Campgrounds and RV parks near Ellerslie, MD

The C&O Canal Towpath is the anchor activity. The most popular activities at Spring Gap are hiking local trails, biking the C&O Canal Towpath, paddling, and fishing, and the campground has a boat ramp for easy access to the Potomac River for kayakers and anglers. A Maryland fishing license is required for anyone sixteen or older. Cumberland, a short drive south, is the practical hub for supplies and family outings. The C&O Canal National Historical Park Cumberland Visitor Center is open seven days a week, and the Allegany Museum, Gordon-Roberts House, Gilchrist Gallery, and the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad are all worth a visit. East of Cumberland, Rocky Gap State Park surrounds 243-acre Lake Habeeb, fed by Rocky Gap Run winding through a mile-long gap of sheer cliffs, overlooks, and hemlock forest dense with rhododendron. The park has swimming beaches, seasonal boat rentals, and a network of hiking trails.

The RV season in western Maryland runs strongest from late April through October. Foliage peaks in mid to late October along the ridges, and summer weekends draw the heaviest bookings at both state and national park campgrounds. Weekday arrivals are noticeably easier to secure. Winter travel is possible but requires planning. Spring Gap Campground is open year-round with reservations through Recreation.gov, but potable water from the hand pump is available only April 15 through November 1, so campers must bring their own water outside that window. Rocky Gap State Park adds a longer-term constraint: the campground is temporarily closed from October 2026 to January 2029 for essential improvements, with a planned reopening for the 2029 camping season. Black bears are active in the region. Garrett, Allegany, Washington, and Frederick Counties are all home to black bears, and hiking, camping, or picnicking in these counties carries the possibility of a bear encounter. Store food and trash in vehicles or hard-sided containers.

Sites in the area lean primitive to moderately developed. Campsites at Spring Gap can accommodate tent campers, small RVs, and other self-contained sleeping vehicles, with trailers, either sleeping unit or boat, no longer than 20 feet. Visitors should also expect train and road noise from nearby rail lines and highways. Amenities are basic at NPS sites and fuller at state and private parks. Spring Gap has pit and portable toilets, with hand-pump water available April 15 through November 1 and no trash service, so pack it out. Rocky Gap Campground, when open, offers 278 individual sites including 30 with 30-amp electric hookups, a dump station, bathhouses with hot water in each loop, a private swimming beach, a camp store, and canoe, kayak, and paddleboard rentals from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Cell service is spotty in the river valleys and stronger closer to Cumberland. Bring layers: mountain nights run cool even in midsummer.