If you’re looking for a peaceful, wooded campground that still keeps you within driving distance of D.C., Cedarville State Forest in Maryland is a hidden gem worth checking out. We stayed here for a week while Josh had a work event nearby, and it turned out to be a surprisingly quiet and convenient spot. The sites are tucked into the trees, the trails are easily accessible, and the forest has that classic East Coast vibe- lush, shady, and full of birdsong. It definitely filled up on the weekends, but weekdays were super chill. In this post, I’ll share our full review of the campground, what to expect during your stay, and a few tips if you’re planning to camp here yourself.
About Cedarville State Forest
Address: 10201 Bee Oak Rd, Brandywine, MD 20613
Website: https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/pages/southern/cedarville.aspx
Cedarville State Forest sits at the edge of Maryland’s largest freshwater swamp, the Zekiah, and it’s a great spot for hiking, biking, and horseback riding with over 19 miles of trails to explore. The 3,700+ acre forest is home to more than 50 types of trees and is actively managed with a variety of forestry practices, so it’s a pretty cool place to see conservation and land management in action.
The area has a long history- once used by the Piscataway Tribe as a winter hunting ground, it was later developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. About 160 men, most of them African Americans from nearby cities, built roads and trails that are still in use today. In the 1950s, the forest even had charcoal kilns that produced thousands of pounds of charcoal each week for use in other Maryland parks.
Camping at Cedarville State Forest
Cedarville offers a peaceful campground with a mix of electric and primitive sites. Each site includes a picnic table, fire ring, and lantern post. The inner loop has electric hookups, while the outer loop offers more rustic, no-electric sites for a more off-grid experience.
There’s also a separate equestrian loop with primitive campsites, just note that a horse is required to camp in that area.
Amenities include a centrally located showerhouse, a dump station, and a recycling station for campers to use during their stay.
Cedarville State Forest Camping Rates
- Primitive campsite: $18.50
- Campsite with electric: $24.50
- Equestrian campsites: $23.00 per night
Cedarville State Forest Camping Policies
- Minimum stay: 2-night minimum from Memorial Day to Labor Day; 3 nights on holiday weekends
- Stay limits: You can camp up to 14 nights within any 21-day period in Maryland state parks. After that, you’ll need to take a 7-night break before booking again
- Site capacity: Max 6 people per campsite
- Alcohol: Only allowed inside RVs
- Quiet hours: 10 PM – 7 AM
Cancellation & Change Policy:
- Cancel online or by phone
- You can cancel or change within 24 hours of booking with no fees
- No-shows or cancellations made after your scheduled arrival day aren’t refunded.
- Reservation fees are non-refundable
- If you cancel or change by the day before arrival, there’s a $4.75 service fee
- If you cancel or change on your scheduled arrival day, you’ll be charged for one night plus the $4.75 fee
Our Review of Cedarville State Forest Campground
We stayed at Cedarville State Forest for a week while Josh had a work event in nearby Waldorf, and it ended up being a pretty peaceful spot to call home for a bit. The campsites are nicely wooded and spaced out enough to feel private, especially during the quieter weekdays. It did fill up on the weekend, but even then, it stayed calm and relaxing.
Our site had its own little path to the showerhouse, which was super convenient. The showerhouse itself was nice and clean, though the hot water was a bit hit or miss depending on the time of day and how many people had used it before. Still, it was great having that option nearby.
Overall, we enjoyed the quiet vibe, especially during the week, and the forest setting made for a cozy, shaded stay.
Things to Do at Cedarville State Forest
There’s plenty to keep you busy at Cedarville! The park has 19 miles of trails open to hikers, bikers, and horseback riders, with a mix of terrain through the forest.
For those who hunt, there’s a designated 1,100-acre hunting area (be sure to follow Maryland DNR regulations).
Fishing is also an option at the 4-acre stocked pond, where you can cast a line for bluegill, catfish, sunfish, and bass. It’s bank fishing only, so no boats needed.
Things to Do Near Cedarville State Forest
For our full itinerary of what we did while staying at Cedarville State Forest, check out our post: Maryland in a Nutshell: Our 2-Week Stay Recap.
Some of the things still on our list to see next time are:
- Mallows Bay Park boat cemetery
- Friendship Farm Park
- Historic Port Tobacco
- Smallwood State Park
- La Plata Train Station Museum
- Turkey Hill Disc Golf Course
- James E. Richmond Science Center & Planetarium
- Chapman State Park
- Fort Washington Park
- Fort Foote Park
For even more ideas of what to do in Maryland, check out our 2024 trip in the post Our 2-Week Maryland Itinerary: Exploring Washington, D.C. and Beyond
Getting to Washington DC from Cedarville State Forest
If you’re looking for affordable camping in the Washington DC area, and don’t mind a small commute, Cedarville State Forest could be a good option. We we went into DC a few times from Cedarville- both by car and by Metro.
If you’re looking to drive, Cedarville State Forest to the National Mall will take around 40 minutes (depending on traffic, of course). Or, you can drive about 20 minutes to the Branch Avenue Metro Station and then take a 20 minute train ride to L’Enfant Plaza. For going to downtown attractions like the Mall and Smithsonian museums, we definitely prefer taking the Metro, but when we went to stuff more on the outskirts and in other neighborhoods we drove.
