Elk Neck State Park Campground
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Reviewed May. 14, 2022

Pleasant place to stay

Admittedly, I was here mid-week in May.  I'm not entirely sure I'd want to be here on a weekend in the summer when the place is full of families, noise, and activity.  But my visit was very quiet and peaceful.  I stayed on the pet-friendly Miles loop.  There were only two other sites in use, aside from the camp host at #171.  The predominant sounds were birds and my own footsteps, although there is some unidentifiable hum that seems to come up off the water.  I didn't notice it when I was in my tent, but I did as I was walking around.

The campground is well-wooded, offering reasonable privacy given the space constraints.  Site 166, where I was, offered a wooded path directly back to the nearby  bathhouse, which was otherwise inconspicuous from my site.  Across the way, there was a partially tree-obscured view of the water.  You could see enough through the trees, at least this time of year, to get the benefit of a sunrise view.  A short walk provided a very impressive sunrise view.

Within a short walk were a small dumpster for trash, a potable-water pump, and the aforementioned bathhouse (with a slop sink for dishwashing outside, at the rear).  The site itself had a fire ring, a picnic table, a post with a hook on it, and a stonedust pad.  All tents have to be on this area and not drift into the adjacent, softer earth.  Although clean, dry firewood and bags of ice are available on an honor system outside the otherwise closed park store (near the entrance) there was plenty of dry, dead, downed wood to be found if one was inclined to gather one's own.

Park rangers were very pleasant and helpful.  They occasionally drove past but weren't overbearing in any way.  Similarly, the camp host offered a cheerful greeting and pleasant conversation as I walked by but was otherwise invisible.  Their efforts were obvious, however.  The bathhouse was immaculate, as were all of the unoccupied sites I walked past.  The grounds are clearly well maintained. 

The only hiccup in that regard was a damaged camper parked in the best site on the loop, #169.  The roof was badly dented, and apparently the occupants had escaped harm when a tree  fell on the camper as they slept.  This is a park, after all, and trees will sometimes break or fall.  Fortunately no one was injured - and honestly, that really IS the best site on the loop, as it offers the best view of the water. 

I didn't explore the entire park, as I was in the area for an event at Cecil County Fairgrounds.  That said, I did do a bit of exploring.  Although you can certainly drive to the parking lot that's only a mile or so from the lighthouse, you can easily walk there from the campground if you're so inclined.  The only downside to that is that approximately a mile of your walk (each way) will be on the paved road, and cars can be brisk (so I wouldn't recommend it with small children).   Trails through the park are extremely easy to navigate (the substrate isn't rugged at all) yet it's scenic in a gentle, understated way.  I enjoyed the Beaver Marsh loop which is easy to get to from the Miles campsites.

If I had any criticisms, they'd probably be more along the lines of cautions.  Not all campsites are equal.  Sites 159 & 160 are across from and adjacent to the dumpster, respectively, for example.  Maybe that wouldn't be an issue if you were in an RV, but I would think that the aesthetics (and summer aroma?) would be a deal-breaker if you were pitching a tent.  Site 157 has a nearly unobstructed view of the bathhouse as its "backyard".  On the other hand, Site 155 is directly across from the potable water pump, and that might be a convenience.  Site 152 on Miles loop is nearest to the playground, and within eyesight of it, which could either be wonderful or nightmarish depending on whether or not you have (or want to hear) small children.

Arguably, the best sites are probably 167, 169 (which I would say is THE best one on this loop), and 176.  The latter has the most direct access to a path that leads gently down to a sandy shoreline, and it seems to have a little more privacy than some of the other sites.  This is just my casual impression while walking around.

All in all, this is a clean, beautifully maintained, pleasantly staffed, and well equipped campground.  It isn't far from "civilization" (you know, if you need to pick up something from a store), but the campground itself is quiet and has enjoyable trails to wander.

Site166
Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Elk Neck State Park Campground by achoo , May 14, 2022
  • Review photo of Elk Neck State Park Campground by achoo , May 14, 2022
  • Review photo of Elk Neck State Park Campground by achoo , May 14, 2022
  • Review photo of Elk Neck State Park Campground by achoo , May 14, 2022
  • Review photo of Elk Neck State Park Campground by achoo , May 14, 2022
  • Review photo of Elk Neck State Park Campground by achoo , May 14, 2022
  • Review photo of Elk Neck State Park Campground by achoo , May 14, 2022
  • Review photo of Elk Neck State Park Campground by achoo , May 14, 2022
  • Review photo of Elk Neck State Park Campground by achoo , May 14, 2022
  • Review photo of Elk Neck State Park Campground by achoo , May 14, 2022
  • Review photo of Elk Neck State Park Campground by achoo , May 14, 2022
  • Review photo of Elk Neck State Park Campground by achoo , May 14, 2022
  • Review photo of Elk Neck State Park Campground by achoo , May 14, 2022
  • Review photo of Elk Neck State Park Campground by achoo , May 14, 2022
  • Review photo of Elk Neck State Park Campground by achoo , May 14, 2022
  • Review photo of Elk Neck State Park Campground by achoo , May 14, 2022
  • Review photo of Elk Neck State Park Campground by achoo , May 14, 2022
  • Review photo of Elk Neck State Park Campground by achoo , May 14, 2022