4.2368 reviewsPrice
Varies
Booking
Reservable
Sites
73 campsites
Season
Year-round
Cell
Has Service
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
Price
Varies
Booking
Reservable
Sites
73 campsites
Season
Year-round
Cell
Has Service
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
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Learn more about alerts →Patapsco Valley State Park
39.2947, -76.7854
We'll monitor this campground and alert you the moment sites become available.
Free to start · paid plans add 2-min scans
256,000+ sites monitored · Email alerts to start; SMS and in-app with an account
Learn more about alerts →Families and hikers based in Baltimore or DC who want real woods close to the city. The outer loop's larger non-electrified sites suit tent campers who want privacy; inner loop gets you electric hookups and the bathhouse nearby. River access off the Union Dam Trail is legitimatel
The bathhouses are old and reviewers notice it, functional but worn, and the outer loop may get you portable toilets instead. RVers with full-hookup expectations will find only electric, no water or sewer at the site. A handful of reviewers describe interactions that made them fe
Camper Report Card
Rated higher than 20% of graded campgrounds
Graded on what 52 campers actually wrote - graded on 14 things that make or break a trip. Each topic is graded against every other campground on it - A is among the best, C about average. No star ratings.
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Each topic is graded against every other campground on it; a topic campers liked never grades below C−. ± shows the 95% confidence range from the sample size.
Context for the broader area surrounding Patapsco Valley State Park, sourced from the federal Recreation.gov rec-area record.
<A HREF="http://www.usbr.gov/dataweb/dams/co01666.htm">Shadow Mountain Dam</a> and Reservoir, <A HREF="http://www.usbr.gov/dataweb/html/cbt.html">Colorado-Big Thompson Project</a>, are on the Colorado River below its confluence with the Grand Lake outlet. Developments include 1 campground with 80 campsites and 2 boat-launch ramps. Good access exists. Total water surface available for recreation is approximately 1,346 surface acres and 8 miles of shoreline. Primary recreational activities are camping, fishing, and power boating. Primary sport fish are bown trout, rainbow trout, and salmon. Facilities closed in winter due to ice and snow conditions. <A HREF="http://www.usbr.gov/gp-bin/arcweb_sharesco.pl">Current Reservoir Levels</a>.
North from Granby, Colorado on U.S. 34.
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Fall delivers the campground's signature experience: brilliant hardwood color on the Patapsco River valley and comfortable hiking temperatures. Daytime highs are typically in the mid-50s to low 70s°F with crisp nights in the mid-30s to 50s°F, making long trail days and photography ideal. Leaf-peeping, biking the packed dirt trails, and quieter wildlife viewing are at their peak, though weekends can draw many day-trippers from Baltimore. Spring brings fresh green leaves and warming weather. Summer means firefly displays in June and opportunities to cool off in the river, though humidity climbs. Winter offers stark, quiet beauty and those distant views through bare branches.
Fall is the signature season with brilliant hardwood color and comfortable hiking temps.
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Inner loop contains the primary facilities (bathhouse, water fill, firewood/ice sales, camp hosts); an outer non-electrified loop has fewer amenities and some sites rely on portable toilets. Utilities (fresh water and dump station) are centralized rather than available at every site.
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