Camping at Jellystone Park in Hagerstown, Maryland
Located at the crossroads of I-81 and I-70, Hagerstown is halfway between Deep Creek (westernmost Maryland), and the Atlantic Ocean.
Rich in history and recreational opportunities, Hagerstown is the perfect base location for local sightseeing and outdoor adventure.Those who crave communing with nature can hike the Appalachian Trail (20 miles East), while flat landers may want to stick to the C&O Canal Trail, a 180+mile dirt trail stretching from Cumberland to Washington D.C., gently meandering through wood and glen next to the scenic Potomac River. 20 minutes west of Hagerstown, Hancock has a paved rail trail perfect for biking that runs parallel to the C&O.
A trip to this area would not be complete without a visit to one of the many historic Civil War battlefields now memorialized as National Historic Parks. Antietam, the site of the bloodiest single day in American History, is only 15 minutes from one of our favorite campgrounds.
The Jellystone Park campground is conveniently located a couple of miles from the I-81/I-70 cross. This campground is a great “destination” RV resort that provides a lot of activities for the entire family. The original campground has been continually upgraded over the years, to the point that it has double in size since we started visiting about 8 years ago. Large, level pull-throughs and modern conveniences of free wifi and cable at most sites make it a nice park to stay when travelling across the region. In addition to the traditional campground fare of putt-putt golf, swimming, and wooded hiking trails, theme weekend activities may include pony rides for the little ones, candy bar bingo, and hayrides.
Last year, the park introduced a new pool with two fun water slides and a play area for smaller children. When we visited February, 2008, they were busy completing a Laser Tag area. Our favorite family activity occurs at dusk nightly during the warmer months (weather permitting), when we schlep our camp chairs, blankets, popcorn and drinks to take in the family movie shown outdoors on a big screen. We cuddle until one or more of us fall asleep after an active day of family fun.
In summary, if you are craving solitude and peace, then you may want to continue west on I-70 to a state campground, but if you are looking for a spot for an active family respite, this is a great campground.
