Campgrounds and RV parks near National Harbor, MD

National Harbor itself puts the Capital Wheel, the MGM National Harbor complex, and the Potomac River waterfront within walking distance of the resort district. From most nearby campgrounds, downtown Washington and the National Mall are reachable by car or by Metro, with Greenbelt Park Campground sitting close to the Greenbelt Metro station on the Green Line. Outdoor activities include hiking the ten miles of trails inside Greenbelt Park, fishing and paddling on Mattawoman Creek at Smallwood State Park, and hiking the roughly 19 miles of trails at Cedarville State Forest. Cherry Hill Park adds on-site amenities such as pools, a splash pad, mini golf, and organized bus tours into D.C., which suits families balancing sightseeing with downtime.

The camping season in the National Harbor area runs primarily April through October, aligned with the Maryland state park schedule. Cedarville State Forest's campground is open from April to October, and Smallwood State Park follows a similar spring-through-fall pattern. Greenbelt Park Campground is the exception and stays open year-round. Spring brings mild temperatures, blooming mountain laurel inside Greenbelt Park, and steady rain, while summer runs hot and humid with frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Weekends between Memorial Day and Labor Day book heavily, and Maryland state park campgrounds enforce a two-night minimum stay from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, with holiday weekends requiring a three-night minimum. Fall delivers the region's most comfortable camping weather, with cooler nights, lower humidity, and foliage color through October. Winter camping is essentially limited to Greenbelt Park and a handful of private parks, since state forest and state park loops close for the cold season.

Expect a mix of urban-adjacent and forested camping. Cherry Hill Park offers full hookups, paved interior roads, and resort-style amenities including pools, a hot tub, a splash pad, mini golf, laundry, and a camp store, with bus service and tours into D.C. departing from inside the park. Site density is high and highway noise is audible. Greenbelt Park Campground is primitive, with no water or electric hookups at individual sites, but it does provide flush toilets, drinking water, showers, and a dump station. Paved roads and parking spurs suit both cars and RVs, though RV length is capped around 35 feet in the loops that accept larger rigs. Smallwood State Park and Cedarville State Forest deliver wooded, spacious sites with electric hookups and bathhouses. Smallwood adds 50-amp electric and water hookups at each site along Mattawoman Creek, while Cedarville enforces a 35-foot RV length limit.