, archery, Native American History, dance and crafts, horse-back riding, pioneering skills, outdoor cooking, arts and crafts, Early American history, stream ecology, and wildlife presentations.
Campgrounds-Maryland State Parks
Listed here are a few of Maryland's State Parks; many more can be found at the Information link below. Others mentioned by leaders are Patapsco, Elk Neck, Washington Monument, New Germany and Rocky Gap.
Maryland State Parks Reservations
Maryland State Parks Information
Tuckahoe State Park
An hour and a half drive. Has a lake with fishing/boating (possible end of shad fishing on creek below dam nearby), nature programs and a challenge course (see the youth group brochure for details -- looks like a lot of fun), tire park, flush toilets and hot showers.
Smallwood State Park
An hour drive. Has fishing at the marina along with excellent birding and wildlife watching, hiking, small rental cabins, flush toilets and hot showers.
Cedarville State Forest
An hour drive. Has fishing (one mile hike from campsites to get our hike in), lots of hiking, flush toilets and hot showers. Has group sites.
Calvert Cliffs State Park
An hour forty-five minute drive. Has fishing, lots of hiking, flush toilets and hot showers. Has group sites (only outhouses and water pumps there) that are a short walk away from a beach with fossil hunting (shells, shark teeth, whale bones, etc. – two miles away from other campsites).
Cunningham Falls State Park
An hour drive. Has fishing, canoeing, beach, lots of hiking including one to Cunningham Falls, small rental cabins, flush toilets and hot showers. Has group sites.
Greenbrier State Park
An hour drive. Has fishing, canoeing, beach, lots of hiking including one to Cunningham Falls, small rental cabins, flush toilets and hot showers. Has group sites.
Assateague State Park
3 hour drive. During your visit to Assateague, you will most likely encounter at least a few of the island's most popular residents: wild horses! Beaches offer swimming, beachcombing, sunbathing, surfing and fishing. The bayside offers visitors the chance to explore secluded coves by canoe or kayak. The marsh areas have a variety of wildlife, including deer, waterfowl and feral horses.
New Germany State Park
2 1/2 hour drive but worth it! New Germany has eleven full service cabins available for rent year-round. Rowboats, paddleboats and open kayaks are available for rental. During the winter months, the lake house warming hut provides a place for winter enthusiasts to relax after a day of playing in the snow. Miles of trails to enjoy and a nature center to visit.
Campgrounds-National Parks
Below are a few National Parks in our area. Many more can be found at the “Find a Park” link given below. Many have scout patch programs.
National Park System "Find a Park"
Marsden Tract National Park on C&O Canal
Only 15 minute drive. Has group sites specifically for scouts. Only $20. Hike in from Carderock parking area is 1/2 mile (great preparation for backpack trips), from MacArthur 1/4 mile hike in. Outhouses, water pump at canal.
McMillan Woods Youth Campground at Gettysburg National Park
Hour and a half drive. See site for details.
Assateague Island National Park
4 hour drive. See the ponies!
Catoctin Mountain National Park
Hour drive. Lots of trails and cabin rentals!
Antietam National Park
Hour drive. Learn about the battle. Rohrbach Campground is part of the Antietam National Battlefield. It is a walk-in, primitive camping area available to Scouts and other organized groups, and is open each year from March 1- November 30. Click on the Group Campground link for more information.
Places to Camp -- Other State Park Sites to Check Out
Pennsylvania State Parks
Caledonia State Park
Two hour drive. Pool with slide, stream fishing, flush toilets, hot showers and cabin rental.
Virginia State Parks