Rocky Gap State Park in MD

[biff]

Just made reservations for the coming weekend.  Wondering if anyone has any tips or opinions regarding this park that they care to share. Thanks.

[HersheyGirl]

I was there last year on site #12 I think of the electric/pet loop.  It is a WONDERFUL park.  There is lots to see and do there. It is also very clean.  We had such a good time and will go back again.  I really liked it.

[biff]

I was there last year on site #12 I think of the electric/pet loop.  It is a WONDERFUL park.  There is lots to see and do there. It is also very clean.  We had such a good time and will go back again.  I really liked it.

Thanks HersheyGirl for the feedback.  Now I'm REALLY looking forward to the weekend.  We are in the electric loop too (site #21).

Also I was hoping you could help me out with something else too.  Since we also live in Hershey I was wondering how long it took you to get there.  Mapquest says about 2 and 1/2 hours but recent experience tells me that they are not always reliable.  Thanks.

[HersheyGirl]

I think that it did take somewhere around 2 and a half hours to get there.  We did geocaching while there and then we also went to Cumberland to see the C&O Canal, that was very interesting.  There is swimming, canoing, sightseeing, there is a lodge there and you can eat there.  Rocky Gap is just a wonderful and beautiful park.
 
So you live in Hershey too?   You need to come camping with COTOC sometime.  Have fun on your trip.

[biff]

So you live in Hershey too?   You need to come camping with COTOC sometime.  Have fun on your trip.

COTOC?  What is that?

[HersheyGirl]

COTOC=Campers of the Orginial Colonies
 
Go to the Club section and you will see COTOC.....go and see when we have camping trips.  We are a really fun group and we like to get together.  We are going to Hickory Run the weekend of the 24th.  Come and join us.
 
Another fun place to go camping is Cunningham Falls State Park in MD.  Take 322 to 581 to 15 south to Gettysburg and continue to MD and then to the park.  Very easy to get to and it only takes about an hour and a half to get to.
It too is a very nice park and lots to see and do in that area.

[biff]

We actually tried for Cunningham Falls first since it's a little closer but it was all booked up.  

The COTOC group sounds like a lot of fun however we work every other weekend and that just happens to be a working weekend.  Maybe next time...  Thanks for your help.

[LoveOurBayside]

Rocky Gap was one of our favorite places to go before we discovered Cunningham Falls (which now wins because it's much closer to us)  We've always stayed on the Elm loop, which is not electric and is a closer walk to the beach.  That loop is very well shaded and the pull through sites we got you could have set up two popups in, they were so big.  

The beach is wonderful, with a shallow area great for toddlers and sections that are roped off to keep children in safe areas.  There is a great playground and several porch-type swings for people to sit in.  There is a nice grassy area to lay your blanket/chairs on if you don't want to be on the sand.  They have boat/canoe rentals which were so popular in the summer we never got a chance to try one out.  

During the summer they have a snack bar that sells icecream.  They also have a camp store which has the basics inc. firewood and an on site nature center.  They also have a small arcade.  All this is in the beach area.  One of the nice things about Rocky Gap's beach is this one is just for the campground so you don't have a bunch of day use people coming in.  At really busy times at Cunningham Falls you might not be able to get in because the parking lot is full.

They do have an electric loop, but none of the sites have water hook up.  The dump station is at the entrance to the campground which is a ways from some of the loops.  When we were last there in 2003 they had dumpsters behind every bathroom - at Cunningham falls you have to drive to the outskirts to find a dumpster - don't know if RG went that way, too.  The bathhouses were okay - typical for state parks around here.  

I found what's at the site not consistent - picnic table sizes varied, some had built in baby seats - others didn't, some had lantern hangers, others didn't, etc.  But it's a wonderful peaceful setting and we enjoyed both our trips there.

As for hints, slow way down as you near the turn off the highway -Dh really strained the brakes the first time we went 'cause he wasn't expecting such an aburpt stop off a short ramp after already coming down a steep grade on the highway.   Also, we didn't find it well marked and ended up down by the beach before we realized you have to turn right pretty soon after getting off the highway.  Then it seems like you might be going the wrong way because there are houses along the road on the right but eventually you get up to the entrance on the left!

[biff]

Thank you for your insights.  We started watching the weather channel and ended up wimping out and cancelling due to the expected weather.  We may try again for our next weekend off (10/1).  If so I'll let you know how it went. Thanks again.