EXPLORE · FREE CAMPING
Free Camping in Maryland
Maryland has 47 mapped free and no-fee campsites on USFS and public land — dispersed sites, primitive campgrounds, and no-fee areas where you can camp without reservations or fees. Always check current fire restrictions and road conditions before heading out. Dispersed camping typically requires camping 150–200 feet from roads, trails, and water sources.
No reservations needed for dispersed camping. Check fire restrictions at fs.usda.gov before your trip — restrictions change frequently in summer. Stay limit is typically 14 days at any one location. Find free camping on the Trek4Free map →
Before You Go
Gear up for dispersed camping — no hookups, no camp store, no running water
Free Camping Sites in Maryland
Mile 82.7 - Hiker-biker campgrounds are located along the towpath approximately every 5-7 miles. No fee or reservation required. Overnight stays are limited to …
Mile 133.6 - No fee charged; this is a first-come first served walk in campsite. Stay is limited to one night per site, per trip. Campground has a chemical toil…
Mile 47.6 - Hiker-biker campgrounds are located along the towpath approximately every 5-7 miles. No fee or reservation required. Overnight stays are limited to …
Mile 30.5 - Hiker-biker campgrounds are located along the towpath approximately every 5-7 miles. No fee or reservation required. Overnight stays are limited to …
Mile 95.2 - No fee charged; this is a first-come first served walk in campsite. Stay is limited to one night per site, per trip. Campground has a chemical toile…
Mile 144.5 - No fee charged; this is a first-come first served walk in campsite. Stay is limited to one night per site, per trip. Campground has a chemical toil…
Mile 26.1 - Hiker-biker campgrounds are located along the towpath approximately every 5-7 miles. No fee or reservation required. Overnight stays are limited to …
Mile 139.2 - No fee charged. First come, first served. Stay is limited to one night per site, per trip. Campground has a chemical toilet, water, a picnic table,…
Mile 129.9 - There is no driving access to this campsite. No fee charged. First come, first served. Stay is limited to one night per site, per trip. Campground …
Mile 110.0 - No fee charged. Stay is limited to one night per site, per trip. All sites have a chemical toilet, water, a picnic table, and grill. Please Note: P…
Mile 90.9 - No fee charged. Stay is limited to one night per site, per trip. All sites have a chemical toilet, water, a picnic table, and grill. Please Note: Po…
Overview The Paw Paw Tunnel Campground is located at Mile 156 on the C&O Canal Towpath on the Maryland side of the Potomac River, across from the town of Paw Pa…
Mile 156.9 - No fee charged. Stay is limited to one night per site, per trip. All sites have a chemical toilet, water, a picnic table, and grill. Please Note: P…
Mile 154.1 - No fee charged. Stay is limited to one night per site, per trip. All sites have a chemical toilet, water, a picnic table, and grill. Please Note: P…
Mile 149.4 - No fee charged. Stay is limited to one night per site, per trip. All sites have a chemical toilet, water, a picnic table, and grill. Please Note: P…
Mile 162.1 - No fee charged. Stay is limited to one night per site, per trip. All sites have a chemical toilet, water, a picnic table, and grill. Please Note: P…
Overview The Adirondack Shelters, located near the northern most point of Catoctin Mountain Park, provide a destination for true nature immersion and an alterna…
Overview The Antietam Creek Campground is located at Mile 69.4 on the C&O Canal Towpath, a few miles south of Shepherdstown on the Maryland side of the Potomac …
Overview Assateague Island National Seashore is a 37-mile long barrier island on the Atlantic Coast of Maryland and Virginia. Famed for its wild horses, this ba…
Mile 50.3 - Hiker-biker campgrounds are located along the towpath approximately every 5-7 miles. No fee or reservation required. Overnight stays are limited to …
Cabin Camp 2 first hosted campers in 1937. The camp sleeps 149 visitors and consists of approximately 132 acres. This camp mainly contains 4 person cabins, with…
Overview This historic cabin camp was completed in 1937 by the Works Progress Administration. The camp is surrounded by hardwood forests on the slopes of Catoct…
Mile 180.1 - Hiker-biker campgrounds are located along the towpath approximately every 5-7 miles. No fee or reservation required. Overnight stays are limited to…
Overview The Fifteen Mile Creek Campground is located at Mile 140 on the C&O Canal Towpath, in the town of Little Orleans upstream of Hancock and downstream of …
Overview Fort Washington is located 15 miles (24 km) south of Washington, D.C., along the Potomac River. It is a local favorite for picnicking, recreation and h…
Overview Greenbelt Campground is an urban oasis just 10 miles (16 km) from Washington, D.C. This beautiful, wooded park is known for its safety, affordability, …
The Ranger Station is located near the campground entrance, two miles from the park headquarters and park entrance.
Mile 79.2 - Hiker-biker campgrounds are located along the towpath approximately every 5-7 miles. No fee or reservation required. Overnight stays are limited to …
Mile 62.0 - Hiker-biker campgrounds are located along the towpath approximately every 5-7 miles. No fee or reservation required. Overnight stays are limited to …
Mile 42.5 - Hiker-biker campgrounds are located along the towpath approximately every 5-7 miles. No fee or reservation required. Overnight stays are limited to …
Mile 175.3 - Hiker-biker campgrounds are located along the towpath approximately every 5-7 miles. No fee or reservation required. Overnight stays are limited to…
Mile 101.2 - THiker-biker campgrounds are located along the towpath approximately every 5-7 miles. No fee or reservation required. Overnight stays are limited t…
Mile 75.2 - Hiker-biker campgrounds are located along the towpath approximately every 5-7 miles. No fee or reservation required. Overnight stays are limited to …
Mile 116.0 - Hiker-biker campgrounds are located along the towpath approximately every 5-7 miles. No fee or reservation required. Overnight stays are limited to…
Mile 120.4 - Hiker-biker campgrounds are located along the towpath approximately every 5-7 miles. No fee or reservation required. Overnight stays are limited to…
Mile 38.2 - Hiker-biker campgrounds are located along the towpath approximately every 5-7 miles. No fee or reservation required. Overnight stays are limited to …
Overview Scouts built the Marsden Tract Group Campground to provide access to larger campsites within easy commuting distance of the D.C. Metro area. It is loca…
Overview The McCoys Ferry Campground is located at Mile 110.4 on the C&O Canal Towpath, between the towns of Big Pool and Big Spring on the Maryland side of the…
Overview Owens Creek Campground offers families and individuals enjoyable primitive tent camping. Located just five miles (8 km) from Thurmont, Maryland, in the…
Mile 169.1 - Hiker-biker campgrounds are located along the towpath approximately every 5-7 miles. No fee or reservation required. Overnight stays are limited to…
Overview Poplar Grove offers youth groups and organizations enjoyable year-round primitive tent camping. Located just steps away from the Catoctin Mountain Park…
Mile 164.8 - Hiker-biker campgrounds are located along the towpath approximately every 5-7 miles. No fee or reservation required. Overnight stays are limited to…
Overview THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC CAMPGROUND. ONLY SCOUTS AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS MAY USE ROHRBACH CAMPGROUND. Antietam National Battlefield is the site of the bloo…
Overview The Spring Gap Campground is located at Mile 173.3 on the C&O Canal Towpath, near the city of Cumberland on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. Alc…
Mile 16.6 - Hiker-biker campgrounds are located along the towpath approximately every 5-7 miles. No fee or reservation required. Overnight stays are limited to …
Mile 34.4 - Hiker-biker campgrounds are located along the towpath approximately every 5-7 miles. No fee or reservation required. Overnight stays are limited to …
Mile 126.4 - Hiker-biker campgrounds are located along the towpath approximately every 5-7 miles. No fee or reservation required. Overnight stays are limited to…