2750 Sweden Point Road, Marbury, MD 20658
Headquarters: 301-743-7613 | Duty Ranger: 240-743-8475
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY: CALL 1-800-825-7275 OR 410-260-8888

Camping Regulations

Hours: Park day-use hours are from 5:00am to sunset. All State Laws and Regulations are enforced.

Signage: Please obey all posted signs and speed limits.

Registration: You must register prior to setting up in any campsite. You can register at Headquarters. If Headquarters is closed, a Park Ranger can register campers. The camping registrant must be at least 18 years of age and must be camping. Only six (6) people are allowed per campsite. This includes visiting guests. Visitors must check-in with a Park Ranger or Headquarters personnel upon arrival to the Park. Prior to set-up, families of over six (6) people camping on one site will need to be approved by a Park Ranger or Headquarters personnel.

Service Charges: Park Service Charges are made payable to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Service charges are non-refundable.

Check-In/Check-Out Times: Campers must check-in by 10:00pm. If you have confirmed reservations and plan to arrive after 8:30pm, please contact the Park for after-hours Park access and set-up instructions. Campers must check-out or renew reservations by 12:00pm. Walk-ins are not guaranteed renewal for any additional nights.

Camping Loop Road: The camping loop road is one-way only.

Trash: All trash must be deposited in the dumpster located in front of the maintenance shop that is across from Headquarters. Burning trash is prohibited.

Quiet Hours: Quiet Hours are from 10:00pm to 7:00am. Voices, radios, and small Bluetooth speakers must not disturb.

Vehicle Parking: Vehicles must be parked on your site's gravel driveway or the nearest marked parking lot. Please do not park alongside your campsite, roadways, or grass. In cases requiring overflow parking, please check with a Park Ranger. Parking for the Wood Duck and Heron cabins are directly in front of the cabins. Parking for the Bass, Eagle, Osprey, and Bluegill cabins are marked by designated signage.

Camper's Boat: Your camping service charge covers the launching of one (1) boat per site. Please place your camping hangtag on the vehicle's front dashboard or on the rearview mirror when launching. It must be visible when the vehicle is parked in the boater's parking lot.

Pet Rules: Pets are allowed on approved pet campsites only. Please keep your pets within your campsite at all times when camping. Pet owners may not leave their pet unattended at the campsite and the pet owner must remove all waste products. Should pet owners not maintain control of their pet/s, camping permits can be terminated at the Park Ranger's discretion. Please keep all pets leashed while transporting to or from a vehicle or boat. Smallwood's day-use areas allow pets, but they must be on a 6ft leash and be controlled by the pet owner.

Equipment: There is a maximum of two (2) tents and two (2) vehicles allowed per site. All equipment must be set on your assigned camping pad and all vehicles must be parked on your assigned driveway. Tents, vehicles, and other equipment must not be set in the woods, grass, or blocking roadways at any time.

Generators: The operation of generators is prohibited during the established quiet hours from 10:00pm to 7:00am.

Open Fire: Campfires are only allowed in the provided fire rings and must be supervised at all times by someone at least 18 years of age. Campfires are to be extinguished completely prior to leaving a site unattended.

Trees and Plants: Standing trees, shrubs, and plants may not be cut at any time for any reason by Park visitors. Please do not hang lanterns from trees or put nails in trees.

Alcohol Consumption: Alcohol is not permitted.

Wood: Due to the potential threat of emerald ash borer, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has prohibited the importation of personal firewood into all DNR-owned and managed properties. Wood is not allowed to be transported onto any DNR property. Wood is available for purchase near the Camp Host site for $7 a bundle or 3 bundles for $20. Alternatively, you may pick up any dead and downed wood for your use.

We welcome you to Smallwood State Park and hope you have a joyful, memorable camping experience!

Do YOU know the seven (7) Leave No Trace Principles?

Learn these seven simple principles that will help you make responsible decisions to better minimize your impact on the places you love, such as Smallwood State Park, all while maximizing your outdoor experience.

1. Know Before You Go. Plan for a safe visit and prepare for all kinds of weather. Know the rules of the park before you arrive.
2. Choose the Right Site and Path. Stay on marked trails when hiking. Park in designated parking areas.
3. Trash Your Trash. If you can pack it in, please pack it out. Please do not burn food and trash. Always remember to bring a pick-up bag and pick up your pet's poop, wherever it is left.
4. Leave What You Find. Leave rocks, plants, and other natural objects as you find them. Leave picnic tables where you find them; please do not move them. "Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints.'
5. Be Careful with Fire. Use a gas-fueled camp stove for cooking; it is easier to cook on and clean. Build fires of reasonable size only in the designated camping ring. Extinguish all fires and charcoal completely before leaving a campsite or picnic area.
6. Keep Wildlife Wild. Watch wildlife from a distance. Never feed animals. Store your meals and trash tightly to protect wildlife.
7. Be Considerate of Others. Keep voices and noise to a minimum when camping, hiking, riding, or picnicking. Please observe pet policies. Always leave the area cleaner than you found it for the visitors arriving after you.

To learn more about Leave No Trace, please visit https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/pages/lnt.aspx