Fort Frederick State Park

The campground is located between the Potomac River and a swamp. If you have a long travel trailer, it could be a problem as there is a wooden bridge to cross without an arrow direct approach. There had been a frost, and the place was pretty soggy, so I didn't test how many mosquitos were still alive. I've stayed here before and it hasn't improved.

There is a water faucet near the dumpster outside the campground. It had a hose attached, so I'm not sure if it was removable so you could attach your own. There is no dump station. There is no shower house or bathroom; just two porta john's on each end of the campground. There is a long road that runs down the center of the campground, with sites, well spaced, on either side. There were another 5 campers at the campground the night I was there. The campground is secured with a gate and a combination lock 24x7, which I suppose is OK, because there really isn't anything apparent in the neighborhood. Each site has a fire ring and a table.

Between the gate, the trees, the river and the swamp, the perfectly spaced minimalist sites, porta johns and no camp host, there was a vibe of a WWII Internment camp, and I've been to a couple. They were nicer.

OH! Cannot forget the trains. To get to the site, you have to cross the railroad, and there is a bend in the tracks. Fortunately, it's not a regulated crossing, so they don't blast the train horn all night, but there were at least four trains the night I was there, and the wheels squealed like the NYC elevated. For a day close to Halloween it was almost perfect.

No frills campground. Sites are close together. One side has waterfront sites. Each site has picnic table, lantern post, and fire ring. No dump station. Porta Pots. No electric. Bring bug spray - mosquitoes everywhere. Access would be tricky for big rigs.