Harpers Ferry Campground

Marcus Joseph

2023-11

The campground itself is beautiful, clean and straightforward. Excellent view of the river, close enough to the town. Easy to check in. Petey, the owner, is very nice, friendly, and very helpful. However, we started noticing a very strong smell when we were at our tent site, like train brakes or asphalt. I asked Petey about it and he wasn't sure.Well, not long after being there we noticed that trains run on the tracks right next to the campground (about 100 feet away). One train comes every 15-30 minutes. So, in a night, as many as 10-15 trains might pass by. They came one right after the other. The noise makes it very difficult to sleep if you're in a tent. That train-fuel smell seemed to hover at our campsite, enough to the point that I became sick and developed a sore throat from breathing in the train fumes the entire night.I would only recommend this location for one of two camper types: train lovers who don't mind the heavy fumes and train, or RV goers who are going to stay in their RV to avoid the noise and fumes, and aren't planning to get out of the RV. It's a shame the trains ruined what could have been a beautiful camping experience.

Maggie Baron

2024-01

If you are booking a spot, do not book a campground here. Because you won't be able to sleep due to the train going every 15-20 mins.We had to leave early even though we 3 paid for 3 nights. Could even sleep for 10 min on the first night. So don't waste your money. But the adventure they offer is fun such as river tubing and zip line.

Erica Baker

2023-07

The River Riders experience through this campground was amazing. We did the white water rafting and Danny Boy was an awesome guide!For the campground itself, I feel like they could do a better job enforcing quiet times, but I’ll give a thumbs up to management. I expressed my issues and they made it right.I don’t really understand the negative reviews for train, they are pretty upfront about it when booking the stay. Not the first campground I’ve stayed at that is in close proximity to train tracks, won’t be the last.I do think the could improve the bath house situation.

Summer Daines

2023-08

I am definitely a cabin camper, and I loved these cabins! The air conditioning was effective, the beds (especially the queen bed) were surprisingly comfortable! (I am 8+ months pregnant, and slept as comfortably as I could here!)I stayed in a four-person cabin and we rented two other six-person cabins for our group. If you are planning on cooking, make sure to reserve at least a six-person, as the four-person only has a small fridge and microwave. The six-person cabins were quite spacious.Cabins were clean enough and I would totally stay here again! It is also a great location, just on the river. (It did help that it was a bit misty while we were here, which kept the heat and bugs at bay, making a much more pleasant experience.)Nearby activities: Great options for rafting, swimming, and adventure courses.

Mark LaManna

2023-09

The cabin itself was great. The ac worked nicely, water pressure and heat was good. But none of that matters with the car horns honking non-stop at the one way tunnel only a few hundred feet away. The train track is right there too, and while it's super loud and shakes everything at least it doesn't blow it's horn. Do yourself a favor and get a air BNB do not stay here. Not relaxing, very uncomfortable beds, and just a generally horrible campground location. Especially for such a high price!

Rob Wiscount

2023-11

Chugga chugga CHOO CHOO! If you’re a lover of trains and have no intention of sleeping between the hours of 10PM - 3AM then this is the campsite for you! Not only are these trains ridiculously loud they also take forever to pass through and about 2 come every hour! You’ll be sure to get no sleep. I have never come to google to write a review before (cause I ain’t no Karen) but I feel personally obligated to warn you guys. This place couldn’t pay me to come back and stay here. Unlike some of their responses under some other reviews, we were not told or warned about trains that run all night and prevent any sleep. We stayed at the park/tent part of the campground so I can’t speak for the rest of the campgrounds since we were directly next to the trains but I’d be shocked if the other parts of the campground didn’t wake up from these behemoths of trains. If you want any sleep at all, stay literally anywhere else.

Rob Case

2023-09

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Katie Walters

2023-05

The location and view were beautiful. The camp staff was very friendly and helpful. The site and cabin were super clean and comfortable. We had an issue with the water pressure in our cabin and Kelly got it fixed right away. The only issue was we paid for the linen package and firewood and had a late check in. The keys to our cabin were there when we arrived but none of our stuff was, so we were unable to have a campfire night one and had to sleep on the beds without sheets. There could be improved communication between the reservation desk and the staff on site. Other than that everything was great and I would highly recommend.

robin welde

2023-05

For $100 a night we expected a well maintained campground with sites that were either paved or had enough rock that covered the mud. Instead we found a campground with random piles of discarded junk, old rotting structures from a no longer used zip line course, and a narrow area with stone for RVs. Picnic tables were on a wet muddy area that would still have been dirty even without recent rain. The view of the lake was wonderful and the staff were very friendly. Also the proximity to lower Harpers Ferry was great. A 1.5 mile hike through the woods takes you right into the town.

Matthew Laurenzana

2024-02

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Mike Joslyn

2023-09

Were told a 41 foot motorhome could be accommodated. This is NOT the case. Even getting a coach to the location, the roads are not meant for it. Severe angles on the roads that will cause bottoming out! I'm an experienced RV driver and truck driver, and this is my third diesel pusher rv of 40 plus feet, trust me do not let them tell you its a good idea to try and park here.

Karen Roberts

2023-09

Heads up, if you have a Rv/Motorhome or large vehicle, be cognizant there is a small underpass which you will not be able to go through, check gps for big vehicles.Grounds were kept well, sites could be a little more even, very rocky roads, fyi showers are located up a big hill.Pet friendly as well.Note....Train tracks are next to sites, that runs every hour, and horn is blown. As well as that small tunnel, cars beep horn every time there is someone there for warning.You get used to it, but figured I'd mention it.No internet signal, very poor.Beautiful walk from grounds to harpers ferry 40min. Take water, and wear good sneakers. Can take bike, but very rocky, at the end you will need to walk bike up incline and cross train tracks.Shenandoa is beautiful.Nearby activities: Harpers Ferry

Kathryn Blickenstaff

2023-05

First time tent camping with my boyfriend, and it was amazing! We had a river front site (202) and the view was phenomenal. We had one neighbor but otherwise was pretty quite so that was nice. We actually enjoyed the cooler weather and the rain on the tent was soothing at night. The sites are nice and well-maintained, each site had a nice picnic table and a fire pit. The facilities were well kept for a campground (and I used to work in housekeeping at a campground so I know how hard it can be to keep up with the bathrooms/bathhouses!). I loved that the trail that started just past our site takes you on a scenic hike along the Potomac right into Harpers Ferry. I can tell you right now I’ll definitely be back because I’d like to try out some of the other sites as well! Also, thank you to the nice man and also woman who checked in on us throughout our stay, they were driving around and making sure everyone was doing well and had everything they needed. I’ve never been at such a hospitable campground before! Thank you!

Azia Lark

2023-08

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Gary Turner

2022-05

We had a fairly nice stay here. The river front site was beautiful. Plenty to see and do in very close proximity to the campground. The people we’ve encountered who work here have been nothing but extremely friendly. There is also WiFi access, which is not something we normally care about (we camp to get away from phones!) but its actually a nice thing to have for the little one. The downsides (and there are a few): there’s an active train track right above the campsites. The trains are frequent and loud. They do seem to lessen in number during the night, but they come through at all hours. The bathrooms-there are 3. The trailer and port a John are not real pleasant but are acceptable. Except on our last night there was no running water in the trailer, which for me is never acceptable. The bathhouse is nice enough, it is air conditioned and relatively clean. It’s nothing fancy but it’ll do. The one problem is its located at the top of a fairly steep hill. It's an unpleasant climb, especially in the middle of the night. And all of the facilities have muddy floors due to the river, see my next issue. The swimming is okay, but the river has a mud/silt bottom so it was more mess than fun for our little one, and those bathroom floors are a mud mess as a result of this as well. There is a zip line that goes right over the sites, though we actually found this quite fun to watch. There was a big bag of trash on our site when we arrived, I’m guessing left by the previous occupants. There were several occasions when day users were using several of our neighboring campsites, which I don’t think is allowed but only one group was asked to leave, the other was not. Lastly, there is a one way tunnel near the entrance of the park, and there is regular horn honking to let others know a vehicle is passing through. This goes on until quite late as well. Overall we enjoyed ourselves, but the jury is still out on whether we’ll be back.

Faye Clever

2023-05

Overall great stay! Some things to consider: train noise nearby and a tunnel that you must honk at before going through since it is one way with low visibility. This makes a little bit of noise, but is not too bad once things quiet down for the night. Other guests were respectful and friendly, campsites were pretty clean and well maintained. We were tent camping and were put in a tent site right under a phone poll with lots of electrical boxes, which felt a little unsafe, but the campground manager was very nice and relocated us to an unused campsite for the night. Very peaceful view of the Potomac. Pretty nice amenities for a campground! Showers, real bathrooms, convenient garbage disposal. Check-in required for this campsite, but it was straight-forward. A little pricier than what I'm used to, but Harper's ferry is a very popular spot. Will probably return here again the next time I visit!

Taryn Mischke

2023-05

We camped in the cliff side sites, which were a bit of a pain in the butt since you had to carry in gear to set up camp (we recommend bringing a push cart or wagon). The bathrooms, like most campgrounds I've been to, do get a little funky by the end of the day. That's not really a problem with the Campground but the campers not being respectful of other campers. I did see them getting cleaned out every day we were there though.I did think it necessary to write a review based on our experience with the staff because OH My!!These folks will go out of their way to make sure you have everything you need. We had a camp hostess named Kelly that introduced herself right away and just made sure we were comfortable the entire time. More campgrounds need people like Kelly.All the folks working River Riders were also very knowledgeable and friendly.If your looking for a Campground on the water with activities to occupy your party and friendly and accommodating staff, this is a good one!

Michael

2024-04

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Chuck Rockwell

2023-05

We stayed in one of the 6 person cabins and it was just beautiful. Right on the river, lots of old growth trees and perfect weather. The new cabins are amazing inside with a fridge, microwave and coffee maker. Walking distance to downtown harpers ferry and a short drive to the Hollywood Casino in Charles Town, where we saw a concert. Camp caretaker was super nice and very helpful. Highly recommended.

Christine Merryman

2023-05

Visually a beautiful site, however, would not even consider returning to stay another night there. Neither my friend or I were able to get a restful sleep through the night due to the train, constant honking of cars, and the bright lights close to our campsite. The zip lining during the day time right over the campsite looks fun but not fun to have that basically directly over where we were staying. We had a semi private area down a hill with no close neighbors, however most of the sites are pretty close to each other with little to no privacy. Also, we couldn't even walk down to the water because of this huge pile of fallen trees and branches blocking the way. One thing we did enjoy was the hospitality of the caretaker of the property, she was very sweet checking in on us. In the end we felt that the price per night did not match the value in what we were getting at the campground. If you are looking for a peaceful private area, look elsewhere.

Art La Rue

2023-05

Spent way too much on the river float. Under inflated rafts which caused us to stand up and carry them for the first 1/4 mile. Aggravating beyond measure, for I paid for the “ best” product available… did us no good. As for the camp ground, we were surprised by a one way tunnel right before the campground entry- oh, And a sign that says “ No RVs! Turn around. We’ll, after turning around and unhooking our Jeep, we went through the tunnel and visited the RV park ( in our Jeep). Good thing too- there was no way our RV would get to or fit in our reserved spot. Now, the good news is the owner called us to find out why we hadn’t checked in. After we talked, Matt refunded our deposit. This was well within the “ No cancellation” window. I greatly appreciate him doing so.

Anne Mitchell

2023-05

I'm honestly glad that I can give 3 stars. Had it not been for the camp host helping me find a new spot, I would have honest to God just driven home.Called and made a reservation. $47 is a... Bit steep, but whatever, better than hotel costs. Looking all through the email trying to find an address, or site number, or any info on what I should do. Roll up to the campground, no office in site (now I know, the river riders location *is* their office. Makes no sense at all.)After talking to the host, they tell me my site number. Apparently, whoever made this place, decided that the 15' x 15' of slanted hilly ground under a transformer and street light would be optimal for charging almost $50 a night. What an insane insult to charge anyone that amount of money for a site like that. Had she not said it was okay for me to move elsewhere, I'd have just gone home, we nearly did anyway.Be ready for lots and lots of honking during the day, due to cars communicating for the one way tunnel. There's a train that runs by, but it's just engin noise, not horns.Some amount of consideration must be made when trying to camp in the mountains. Hills happen, puddles happens, bugs happen. But over charging for a plot of hilly dirt can not be excused.

Taylin Bower

2023-05

I am only giving a star for the worker who offered to have us move sites upon our arrival. The site we had been given was literally shoved behind a telephone poll and so tiny. We ended up packing up and leaving in the middle of the night because the train noise. The train was literally less than 50 meters from our campsite and came about every 10 mins, lasting for over three mins every time. This continued until midnight when we finally had to pack up and leave because it was so intensely loud, screeching and frequent. We should have been informed of this as a tent camper, or tent sites should not be placed that close to the tracks, as it made it impossible to sleep.

abc d

2023-08

30 yards from railroad makes terrible noise.Campsite slope is pretty high which you need lots of blocks.One of worst campgroundNo phone reception signal

Bill Cly

2021-05

Some beautiful water front spots. We have a 32' TT and it was a little tight but we made it work. The staff are all outstanding! From check in to leaving we were always treated exceptionally well. It is a little pricey but the views kind of make up for that. And there is the noise from the trains like others have posted but they usually didn't last very long. There are a lot of activities both on and off the water. There is also good amount of historical sites to visit as well. All in all, we really enjoyed our stay.

David Gagnidze

2023-05

Someone wrote in the review about this place "packed like sardines in here" they were not wrong. The location is beautiful and people are very nice, but no privacy, all campsites, cabins and RV sites are really close to each other, over top is a Zipline so it adds up to no privacy. Unfortunately I ended up getting a camping site that's right under direct sunlight (so if you are doing reservation, call to make sure that yours will be in the shade, I didn't call, mistake on my part). But the icing on the cake was the freight train at 1:30 am and 3 am, and a light that was right above my camp site, I was hoping that maybe it would be turned off at some point of the night, nope. So if you want to have and enjoy a quiet, peaceful, fishing and camping experience, you will not get it here. I booked from Sunday - Wednesday, I'm left Monday morning.

Jake Mulroy

2022-05

Our experience at this campground was excellent! We had an excellent camp site along the river that was far enough away from the parking lot, train, and one way tunnel.I cannot say enough about how excellent the staff at this campground are. We arrived after their check-in hours but there was still someone there to give us instructions and ensure we found our campsite. The next day when it started raining when we were away from the campsite, they were nice enough to throw a tarp over our tent to protect our things from getting wet as we did not put our tent rainfly so we could see the stars.The campsite is 5 minutes from the national park where everyone leave their car and either takes the shuttle or walks into Harpers Ferry.I highly recommend this campsite to anyone who wants to explore Harpers Ferry and camp along the Potomac. I think there are some campsites that are less than ideal so it is important that you research the campsites and pick the ones away from the parking lot and train. If you are able to do that, you should find yourself having a great time!

Kim Hastings

2022-05

This campground has the potential to be great. The river view is beautiful however you are packed in like sardines and there is absolutely no privacy. We couldn’t put our awning out and use the fire pit at the same time for fear of setting it on fire. The zip line also ended right in the campsite next to us which only added to the lack of privacy and outdoor space. It’s very difficult to get down to the river to fish because of the overgrowth. Even a path would have been nice. For these reasons and the price for value we will not be returning.

cassiemg

2023-05

I’m leaving this review at 3:30AM due to the fact that I haven’t slept all night. Trains have been by pretty much every hour, or less, all night long. Some of them lasting for several minutes. I have to be up at 5am to go volunteer at an event for veterans today, so I’ve given up on getting any rest tonight. Oh, and the large bag of firewood that I was required to purchase here is pretty much all gone already cause it was essentially a giant bag of small starter pieces with one giant log at the bottom. And the Wi-Fi doesn’t work.So for $125+ for 2 nights on a totally primitive site with overpriced firewood and loud trains running all night a couple hundred yards away from your site.The kid who checked me in and the caretaker were great/friendly. The view is lovely. But this is nowhere near worth the price.

Courtney wolf

2022-05

Stayed for three nights and four days at site 37 on the island. The site was beautiful, no one really walked up on us and I loved being somewhat secluded from the other sites. The bathrooms were fine but the bath house was definitely a one star shower. There is a CONSTANT car horn beeping from the tunnel as you enter the camp ground, often goes on from 5am to 11pm. There is also the train that goes by every hour. However, it is a short walk to Harper's Ferry and they offer tubing and kayak rentals.